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DIRECTORY
Showing 29 contests that match your search.
The Independent Author Network
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.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Grand Prize Book of the Year (minimum cash prize $2,500 USD) plus Platinum membership, digital award seal and award seal stickers for print copies. Category winners receive memberships and seals; finalists receive digital seal and/or stickers.
💰 Entry fee: $54
📅 Deadline: August 14, 2026
Narratively
Genres: Memoir and Non-fiction
The Narratively Memoir Prize invites personal essays for a chance to win $3,000, publication on Narratively, and inclusion in a limited print edition. Judged by bestselling author Susannah Cahalan, the contest seeks unique, emotional narratives. Submissions are accepted from October 24 to December 7, 2025.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Publication on Narratively and in a limited print edition
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: December 07, 2025 (Expired)
Fish Publishing
Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The Fish Short Memoir Prize invites entries of personal memoirs, with the aim of being published in the Fish Anthology 2025. It's open to writers of any nationality and no prior publication is needed.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd and 3rd: Online writing course + €300 | 3rd: €300
💰 Entry fee: $18
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2026 (Expired)
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Creatd
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story
Vocal Challenges invite writers to enter themed storytelling contests for a chance to win cash, prizes, experiences, and more.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $200, 15 runners-up: $15 each
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: January 11, 2025 (Expired)
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
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)
The Letter Review
Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Science Writing
The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction encourages writers to showcase original nonfiction works, including memoirs, essays, and journalism. It aims to support writers at all stages of their careers and promotes accessibility in publishing.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 2 to 4 winners
Additional prizes:
Publication by The Letter Review. Up to 20 writers are shortlisted.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: December 30, 2025 (Expired)
Trio House Press
Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction
The Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award is an annual contest launched by Trio House Press, focused on creative nonfiction manuscripts. The award aims to recognize innovative and distinct works in this genre.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: May 15, 2025 (Expired)
Killer Nashville
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller
The Silver Falchion Award honors the best books in mystery, thriller, suspense, action, and romance genres published in the previous year. Entries for the 2026 competition are open now, with winners announced on August 22, 2026.
Additional prizes:
Physical award in each category and increased exposure for winners.
💰 Entry fee: $92
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2026 (Expired)
Jacqueline Gay Walley
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
High-quality unpublished manuscripts in memoir, fiction, and non-fiction are sought for this competition. The contest is designed to amplify the voices of contemporary writers.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Possible book publication/distribution in ebook and paperback formats
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025 (Expired)
Clapham Writers Ltd
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
A short story competition inviting submissions of an opening section of a short story inspired by the theme "Absent Friends" (interpretable broadly: memory, loss, distance, reunion, nostalgia, etc.). Open to unpublished and self published writers of all levels; entrants must live in the UK.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
Second prize: £50; Third prize: £50.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: September 05, 2026
Disruption Books
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
The First 100 Days Contest seeks innovative book ideas from authors committed to promoting good work amidst challenging times. Participants submit a one-page book overview and a sample manuscript of up to 5,000 words. Winning authors receive feedback and an editorial consultation.
Top Prize:
Editorial consultation and feedback on up to 100 pages.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)
Story Unlikely
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, and Thriller
The Story Unlikely Short Story Contest seeks quality stories across all genres. It invites submissions from anyone, without restrictions on age or location. The contest awards prizes totaling $5,000, with publication opportunities for winners.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $1,000 | 3rd: $750 | Reprint category: $250 | Honorable mentions receive certificates, and some finalists may be published in the magazine.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: January 14, 2026 (Expired)
Cleveland Foundation
Genres: Novel, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and cultural diversity. Established in 1935 by Edith Anisfield Wolf, it remains the only American book prize focused on these themes.
Top Prize:
$10,000
Additional prizes:
Winners receive $10,000 and are honored at a ceremony in Cleveland.
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2025 (Expired)
Hebe Publications
Genres: Memoir, Poetry, and Short Story
Celebrate the art of six-word storytelling by submitting your best six-word story, poem, memoir, or joke. The contest aims to discover impactful micro-stories.
Top Prize:
$96
Additional prizes:
Shortlisted entries will also be published
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2026
Storytrade
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Storytrade Book Awards celebrate excellence in small and independent publishing, recognizing outstanding books across various categories. The awards aim to provide visibility and recognition to authors and their works.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
$1,000 for each Book of the Year (Fiction & Nonfiction). Medals, book stickers, and digital seals for Winners and Finalists
💰 Entry fee: $75
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2026 (Expired)
Lambda Literary
Genres: Non-fiction and Memoir
The Jeanne Córdova Prize honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction authors. It seeks to recognize writers who capture the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and history.
Top Prize:
$2,500
📅 Deadline: February 20, 2026 (Expired)
Indie Author Project
Genres: Memoir, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
gThe Indie Author Project Annual Contest aims to recognize indie authors and provide them visibility through library support. It encourages submissions from indie-published authors in various genres and offers significant prizes.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
$500 each to two runner-ups in each genre. Opportunity to promote books at libraries, inclusion in a print spread in Library Journal.
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)
Write By The Sea Literary Festival
Genres: Essay and Memoir
The Write by the Sea Writing Competition features four categories: Fiction Short Story, Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Memoir/Personal Essay. It includes cash prizes and publication opportunities.
Top Prize:
€500
Additional prizes:
2nd: €300 | 3rd: €200 | Winner also gets a free weekend pass to the Write By The Sea Festival 2026 & publication in the Waxed Lemon Literary Journal.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 07, 2026 (Expired)
The Independent Author Network
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story
The 12th Annual 2026 IAN Book of the Year Awards is an international contest open to all authors with 75 categories. Winners are eligible for cash prizes totaling $6,000.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Minimum cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 for category winners in fiction and non-fiction. Winners receive a digital award seal, membership benefits, and recognition.
💰 Entry fee: $49
📅 Deadline: August 15, 2026
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Genres: Poetry and Memoir
This contest is for full-length poetry chapbooks (50-150 pages) celebrating a BIPOC or underrepresented poet. It seeks a thematic collection that captures a personal journey or season of life.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Publication of the winning collection
💰 Entry fee: $22
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2026 (Expired)
Anthology Publishing
Genres: Memoir
The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition invites entries for personal memoirs, encouraging emerging writers to share their stories. The winner will be published in Anthology magazine.
Top Prize:
€500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Anthology magazine
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2026
Reader Views
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Reader Views Fiction Awards recognize outstanding independently published fiction, honoring work by independent authors and small presses. The program offers professional evaluations and promotional visibility.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Gold: $1000 | Silver: $350 | Bronze: $150 | Various sponsored awards and features in newsletters include marketing packages, interviews, and ads in our First Chapter Plus magazine.
💰 Entry fee: $89
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2026
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)
Vine Leaves Press
Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
The competition aims to give marginalized voices the opportunity to establish literary legacies. It accepts unpublished creative nonfiction manuscripts and assesses entries based on originality, creativity, and writing quality.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication of the winning manuscript in 2026. Runners up will also be considered for publication.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025 (Expired)
Winning Writers
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
The North Street Book Prize focuses on self-published or hybrid-published books, offering significant cash prizes and marketing services to enhance visibility. The contest has been running for 11 years and encourages entries across various genres.
Top Prize:
$10,000
Additional prizes:
$1,000 for top winner in each category | $500 for honorable mentions
💰 Entry fee: $95
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2026 (Expired)
Rubery Book Awards
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, and Romance
The Rubery Prize is an international award for indie writers and self-published authors. It aims to recognize outstanding works and elevate authors' profiles. Authors can submit self-published books or those from independent presses.
Top Prize:
£2000
Additional prizes:
Category winners receive £200
💰 Entry fee: $70
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2026 (Expired)
Memoir Writing Ink
Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Essay
This contest honors exceptional memoir writing, created in memory of Amy MacRae and supports ovarian cancer research. The award was established to celebrate her life and legacy.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
The winner will also be featured on Alison Wearing's website and in the Memoir Writing Ink course.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2026 (Expired)
Red Hen Press
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel
The Ann Petry Award seeks to publish prose literature by Black authors. It is awarded for a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages, selected through an annual submission process.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by Red Hen Press
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2026 (Expired)
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