Best Writing Contests in 2026

Genres: Children's and Poetry

The Rattle Poetry Prize awards $15,000 for a single poem published in the winter issue of Rattle. Ten finalists receive $500 each and a chance for the $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award. The contest emphasizes fair judging through anonymized reviews by editors.

Genres: Short Story, Flash Fiction, and Novella

The Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction is an esteemed competition for unpublished collections of fiction. The contest is open for submissions of flash fiction, short stories, or novellas, with a total manuscript length of 100 to 200 book pages.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The HG Wells Short Story Competition, founded by Reg Turnill, promotes writing and celebrates HG Wells' literary legacy. It encourages entries based on this year’s theme: 'The Fool.'

Genres:

This prize recognizes 12 emerging writers annually for their debut short story published in a literary magazine, journal, or cultural website. It supports new fiction writers and provides a cash award and publication in an anthology.

Genres: Poetry

The Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year Competition invites submissions from poets on any subject and in any format, up to 60 lines long. The winner receives the title and a cash prize, with additional prizes for runners-up.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

Join Inkitt’s Reality TV Romance Writing Contest 2025, a free contest where you can win up to $500, a Galatea publishing deal, and a chance for your book to be reviewed for a CandyJar movie adaptation. The theme focuses on romance amidst the drama of reality TV.

Genres: Humor and Poetry

Now in its 25th year, this contest seeks today's best humor poems. It accepts both published and unpublished work with no entry fee. A total of $3,750 is available in prizes, and entries are judged anonymously.

Genres: Poetry

The Anthology Poetry Competition seeks to recognize and encourage excellence in poetry writing. Open to original, unpublished poems in English, it welcomes entries from poets worldwide without restrictions on theme or style. Poems should not exceed 40 lines, with no limit on the number of entries per person.

Genres: Poetry

One Page Poetry is dedicated to the art of expressing a poetic theme on a single page, whether your poem is four lines or forty, whether yours is a love poem, inspirational poem, philosophical poem, or just one that is fun or whimsical. We welcome any and all poetic forms, as long as they fit on a single page.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The contest invites entries for short fiction with a maximum word count of 2,500 words. All submissions must be original and unpublished. The contest promotes engagement by publishing winning stories in their anthology and on the website.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Romance

The Maggie Award for Excellence aims to encourage and reward the mastery of romance writing by prepublished authors. Each entry receives two critiques from published authors, and finalists are reviewed by industry agents and editors.

Genres: Novel

Open to all poets over 18 years old writing in English. Collaborations, hybrid works, and simultaneous submissions are welcome. Please notify Diode Editions if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

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, 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.

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The Op-Ed Competition 2026 invites young writers aged 13-19 to express their opinions on important topics. The competition emphasizes well-researched arguments and encourages directness in writing.

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.

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

Afro-descendant writers: enter the African Diaspora Award from Kinsman Quarterly. Submit original, unpublished short stories, nonfiction, or poetry that celebrates the voices of the African diaspora. Winners receive cash prizes plus publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the annual anthology, "Africa's Diaspora: Four Corners."

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction accepts both previously published and unpublished stories, allowing simultaneous submissions. The winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.

Genres: Poetry and Children's

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual contest for unpublished poems written by adults for children aged 7–11. It highlights children's poetry and is judged anonymously. Previous winners include notable poets, and the prize aims to encourage new voices in this literary field.

Genres: Poetry

The Dream Quest One Poetry Contest is an international competition aimed at encouraging writers and poets to showcase their original works. The contest is open to all, regardless of experience, and accepts entries in various styles and themes. The mission is to inspire creativity and support literary talents.

Genres: Essay

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition aims to foster innovative ideas across cultures by posing significant philosophical questions relevant to contemporary life. It seeks submissions in English and Chinese that reflect novel thinking and compelling arguments.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Creative Future Writers’ Award, founded in 2013, is a free-to-enter annual writing competition for underrepresented writers. It aims to showcase diverse voices and includes cash prizes and development opportunities for poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Winners receive ongoing support and are celebrated at an awards ceremony.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The BBC National Short Story Award aims to celebrate and promote the short story form, providing a prestigious platform for both established and emerging writers. The award includes a significant monetary prize and recognition through BBC broadcasts.

Genres: Poetry

Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem: 2 syllables in the first line, 4 in the second, 2 in the last. Subject can be anything. Winner receives feedback and a cash prize.

Genres: Poetry

This contest encourages participants to write about moments when they felt guided by the universe, such as instances of perfect timing or signs that changed their direction. It aims to inspire storytelling and personal reflection.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.