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

Genres:
Short Story and Fiction

The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition accepts entries of up to 2,000 words on any theme. It is open to writers aged 16 and over.

Genres:
Fiction, Horror, and Short Story

Edge & Busby Press seeks literary psychological horror for its inaugural anthology contest — stories where the dread comes from people. Sixteen stories will be selected. Guest judge: Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, Disturbia).

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.

Genres:
Fiction and Short Story

Plough’s inaugural annual short fiction contest is open to writers anywhere in the world. Submissions should be short fiction that honors the mysterious nature of reality and finds transcendence and redemption in unexpected places; the contest is not limited to magical realism or a traditional “tale” voice.

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 Open to original, unpublished poems in English, it welcomes entries from poets worldwide without restrictions on theme or style.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:
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.

Genres:
Non-fiction

The Reader Views Non-Fiction Awards celebrate excellent independently published works across various categories, offering professional reviews and promotional visibility.

Genres:
Fiction and Flash Fiction

The Eighteenth Annual Flash Fiction Contest from Gemini Magazine welcomes unpublished flash fiction on any subject and in any style. All entries are read blind, so emerging writers and experienced writers get an equal chance.

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).

Genres:
Fiction and Short Story

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction accepts both previously published and unpublished stories, allowing simultaneous submissions. The winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.

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.

Genres:
Fiction and Novel

This competition invites submissions of the first chapter of a novel along with a synopsis. The focus is on originality and engaging storytelling. The winner will receive feedback from a literary agent and a substantial cash prize.

Genres:
Essay

Teen World of Arts and the European Democracy Institute at Bard College Berlin have teamed up to host an annual essay competition open to high school students (years 11 and 12) and undergraduates. Participants can choose from among four prompts that link the visual and performing arts to broader social, political, and historical topics.

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.

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.

Genres:
Crime, Fantasy, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Script Writing, Thriller, Children’s, and Christian

Kinsman Black Box script submissions are open year-round for one-act and full-length plays, and the programme especially welcomes BIPOC and traditionally underrepresented playwrights. Selected scripts are published globally in the Kinsman Black Box online script database, which licenses work to schools, theatre groups and charitable organisations.

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.

Genres:
Fiction and Short Story

The contest invites 8-16 year olds to write a story on ‘the perfect summer day’ within 600 words. Participants can gain inspiration from past winning entries.

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.

Genres:
Flash Fiction and Fiction

This contest invites submissions of flash fiction and other prose forms, including creative non-fiction. Pieces should focus on critical moments in the protagonist’s life, with a maximum length of 750 words. All entries receive consideration for publication, and those selected as winners receive small cash prizes.

Genres:
Fiction

The Ascent Novel Prize is a prestigious writing contest aimed at unpublished novelists. It encourages new talent by providing a platform to showcase their work.

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.

Genres:
Fiction and Novel

The Annual Novel Opening Competition welcomes entries of up to 3,000 words for a novel opening, along with a synopsis (max 750 words). The contest is open to all novelists, provided the work is unpublished.

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.

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 Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest welcomes entries of 100 words or less on any theme. It emphasizes creativity, uniqueness, and growth in writing, encouraging diverse voices.

Genres:
Memoir, Poetry, and Short Story

Celebrate the art of six-word storytelling by submitting your best six-word story, poem, memoir, or joke. The contest aims to discover impactful micro-stories.

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.

Genres:
Poetry

A free monthly poetry contest hosted by the Nudante team, where poets upload and share their work with the community. The winner receives a $100 first prize.

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.

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

The contest invites new and unpublished writers worldwide to submit short stories based on a monthly prompt. The current theme is ‘After The Ashes.’

Genres:
Flash Fiction

Writers submit original fiction of no longer than 100 words. Each story must include a title (which counts in the word count). The story must include the key word “horizon” (lowercase as written on the page) and the key word must not be used as the title.

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.

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.

Genres:
Essay

Invites Australian writers to tell nature stories that deepen appreciation for the natural world and inspire care for its future. Theme is “Writing of place”. Entries are digital essays of 3,000–5,000 words set in an Australian landscape, environment or seascape.