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DIRECTORY
Showing 62 contests that match your search.
Writing Battle, Inc.
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.
Top Prize:
$15,000 prize pool
Additional prizes:
$1,200 USD prize for 10x Genre Winners; $300 USD prize for 10x Genre Runners-Ups. Winners receive online publication, feedback from industry professionals
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: July 19, 2026 (Expired)
Bridport Arts Centre
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize invites writers to submit stories of up to 250 words. It aims to celebrate the art of brevity in storytelling. The winning entries receive the opportunity for publication and recognition.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
2nd: £1000 | 3rd: £500 | 10 Highly Commended: £100
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2026 (Expired)
Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA)
Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel
The New Deal Writing Competition invites writers to create a short story inspired by a specific painting. The current painting is 'Playtime' by Fred Ross. This is the ninth annual contest, intended to celebrate creativity and connect art and writing.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Publication in newsletter
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2025 (Expired)
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Chalk Circle
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.
Top Prize:
£50
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2026
Ireland Writing Retreat
Genres: Flash Fiction and Non-fiction
The WAWA challenges writers to explore the theme of 'Endings' through short stories of up to 500 words. Entries must not include the word 'endings' in the title or story itself. Winners will be announced in March 2025.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Winner can choose either 500 euro or a voucher worth 1,000 euro for any writing retreat in 2025. Top ten stories in each category will be published on the Ireland Writing Retreat website, including a bio and photo of the author.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: January 12, 2025 (Expired)
Fairfield Scribes
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Scribes Prize is an annual writing contest open for submissions from July 1 to October 1. It invites stories between 90-110 words, with a focus on various genres of fiction and creative nonfiction. Winners will be published in ScribesMICRO and receive digital award seals.
Top Prize:
$250
Additional prizes:
Silver: $125 Bronze: $60 15 Honorable Mentions: $20 each Publication in ScribesMICRO and digital award seals for winners
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2026
Walk Listen Create
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The contest invites participants to write a micro-flash story of 39 words, inspired by John Buchan’s 'The Thirty-Nine Steps.' Submissions must fit the theme and will be featured in an anthology. Winners will also be showcased in a public online event.
Top Prize:
€100
Additional prizes:
Winner recieves artwork by Alban Low and a copy of the illustrated chapbook. The authors of the 39 selected stories will also receive an invitation to a private Writers’ Circle event.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: April 22, 2025 (Expired)
Brink Literary Journal
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction, and Poetry
The Brink Fall 2025 Writing Contest invites submissions in multiple genres. Winning entries will be selected and published, emphasizing creative, boundary-pushing literature. The contest encourages diverse voices and innovative storytelling.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
First place prizes include cash awards of $1,000 for short stories, $300 for poetry, and $300 for flash fiction. Finalists will be considered for publication and may receive free edits.
💰 Entry fee: $3
📅 Deadline: November 07, 2025 (Expired)
Sarabande Books
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Novella, and Flash Fiction
The Mary McCarthy Prize is awarded annually for a full-length manuscript of literary fiction, including short stories, flash fiction, or novellas. The prize includes a cash award and publication.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Publication of the work and a standard royalty contract.
💰 Entry fee: $34
📅 Deadline: February 24, 2026 (Expired)
The Berlin Literary Review
Genres: Flash Fiction
This contest is for flash fiction pieces of 1,500 words or less. Winning entries will be published in the magazine.
Top Prize:
€660
Additional prizes:
Second place: €100 Third place: €60 Winner has publication in the online magazine for winners and shortlisted participants.
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)
MoonLit Getaway
Genres: Flash Fiction and Poetry
The contest invites submissions in visual art, poetry, and flash fiction. It aims to showcase innovative and authentic art while promoting diversity. Winners and runners-up will be featured on the website and in a Fall anthology.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Each category winner will receive $100 (USD). Winning submissions and two runners-up per category will be published in the Fall Anthology.
📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024 (Expired)
Southam Book Festival
Genres: Flash Fiction
Writers submit original fiction of no longer than 100 words. Each story must include a title (which counts in the word count). The story must include the key word “horizon” (lowercase as written on the page) and the key word must not be used as the title.
Top Prize:
£60
Additional prizes:
2nd: £30 | 3rd: £20
💰 Entry fee: $3
📅 Deadline: September 05, 2026
Lazuli Literary Group
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.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: February 26, 2026 (Expired)
Sunspot Literary Journal
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.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: May 01, 2025 (Expired)
The Failing Writers Podcast
Genres: Flash Fiction
The competition invites entries of flash fiction up to 300 words on the theme of 'a lie'. A special secret phrase must also be included, revealed in the podcast episode on September 29. The contest is sponsored by Scrivener.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Extra prizes may be awarded to runners-up.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: October 24, 2025 (Expired)
Clevedon Literary Festival
Genres: Flash Fiction
The Clevedon LitFest Flash Fiction Award invites entries of original short stories of no more than 500 words. The competition emphasizes evocative writing and a compelling story arc within strict word limits.
Top Prize:
£300
Additional prizes:
2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: August 22, 2026
Tadpole Press
Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel
The Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest welcomes entries of 100 words or less on any theme. It emphasizes creativity, uniqueness, and growth in writing, encouraging diverse voices.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
1st: $1000 + a 2-year Duotrope Gift Certificate | 2nd: Publishing and marketing package | 3rd: Manuscript assessment package | 4th place: Editing package with Tadpole Press | 5th & 6th: Writing coaching package | 7th to 30th: Additional cash prizes.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2026
Minds Shine Bright
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
The Places Writing Competition invites stories and poems about places that inspire or challenge writers. It includes various categories like poetry, short stories, and flash fiction, and aims to highlight the significance of places in literature.
Top Prize:
The overall winner receives $1500 AUD and publication in the anthology.
Additional prizes:
Up to $200 for commended entries, $50 for young writers.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)
SmokeLong Quarterly
Genres: Flash Fiction
An annual competition celebrating excellence in flash fiction. Previous winners have been published in notable anthologies.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
2nd: $1000 | 3rd: $500 | Finalists: $150 | Finalists: $150 each. All finalists will be published in the June 2026 issue.
💰 Entry fee: $17
📅 Deadline: May 10, 2026 (Expired)
Storyshares
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
The annual Story of the Year contest is back with a new challenge! We’re looking for captivating, diverse stories that are "easy to read and hard to put down" for readers beyond the third grade. There are five categories aimed at young adult readers, and we encourage you to submit as many entries as you like—submission is free and unlimited!
Top Prize:
$15,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in digital and print
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: January 13, 2025 (Expired)
Ethos Literacy
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.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Best of Category: writer's gift for four winners; Best Youth Story: writer's gift.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2026 (Expired)
Tadpole Press
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
A monthly writing contest inviting submissions of 10 words or less, without a specific theme. Winners are announced weekly after a community write-in event.
Top Prize:
$50
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: June 29, 2026 (Expired)
Free Flash Fiction
Genres: Flash Fiction
Submit a flash fiction piece of between 100 and 300 words on any theme. The judge for this contest is Emma Phillips.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
£100 for two Highly Commended £80 for 3 shortlisted entries, all receive publication.
💰 Entry fee: $4
📅 Deadline: June 23, 2026 (Expired)
Bath Flash Fiction Award
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Bath Flash Fiction Award is an international rolling competition for flash fiction, held three times a year. It encourages writers to submit original works of up to 300 words and offers substantial prizes and publication opportunities.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
2nd: £300 | 3rd: £100 | Two commendations of £30 each. 50 longlisted entrants may also get published in an anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: October 05, 2025 (Expired)
WOW! Women On Writing & Reedsy Learning
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The WOW! Spring 2026 Flash Fiction Contest invites writers globally to submit original flash fiction. The contest has an open prompt and awards a total of $600 for first place, along with prizes for second and third places, as well as runners-up. Entries must be between 250 and 750 words. A critique option is also available.
Top Prize:
$600
Additional prizes:
2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards | Winner also receives a spot in Reedsy’s How to Write a Novel Course ($499 value) & a 12-month Reedsy Learning Membership ($249 value)
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2026 (Expired)
WOW! Women On Writing
Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story
The WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest aims to inspire creativity and recognition for writers. Open to all genres of flash fiction, it has been running since 2006 and has awarded over $100,000 in cash prizes to participants. The contest allows entries globally, and submissions must be in English.
Top Prize:
$400
Additional prizes:
2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2026 (Expired)
Julie Midroni
Genres: Flash Fiction and Short Story
An annual international writing competition aimed at fundraising for Tourette Canada. Participants submit flash fiction or short stories (up to 1000 words) without a specific prompt. The contest is open to everyone, not just those with Tourette Syndrome.
Top Prize:
$200
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2025 (Expired)
Onyx Publications
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.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Second place: $150 Third place: $75 Winner also gets publication and author interview on Story Discovery podcast.
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2024 (Expired)
Hayden's Ferry Review
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Poetry
The contest welcomes submissions for fiction and poetry. Winners will be published and receive monetary prizes. Judges include established authors.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives publication in Hayden's Ferry Review. $250 for runners-up in each genre and publication
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2026 (Expired)
Story Street Writers
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The contest invites participants to submit a flash fiction piece of 100 words or fewer.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
$25 for each of the three runners-up. Winner and all runners-up receive publication in the Story Street Review.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Fiction Factory
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.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Publication on the website and free assessment for 2nd and 3rd placed entries.
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2025 (Expired)
Tim Saunders Publications
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.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
Feedback from the publisher + a complimentary copy of the anthology
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
Desperate Literature
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.
Top Prize:
€2,000 + a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, consultation with Literary Agent Charlotte Seymour, and a manuscript assessment with The Literary Consultancy.
Additional prizes:
2nd and 3rd place: €1000. Publication in partner journals for all shortlisted writers.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: April 19, 2026 (Expired)
Folly Journal
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Essay, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Folly Short Story Prize 2025 invites submissions for stories that challenge conventional norms. It aims to recognize innovative writing that resonates with contemporary themes.
Top Prize:
$1000 NZD
Additional prizes:
Two tickets to the Folly After Party.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025 (Expired)
Gulf Coast Writers Association
Genres: Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA) organizes an annual writing contest to celebrate and recognize talented writers across various genres. Participants can submit original works in Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry. The contest promotes writers' creativity and provides valuable feedback from experienced judges.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Second place: $75 Third place: $50 For each category
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
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