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)
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 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition
Swansea University
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is a prestigious award for writers born or living in Wales. Established in 1991, it recognizes the best unpublished short stories in English, up to 5,000 words. The competition encourages new talent and is managed by Swansea University’s Cultural Institute in association with Parthian Books.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in short story anthology |
💰 Entry fee:
$8
📅 Deadline:
February 14, 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)
Fiction Potluck
The Writer’s Workout
Genres:
Fiction, Short Story, and Science Fiction
Fiction Potluck is a quarterly writing competition open to fiction writers globally, featuring a guest judge who sets a unique challenge each period. The current challenge theme is ‘Sci-Fi Western’, with submissions of up to 6,000 words due by August 20. The competition is free to enter, and winners receive prizes including a two-year Duotrope service subscription (valued at $100).
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Two years of Duotrope service for the first place winner.
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
August 15, 2025
(Expired)
Ironclad Short Story Competition
Ironclad Creative CIC
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Ironclad Short Story Competition invites both published and unpublished writers to submit original stories responding to the prompt ‘SWITCH.’ Stories up to 6,000 words are accepted. Winning and shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology.
Top Prize:
£100
Additional prizes:
2nd: £50 | 3rd: £25 | Publication for all shortlisted stories.
💰 Entry fee:
$9
📅 Deadline:
October 31, 2025
(Expired)
Fish Short Memoir Prize
Fish Publishing
Genres:
Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The Fish Short Memoir Prize invites entries of personal memoirs, with the aim of being published in the Fish Anthology 2025. It’s open to writers of any nationality and no prior publication is needed.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd and 3rd: Online writing course + €300 | 3rd: €300
💰 Entry fee:
$18
📅 Deadline:
January 31, 2025
(Expired)
The Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize
Alpine Fellowship
Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize aims to discover and support new writing talent on an annual basis. The prize includes financial support for the best pieces of writing submitted on an announced theme. The contest is open to all writers aged 18 and above, regardless of nationality.
Top Prize:
£3,000 cash grant
Additional prizes:
2nd: £1,000 travel expense | 3rd: £1,000 travel expense
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
March 01, 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. Participants will compete for cash prizes, including two grand prizes of $1,000 each and an additional $500 for two runners-up. To enter, review the rules and guidelines and submit your first-round entry and $20 registration fee by December 30th.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
$250 for 2x runner-ups
💰 Entry fee:
$20
📅 Deadline:
December 30, 2025
Annual Flash Fiction Competition
Flash 500
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
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:
£200, £100
💰 Entry fee:
$7
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2025
(Expired)
Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest
Lazuli Literary Group
Genres:
Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing
We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Publication in “AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought”
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
July 15, 2025
(Expired)
100 Word Writing Contest
Tadpole Press
Genres:
Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children’s, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel
The contest invites submissions of creative works of 100 words or less. It encourages diverse voices and unique stories focused on the theme of truth-telling across any genre.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: Publishing and marketing package valued at $6,000 | 3rd: Manuscript assessment package ($1,500-$3,000) | 4th place: Editing package ($1,500) | 5th & 6th: Writing coaching ($500) | 7th-10th: $200 | 11th-15th: $150 | 16th-20th: $100 | 21st-30th: $50
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
November 30, 2025
(Expired)
Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2025
Desperate Literature
Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize aims to showcase new short fiction, offering visibility for winners. Collaborating with various institutions, the prize includes cash rewards, writing retreats, and publication opportunities.
Top Prize:
€2,000 + a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, consultation with Literary Agent Ed Wilson, manuscript assessment with The Literary Consultancy.
Additional prizes:
2nd and 3rd place: €1000. Publication in partner journals for all shortlisted writers.
💰 Entry fee:
$20
📅 Deadline:
April 13, 2025
(Expired)
The Elmbridge Literary Competition 2025
The R C Sherriff Trust
Genres:
Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The 20th Elmbridge Literary Competition invites submissions of short stories and poems on the theme of ‘The River’ to commemorate RC Sherriff. Open internationally, the competition includes age categories with specific word counts.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
Cash prizes for adults + book tokens for children’s categories
📅 Deadline:
February 21, 2025
(Expired)
Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize
Red Hen Press
Genres:
Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel
Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize honors previously unpublished, original prose work including novels, short story collections, memoirs, and essay collections. It is open to all women writers, with a fair evaluation process ensuring anonymity during judging.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by Red Hen Press
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2025
(Expired)
The Pinch Literary Awards & Page Prize
The Pinch Literary Journal
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Pinch Literary Awards recognize excellence in fiction. Submissions are judged blind, with various entry windows throughout the year.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in the fall issue of Pinch.
💰 Entry fee:
$28
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2025
(Expired)
Eyelands Book Awards
Strange Days Books
Genres:
Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The Eyelands Book Awards are international awards aimed at recognizing talent among published and unpublished authors. The contest is based in Greece and encourages submissions across various literary genres.
Top Prize:
A five-day stay in Athens
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives translation into Greek and publication. Handmade ceramics for winners in each category.
💰 Entry fee:
$45
📅 Deadline:
October 20, 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)
Genres:
Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize celebrates emerging voices in life writing, poetry, and fiction. It supports writers who have not published book-length works and offers a platform for diverse backgrounds. Winners receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Wasafiri magazine, mentoring through Chapter and Verse or Free Reads, career discussions with The Good Literary Agency, and a one-year print subscription.
💰 Entry fee:
$15
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2024
(Expired)
Story Unlikely Short Story Contest
Story Unlikely
Genres:
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, and Thriller
The Story Unlikely Short Story Contest seeks quality stories across all genres. It invites submissions from anyone, without restrictions on age or location. The contest awards prizes totaling $5,000, with publication opportunities for winners.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $1,000 | 3rd: $750 | Reprint category: $250 | Honorable mentions receive certificates, and some finalists may be published in the magazine.
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
January 14, 2026
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
Killer Nashville
Genres:
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller
The Silver Falchion Award honors the best books published in 2024 across various genres, including mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance. The competition aims to recognize quality storytelling and is open to all published authors.
Top Prize:
$250
💰 Entry fee:
$85
📅 Deadline:
April 01, 2025
(Expired)
Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors
Grist Magazine
Genres:
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Imagine 2200 contest invites writers to envision equitable climate progress stories, showcasing creative solutions and community resilience. It emphasizes hope and the potential for positive change through fiction.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Second place: $2000
Third place: $1000
Ten $300 awards for finalists.
Opportunity for the winner to participate in Oregon State University’s Environmental Writing Fellowship and Residency, including a four-week writing residency.
📅 Deadline:
June 24, 2024
(Expired)
Winter Flash Fiction Battle
Writing Battle
Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller
The Winter Flash Fiction Battle is an engaging contest where writers compete by creating stories based on given prompts. Participants write a story of up to 1000 words within three days. The contest emphasizes community feedback and professional judging.
Top Prize:
Genre Winner (x4): $$3,400
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $800 | Genre Semi-Finalist (x8): $400
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
February 01, 2025
(Expired)
To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Contest
Christopher Fielden
Genres:
Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Competition is a biennial contest focused on humorous writing. It celebrates imaginative short stories from writers globally. The current competition is open until June 30, 2025, with multiple cash prizes and publication opportunities in an anthology.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize: £200 | 3rd Prize: £100
💰 Entry fee:
$16
📅 Deadline:
June 30, 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)
Bridport Short Story Prize
Bridport Arts Centre
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That’s not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.
Top Prize:
£5000
Additional prizes:
£1000 for 2nd, £500 for 3rd
💰 Entry fee:
$17
📅 Deadline:
May 31, 2025
(Expired)
Drue Heinz Literature Prize
University of Pittsburgh Press
Genres:
Novella and Short Story
The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction, requiring eligible authors to have published a book-length collection or at least three short stories/novellas in commercial magazines. Manuscripts are judged anonymously by national writers.
Top Prize:
$15,000
📅 Deadline:
June 30, 2025
(Expired)
HG Wells Short Story Competition
HG Wells Competition
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The HG Wells Short Story Competition, founded by Reg Turnill, promotes writing and celebrates HG Wells’ literary legacy. It encourages entries based on this year’s theme: ‘The Fool.’
Top Prize:
Under 21: £1,000
Over 21: £500
Additional prizes:
All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology. Shortlisted authors receive a copy of the anthology and a certificate.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
July 08, 2024
(Expired)
A Long Winter’s Night Contest
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
This contest invites participants to write a story about a long winter’s night, limited to 50 words or less. Entries can be true or fictional.
Top Prize:
$0
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
February 28, 2026
WOW! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest
WOW! Women On Writing
Genres:
Flash Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story
The WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest aims to inspire creativity and recognition for writers. Open to all genres of flash fiction, it has been running since 2006 and has awarded over $100,000 in cash prizes to participants. The contest allows entries globally, and submissions must be in English.
Top Prize:
$400
Additional prizes:
2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
August 31, 2025
(Expired)
Anthology Short Story Competition 2026
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:
July 31, 2026
Dream Quest One Writing Contest
Andre L. West
Genres:
Short Story
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest aims to inspire and encourage writers and poets to showcase their talents. The contest accepts entries in the forms of poems (up to 30 lines) and short stories (up to 5 pages) on any subject or theme.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
First Writing Prize: $500, Second Writing Prize: $250, Third Writing Prize: $100.
💰 Entry fee:
$10
📅 Deadline:
April 06, 2025
(Expired)
Literary and Photographic Contest
Hispanic Culture Review
Genres:
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
The contest theme is ‘Hecho a mano’, focusing on the creativity of handmade works. Categories include photography, poetry, and narrative/essay/academic investigation. Selected works will be published, and winners will receive monetary prizes and certificates of recognition.
Top Prize:
Monetary prize + certificate of recognition for winners in each category
💰 Entry fee:
$0
📅 Deadline:
January 21, 2025
(Expired)
Reader Views Literary 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 Literary Awards recognize innovative self-published books, offering visibility and credibility to independent authors. The contest provides thorough book reviews, evaluation forms, and promotional opportunities.
Top Prize:
$1,250
Additional prizes:
Gold: $750 | Silver: $350 | Bronze: $150 | Various sponsored awards and features in newsletters include marketing packages, interviews, and ads.
💰 Entry fee:
$89
📅 Deadline:
December 15, 2025
Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Competition
Dzanc Books
Genres:
Fiction and Short Story
The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections. The winning submission will receive a $2,500 advance and publication. The contest is open to all writers, and all submitted works must be previously unpublished collections.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee:
$25
📅 Deadline:
September 30, 2025
(Expired)
