Best Fiction Writing Contests in 2026

Genres: Children's and Fiction

This competition invites children's authors to pitch their book concepts. The theme is 'Your Marvellous Mind,' focusing on neurodiversity. Selected winners will have the opportunity to publish with EK Books.

Genres: Flash Fiction and Fiction

The Booby Prize is a quarterly flash fiction contest supporting the conservation of the Blue-Footed Boobys.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Travel

The competition invites writers to submit short stories of up to 1000 words, excluding children's and young adult fiction. The entry fee varies based on the number of submissions. Winners will be announced in February 2026.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

The contest awarded prizes for both prose and poetry categories, with multiple winners for each.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, and Travel

The contest aims to publish a magazine of short stories across various genres. Stories must fit specific word counts and themes, and will be evaluated by staff judges.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

The Romance Through The Ages Contest invites authors to submit historical romance manuscripts. Categories are based on time period and author experience (published/unpublished). The contest emphasizes historical accuracy and romance as the central theme.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

The Goldilocks Zone contest invites submissions for fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and graphic novels, seeking works that combine craft with audience appeal. The prize includes cash and publication for winners and runners-up.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The GWG Literary Prize 2025 invites writers to explore hope and resilience through candid writing. Categories include fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry, all reflecting the theme of hope.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The Bridport Novel Award invites submissions of original, unpublished novels. Authors must submit an opening of 5,000 to 8,000 words along with a 300-word synopsis. It's open to writers aged 16 and over from the UK and Ireland, including those living abroad.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Independent Author Network presents the 12th Annual 2026 IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 75 fiction and non-fiction categories. Entries must be in English and available for sale or presale/preorder.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Established in 2023, this contest is a platform for writers and poets to get their work published. Categories include various forms of poetry and fiction, excluding erotic work. Winners receive feedback and cash prizes, while all approved submissions will be included in the anthology.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Flash Fiction

The Solstice Owl Battle is a 100 word short story challenge where writers receive 3 prompts to incorporate into their narratives. It fosters a supportive community, allowing participants to share and receive feedback from one another on their stories. Writers retain all rights to their stories, even if they win.

Genres: Horror and Fiction

The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award is a biannual contest seeking full-length supernatural or magic realist short stories. The winning stories are published on June 1 and Halloween. The award is open to any story with a supernatural theme, not limited to traditional ghost stories.

Genres: Fiction

BOMB Magazine's 2025 Fiction Contest invites submissions for a chance to win a $1,000 prize and publication. The contest is judged by Kelly Link, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur Fellow.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

The Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit stories of up to 500 words. It's a quarterly competition with prizes awarded for the top three entries each quarter. Winning entries are published on the website.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Enter our 91st Annual Writing Competition for the chance to have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen. The top winning entries of this writing contest will also be on display in the Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection. [$20 for a poetry entry, $30 for a manuscript entry]

Genres: Children's, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Young Adult

The contest is open to both published and unpublished authors, featuring various categories. Each entry will be judged on literary merit by a panel. Winning entries will be featured in the Arizona Authors Literary Magazine.

Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ, and Novel

This prize honors LGBTQ-identified authors who have published multiple novels, built a strong reputation, and show promise for future work. It is dedicated to Jim Duggins and supported by the James Duggins, PhD Fund.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The James Jones First Novel Fellowship aims to honor the legacy of James Jones, supporting American authors of first novels-in-progress. It includes a substantial financial award and aims to reflect the spirit of honesty and insight found in Jones's works.

Genres: Fiction and Crime

The Clue Awards recognize outstanding works in Suspense and Thriller genres, emphasizing detective work, police procedural, and crime-solving narratives. The contest aims to discover and promote new talent while rewarding excellence in these literary categories.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize aims to celebrate new short fiction under 2000 words and provide visibility to winners through various publishing opportunities. This year, the prize includes cash rewards and writing retreats, alongside publication chances in several literary journals.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

The Love at First Kick Writing Contest invites authors to create soccer-themed romances where soccer is not just a backdrop but the heartbeat of the story. Stories can feature romantic rivalries, teammates, or journalists involved with players.

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 Short Story

The Pinch Literary Awards recognize excellence in fiction. Submissions are judged blind, with various entry windows throughout the year.

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

The Chalk Circle 360 Writing Contest invites participants to submit a piece of circular flash fiction consisting of exactly 360 words. The theme draws inspiration from the ancient symbol of Ouroboros, encouraging stories that reflect self-reflection, recycling, and cycles of creation and destruction.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing

The contest seeks linguistically, intellectually, and emotionally engaging work, aiming for complexity and beauty. It accepts various forms of writing including fiction, poetry, essays, and experimental pieces. The contest emphasizes artistic intent and thematic depth.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Submit your best short fiction for a chance to win cash prizes, publication on the Write Catalyst blog, and free memberships. Open genre (excluding extreme horror and gratuitous erotica).

Genres: Fiction

Entrants need only write the first 250 words of their novel/story/memoir, and are judged on how much the judges want to read the rest of the story.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Hope Prize is an international short story competition focused on original stories of hope, open to writers aged 18 and over, with entries accepted in English. The prize encourages bold self-expression and aims to spotlight charities making impactful changes.

Genres: Romance and Fiction

The contest recognizes excellence in published romance fiction and is judged by fans, including librarians and booksellers. The grand prize includes coaching from Jeannie Moon, and winners will receive a web badge and printed certificate.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Goldfinch Books Novel Award is a competition for emerging novelists. It invites submissions of 3,000 words from completed novels. The winner receives a £500 cash prize and an invitation to join the Goldfinch writer community.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Short Story Competition is organized by Exeter Writers, aiming to encourage and showcase emerging writing talent. This competition invites entries from writers of various backgrounds.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The contest invites participants to write a story of exactly 100 words on topics like envy, eyeglasses, nightmares, or turtles. It is open to all ages, including international writers. Winning stories will be published in an e-zine.

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: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Unleash WIP Award supports writers in completing significant literary projects, offering $500, editorial feedback, coaching, and a feature in Unleash Lit.