Best Poetry Writing Contests in 2026

Genres: Poetry and Short Story

The Bedford Competition runs annual international short story and poetry competitions open to anyone over 17 years. Winning entries are published in an anthology.

Genres: Poetry

The F(r)iction Poetry Contest invites submissions of original poetry. The contest is open to writers globally, focusing on unique and experimental literature. The contest promotes creativity and individuality in submissions.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Flash Fiction

The competition features an open theme and includes four categories: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, and Poetry. Each category has a defined maximum word count. Winners will be acknowledged at the festival and have the opportunity to read their entries.

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 Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Contest is an annual event that celebrates original poetry. It has been held since 1997 in memory of poet Muriel Craft Bailey. The contest is open for submissions from April 1 to July 15 each year, with guidelines updated periodically.

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: Poetry

The Michael Waters Poetry Prize awards $6,000 and publication by SIR Press for a full-length poetry manuscript written in English annually. All entries are considered for publication.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry

So to Speak is a feminist literary journal seeking diverse voices, focusing on intersectional feminism. They publish twice a year, accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art, with a particular emphasis on marginalized perspectives.

Genres: Poetry

The Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award is one of the most prestigious poetry awards, providing significant financial support to poets. It offers a $100,000 prize for a single poetry collection published within the eligibility year, aimed at supporting mid-career poets. The award encourages poets to continue developing their craft.

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: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming. It awards $7,000 in cash across four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and One-Act Play. Winners are invited to a literary program and awards ceremony in Spring 2026.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Poetry, and Short Story

The Big Moose Prize awards an unpublished novel, open to all writers. The winner receives publication, a cash award of $1,000, and ten copies of the book.

Genres: Poetry

A national poetry contest established in 1997 in memory of Mark Fischer. It aims to promote poetry and supports the Talking Gourds community poetry program. The contest is open to all poets writing in English, regardless of age or location, and it awards cash prizes to winners and finalists.

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

The Swamp Pink Prizes celebrate excellence in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Each winner receives $2,000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Swamp Pink. The contest is open for submissions throughout January.

Genres: Poetry

This competition invites young writers (ages 13-19) to submit original poems or spoken word pieces. Two winners will be selected: one for best written poem and another for best spoken word performance.

Genres: Poetry

This series highlights first full-length collections by emerging authors from southern U.S. states. Submissions are open annually from December 1 to March 1.

Genres: Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Flying South contest invites submissions in three categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry. Each entry should be original and previously unpublished. Winners are awarded cash prizes, and all finalists are published in the annual issue.

Genres: Non-fiction and Poetry

The Geminga Contest 2026 invites submissions for Tiny Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Graphic Novels, and Art. The contest emphasizes the power of brevity, allowing a maximum of 100 words for fiction and nonfiction. Micropoetry is limited to 140 characters. Selected works will be published in Sunspot Lit's digital and print editions.

Genres: Poetry

The Bridport Poetry Prize is a prestigious competition open to poets worldwide, encouraging original and unpublished works. It features significant cash prizes and opportunities for publication in an anthology.

Genres: Poetry

Established in 1998, this award honors poet Benjamin Saltman and is for previously unpublished original poetry collections. The competition is open to all poets.

Genres: Poetry

The Diode Editions Chapbook Contest is an annual competition open to English-language poets. Multiple publications may be selected during this contest.

Genres: Poetry

The Interwoven project celebrates identity and community through poetry, aiming to highlight what unites humanity. It invites poems that reflect on shared experiences across cultures and places.

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: Poetry

The Heroica Poetry Prize is a competition aimed at women and non-binary authors and poets, offering monetary rewards and publication in an anthology.

Genres: Poetry

The Happiful Poetry Prize is an annual competition that invites entries exploring themes of mental health and wellbeing. The contest is open to writers aged 18 and over from the UK and Northern Ireland. The competition aims to celebrate high-quality writing in poetry.

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 published in 2024 across various genres, including mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance. The competition aims to recognize quality storytelling and is open to all published authors.

Genres: Poetry

The Fiction Factory Poetry Competition invites poets to submit original works on any topic, with a maximum length of 40 lines. The competition aims to celebrate creativity and diversity in poetry.

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

The contest invites high school students globally, grades 9-12, to submit original works. This year's prompt is 'One True Thing.' Submissions must be made by teachers on behalf of students. The contest aims to inspire young writers and culminates in mentorship from established authors.

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

An international writing contest for original, unpublished short stories. Winners are selected anonymously by a judge.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Jade Ring Contest is a prestigious annual competition celebrating exceptional writing in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Now in its 76th year, this contest offers writers a chance to shine, with cash prizes, publication opportunities in Creative Wisconsin Magazine, and a coveted residency at Write On, Door County for first-place winners.

Genres: Poetry

The award honors Dominican-American poet Rhina Espaillat. It is for an original poem of up to 50 lines, showcasing empathy and grace in everyday life.

Genres: Poetry

The Indiana Review Poetry Prize is part of an annual contest that awards a prize for excellent poetry submissions. The contest is open to submissions of poetry, and winners receive publication along with a monetary honorarium.

Genres: Poetry

The contest honors the legacy of Joy Bale Boone, an influential American poet and activist. All entries must be original works in English, with a submission window from July 1 to October 1, 2025, for publication in Spring 2026. The winners will be announced before Christmas 2025.

Genres: Poetry

The Winchester Poetry Prize is a prestigious international poetry competition open to all poets aged 16 and over. It aims to celebrate diverse poetic voices and fosters community engagement, offering significant cash prizes and publication opportunities.

Genres: Poetry

These fellowships are $50,000 awards aimed at honoring poets of literary merit who serve in civic positions. The goal is to support them in creating new work and undertaking impactful projects that enrich local communities through poetry.