A prize of $20,000 is given annually for a story or novella collection written in English and published in the United States in the current year. Two runners-up receive $5,000...
read moreWriting Contests, Grants & Awards
The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.
Bellevue Literary Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellevue Literary Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay about health, healing, illness, the...
read moreStony Brook Southampton
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 7/14/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a short story by a current undergraduate college student. The winner also receives a full scholarship to attend the Southampton Writers...
read moreDIAGRAM/New Michigan Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 7/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Cross-Genre
A prize of $1,000, publication by New Michigan Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a chapbook of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid-genre work. Ander...
read moreGhost Story
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 7/15/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Ghost Story website is given biannually for a work of flash fiction with a supernatural or magical realist theme. The editors...
read moreWashington Writers’ Publishing House
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 7/15/25
Three prizes of $1,500 each, publication by Washington Writers’ Publishing House, and 25 author copies are given annually for a poetry collection, a short story collection or...
read moreFarrar, Straus and Giroux
Cash Prize: $15,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 7/18/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $15,000 will be given annually to an emerging poet, fiction writer, or creative nonfiction writer from an underrepresented community who has not published and is not...
read moreWestern Connecticut State University
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 7/18/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. The winners also receive $500 in travel expenses and...
read moreLos Angeles Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Los Angeles Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, a work of flash fiction, and an essay. Using only the...
read moreNarrative
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $27
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 is given annually for a work of flash fiction, a short story, a graphic story, an essay, a memoir, or an excerpt from a work of fiction or creative nonfiction...
read moreAnthology Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,118
Entry Fee: $21
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,118) and publication in Anthology Magazine is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read moreNew Millennium Writings
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in New Millennium Writings and on the journal’s website are given biannually for a poem, a short story, a short short story,...
read moreMunster Literature Centre
Cash Prize: $2,235
Entry Fee: $21
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of €2,000 (approximately $2,235) and publication in Southword is given annually for a short story. The winner also receives a four-night stay at a hotel to give...
read moreSewanee Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 7/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Sewanee Review are given annually for a single poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Cindy Juyoung Ok will...
read moreBlack Warrior Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Black Warrior Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system,...
read moreGranum Foundation
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually to a poet, fiction writer, or creative nonfiction writer to support the completion of a manuscript-in-progress. Up to three finalists are...
read moreDelaware Division of the Arts
Cash Prize: $8,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Established Professional Fellowships of $8,000 each and Emerging Artist Fellowships of $5,000 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers...
read moreAspen Words
Cash Prize: $35,000
Entry Fee: $105
Application Deadline: 8/4/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $35,000 is given annually for a book of fiction published in the current year that “illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power...
read moreGival Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 8/8/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Gival Press website is given annually for a short story. Submit a story of 5,000 to 15,000 words with a $25 entry fee by August 8....
read moreLiterary Arts
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/8/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of $3,500 each are given annually to aid Oregon writers in initiating, developing, or completing literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction....
read moreTulipTree Publishing
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/9/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem, a short story, or an essay that responds to the following prompt: “What if the only way to save yourself from this reality is to...
read moreFuturepoem
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 8/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Cross-Genre
A prize of $1,000, publication by Futurepoem, and 25 author copies is given annually for a book of innovative poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid work “that...
read moreIndiana Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review is given annually for a poem or a work of flash fiction or creative nonfiction. Submit up to three poems, stories, or...
read moreUniversity of New Orleans Press
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $10,000 and publication by University of New Orleans Press is given annually for a short story collection or novel. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read moreHowling Bird Press
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication by Howling Bird Press is given in alternating years for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. The 2026 prize will be awarded in...
read more