Genre: Creative Nonfiction

Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
March 31, 2025
A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a collection of poems, short stories, essays, or hybrid work. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 45 to 95 pages or a prose manuscript of 120 to 280 pages with a $30 entry fee by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Literary Awards

Bellingham Review
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
March 15, 2025
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellingham Review are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The Parallel Award for Poetry is given for a poem or group of poems. The Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction is given for a short story or a work of flash fiction. The Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction is given for an essay or a work of flash nonfiction. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of any length, three pieces of flash fiction or nonfiction of up to 1,500 words each, or a story or essay of up to 4,000 words with a $15 entry fee by March 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Susan Kamil Scholarship for Emerging Writers

Book Industry Charitable Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 25, 2025
Two prizes of $12,500 each will be given annually for an excerpt of a poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction manuscript-in-progress written by a bookseller. Writers who are working on full-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction (including graphic novels), or creative nonfiction (including memoirs), who have not previously published a book in any genre, and who are currently employed at a bookstore or comic book store in the United States (after at least three consecutive months of employment) are eligible. Using only the online submission system, submit six pages of poetry or prose, an overview of the work-in-progress, and a letter of recommendation by March 31. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

ALTA First Translation Prize

American Literary Translators Association
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 17, 2025
A prize of $3,000 will be given annually for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction translated from any language into English and published in the previous year. The translator will receive $2,000, and the editor will receive $1,000. Translators who have not published a book in translation are eligible. Publishers or translators may submit a book published in 2024 by March 17. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Editor’s Prizes

Florida Review
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
April 15, 2025
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Florida Review are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. The editors will judge. Submit up to five poems of any length or up to 30 pages of prose with a $25 entry fee, which includes a subscription to Florida Review, by April 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Steinberg Memorial Essay Prize

Fourth Genre
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
April 15, 2025
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Fourth Genre is given annually for an essay. Sonya Huber will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit an essay of up to 6,000 words with a $20 entry fee by April 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Waterston Desert Writing Prize

High Desert Museum
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
May 1, 2025
A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a work of nonfiction that recognizes “the vital role deserts play worldwide in the ecosystem and the human narrative.” The winner is also provided with money for travel and lodging to attend a reception and award ceremony at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, in September. Works-in-progress as well as published or unpublished prose are accepted. Using only the online submission system, submit up to 10 pages of nonfiction, a brief bio, and a one-page project description by May 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

The Choice to Create

by
Elissa Altman
Online Exclusive
2.19.25

An excerpt from Permission: The New Memoirist and the Courage to Create by Elissa Altman, a compassionate, inspiring literary guide to transcend the fear and shame that can too often keep important stories from being written.

Pages

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