Submit your contest for possible posting. But first, please read what we DON’T post. Then if your contest appears to meet our guidelines, submit your contest. (We need the basics: Name of contest, brief description of what is to be submitted, awards, entry fee, deadline, website URL, and contact email for our follow-up questions.)
Most recently added contest(s) noted in orange — Contests posted by deadline dates
Read Writing Contest Cautions on our companion site
Fall 2026 Fellowship Opportunity: The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Center for Business Journalism provides experienced journalists with grants up to $15,000 and the editorial support needed to produce deeply reported enterprise and investigative stories with a strong economic, financial or business angle. You don’t need to be a business reporter to apply – many of our previous Fellows have been generalists, or cover beats such as healthcare, education or the environment. Others have focused on issues such as economic inequality or corporate accountability. We consider proposals from both freelance and staff journalists in all forms of media. The exact amount will depend on the time it takes to complete the project and the expenses needed. Freelance journalists may use some of the funding as a stipend for living expenses during the Fellowship. Deadline: October 12, 2026. Info: https://www.mcgrawcenter.org – Application form: https://tinyurl.com/4u3xyna4
Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship for an early-career writer of fiction who has not yet published a book and is not currently nor has ever been enrolled in an advanced degree program. Awards: a year-long mentorship on the craft of fiction writing with One Story magazine (see guidelines for full description). No entry fee. Deadline: October 13, 2026. Info: https://one-story.com/learn/fellowship/
2026 New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition for a manuscript of 16 to 34 pages of poetry. Open to any writer identifying as a woman who has not yet published a full-length collection. Award: $1,500, royalty contract, and publication by Finishing Line Press. Entry fee: $20. Deadline: October 15, 2025. Info: https://finishinglinepress.com/submissions/
Gerald Cable Book Award for a book-length manuscript (48 pages or more) of original poetry by an author who has not yet published a full-length collection. No restrictions on the kind of poetry or subject matter; translations are not acceptable. Award: $1000, publication, and 25 copies of the book. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Info: https://silverfishreviewpress.com/submission-guidelines
Event Annual Nonfiction Contest for creative nonfiction, 5,000-word limit. Awards: $1500 + publication, $1,000, $500 (CDN). Entry fee: $34.95 includes one-year subscription to Event. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Info: https://www.eventmagazine.ca/contest-nf/
Eyelands Book Awards 2026. Published and unpublished book sections. Categories (fiction, short story collection, poems, historical fiction/memoir, children’s/YA books, LGBTQIA+, sci-fi – crime/thriller, self-published) in each section. Awards: Grand prize (published books): Five-day holiday in Athens. Grand prize (unpublished books): Translation into Greek and publication from Strange Days Books. 14 more prizes. Entry fee: $45. Deadline: October 20, 2026. Info: https://eyelandsawards.com/
WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest for creative nonfiction on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style – from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hermit crab, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Email submissions only; reprints/previously published are okay; simultaneous submissions are okay; multiple submissions are okay. Open internationally. Limit: 300 entries. Awards: $500, $300, $200; 7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication, interview, and gift code good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store; 10 Honorable mentions receive a gift code good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store. Entry fee: $12; critique option for an additional $13. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Info: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#EssayContest
The Vern Rutsala Book Contest for a collection of poetry, flash fiction, or a combination of the two. Award: $1,000 and publication by Cloudbank Books and 50 free books. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Info: https://cloudbankbooks.com/vern-rutsala-book-contest/
15th Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Awards: $1,000, $500, $250 in each category plus scholarships to the Tucson Festival of Books Masters Workshop. Entry fee: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Info: https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=1924
FC2 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize – open to writers of, from, or in the United States with at least three books of fiction published. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel of any length. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Award: $15,000 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2026. Info: https://fc2.org/prizes/#doctorow
Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest – open to writers of, from, or in the United States who have not previously published with FC2. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel of any length. There is no length requirement. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Award: $1,500 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press. Entry fee: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2026. Info: https://fc2.org/prizes/sukenick
21st Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards – open to all styles, maximum length 32 lines. Awards: $1,000, $250, $100 plus more. Entry fees: early-bird $20 for the first single poem entry; $35 for the first chapbook entry; regular $25 for the first single poem entry; $40 for the first chapbook entry. Deadlines: early-bird November 2, 2026; regular December 1, 2026. Info: https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/poetry-awards
Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize to recognize the finest speculative fiction, which can include, but is not limited to, work influenced by the postmodern science-fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. Award: $1,000 plus the winning entry will appear in the North American Review’s annual summer issue, and all finalists will be considered for publication. Entry fee: $23, which includes summer issue with winning entry in it. Deadline: November 2, 2026. Info: https://northamericanreview.org/kurt-vonnegut-speculative-fiction-prize
F(r)iction Fall 2026 Writing Contests for Short Story (1,001-7,500 words), Flash Fiction (to 1,000 words), and Poetry (up to 3 pages per poem). Awards; $1,000, $300, $300. Entry fee: $10-$15. Deadline: November 13, 2026. Info: https://frictionlit.org/contests/
Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2026 for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and to provide a platform for publication. We are looking for an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. Maximum 1,000 words. Award: €300 cash prize and publication in a future issue of Anthology. Entry fee: €15. Deadline: November 30, 2026. Info: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/travel-writing-competition/
WOW! Women on Writing Fall 2026 Flash Fiction Contest – for short fiction of any genre, 250–750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, great writing, and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants. Email submissions only; reprints/previously published are okay; simultaneous submissions are okay; multiple submissions are okay. Open internationally. Limit: 300 entries. Awards: $400, $300, $200; 7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview; 10 Honorable mentions receive $20 Amazon Gift Card. Top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing ezine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW’s blog, The Muffin. Entry fee $10; critique option for an additional $10. Deadline: November 30, 2026. Info: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest
2027 Next Generation Short Story Awards – 30+ categories; 5,000 words or less. Awards: $500, $300, $200, $75 plus gold medals. Entry fee: $25 per story for the first category entered and $20 for each additional category entered for the same story. Deadline: January 28, 2027. Info: https://shortstoryawards.com/
2027 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for books released in 2025, 2026 or 2027 or with a 2025, 2026 or 2027 copyright date. 80+ Categories. Awards: $1500, $750, $500, $100, plus more. Entry fee: $80. Deadline: February 12, 2027. Info: https://indiebookawards.com/
2nd ISAC International Lyric Competition, organized by Ise-Shima Art Company, Japan, for song lyrics from writers of all ages and nationalities. Lyrics alone are sufficient: no musical composition, singing or recording is required. Genre and length are unrestricted. Collaborative, previously published, and previously awarded lyrics are eligible. Lyrics in languages other than Japanese or English are also accepted under the translation provisions in the rules. Copyright remains with the lyricist; the rules permit showcasing lyrics to promote prize winners. AI use is prohibited. Awards: Grand Prize of JPY 50,000 (~ US $317) and a certificate; Special Prizes with certificates for up to 35 entrants. Entry fee: JPY 2,000 (~ US $12.68). Deadline: March 1, 2027, 23:59 GMT. Info: https://en.iseshimaart.com/internationallyric and PDF: https://tinyurl.com/42hz36zz
Our Contest Posting Rules & Guidelines
We will NOT knowingly post or leave posted contests that retain all rights to either submitted or winning entries. Nor will we knowingly post contests that retain ownership to all entries or assume the right to publish all entries, either on the Web or in print, thereby costing the creators the ability to eventually sell first rights. Such contests are simply attempting to get free content or, even worse, are getting the writers to pay for their content. If winners only are posted or published, the writer can determine prior to entering whether or not the winning prize money is sufficient for transferring first or one-time rights.
Thus, we will not post contests where entries are posted for general judging by site visitors.
We do not post “sweepstakes” – or contests where winners are determined by drawings or chance. Our intent is to publish only those contests where the writing itself is judged against other entrants; not where the luck of the draw determines winners.
Similarly, we will not post contests where the entrants must post their entries on their own sites or blogs, or get them published on others’ sites or blogs, with the intent of linking back to the sponsor’s directed Web site or blog, and particularly using key words that will be of benefit to the sponsor. Our feeling is that if an author or Web site owner wishes to use others’ material to drive traffic to them, or to rev up their ad click revenues, they should simply pay writers for their promotional or content writing.
Also, we do not post contests sponsored by book publishers that have entry or reading fees, with the reward being a published book and/or advance. Viable publishing houses treat manuscript reading and advances as costs of doing business, and do not charge authors for submissions.
We do not knowingly post contests sponsored by or promoting websites or services that offer writing of academic essays, term papers, or other assigned papers for enrolled students or applicants for enrollment..
We also do not knowingly post contests requesting material that is pornographic or promotes violence.
We do not post contests where the “prize money” is really a certificate or credit toward products or services that will cost the writer additional money in order to accept the prize.
We post literary contests that offer cash, publication, or book (or related) prizes, but not those where the prize is a house or other property. These contests are illegal in a number of locations.
We may post “Calls for Anthology Submissions” on our Contests page; however, we will not post anthology notices if (1) there is a submission fee required, (2) rights to *entries* are retained, or (3) rights to *winning entries* extend beyond one-time use in that anthology. This also applies to magazine contests with the “prize” being publication in an upcoming “contest” issue.
If your contest appears to meet our guidelines, submit the following basic information: Name of contest, brief description of what is to be submitted, awards, entry fee, deadline, website URL, contact email in case we have follow-up questions, to contestadd@writers-editors.com.
