The Elegant Literature Award For New Writers
Elegant Media Publishing Corporation
Genres:
Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Horror, LGBTQ, Science Fiction, Suspense, and Thriller
The contest invites new and unpublished authors to write a story based on the theme ‘Lasting Legacy’ and include the word ‘tree’. It aims to promote new talent and award life-changing prize money.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
1st: Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator and publication payment at 10c/word | 2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication | 11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2025
The Reedsy Prompts Contest
Reedsy
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.
Top Prize:
$250
Additional prizes:
Publication on Reedsy Prompts + $25 credit for Reedsy Marketplace services for shortlisted entries
💰 Entry fee:
$5
📅 Deadline:
December 31, 2025
The Bedford Competition
The Bedford Competition
Genres:
Poetry and Short Story
The Bedford Competition runs annual international short story and poetry competitions open to anyone over 17 years. Winning entries are published in an anthology.
Top Prize:
£2000
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize £300 | 3rd Prize £200 | Cygnature Prizes £200 | Bedford Prizes £100
💰 Entry fee:
$11
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2025
(Expired)
Reedsy Novel Sprint
Reedsy
Genres:
Novel
The Reedsy Novel Sprint is an annual challenge (every November) where participants aim to write 50,000 original words in our free writing app, Reedsy Studio. With events, resources, and in-app goal tracking, this challenge is designed to help writers finish their first drafts — and get excited about doing it! At the end of the month, those who have written at least 50,000 words in Studio can submit their first chapters to our Reedsy Novel Sprint Contest.
Top Prize:
$5,000 + Literary Agent Intro
Additional prizes:
2nd: $2,500 + Literary Agent Intro
3rd: $1,000 + Literary Agent Intro
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2025
Future Scholar Foundation Short Story Competition
Future Scholar Foundation
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The competition invites elementary and middle school students to submit short stories (maximum 350 words) based on a monthly theme. Winners receive recognition and prizes, including Amazon gift cards and publication in the Hall of Fame.
Top Prize:
$60
Additional prizes:
2nd: $15 Amazon gift card | 3rd: $5 Amazon gift card | All winners are published in the Hall of Fame.
📅 Deadline:
October 28, 2025
(Expired)
Wonder Fiction Battle
Writing Battle, Inc.
Genres:
Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Flash Fiction
The Wonder 2025 Flash fiction Battle is part of the Writing Battle series, where participants write stories based on prompts. Participants receive feedback from professionals.
Top Prize:
$3,400
Additional prizes:
$3400 prize for 4x Genre Winners; $500 prize for 4x Genre Runner-ups. Winners receive online publication, feedback from industry professionals
💰 Entry fee:
$39
📅 Deadline:
April 13, 2025
(Expired)
The Unsealed
Lauren Brill Media LLC
Genres:
Poetry
This contest encourages participants to write about moments when they felt guided by the universe, such as instances of perfect timing or signs that changed their direction. It aims to inspire storytelling and personal reflection.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
2nd: $50 | Winner also gets digital billboard feature or a free copy of ‘Unseal Your Superpowers’
📅 Deadline:
July 23, 2025
(Expired)
Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
Moment Magazine and Karma Foundation
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest invites unpublished stories that focus on themes relating to Judaism or Jewish culture. Established in 2000, it has featured renowned judges and offers cash prizes for outstanding works.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Up to three prizes may be awarded.
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
November 01, 2025
(Expired)
Fischer Prize
Telluride Institute
Genres:
Poetry
A national poetry contest established in 1997 in memory of Mark Fischer. It aims to promote poetry and supports the Talking Gourds community poetry program. The contest is open to all poets writing in English, regardless of age or location, and it awards cash prizes to winners and finalists.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Five $250 Outstanding Finalist prizes
💰 Entry fee:
$12
📅 Deadline:
August 31, 2025
(Expired)
HNS 2026 First Chapters Competition
Historical Novel Society
Genres:
Fiction
The HNS 2026 First Chapters Competition invites entries for the opening (maximum 3,000 words) and a 1-page synopsis of a full-length historical novel. It’s open to both members and non-members, encouraging excellence in historical fiction.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
Grand winner also receives a trophy. 10 Category Winners receive £500 and a free HNS 2026 conference ticket.
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
November 17, 2025
(Expired)
MoonLit Getaway Short Fiction Contest
MoonLit Getaway
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The contest invites entries for short fiction with a maximum word count of 2,500 words. All submissions must be original and unpublished. The contest promotes engagement by publishing winning stories in their anthology and on the website.
Top Prize:
$250 CAD
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will each receive 50 CAD and publication.
💰 Entry fee:
$8
📅 Deadline:
October 12, 2025
(Expired)
Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest
Book Pipeline
Genres:
Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, and Young Adult
The 2025 Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest aims to discover unpublished manuscripts across ten categories. Winners receive $25,000, industry circulation, and executive development opportunities. It is open to writers aged 18 and older, with specific submission guidelines based on categories.
Top Prize:
$25,000
Additional prizes:
$2,500 for each category winner
💰 Entry fee:
$45
📅 Deadline:
September 25, 2025
(Expired)
Fish Flash Fiction Prize
Fish Publishing
Genres:
Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Fish Flash Fiction Prize invites submissions of compelling stories in 300 words or less, judged by Tania Hershman. The contest has been held annually since 2004.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: €300 + Online Writing Course | 3rd: €300
💰 Entry fee:
$14
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2025
(Expired)
The Booksie 2025 Poetry Contest
Booksie
Genres:
Poetry
The Booksie 2025 Poetry Contest seeks original poems of any type or length. Entries can be serious or whimsical, but should evoke thought. Judges will select winners from six finalists.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Gold winner badge and promotion across Booksie. Runners-up receive $100 cash and a silver winner badge
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
October 17, 2025
(Expired)
Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award
Plough Publishing
Genres:
Poetry
The award honors Dominican-American poet Rhina Espaillat. It is for an original poem of up to 50 lines, showcasing empathy and grace in everyday life.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Winning poem published in Plough Quarterly | Two finalists will receive $250
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
March 30, 2025
(Expired)
BBC National Short Story Award
BBC Radio 4 and Cambridge University
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The BBC National Short Story Award aims to celebrate and promote the short story form, providing a prestigious platform for both established and emerging writers. The award includes a significant monetary prize and recognition through BBC broadcasts.
Top Prize:
£15,000
Additional prizes:
4x shortlisted stories: £600
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
March 18, 2024
(Expired)
Hastings Book Festival Short Story Competition
Hastings Book Festival
Genres:
Short Story and Fiction
The Hastings Book Festival Short Story Competition invites entries of original short stories. The competition is open to all writers aged 18 and over, with submissions accepted in English. The judging process is anonymous, and entries must follow specific formatting guidelines.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50 | Winners may also be eligible for additional prizes like the Sussex Prize and Founder’s Prize.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
June 30, 2025
(Expired)
Self-Publishing Literary Awards
Black Caucus of ALA (BCALA)
Genres:
Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Poetry
The BCALA Self-Publishing Literary Awards honors the best self-published ebooks by African American authors in the U.S. across fiction and poetry genres. The awards focus on the cultural, historical, and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Formal recognition at the NCAAL conference, BCALA Literary Award Seal.
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2025
(Expired)
Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition
Munster Literature Centre
Genres:
Poetry
The Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition is an annual prize open to original, unpublished poems in English of up to 40 lines. It celebrates poetry and offers substantial prizes while encouraging international participation.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
2nd Place: €500
3rd Place: €250
10 runners up: €50
Featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival with hotel stay, publication in Southword, and featured on the Southword Poetry Podcast.
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2025
Creative Writing Award for Short Fiction
Aesthetica Magazine
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding new writing talents in poetry and short fiction, offering a platform for authors globally to showcase their work. It emphasizes innovation in content and form across any theme.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual
One-year subscription to The London Magazine, Granta, and Mslexia
Consultation with Redhammer Management
Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative
💰 Entry fee:
$18
📅 Deadline:
August 31, 2025
(Expired)
Nobleer Media Impact Award
Nobleer Media
Genres:
The Nobleer Media Impact Award celebrates exceptional authors who have made a profound impact through their work.
Additional prizes:
Winner is featured in Nobleer Media’s Top Books of the Year list. Winner will also receive recognition and promotion for their submission.
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
May 30, 2025
(Expired)
New2theScene Flash Fiction Competition 2025
New2theScene
Genres:
Fiction and Flash Fiction
The competition invites submissions of flash fiction with a maximum word count of 999. Entries can be on any topic, allowing writers to showcase their creativity.
Top Prize:
£50 book voucher
Additional prizes:
Publication, promotion, and a podcast interview | Potential publication and £15 vouchers for notable mentions.
💰 Entry fee:
$5
📅 Deadline:
June 01, 2025
(Expired)
Creative Nonfiction Prize
Indiana Review
Genres:
Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction
The Creative Nonfiction Prize is held annually by Indiana Review, which also publishes various genres including poetry and fiction. It features a $20 entry fee, which includes a subscription to the journal. All entries are considered for publication.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Indiana Review
💰 Entry fee:
$20
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2025
(Expired)
Troubadour International Poetry Prize
Coffeehouse Poetry
Genres:
Poetry
The Troubadour International Poetry Prize is an annual competition open to poets worldwide, judged by notable figures in the literary community. The 2024 prize includes cash awards for the top three poems, as well as opportunities for commended entries.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Second: £1,000
Third prize: £500
20 commended entries
Winners read with judges at the online international prize-night celebration.
💰 Entry fee:
$8
📅 Deadline:
September 23, 2024
(Expired)
Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications
Jacqueline Gay Walley
Genres:
Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
High-quality unpublished manuscripts in memoir, fiction, and non-fiction are sought for this competition. The contest is designed to amplify the voices of contemporary writers.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Possible book publication/distribution in ebook and paperback formats
💰 Entry fee:
$40
📅 Deadline:
October 15, 2025
(Expired)
Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award 2025
Blue Pencil Agency
Genres:
Fiction
The award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. It includes a submission of the opening chapters and a synopsis. The judges are from WME and include Samuel Burr.
Top Prize:
£1000 + Agent Introduction
Additional prizes:
Runner up: £500 + Agent Introduction; Highly Commended: £150 + Agent Introduction
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
May 31, 2025
(Expired)
Memoir in Verse Award
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Genres:
Poetry and Memoir
This contest is for full-length poetry chapbooks (50-150 pages) celebrating a BIPOC or underrepresented poet. It seeks a thematic collection that captures a personal journey or season of life.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Publication of the winning collection
💰 Entry fee:
$22
📅 Deadline:
March 31, 2026
The Fountain Essay Contest
The Fountain
Genres:
Essay
The 2025 contest is themed “Real or Fake: Discovering Authenticity”, and it invites submissions exploring the meaning of truth in a time of misinformation, imitation, and uncertainty.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $500 | 3rd: $300 | 2x honorable mentions: $150
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2025
(Expired)
Parsec Short Story Contest
Parsec Inc.
Genres:
Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, and Short Story
The Parsec Short Story Contest aims to encourage non-professional writers to explore speculative fiction in genres like science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The theme for 2025 is ‘ROOTS’, and submissions should relate to this theme. The contest has no entry fee and supports young writers through a special Youth Story Prize.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
March 31, 2025
(Expired)
The Writers Cypher
The Writers Cypher
Genres:
Poetry and Short Story
The Writers Cypher is a first year, three-round virtual creative writing competition sponsored by Writers’ Row Publishing House.
Top Prize:
2x $1000 prizes available
Additional prizes:
$500 for 2x runner-ups
💰 Entry fee:
$20
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2025
The Next Big Story
The Novelry Group Limited
Genres:
Fiction
The Next Big Story is a creative writing prize inviting submissions for the first 1,500 words of a work of fiction. The contest aims to encourage new voices in storytelling, offering a grand prize of $100,000 and eight shortlisting prizes of The Finished Novel Course to help writers finalize their projects.
Top Prize:
$100,000 or £75,000
Additional prizes:
Eight shortlists receive access to The Finished Novel Course (valued at approx $4,995 each).
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
July 31, 2025
(Expired)
2025 STAR Award for Published Women’s Fiction
Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA)
Genres:
Fiction
The STAR Award is designed for published women’s fiction authors. It has two categories: a general category for all full-length published works and an ‘Outstanding Debut’ category for authors’ first published work. Each category winner receives a $500 prize, along with a trophy and recognition. The contest is limited to the first 50 entries per category.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Trophy and recognition by WFWA for category winners. For finalists, a digital badge and certificate will also be awarded.
💰 Entry fee:
$65
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2025
(Expired)
Youth Writing Contest
Vancouver Writer’s Fest
Genres:
Children’s and Short Story
The Youth Writing Contest is an annual event organized by the Vancouver Writers Fest for students in British Columbia. It accepts short stories and personal essays, with two categories for different grade levels. It’s supported by the Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
1st prize for high school and $100 for elementary, both with publication in the Books & Ideas Newsletter
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
May 31, 2025
(Expired)
George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest
Third Wednesday
Genres:
Fiction and Flash Fiction
The contest honors George Dila, a friend of the magazine and its original fiction editor. It invites submissions of previously unpublished flash fiction under 1,000 words.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Publication in Third Wednesday magazine
💰 Entry fee:
$6
📅 Deadline:
August 15, 2024
(Expired)
Genres:
Poetry
The competition runs for 42 weeks from April 9, 2024, to January 28, 2025. Each week, five words will be provided for poem submissions, which must incorporate all the words.
Top Prize:
€750
Additional prizes:
€500, €250
💰 Entry fee:
$5
📅 Deadline:
January 28, 2025
(Expired)
