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:
September 30, 2026
(Expired)
The Letter Review Prize for Books
The Letter Review
Genres:
Fiction, Non-fiction, and Novel
The Letter Review Prize for Books is an annual contest seeking excerpts from unpublished manuscripts across various genres. It aims to support writers at all stages and offers significant publication opportunities.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 2 to 4 winners
Additional prizes:
Winners may publish extracts of their entries in The Letter Review’s anthology. Up to 20 writers are shortlisted.
💰 Entry fee:
$30
📅 Deadline:
November 27, 2026
Creative Writing on Justice Competition 2026
Write the World
Genres:
Children’s, Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
This contest invites entrants to explore the theme of justice through an original poem, story, song, play, or other creative work. Entries can examine justice at any scale, from personal and everyday situations to broader social, national, global, or digital systems.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Runner-Up and Best Peer Review will each receive $50. Winner and Runner-Up will be republished in the Supreme Court Historical Society’s Quarterly Report
📅 Deadline:
October 26, 2026
SLAM 2027: Poetry that Breaks the Silence
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc. / Kinsman Quarterly
Genres:
Poetry
SLAM 2027 seeks captivating poetry that explores culture, resilience, love and justice. Poets may submit up to three poems and are encouraged to embrace free verse, inventive language and bold experimentation with sound, structure and voice.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Kinsman Quarterly and in the anthology “SLAM 2027”.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
October 30, 2026
The Louise Glück Prize for Best Poem or Prose
Poetries in English Magazine
Genres:
Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The inaugural Louise Glück Prize for Best Poem or Prose, run by Poetries in English Magazine. Open to poetry and prose; the winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication in the magazine.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee:
$35
📅 Deadline:
December 25, 2026
Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest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:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Winners receive additional development and mentoring, industry circulation to agents and publishers, and consideration for film/TV adaptations.
💰 Entry fee:
$45
📅 Deadline:
October 15, 2026
Anthology Short Story Competition 2027
Anthology Magazine
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Anthology Short Story Competition invites original and unpublished short stories in English, with no restrictions on theme or style. Stories must not exceed 1,500 words. Winners are chosen based on literary merit, originality, and readability, and the competition aims to encourage creative writing.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: €250 | 3rd: €150 | Winning story published in Anthology magazine.
💰 Entry fee:
$22
📅 Deadline:
August 31, 2027
Reader Views Non-Fiction Awards
Reader Views
Genres:
Non-fiction
The Reader Views Non-Fiction Awards celebrate excellent independently published works across various categories, offering professional reviews and promotional visibility.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Gold: $1000 | Silver: $350 | Bronze: $150 | Various sponsored awards and features in newsletters include marketing packages, interviews, and ads in our First Chapter Plus magazine.
💰 Entry fee:
$89
📅 Deadline:
March 31, 2027
2026 Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest
Free Spirit Publishing and Con Todo Press
Genres:
Children’s and Fiction
The Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest aims to elevate authentic, culturally relevant children’s stories written by and about Latino people. Original children’s picture books and board books are welcome.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
The winner receives a meeting with a Free Spirit acquisitions editor and the Con Todo Press founder. 2nd place: $500 | 3rd place: $300.
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
October 14, 2026
Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2026
Anthology Magazine
Genres:
Essay and Travel
The competition invites original, unpublished travel articles in English, focusing on authentic travel experiences. Articles should be engaging and convey a strong sense of the destination and local culture, with a maximum length of 1,000 words.
Top Prize:
€300
💰 Entry fee:
$12
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2026
Witches Short Story Challenge
Woodland Writers
Genres:
Fantasy, Fiction, and Short Story
A fantasy short story challenge built for writers of every level, from the brand new to the well practised. Think cauldrons, spells, potions, blood magic, talons, covens, amulets, incantations, herbs, crystals, and wands. Registered writers receive a handful of prompts and required elements when the challenge opens, and the rest is up to you: a brand-new story written on the theme, judged over three rounds of review by a reading team of teachers, editors, and fantasy enthusiasts. Every entrant receives written feedback on their story.
Top Prize:
$1,800
Additional prizes:
2nd place $900; 3rd place $400; 4th-10th place $100 each. Winning stories published on the Woodland Writers website. Entry includes a live creative writing workshop, two write-in calls, and community forum access.
💰 Entry fee:
$38
📅 Deadline:
October 23, 2026
Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest
Fiction Collective 2
Genres:
Fiction
The contest is open to US writers who have not previously published with FC2. Works can include novels, novellas, or collections of short stories, with no length requirement. Translations and previously published works are not eligible.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by FC2
📅 Deadline:
November 01, 2026
Inkshift $1,000 Writing Contest
Inkshift Inc.
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
Inkshift’s $1,000 Writing Contest is a free-to-enter short story competition open to writers aged 18 and over worldwide, with a single grand prize of $1,000. All genres are welcome, and entries are judged on storytelling quality, originality, character development and prose.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2026
African Diaspora Award
Kinsman Quarterly
Genres:
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Afro-descendant writers: enter the African Diaspora Award from Kinsman Quarterly. Submit original, unpublished short stories, nonfiction, or poetry that celebrates the voices of the African diaspora. Winners receive cash prizes plus publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the annual anthology, “Africa’s Diaspora: Four Corners.”
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the anthology “Africa’s Diaspora: Four Corners”
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
December 31, 2026
Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest
Wordcrafters in Eugene
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest honors the legacy of Cai Emmons by recognizing new voices in fiction. It encourages themes central to Cai’s work, such as interconnectedness, women’s issues, grief, and environmental concerns.
Top Prize:
$700
Additional prizes:
Category-specific awards of $200 for Magical Realism, Environmental/Climate, Female Protagonist, Family Dynamics, Experimental Fiction, and Aftermath of Loss.
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
October 30, 2026
Winter 2026 Prose & Poetry Contest
Onyx Publications
Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Poetry, and Short Story
The Winter 2026 Prose & Poetry Contest runs two independently judged tracks: prose, covering short stories, memoirs and flash fiction, and poetry. Onyx Publications staff carry out the initial screening before finalists are selected.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
First prize: $500, second prize: $100, third prize: $50 – each awarded once for Prose and once for Poetry. Publication in the magazine. First place winners in prose and poetry are narrated and interviewed on the Story Discovery Podcast.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
November 01, 2026
Anthology Nature Writing Competition 2026
Anthology Magazine
Genres:
Essay and Non-fiction
The competition celebrates the beauty of nature and encourages storytelling about environmental themes. Open to all writers, submissions must be original, unpublished, and in English, with a maximum of 1,500 words. Entries can cover various aspects of nature, from wildlife encounters to reflections on environmental challenges.
Top Prize:
€300
Additional prizes:
Publication in Anthology magazine
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2026
(Expired)
The Homer Awards
Imagine Press / Homer Awards
Genres:
Crime, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Romance, and Thriller
The Homer Awards celebrate excellence in Thriller and Greece-set fiction. Nine awards across five categories, including the Penelope Award — a manuscript prize for unagented authors offering a full publishing deal with Imagine Press.
Top Prize:
A full publishing deal with Imagine Press (professional editing, cover design, formatting, and global distribution). Winner retains all rights.
💰 Entry fee:
$30
📅 Deadline:
December 31, 2026
Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction
Letter Review
Genres:
Short Story and Fiction
The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction is an internationally recognized writing contest that supports emerging writers. It offers monetary awards and publication opportunities, celebrating a diverse range of voices.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 2 to 4 winners.
Additional prizes:
Publication by The Letter Review. Up to 20 writers shortlisted. Publication and consideration for the Pushcart Prize and anthologies.
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
November 27, 2026
Reedsy Novel Sprint 2026
Reedsy
Genres:
Novel
Novel Sprint gives you a month of structure, momentum, and community to help you make serious progress on your book. Join thousands of writers for live workshops, writing sprints, and a shared goal: 50,000 words in November. 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
Additional prizes:
2nd: $2,500 + Literary Agent Intro. | 3rd: $1,000 + Literary Agent Intro. | The winners will also get additional prizes from our sponsors.
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2026
To Hull And Back
www.christopherfielden.com
Genres:
Fiction, Humor, and Short Story
A biennial humorous short story competition (10th competition for 2027) with no fixed theme. Stories must be in English, fictional, and humorous in some way (black comedy and dark humour allowed).
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in the To Hull And Back anthology (print + Kindle) plus an author interview; the winner’s face appears on the anthology front cover, and their printed copy is ridden to Hull and back by motorcycle and filmed.
💰 Entry fee:
$11
📅 Deadline:
June 30, 2027
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, 2026
2026 International Search for the Best Haiku
Haiku Crush
Genres:
Poetry
The Best Haiku is an international competition awarding publication in the annual Best Haiku anthology, sponsored and judged by Haiku Crush. Both traditional and modern haiku are accepted; submissions must be in English.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Grand Mention winners each receive $150. Up to 50 runner-ups will also be published.
💰 Entry fee:
$9
📅 Deadline:
October 18, 2026
Annual Flash Fiction Competition
Flash 500
Genres:
Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
The Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit stories of up to 500 words. It’s a quarterly competition with prizes awarded for the top three entries each quarter. Winning entries are published on the website.
Top Prize:
£300
Additional prizes:
2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
December 31, 2026
Seven Hills Literary Contest & Penumbra Poetry & Haiku Contest
Tallahassee Writers Association
Genres:
Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry, and Science Fiction
The contest is open to English-language entries globally. It features categories for Florida Fiction, Fantasy/Science Fiction, Poetry, Prose Poetry, and Haiku, allowing multiple entries per category.
Top Prize:
$100 to $300 depending on genre
Additional prizes:
Winners receive electronic certificates and will be published in the 2026 Seven Hills Review, along with a short author bio. First-place winners also get a complimentary copy of the publication.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
October 15, 2026
2026/2027 Fiction, Non-Fiction & Memoir Contest
IML Publications
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:
December 20, 2026
New Writers Novel Prize 2026
New Writers UK
Genres:
Fiction, Novel, and Novella
The inaugural New Writers Novel Prize, run in association with The Novel Factory, invites the opening 500 words of an unpublished novel or novella on any theme or genre, written for adult or young adult readers. The winner receives £1,000 plus lifetime access to The Novel Factory writing software, and the three winning entries are published on NewWriters.org.uk and in the New Writers Anthology.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives lifetime access to The Novel Factory software; 2nd: £300 plus a 12-month Standard subscription; 3rd: £200 plus a 12-month Basic subscription. Winning entries are published on NewWriters.org.uk and in the New Writers Anthology.
💰 Entry fee:
$12
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2026
The Letter Review Prize for Poetry
The Letter Review
Genres:
Poetry
The Letter Review Prize for Poetry is an internationally recognized contest that seeks to honor and publish outstanding poetry. It is part of The Letter Review’s mission to support writers and further their careers. The contest is open to all poets, with no restrictions on style or subject.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 2 to 4 winners
Additional prizes:
Publication by The Letter Review. Up to 20 writers are shortlisted.
💰 Entry fee:
$17
📅 Deadline:
November 27, 2026
Folk Horror Short Story Contest
Briar Press NY Publishers
Genres:
Fiction and Horror
Briar Press NY seeks short stories in the Folk Horror tradition, previously unpublished, set in any time period/place/culture. Stories should convey beautiful writing, engaging plots, memorable characters, and an authentic Folk-Gothic atmosphere.
Top Prize:
Publication in Briar Press NY’s upcoming Anthology ‘These Rotted Things’, including marketing assistance and 3 free copies.
📅 Deadline:
October 01, 2026
The Amazing Writers £500 Flash Fiction Competition
The Failing Writers Podcast
Genres:
Flash Fiction
A flash fiction competition run by The Failing Writers Podcast and sponsored by Scrivener. This year the theme is “birthday”, and every story must also work in a special phrase revealed in the podcast episode that launches the competition. Judges look for originality, creativity, characterisation and readability. Alongside the cash prize, winning and shortlisted stories are turned into professional audio productions and celebrated on the podcast.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Copies of Scrivener, exclusive merch, and the winning story turned into a professional audio production celebrated on the podcast. The first 150 entries also receive a free audiobook from Libro.fm.
💰 Entry fee:
$4
📅 Deadline:
October 19, 2026
The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2026
The Moth
Genres:
Poetry and Fiction
The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2026 is an international annual prize for unpublished pieces of nature writing. It is awarded to work that best combines exceptional literary merit with an exploration of the writer’s relationship with the natural world.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd prize €500 | 3rd prize €250 | Winner also receives a week at The Moth Retreat (rural Ireland)
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2026
(Expired)
The Aluminium Crown
The Aluminium Crown Committee
Genres:
Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story
Speculative fiction short story contest set in a near-future Australia: in 2055, Melbourne’s CBD is enclosed in a gargantuan protective structure called the Central Business Cube (CBC). The contest seeks stories based around this speculative event; stories about the Cube are welcome, including dystopias.
Top Prize:
$300AUD
Additional prizes:
Publication online
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2026
Reader Views Fiction Awards
Reader Views
Genres:
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Reader Views Fiction Awards recognize outstanding independently published fiction, honoring work by independent authors and small presses. The program offers professional evaluations and promotional visibility.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Gold: $1000 | Silver: $350 | Bronze: $150 | Various sponsored awards and features in newsletters include marketing packages, interviews, and ads in our First Chapter Plus magazine.
💰 Entry fee:
$89
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2026
(Expired)
The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2026
SmokeLong Quarterly
Genres:
Flash Fiction and Non-fiction
The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest (The Mikey) is an annual competition celebrating and compensating the best micro fiction and nonfiction online. Fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid narratives that lean poetic are welcome, in English or any other language accompanied by an English translation, and both previously published and unpublished micros are considered. The grand prize winner is automatically nominated for Best Small Fictions, and all winners and finalists are published in the December 2026 issue of SmokeLong.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Second place $500, third place $300, finalists $150. All winners and finalists are published in the December 2026 issue of SmokeLong Quarterly.
💰 Entry fee:
$18
📅 Deadline:
November 15, 2026
FFF Competition Thirty-Six
Free Flash Fiction
Genres:
Flash Fiction
Submit a flash fiction piece of between 100 and 300 words on any theme. The judge for this contest is Emma Phillips.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
£100 for two Highly Commended £80 for 3 shortlisted entries, all receive publication.
💰 Entry fee:
$4
📅 Deadline:
October 23, 2026
