Best Writing Contests in 2026

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.

Genres: Poetry

The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award aims to highlight urgent and original voices in poetry. Open to all poets writing in English, it accepts collections of poetry that showcase contemporary American poetic voices. The contest is judged by David Dodd Lee, and past winners include several notable poets.

Genres: Fiction

The Raven Short Story Contest invites submissions of previously unpublished short fiction between 250 to 2500 words. The contest is judged by Kelly Robson, a renowned author.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Romance, and Short Story

The Passionate Plume Contest is aimed at supporting erotic fiction authors, offering various categories for both published and unpublished writers. It encourages creativity and provides a platform for authors to showcase their work.

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The High School Academic Research Competition (SARC) is an online contest for high school students aged 13-18 to conduct research on any topic. Participants develop their research proposals and skills through exclusive bootcamps and compete by submitting proposals and video pitches.

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction invites submissions of stories that may be previously published or unpublished. True stories are accepted if written in a narrative style. The contest emphasizes the importance of storytelling.

Genres: Essay

The 2025 contest is themed “Real or Fake: Discovering Authenticity”, and it invites submissions exploring the meaning of truth in a time of misinformation, imitation, and uncertainty.

Genres: Fiction and Young Adult

The New Adult Book Prize is designed to celebrate new adult fiction that explores themes relevant to individuals aged 19-29. This inaugural prize aims to recognize the growing genre and will be awarded at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

This contest invites adult writers to submit original romance stories centered around themes like trust fund babies, hidden heiress scandals, and forbidden love in elite academies. It emphasizes high-drama romance with engaging plots.

Genres: Novel and Romance

The Maggie Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding works of romantic fiction. Open to both traditional and self-published authors, the contest emphasizes quality storytelling. The award seeks submissions that showcase excellence in the romance genre.

Genres: LGBTQ

This award honors emerging LGBTQ writers over the age of 50, aiming to support those who have not yet been published in book form. It emphasizes that writers who start later can be just as accomplished.

Genres: Poetry

The Ambroggio Prize is a $1,000 publication prize for a poetry manuscript originally in Spanish with an English translation. It honors American poets whose first language is Spanish and is awarded annually since 2017.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The competition invites short stories inspired by the prompt 'FOOTPRINT'. Open to writers globally, both published and unpublished. Winning entries will be included in an anthology.

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 and Novella

The Weatherglass Novella Prize 2027 invites submissions of novellas between 20,000 to 40,000 words. The winning novella(s) will be published by Weatherglass Books in 2027, with entries read by the Weatherglass Editorial team and shortlisted by Ali Smith.

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 Poetry

The Hudson Prize is awarded annually for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. It is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner receives book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Write a short story in ten words or fewer. Entry is free and must be original and unpublished. Judged on originality, quality, spelling, and grammar.

Genres: Short Story

The contest invites short stories in any genre, with a word count of 2,500 to 4,000 words. First prize is $1,000 and publication in Pulp Literature, while Honourable Mentions receive $150 and potential publication.

Genres: Poetry

The Plaza Poetry Prize (60 lines) is an international competition with the aim of discovering, publishing, and promoting talented new writers. Judged by Pulitzer Prize-winner Natalie Diaz, it offers cash prizes and publication opportunities for shortlisted entries.

Genres: Poetry

The Poetry International Prize is an annual contest to award a cash prize of $1000 and publication for a single poem of any length. Submissions are accepted via Submittable and all entries are considered for publication.

Genres: Essay and Travel

The competition invites original, unpublished travel articles in English, focusing on authentic travel experiences. Articles should be engaging and convey a strong sense of the destination and local culture, with a maximum length of 1,000 words.

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

Established in 1984, this award connects emerging writers with the New York City literary community, facilitating professional advancement through a network of agents, editors, and authors. The winners receive an honorarium, a public reading, and participation in a residency program.

Genres: Script Writing

The Scriptation Showcase competition circulates winners' scripts to Hollywood professionals, providing exposure and feedback. It aims to connect writers with industry talent.

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: Children's and Short Story

The contest invites students in grades 6-12 to submit a piece of short fiction exactly 1000 words long. There are no specific themes, but entries should be original and not previously published. The contest aims to encourage young authors to tell significant stories.

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 28th annual Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition is now open for submissions until April 30, 2026. The competition is judged by Keith Jarrett, with several prizes offered for various categories. Winning and commended poems will be included in an anthology and published on the website.

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.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror

The Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by professional writers. It has been established since 1983 and includes quarterly cash prizes and an annual grand prize.

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

The Subnivean Awards is an international literary competition that seeks outstanding fiction and poetry. The contest aims to highlight innovative works that break conventional molds.

Genres: Poetry

The Dark Poets Prize is an international poetry competition inviting entries that explore beauty within darkness. The winner receives the title of International Dark Poets Prize IV Winner and a cash prize.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize aims to discover and support new writing talent on an annual basis. The prize includes financial support for the best pieces of writing submitted on an announced theme. The contest is open to all writers aged 18 and above, regardless of nationality.

Genres: Poetry

The F(r)iction Poetry Contest encourages innovative poetry with a narrative trajectory and imagery focus. Prizes include publication consideration in F(r)iction.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, and Romance

The Emma Awards celebrate multicultural excellence in romance and women's fiction, promoting diverse voices and stories. The contest recognizes top entries in various romance subgenres, ensuring inclusion in literature.