Have you ever ever Googled “writing contests”? Many require studying charges or prizes—like seeing your work in print—that you could solely obtain when you pay for it.
Some professional contests cost small entry charges, however usually a payment is usually a pink flag for a rip-off, so these could be those you wish to avoid.
Moreover, there are many free writing contests that encourage and encourage boundless creativity with actual money prizes and career-advancing alternatives! Since it may be onerous for a author to know the place to search out them, we did the legwork for you.
We discovered 40 respected, well-reviewed, free writing contests for poets, fiction writers, essayists and extra.
With hundreds of {dollars} in money prizes and quite a few alternatives to safe a publishing contract, you’re certain to search out the fitting free writing contest in your work.
For those who don’t thoughts paying a little bit cash to enter, our mates over at Good Blogger have rounded up some nice writing contests which have small entry charges. And when you’re nonetheless hungry for extra alternatives, we even have posts on writers grants and writing fellowships.
Fiction and nonfiction writing contests this yr
Able to share your novel or private essay with the world? Whether or not you’re a beginner or extra established author, you’re probably eligible for just a few of those contests.
Listed here are some fiction and nonfiction writing contests value contemplating.
1. L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest
No matter your emotions about L. Ron Hubbard’s work and philosophy, the prizes for this common contest are nothing to sneeze at. Each three months, winners earn $1,000, $750 and $500, plus a further annual grand prize of $5,000.
Submissions have to be quick tales or novelettes (as much as 17,000 phrases) within the style of science fiction or fantasy, and new and beginner writers are welcome to use.
Deadlines: Quarterly on March 31, June 30 and September 30
Web site: Writers of the Future
2. Inkitt
This boutique publishing agency provides money prizes and promotional packages to successful authors. Submit a novel of 10,000 phrases or extra in any fiction style (no fanfic or poetry).
Inkitt’s writing contest runs month-to-month and provides authors the possibility to win money prizes as much as $300, unique ebook badges and promotional packages whereas showcasing their books to Inkitt’s viewers of greater than 3 million customers. Winners are decided by Inkitt’s distinctive algorithm primarily based on total reader engagement.
Deadline: See particular person contest pages
Web site: Inkitt
Disclosure: Inkitt is an promoting companion of The Write Life. We maintain our advertisers to excessive requirements and vetted this contest identical to others on this record.
3. Drue Heinz Literature Prize
You’ll be able to win $15,000 and publication by the College of Pittsburgh Press with this prize, awarded for a group of quick fiction.
You might submit an unpublished manuscript of quick tales, two or extra novellas or a mixture of novellas and quick tales. Your whole phrase rely needs to be between 150 and 300 typed pages. You could even have already printed a novel or book-length work of fiction “with a good writer,” or no fewer than three quick tales or novellas in nationally-recognized journals.
Deadline: Annual submissions have to be postmarked between Could 1 by June 30
Web site: College of Pittsburgh Press
4. Younger Lions Fiction Award
This $10,000 award acknowledges “younger authors,” which the principles outline as any writer aged 35 or youthful. Submit any novel or assortment of quick tales printed or scheduled to be printed within the calendar yr. Works have to be written for adults; youngsters’s or YA items are ineligible.
Deadline: Submissions for this yr are open by September 8 at 5pm Jap Time
Web site: New York Public Library
5. Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prizes
The most effective-loved small presses within the artistic writing world, Graywolf Press hosts quite a lot of contests for each established and up-and-coming writers. Graywolf additionally provides smaller fiction and nonfiction prizes, with genres rotating by yr; 2020 was a nonfiction yr, so fiction was up in 2021, then again to nonfiction in 2022, and so forth. These awards embrace a large advance— $12,000 in earlier years—in addition to publication with Graywolf.
Deadline: Contest is held yearly with rotating genres. The competition subsequent opens for submissions in February 2024
Web site: Graywolf Press
6. The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans
Hosted by the celebrated Iowa Evaluation, the Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award is obtainable to U.S. navy veterans and active-duty members writing in any style about any topic. Manuscripts of as much as 20 pages will likely be accepted, and the first-prize winner will obtain $1,000 and publication within the Evaluation. A second place prize of $750 can be out there, in addition to three runner-up prizes of $500 every.
Deadline: Biennially. The following contest will likely be held in Could 2024
Web site: The Iowa Evaluation
7. Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
For 15 years, this contest has supplied visibility for rising African American fiction writers and allows them to give attention to their writing by awarding a $15,000 money prize. Eligible authors ought to submit a piece of fiction, comparable to a novel or quick story assortment, printed within the calendar yr. (Galleys for publication throughout the yr are additionally accepted.)
Deadline: Yearly. The entry window closes on December 31
Web site: The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
8. PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
Honoring the very best work of fiction printed by an American writer in a single calendar yr, this award has been given to the likes of John Updike, Philip Roth and Ann Patchett. Novels, novellas and collections of quick tales are all eligible.
The winner receives a hefty money prize—as much as $15,000 up to now—and an invite to learn on the award ceremony in Washington, D.C. Plus, there are not any submission charges or software varieties to cope with; simply ship a PDF of every ebook (as many as you’d like) to [email protected].
Deadline: Submissions will likely be accepted from July 1 to September 30
Web site: Pen/Faulkner
9. PEN/Robert J. Dau Quick Story Prize for Rising Writers
This contest requires you to have already printed a brief story in a literary journal or journal or cultural web site. However when you’ve made your debut (however gone no additional), chances are you’ll be eligible for the beneficiant money prize of $2,000, which is yearly awarded to 12 rising writers, whose works are then printed collectively in an anthology.
Quick tales of as much as 12,000 phrases are eligible and have to be printed within the calendar yr previous the yr through which the award is given. Moreover, maintain this in thoughts: Submissions are solely eligible if submitted by an editor. Authors might not submit their very own work.
Deadline: Submissions shut November 1
Web site: PEN America
10. Anisfield-Wolf Guide Awards
Fiction and nonfiction writers who’ve not too long ago printed a ebook that “contribute[s] to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of cultural variety” are eligible for this award, which provides $10,000 money in addition to media and publicity alternatives. Plus, winners obtain their prize at a ceremony in Cleveland.
Submissions have to be printed within the prior yr (so books printed final yr are eligible for the award this yr).
Deadline: Annual submission window is September 1 by December 31
Web site: Anisfield-Wolf Guide Awards
11. Marfield Prize (aka Nationwide Award for Arts Writing)
Introduced by the Arts Membership of Washington, this award seeks to honor nonfiction books that cope with the “visible, literary, media, or performing arts.” The prize is $10,000 and could also be awarded to works of criticism, artwork historical past, memoirs and biographies, and essays.
Deadline: Yearly within the final quarter of the yr. The submission window in 2023 is October 15
Web site: The Marfield Prize
12. W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Navy Fiction
For those who’re a struggle buff, this competitors is for you. It awards $5,000—and a 24-karat-gold-framed quotation of feat—to the very best piece of fiction set throughout a interval when the U.S. was at struggle (struggle might both be the primary plot of the piece or just present the setting). Submissions could also be grownup or YA novels.
Deadline: Yearly on December 31
Web site: American Library Affiliation
13. Buddies of American Writers Chicago Awards
FAW presents two annual awards: an Grownup Literature Award for literary fiction or nonfiction, and a Younger Individuals’s Literature Award for a youngsters’s/YA ebook.
Authors should reside within the state of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin—or they need to set their ebook in a type of places. Prize quantities fluctuate from yr to yr, however you don’t should trouble with an software and all winners are celebrated on the group’s Could luncheon.
Deadline: Yearly in December
Web site: Buddies of American Writers Chicago
14. Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Contest
Hektoen Worldwide, an internet journal devoted to medical humanities, provides two prizes yearly for essays of not more than 1,500 phrases: $5,000 is awarded to the winner and $2,500 to the primary runner-up. Eligible subjects are broad as long as they’ve a relation to medication, and lots of embrace artwork, historical past, literature, training and extra.
Deadline: Yearly; September 15 is often the deadline
Web site: Hektoen Worldwide
15. Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest
There’s no denying it: social media is a big half of our modern-day lives. It’s simple to get used to limiting our communications to 280-character and emoji-strewn snippets, which is why this advertising agency is internet hosting an essay writing contest to “remind folks of the advantages of writing.”
Essays of as much as 5,000 characters (roughly 1,000 phrases) will likely be accepted, and proper now they’re on the lookout for tales of COVID-19 quarantine life. The grand prize winner will obtain $300, and 5 runners-up will likely be awarded $100 every.
The competition is free to enter, however you’ll have to register for a Biopage account to be eligible.
Deadline: The present contest ends January 31, 2024
Web site: Biopage
16. St. Martin’s Minotaur / Thriller Writers of America First Crime Novel Competitors
Writers 18 and older who’ve by no means had a novel printed (in any style) are eligible for this prize, awarded to an unique book-length manuscript the place “homicide or one other severe crime or crimes is on the coronary heart of the story.” The winner receives a publication contract with Minotaur Books and an advance of $10,000 towards future royalties.
Deadline: December 17 every year
Web site: Edgar Awards
17. ServiceScape Quick Story Award
ServiceScape, a platform matching freelance writers, editors and graphic designers with purchasers (i.e. an excellent place to search for paid writing work!) provides a yearly Quick Story Award of $1,000 to a successful fiction or nonfiction work of 5,000 phrases or fewer. The winner may even have their story featured on the ServiceScape weblog, which sees hundreds of readers every month.
Deadline: November 29 annually
Web site: ServiceScape
18. Stowe Prize
This biennial prize of $10,000 honors an American writer whose grownup fiction or nonfiction work has had an affect on a crucial social justice problem (as did Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin). The ebook have to be written by a U.S. writer and have been printed in the US in the course of the earlier three calendar years.
Deadline: Contact the Harriet Beecher Stowe Middle for this yr’s deadline.
Web site: Harriet Beecher Stowe Middle
19. The Diana Woods Memorial Award in Inventive Nonfiction
Inventive nonfiction essays of not more than 5,000 phrases on any topic are eligible for consideration for this award, whose winner receives $250 and publication in Lunch Ticket, the literary and artwork journal produced by the MFA group of Antioch College Los Angeles.
Works should not have been printed elsewhere. Award winners are required to submit a 100-word biography, current photograph and a brief notice thanking the Woods household for his or her generosity and assist.
Deadlines: Biannual studying durations are in February for the Summer season/Fall problem and in August for the Winter/Spring problem
Web site: Lunch Ticket
20. The 2023 Brandon Langhjelm Memorial Essay Contest
Every year, this Canadian group provides three prizes, starting from $500 to $1,500, to the essay with essentially the most considerate, well-reasoned arguments round a selected human-rights theme. (For instance, 2022’s immediate was, “Canadian governments are making Digital ID applied sciences a precondition of entry to important companies and items. What can Canadians do to guard their Constitution rights and freedoms towards the risks of those applied sciences?”
The competition is open to Canadian faculty and college college students, and essays needs to be 2,500 phrases or much less in size.
Deadline: November 5
Web site: Justice Middle for Constitutional Freedoms
21. Write the World
For younger writers ages 13-18, these cool contests additionally function mini workshops. Recognizing that “a primary draft isn’t excellent,” submissions truly obtain peer assessment by authors, writing academics and different consultants and writers are given the possibility to revise their items primarily based on this suggestions earlier than submitting them for closing prize consideration.
Contests fluctuate every month, however there’s a $100 prize for the winner and $50 for the runner-up (plus $50 for the very best peer-reviewer). All three are featured on Write the World’s weblog alongside feedback from a visitor decide. And since every month’s immediate is from a special style, creating writers get an opportunity to check out completely different kinds.
Deadline: Month-to-month
Web site: Write the World
22. Prose.
Caught with author’s block and on the lookout for a method to jumpstart your escape? Prose provides weekly challenges meant to spark your creativity; many are only for enjoyable, however search for the weekly numbered challenges posted by Prose (somewhat than group members or sponsors) for an opportunity to win cash.
Prizes are sometimes between $100 to $200 and phrase counts are low—some as little as beneath 150, some as excessive as 500. So even when all you get from the immediate is an opportunity to flex your mind, it’s not a foul deal.
Deadline: Weekly and month-to-month
Web site: Prose.
23. The Stressed Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing
First-generation immigrants have an opportunity to win $10,000 and publication by Stressed Books for telling their tales (actual or imagined). The competition alternates yearly between fiction (novel or quick story assortment) and nonfiction (memoir, essay assortment, narrative nonfiction). In 2021, it went to a piece of nonfiction of a minimum of 25,000 phrases; 2022 will likely be fiction.
Deadline: Submission window is often between December and March
Web site: Stressed Books
24. AFSA Nationwide Excessive Faculty Essay Contest
The U.S. Institute of Peace and the American International Service Affiliation sponsor this annual highschool essay contest, the place the winner receives a $2,500 money prize, an all-expense paid journey to Washington, D.C., and a full-tuition paid voyage with Semester at Sea upon the scholar’s enrollment at an accredited college. Essays needs to be between 1,000 and 1,250 phrases and should reply all elements of the immediate in addition to reveal an understanding of the International Service.
Runners-up get a reasonably candy deal too, a $1,250 money prize and a full scholarship to take part within the Worldwide Diplomacy Program of the Nationwide Scholar Management Convention.
Deadline: April annually
Web site: American International Service Affiliation
25. Science-me a Story
Born in 2018, the Society of Spanish Researchers invitations proficient and unique writers to put in writing a 100-word blurb for a hypothetical novel. This would possibly sound very easy, however your blurb has to shortly hook readers and make them wish to learn extra. Open to anybody over 18 wherever on the planet, your actual or fictional quick story for this competitors have to be both in English or Spanish and “conceived from the target of scientific dissemination to major faculty” to qualify for the money prizes: £150, £100 and £50.
Deadline: April annually
Web site: Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK
26. VCU Cabell First Novelist Award
Virginia Commonwealth College sponsors this award that honors an excellent debut novel printed within the previous calendar yr. Whereas you will have printed earlier books in a special type, the submission have to be your first printed ebook marketed as a novel.
The award is a $5,000 money prize, and the successful writer should conform to attend the award occasion, often scheduled for November.
Deadline: Yearly; the submission window runs from July 1 by December 30
Web site: Virginia Commonwealth College
27. Daisy Utemorrah Award
The Daisy Utemorrah Award is for an unpublished manuscript of junior or YA fiction written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples presently dwelling in Australia. Generously supported by the Copyright Company’s Cultural Fund and the State Authorities of Western Australia, the winner of the award receives $15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books.
Deadline: Submission window often opens in the beginning of every yr
Web site: Magabala Books
28. Quick Fiction Prize
For those who’re an undergrad at a school within the U.S. or Canada, this writing competitors is for you. (Historically, this contest has inspired candidates with an Asian background, however anybody is invited to use.) Submissions needs to be not more than 7,500 phrases.
One winner will get a $1,000 prize in addition to a scholarship to the subsequent Southampton Writers Convention.
Deadline: Submission window is often between March 1- July 14
Web site: Stony Brook College | Lichtenstein Middle
29. Bacopa Literary Evaluation Contest
The Bacopa Literary Evaluation is a world journal printed by the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. Every year, it opens submissions for items in 4 genres: fiction, artistic nonfiction, poetry and prose poetry. Discover detailed pointers for every style on its web site. First place will get $300, and the second prize in every of the 4 genres will get $100.
Deadline: Could 30 annually
Web site: Writers Alliance of Gainesville
30. Insecure Author’s Assist Group Annual Anthology Contest
So long as you stick with the rules, The Insecure Author’s Assist Group’s annual contest welcomes your 5,000- to six,000-word (beforehand unpublished) artistic story. However earlier than you ship it off, make certain your story is polished and formatted! Plus, the prizes aren’t too shabby—successful tales will likely be edited and printed, authors will obtain royalties, and the highest story will even get to offer the anthology its title.
Deadlines: September 1 annually
Web site: Insecure Author’s Assist Group
31. Final Meal Plans Vitamin Scholarship
School college students finding out diet, kinesiology or exercise-science fields: you’re going to be throughout this one. Twice per yr, the Final Paleo Information (aka the very best paleo useful resource on the web) awards $500 scholarships to 2 deserving college students who meet all eligibility necessities—in addition to write an 800-word essay about why you selected your discipline, an affect you’d prefer to make in your profession, a problem you’ve confronted and extra.
Deadlines: January 30 (awards in March) and July 31 (awards in September)
Web site: Final Meal Plans
32. New Voices Award
Introduced by Lee & Low Books, an award-winning youngsters’s ebook writer, this award is given for a beforehand unpublished youngsters’s image ebook manuscript of not more than 1,500 phrases written by a author of coloration or Indigenous/Native writers who’s a resident of the U.S.
The winner receives $2,000 money and an ordinary publication contract, and a further Honor Award winner will obtain a money prize of $1,000. You might submit as much as two manuscripts.
Deadline: The competition is on hiatus for 2023, verify the web site for a follow-up announcement in 2024.
Web site: Lee & Low Books
33. St. Francis School Literary Prize
Since 2009, this biennial literary award has honored mid-career writers who’ve not too long ago printed their third, fourth or fifth work of fiction. The winner receives $50,000 and could also be invited to the St. Francis School campus in Brooklyn, New York, to ship a speak about their work or educate a mini fiction workshop to St. Francis college students.
Deadline: Biennially. The competition was not supplied the final three years because of the pandemic and restricted campus entry
Web site: St. Francis School
Poetry contests this yr
Inquisitive about alternatives for poets? Your stanzas—rhyming or not—might be value a good amount of cash in these poetry competitions.
Take a look at these poetry writing contests.
34. Black Voices in Youngsters’s Literature Writing Contest
This contest is open to Black writers who’re over the age of 18 and residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin. It’s hosted by Try Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing and seeks to fill the necessity for Black illustration in youngsters’s and younger grownup books. Unique board and movie books for kids aged 0-4 and movie books for ages 4-8 are eligible, supplied they characteristic modern, sensible Black characters and tradition and give attention to character growth, self worth, group and different elements of optimistic childhood growth.
Three prizes, starting from $250 to $1,000, will likely be awarded, and the first-place winner will likely be “severely thought of” for publication, although it’s not assured.
Deadline: Often late July, annually
Web site: Free Spirit Publishing
35. James Laughlin Award
For those who’re already a broadcast poet, that is the award for you; it’s given for a second ebook of poetry attributable to come out within the forthcoming yr. The winner receives $5,000 and an all-expenses-paid week-long residency at The Betsy Resort in Miami Seaside, Florida. As well as, copies of the successful ebook are distributed to 1,000 members of the Academy of American Poets.
Deadline: Annual submission window is January 1 by Could 15
Web site: Academy of American Poets
36. African Poetry Guide Fund Prizes
The APBF awards three prizes yearly for African Poetry. The Luschei Prize for African Poetry offers $1,000 for a ebook of unique African poetry printed within the prior yr.
The Sillerman First Guide Prize for African Poets offers $1,000 and a publication contract for a book-length assortment of poetry by an as-yet-unpublished African writer.
The Brunel Worldwide African Poetry Prize is a brand new prize that grants £3,000 to a poet who was born in Africa, or has African mother and father, who has not but had a full-length ebook of poetry printed. (U.S. residents qualify.) To submit, you’ll want 10 poems.
Deadlines: See particular person prize pages
Web site: African Poetry Guide Fund
37. Tufts Poetry Awards
Claremont Graduate College presents two awards annually to poets they deem to be “excellent.” The Kate Tufts Poetry Award grants $10,000 for a broadcast first ebook of poetry that exhibits promise.
The Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award grants a mammoth $100,000 for a broadcast ebook of poetry by a longtime or mid-career poet.
Deadline: Submission window is July 1 to June 30 annually
Web site: Claremont Graduate College
38. Graywolf Press Walt Whitman Award
The Walt Whitman Award is a $5,000 prize awarded, together with publication, to an American poet with a successful first ebook manuscript. She or he additionally receives an all-expenses-paid six-week residency on the Civitella Ranieri Middle in Umbria, Italy.
Graywolf Press can be one of many publishers of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, “a primary ebook award devoted to the invention of outstanding manuscripts by Black poets.” Winners obtain $1,000 and Graywolf publishes each third winner of the prize.
Deadline: July 1 to September 1 annually
Web site: Poets
39. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Now in its twenty third yr, this humor contest needs your finest printed or unpublished work for a grand prize of $2,000; runners-up are awarded $500 and 10 honorable mentions will obtain $100 every. Writers of all ages from eligible nations can submit an unique, humorous poem with 250 strains or much less, and it have to be in English.
Deadline: April 1, annually (and no, this isn’t an April Fools joke)
Web site: Successful Writers
40. The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize
This writing competitors is on the lookout for the very best piece of unpublished, themed writing. For instance, one yr, the theme was “Untamed: On Wilderness and Civilization.” Submissions could also be prose, poetry or non-academic essays. Most phrase rely is 2,500, and that is open to all nationalities and to anybody 18 or older. The winner will get a £10,000 money prize, second place will get £3,000 and third place will get £2,000.
Deadline: Purposes open in the beginning of every yr. Observe the Alpine Fellowship on Instagram for updates
Web site: The Alpine Fellowship
The place to search out extra professional, free writing contests
In search of extra alternatives to submit your work? Listed here are just a few nice websites to control for writing contests.
Successful Writers
A variety of the contests discovered on our record got here extremely advisable by this web site, which compiles a few of the finest free literary contests on the market. Together with a variety of advisable contests for writers of all stripes, Successful Writers additionally lists some contests and companies to keep away from, which is simply as helpful!
Additionally they supply a handful of contests themselves, together with the North Avenue Guide Prize.
Poets & Writers
One other improbable supply for professional writing contests we consulted when compiling this record, Poets & Writers vets competitions, contests, awards and grants to verify they’re following professional practices and insurance policies. It’s value trying out usually because it options each annual and one-time contests.
This itemizing comprises affiliate hyperlinks. Meaning if you are going to buy by our hyperlinks, you’re supporting The Write Life—and we thanks for that!
The unique model of this story was written by Kelly Gurnett. We up to date the publish so it’s extra helpful for our readers.
Picture through Viktoriia Hnatiuk / Shutterstock