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Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition
Writer's Digest
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Enter our 91st Annual Writing Competition for the chance to have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen. The top winning entries of this writing contest will also be on display in the Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection. [$20 for a poetry entry, $30 for a manuscript entry]
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
Grand prize winner receives $5000. In each category: 1st, $1000; 2nd, $500; 3rd, $250; 4th, $100; 5th, $50; 6th through 10th, $25 gift certificate. 1st place winners receive a one year subscription to Writer's Digest magazine + tutorials.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2025 (Expired)
Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors
Grist Magazine
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Imagine 2200 contest invites writers to envision equitable climate progress stories, showcasing creative solutions and community resilience. It emphasizes hope and the potential for positive change through fiction.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Second place: $2000 Third place: $1000 Ten $300 awards for finalists. Opportunity for the winner to participate in Oregon State University's Environmental Writing Fellowship and Residency, including a four-week writing residency.
📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024 (Expired)
Heart Fiction Battle
Writing Battle
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
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Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 Feedback by industry professionals
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: August 02, 2024 (Expired)
Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition
Creative Writing Ink
Genres: Short Story
The competition is open for entries, accepting submissions on any theme or genre. All entries are judged anonymously.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will receive £200 each and a free online course. Winner will also receive a free online course and publication on the website
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
2025 Short Story Competition
Globe Soup
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The competition invites short story submissions of up to 8,000 words from writers of all genres. It aims to encourage creativity and provide feedback opportunities. Participants retain ownership of their work, with the winner receiving a cash prize along with chances to win in a bonus draw.
Top Prize:
£2,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: £1000 | 3rd: £500 | £1,500 Bonus Prize Draw shared among multiple winners
💰 Entry fee: $16
📅 Deadline: December 16, 2025 (Expired)
2024 International Literary Prize
Hammond House Publishing
Genres: Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
The 2024 International Literary Prize invites writers to submit entries in four categories: Short Stories, Poetry, Scriptwriting, and Songwriting. The contest emphasizes anonymity in submissions and offers cash prizes, publication opportunities, and feedback options.
Top Prize:
1st prize for Short Story and Poetry: £1000 1st prize for Scriptwriting: £500 1st prize for Song writing: £250
Additional prizes:
2nd and 3rd prizes for all categories: £100 and £50 respectively, along with publication for all shortlisted entries.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
Passionate Plume
Passionate Ink
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.
Top Prize:
Engraved award
Additional prizes:
Publication in the Passionate Ink Charity Anthology
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: February 14, 2025 (Expired)
HG Wells Short Story Competition
HG Wells Competition
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.'
Top Prize:
Under 21: £1,000 Over 21: £500
Additional prizes:
All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology. Shortlisted authors receive a copy of the anthology and a certificate.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: July 08, 2024 (Expired)
MoonLit Getaway Short Fiction Contest
MoonLit Getaway
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.
Top Prize:
$250 CAD
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will each receive 50 CAD and publication.
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: October 12, 2025 (Expired)
Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest
Shuswap Association of Writers
Genres: Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The contest is open for submissions in short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Entrants can submit original, unpublished works. Prizes include cash awards and festival packages, with winners published in the anthology.
Top Prize:
$200 CAD
Additional prizes:
1st: festival registration package | 2nd: $125 and banquet package | Honourable mention: $100 and banquet package.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2026
Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest
Ethos Literacy
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The contest invites participants to write a story of exactly 100 words on topics like envy, eyeglasses, nightmares, or turtles. It is open to all ages, including international writers. Winning stories will be published in an e-zine.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
6 cash prizes of $100 each + publication in digital magazine, inclusion in webcast
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)
Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative
Principal Foundation
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The contest invites writers aged 18 and up to submit short stories about personal finance and money-related experiences. It aims to facilitate discussions on financial matters through storytelling.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Honorarium for the winner and $150 for each of up to 20 finalists. Finalists' works will be published in Short Story Dispensers and considered for international publication.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: October 12, 2025 (Expired)
ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize
Australian Book Review
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is an annual competition for short stories. Further details on submission and eligibility are outlined on the main prize page.
Top Prize:
$6000 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $4000 AUD 3rd: $2500 AUD
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2025 (Expired)
Ghost & Cryptid Short Story Anthology
Dragon Tomes Publishing
Genres: Fiction, Horror, Short Story, and Humor
Dragon Tomes Publishing is compiling an anthology of ghost and cryptid stories. They seek short stories up to 6,000 words that explore themes of ghosts or cryptids, welcoming various genres.
Top Prize:
$20
Additional prizes:
Free author copy of the finished anthology.
📅 Deadline: July 31, 2025 (Expired)
Inkspot Publishing Short Story Competition
Inkspot Publishing
Genres: Short Story
This inaugural competition invites writers to submit original short stories. The competition aims to celebrate creativity following the Chipping Norton Literary Festival's closure. Entries are open to all writers.
Additional prizes:
2nd: £250 | 3rd: £100 | Top 12 stories will feature on FictionJunkies.com.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2025 (Expired)
The Christy Award
ECPA
Genres: Christian, Fantasy, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
The Christy Award, established in 1999, celebrates novels that explore themes of faith and their influence on modern culture. Over the years, these awards have become a cornerstone event that brings together writers and publishers within the Christian literary community.
Top Prize:
The Christy Book of the Year Award.
💰 Entry fee: $175
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)
Exeter Writers Short Story Competition
Exeter Writers
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Short Story Competition is organized by Exeter Writers, aiming to encourage and showcase emerging writing talent. This competition invites entries from writers of various backgrounds.
Top Prize:
£700
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
The Elmbridge Literary Competition 2025
The R C Sherriff Trust
Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The 20th Elmbridge Literary Competition invites submissions of short stories and poems on the theme of 'The River' to commemorate RC Sherriff. Open internationally, the competition includes age categories with specific word counts.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
Cash prizes for adults + book tokens for children's categories
📅 Deadline: February 21, 2025 (Expired)
Morton and McCarthy Prizes
Sarabande Books
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction is awarded to an outstanding manuscript of short fiction. It includes a monetary prize, publication, and an introduction by the judge, Ed Park.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by Sarabande Books
💰 Entry fee: $34
📅 Deadline: February 15, 2025 (Expired)
The Hope Prize
Hope Prize
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The Hope Prize is an international short story competition focused on original stories of hope, open to writers aged 18 and over, with entries accepted in English. The prize encourages bold self-expression and aims to spotlight charities making impactful changes.
Top Prize:
$10 000 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $2000 AUD | 3rd: $1000 AUD | Shortlisted stories will be published in a Simon & Schuster anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2025 (Expired)
Spring Microfiction Battle
Writing Battle
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Spring Microfiction Battle is part of the Writing Battle series, where participants write stories based on prompts. Participants receive feedback from peers and industry judges.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 Feedback by industry professionals. Various merchandise and opportunities for additional exposure in the community.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: May 03, 2024 (Expired)
Anthology Flash Fiction Award
Anthology Magazine
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
This contest invites original, unpublished flash fiction pieces up to 250 words in any genre. The aim is to inspire creativity and provide a platform for publication. The winning entry will receive a cash prize and publication in Anthology magazine.
Top Prize:
€300
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2026
The Plaza Short Story Prize
Damon Galgut
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Plaza Short Story Prize invites entries for short stories up to 5000 words. The prize includes cash rewards and publication in an anthology, aiming to discover and promote new literary talent.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
1st Prize: £4000 / $5000; 2nd Prize: £300 / $360; 3rd Prize: £100 / $120. Top 10 entries published in anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $18
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)
