The Ultimate List of Writing Contests in 2026 • Win Cash Prizes!

Genres:
Fiction, Novel, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Adventure Writers Competition (AWC) is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates adventure writing. It invites unpublished or published writers in the action/adventure genre to participate by submitting original fiction manuscripts.

Genres:
Essay and Non-fiction

This contest invites young writers (ages 13-19) to share personal stories, focusing on the theme ‘Build a bridge.’ Participants are encouraged to include characters, descriptions, and narrative details.

Genres:
Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, Thriller, Crime, and Short Story

The Emerging Author Dagger is an international competition for unpublished crime novelists. It seeks submissions of a crime novel opening (max. 3,000 words) and a synopsis (max. 1,500 words) from writers who have never had a publishing contract for a full-length novel. The prize includes a cash prize of £500 and opportunities for shortlisted entrants to showcase their work to agents and publishers.

Genres:
Fiction and Short Story

A writing contest inviting original short stories about the origin of Bigfoot, with no entry fee. Stories must be set in the Pacific Northwest and can be of various tones. The winner will be awarded cash prizes.

Genres:
Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Horror, LGBTQ, Science Fiction, Suspense, and Thriller

This contest invites new writers to submit original, unpublished stories based on a monthly theme. The contest promotes emerging talent and awards cash prizes to winners.

Genres:
Crime, Humor, Romance, and Short Story

The Edinburgh Short Story Award is open to writers worldwide, welcoming stories of any genre. The award offers substantial cash prizes and the opportunity for publication in The Edinburgh Anthology. It emphasizes inclusivity through bursaries for underrepresented writers.

Genres:
Fiction and Flash Fiction

The WOW! Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest invites writers globally to submit original fiction entries. The contest encourages creativity across all genres and styles, operating under an open prompt. Since its inception in 2006, the contest has awarded over $150,000 in prizes.

Genres:
Script Writing

Inciting Incident Script Competition aims to help writers discover if their work is engaging enough to captivate the Hollywood gatekeeper to receive the elusive “Recommend.”

Genres:
Children’s, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Young Adult

The contest is open to both published and unpublished authors, featuring various categories. Each entry will be judged on literary merit by a panel. Winning entries will be featured in the Arizona Authors Literary 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.

Genres:
Poetry

The Anthology Poetry Competition seeks to recognize and encourage excellence in poetry writing. Open to original, unpublished poems in English, it welcomes entries from poets worldwide without restrictions on theme or style. Poems should not exceed 40 lines, with no limit on the number of entries per person.

Genres:
Essay, Fiction, and Poetry

Submit essays, fiction, or poetry exploring themes of multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain. Selected works receive publication in Kinsman’s upcoming anthology.

Genres:
Poetry and Children’s

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual contest for unpublished poems written by adults for children aged 7–11. It highlights children’s poetry and is judged anonymously. Previous winners include notable poets, and the prize aims to encourage new voices in this literary field.

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.

Genres:
Fiction and Young Adult

The Libraro Prize is a writing competition aimed at discovering new authors. It offers a £50,000 package and a book deal with Hachette UK for the winning entry. The contest also encourages reader engagement, offering two reader prizes worth £10,000 each for engagement and referrals.

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.

Genres:
Script Writing

The 3-Minute Writing Competition invites original plays, stories, and songs that last approximately 3 minutes. The winning entries will be performed at the Mini Arts Festival in Glaisdale, scheduled for 29-31 May 2026.

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.

Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize aims to celebrate new short fiction under 2000 words and provide visibility to winners through various publishing opportunities. This year, the prize includes cash rewards and writing retreats, alongside publication chances in several literary journals.

Genres:
Memoir

The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition invites entries for personal memoirs, encouraging emerging writers to share their stories. The winner will be published in Anthology magazine.

Genres:
Poetry

The ‘I Matter’ Contest invites students in grades K-12 to submit original poetry or art focused on the theme of equality. It was founded to empower youth to express their feelings on racial injustice through creative means.

Genres:
Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

This contest invites submissions that explore the theme ‘Disability as a Strength’, showcasing narratives around managing mental health, disabilities, and chronic illnesses. It is a chance for writers to express how these experiences have fortified their identities.

Genres:
Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Poetry

The contest welcomes submissions for fiction and poetry. Winners will be published and receive monetary prizes. Judges include established authors.

Genres:
Fiction

The competition invites stories reflecting contemporary political themes, such as healthcare, freedom of speech, and global politics. Entries must not exceed 5,000 words and must be original, unpublished works submitted as a .docx file.

Genres:
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Storytrade Book Awards celebrate excellence in small and independent publishing, recognizing outstanding books across various categories. The awards aim to provide visibility and recognition to authors and their works.

Genres:
Poetry

The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry is an annual contest with a focus on recognizing outstanding poetry. It is supported by the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust and has specific guidelines for submissions, including entry fees and poem requirements.

Genres:
Flash Fiction

Submit a flash fiction piece of 100-300 words on any theme. Judged anonymously; 1 winner, 2 highly commended, 3 shortlisted. Winners receive publication.

Genres:
Poetry

Founded in 2010, the Montreal International Poetry Prize is a global competition awarding $20,000 CAD to a poet for a single poem of 40 or fewer lines. The prize emphasizes original poetry, international readership, and exploration of diverse Englishes. The contest is juried by esteemed poets and critics, and the shortlisted works are published in an anthology.

Genres:
Poetry

The Lascaux Prize in Poetry accepts previously published or unpublished poems, with no length restrictions. The winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review. The entry fee is $15, and poets may submit up to five poems per entry. The contest will reopen on 1 October 2025, and submissions close on 31 March 2026.

Genres:
Poetry

The Paz Prize for Poetry awards a $2,000 prize every other year for the publication of an unpublished book of poetry originally written in Spanish by an American resident. The winning manuscript will be translated into English and published in a bilingual edition.

Genres:
Short Story

The competition encourages original submissions from writers worldwide, with no age limit. It promotes quality writing and is open to both amateurs and professionals.

Genres:
Fiction, Novel, Young Adult, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Chapter One Prize is dedicated to finding the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in English. Open to international writers over 18, it focuses on unpublished fiction only.

Genres:
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming. It awards $7,000 in cash across four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and One-Act Play. Winners are invited to a literary program and awards ceremony in Spring 2026.

Genres:
Essay and Non-fiction

This contest aims to inspire creative nonfiction writing and is open globally. It accepts various styles, from personal to hybrid essays. The word count ranges from 200 to 1000 words, with an open topic for submissions.

Genres:
Essay and Non-fiction

The Op-Ed Competition 2026 invites young writers aged 13-19 to express their opinions on important topics. The competition emphasizes well-researched arguments and encourages directness in writing.