Best Poetry Writing Contests in 2026

Genres: Poetry

The Autumn House Poetry Contest accepts manuscripts of 50-80 pages. The winner receives publication of their manuscript, a $2,500 prize, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant.

Genres: Poetry

The Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition is an annual prize open to original, unpublished poems in English of up to 40 lines. It celebrates poetry and offers substantial prizes while encouraging international participation.

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

Established in 1998, this award honors poet Benjamin Saltman and is for previously unpublished original poetry collections.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 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The Annual Poetry Contest accepts up to 3 previously unpublished poems of any style, with no length limit. Winning entries receive cash prizes and publication. Additionally, winners and honorable mentions get a print copy of the issue.

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 Each entry should be original and previously unpublished.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: Poetry and Short Story

The Writers Cypher is a first year, three-round virtual creative writing competition sponsored by Writers' Row Publishing House. Participants will compete for cash prizes, including two grand prizes of $1,000 each and an additional $500 for two runners-up. To enter, review the rules and guidelines and submit your first-round entry and $20 registration fee by December 30th.

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: Poetry

The James Laughlin Award recognizes and supports a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. It is endowed by a gift from the Drue Heinz Trust and is named after the poet and publisher James Laughlin.

Genres: Poetry

The Plough Prize is an international poetry competition open for poems in English, limited to 40 lines on any subject. The contest emphasizes anonymity in judging, with a focus on quality.

Genres: Poetry

This contest celebrates independent and self-published poets, allowing them to showcase their poetry books and pamphlets.

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.

Genres: Poetry

The Free Verse Prize is a new poetry prize, which supports the Free Verse Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. The judge is poet and former Poetry Book Fair director, Chrissy Williams. Poems can be on any theme, and should have fewer than 40 lines.

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 Oxford Poetry Prize is an annual competition for a single poem in English. The guest judge this year is Rebecca Tamás.

Genres: Poetry

Founded in 2010, the Montreal International Poetry Prize is a global competition awarding $20,000 CAD to a poet for a single poem of 40 or fewer lines. The prize emphasizes original poetry, international readership, and exploration of diverse Englishes. The contest is juried by esteemed poets and critics, and the shortlisted works are published in an anthology.

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: 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.

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: 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

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: 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.

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

The Solar Flare Contest seeks submissions for a single short story, novel or novella excerpt, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that exhibits a burst of creative energy. All genres accepted, with a maximum word limit of 500 for stories and nonfiction, 12 lines for poetry, and 8 pages for graphic novels.

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

This contest invites submissions that explore the theme 'Disability as a Strength', showcasing narratives around managing mental health, disabilities, and chronic illnesses. It is a chance for writers to express how these experiences have fortified their identities.

Genres: Poetry

The Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize is awarded annually for a poet's first full-length book of poetry. The prize includes $2,500 and publication by Kent State University Press. The winner will also participate in a reading at Kent State with the judge.

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: Children's, Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Betty Award is a writing contest recognizing young authors aged 8-12. It encourages creativity and imagination with three contests held annually: Fall, Winter, and Spring.

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 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: Poetry

The Peseroff Prize honors Joyce Peseroff's contributions to poetry and literature. It is an annual contest that invites submissions of previously unpublished poems.

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

The BCALA Self-Publishing Literary Awards honors the best self-published ebooks by African American authors in the U.S. across fiction and poetry genres. The awards focus on the cultural, historical, and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora.

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

The Bacopa Literary Review is an annual international print journal seeking engaging and original submissions across multiple genres. The contest includes various categories with specific guidelines to encourage diverse forms of writing.

Genres: Poetry

The SFPA Poetry Contest promotes speculative poetry, rewarding quality works while raising funds for the organization. The contest includes categories for poems of varying lengths—Dwarf (1-10 lines), Short (11-49 lines), and Long (50+ lines). 2024's judge is Stephanie M. Wytovich.