information about creative writing contests, poetry contests, literary magazine theme issues, writing residencies, grants, fellowships etc. Now accepting creative writing contests news and announcements!
The 2024 Emerging Writer’s Contest will run from March 1 at noon EST to May 15, 2024, at noon EST.
The Emerging Writer’s Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Read past winners of the contest here.
We award publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres. Submit to the Emerging Writer’s Contest through our submission manager. You must be logged in to access our submission manager.
The 2024 contest judges are Dantiel W. Moniz (Fiction), Porsha Olayiwola (Poetry), and Augusten Burroughs (Nonfiction).
Publication
The winning story, essay, and poems from the 2024 contest will be published in the Winter 2024-25 issue ofPloughshares.
Eligibility
You are eligible if you:
Have yet to publish a book (including eBooks, translations, books in other languages/countries, self-published works, and poetry chapbooks with a print run of more than 300).
Have no book forthcoming before April 15, 2025.
Are not affiliated with Emerson College or with Ploughshares as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.
Will not have a relationship with Emerson College before April 15, 2025 (example: if there is a chance you will attend the Emerson MFA program in the coming year or if your work has been accepted for publication for an upcoming issue).
Submitting
The contest is now open. We will announce the winners in mid-September of 2024.
Fiction and Nonfiction: Under 6,000 words Poetry: 3-5 pages
Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager.
Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager.
No entries via email or mail will be considered for the contest.
Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.
For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and may choose to publish one, some, or all of the winner’s submitted poems.
International submissions are welcome, but we ask that you please be in touch via email for more information about this process.
We cannot accommodate revisions once a manuscript has been submitted.
If submitting work with images, please acquire permission beforehand and, if possible, ensure any images are high resolution (300 dpi).
We strongly encourage typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced), and numbered pages.
Cover letters are not necessary. Please remove all identifying information from your submission as they will be read anonymously.
Simultaneous vs. Multiple Submissions We only consider one submission per author for the duration of the contest, regardless of genre. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are fine as long as we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere via email (pshares@pshares.org) or our online contact form.
Entry Fee
If you are a current subscriber through our Winter 2024-2025 issue, your contest entry is free of charge. You will still be prompted to “checkout” but you will not be required to enter payment information and will not be charged. If you’re not sure when your subscription expires, feel free to email us at pshares@pshares.org.
If you are not a subscriber, or your subscription expires before our Winter 2024-2025 issue, the submission manager will prompt you to pay the $30 fee at checkout. The fee includes a 1-year subscription to Ploughshares (beginning with the Spring 2024 issue and ending with the Winter 2024-2025 issue) and free submissions to the 2024 regular reading period.
If you are an international submitter, please be in touch via email for more information about this process.
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original.
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand-printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction, non-fiction, and creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short screenplays, stageplays, and screenwriting). Also, all entries must be either typed or legibly hand-printed.
Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Deadline: March 31, 2024
All contest winners will be published on May 26, 2024
Prizes(USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees(USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, and brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to: “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
I have $12,000 on offer to talk about how to change our worldview to where we care about each other as much as we care about ourselves. I worked with the prestigious Scientific and Medical Network to formulate it and they are promoting it as a member’s project, urging other organizations to let their members know.
No entry fee. Due February 14, 2024. No word count but, “Be as concise as you can so as not to lose readers while giving details that demonstrate the workability of your ideas.”
The ploy is that it’s 2050 and the world is working. From the mess we’re in in 2024, starting with something you did, how did that come about?
To pass along:
ESSAY CONTEST with Cash Prizes! Due February 14, 2024.
Prizes: Three Winners are announced who share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Winners may choose to have an extract published, and receive a letter of recommendation from our Judges. Twenty writers are Shortlisted. Feedback available.
Entry Fee: $20.
Words: Please submit the first 5000 words of your prose manuscript or 15 pages of poetry.
Details: Open to anyone in the world. The entry must not have been traditionally published. We are seeking all varieties of novels, short story collections, nonfiction, and poetry collections. We will accept manuscripts that are unpublished, self-published, and some that are indie-published. Review full entry guidelines for further details.
For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. Final judge: Mina Manchester, assisted by Sarah Halper. Please submit as many entries as you like. All themes accepted. Entries may be published or unpublished. Length limit: 6,000 words maximum. No restriction on age of author. All countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, or Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Fee: $22 per entry. Read the winning entries from the 31st contest.
First time entering? We prepared this brief video to guide you. See also our short entry checklist, then click the button below to submit. The results of our 32nd contest will be announced on October 15, 2024.
The Letter Review Prize is now open in five categories: Short Fiction (up to 5000 words), Nonfiction (up to 5000 words), Poetry (up to 70 lines), Unpublished Books (including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry), and Reprints (previously published works which are not avail. online). The total yearly Prize pool is $30,000 USD. Entry fee: $20 USD (Poetry $15). Winners are published online and in our printed Winners Anthology. 10-20 per category are shortlisted. All entries are considered for publication, and submission to prestigious anthologies such as The Pushcart Prize. Judges’ feedback is available for all entries. See our Previous Winners Page here, and our Comments / Testimonials Page here.
Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).
Entry fee: $15 Canadian, which goes directly to supporting the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival
Prizes: First Place: $200. Second Place: $125. Honourable Mention: $100. Additionally, all winners will be published in the annual Askew’s Word on the Lake Anthology, and will receive copies of the anthology in print and ebook.
Open to anyone who loves expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry and/or writing a story that is worth telling everyone! Guidelines: (1) Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, form, or style. And/or (2) Write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme, fiction, nonfiction, or creative nonfiction. Multiple and simultaneous entries are accepted Prizes: Poetry First Prize: $250; Second: $125; Third: $50. Writing First Prize is $500; Second: $250; Third: $100. Entry fees: $5 per poem, $10 per story. Postmark deadline: March 31, 2024. Visit https://www.dreamquestone.com/ for details on how to enter!
Prizes: Three Winners are announced who receive a letter of recommendation from our Judges for publishers, and share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted. Entry Fee: $25 USD. Deadline: Open now, closing 31st October at 11:59 pm ET. Words: Please submit the first 5000 words of your book (first 15 pages for poetry). Details: Open to anyone in the world. The entry must not have been traditionally published. You may submit unpublished books and some self-published, and indie-published works. We are seeking all varieties of novels, novellas, short story collections, nonfiction, and poetry collections. Review full entry guidelines for further details. Enter Here: https://letterreview.com/information/
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original. https://www.dreamquestone.com
Guidelines:
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand-printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short stage-plays, screenplays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand-printed. Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Postmark deadline: September 30, 2023
All contest winners will be published on November 30, 2023
Prizes(USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees(USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) and/or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, and brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. You may a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to: “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
Prizes: Three Winners are announced who have a brief extract published, receive a letter of recommendation from our Judges for publishers, and share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted. Entry Fee: $25. Words: Please submit the first 5000 words of your manuscript, whether it be prose or poetry. Details: Open to anyone in the world. The entry must not have been traditionally published. We are seeking all varieties of novels, short story collections, nonfiction, and poetry collections. We will accept manuscripts that are unpublished, self-published and some which are indie-published. Review full entry guidelines for further details. Enter Here: https://letterreview.com/information/
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original. https://www.dreamquestone.com
Guidelines:
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand-printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short stage-plays, screenplays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand-printed. Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Postmark deadline: May 28, 2023
All contest winners will be published on June 30, 2023
Prizes(USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees(USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) and/or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to: “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original.
Guidelines:
Write a poem of 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand-printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme. Genres: fiction, non-fiction, and creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short screenplays, stage plays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand-printed.
Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Postmark deadline: March 19, 2023
All contest winners will be published on April 30, 2023
Prizes (USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees (USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, and brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
Can you tell a story in 100 words or less? This is no simple feat. Showcase your ability to harness the meaning behind every word in our third annual 100-Word Contest. Write anything under 100 words – nonfiction or fiction – for a chance to win the grand prize: $1,000 and publication in The Writer magazine. Second prize is $500 and publication. Third prize is $250 and publication.
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing innermost thoughts and feelings in the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original.
Guidelines:
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme. Genres: fiction, non-fiction, and creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short screenplays, and, stageplays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand printed.
Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Postmark deadline: September 30, 2022
All contest winners will be published on November 30, 2022
Prizes(USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees(USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, and brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
We are pleased to announce our 2022 Curt Johnson Prose Awards will be judged by Laura Dave (Fiction) and Taté Walker (Nonfiction) click here for more information on our judges. Prizes are $1,500 and publication in our Fall/Winter 2022 issue for First Place (fiction and nonfiction); $500 and publication in our Fall/Winter 2022 issue for honorable mention (fiction and nonfiction). All finalists will be listed in the awards issue.
Maximum of 8,000 words for fiction and non-fiction. Name and address on cover letter only. $20 entry fee includes a copy of Awards issue.
AUTHOR NAME OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION SHOULD NOT APPEAR IN YOUR TITLE OR ANYWHERE ON YOUR UPLOADED OR HARD COPY DOCUMENT.
decemberaccepts submissions online through Submittable.
We do not accept simultaneous submissions, but we generally provide a response within eight weeks. Contest submissions generally take a little longer because of the review process.
decemberalso accepts submissions through the U.S. mail. If submitting by mail, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with sufficient postage, your $20.00 entry fee (check or cash), and indicate if you would like your manuscript returned. Multiple entries are accepted with an additional $20.00 entry fee per submission. december assumes no responsibility for delayed, lost, or damaged manuscripts.
Deadline for short stories and articles: March 31, 2022 —last call! Deadline for book-length submissions: August 31, 2022
Eaton Literary Agency has been helping authors since 1984. Our Annual Awards Program attracts quality manuscripts that we can present to publishers on behalf of our authors. We award an annual prize of $2,500 for book-length work (10,000+ words) and $500 for short stories and articles (fewer than 10,000 words).
Entries may be fiction or nonfiction and must be unpublished. To enter, please email your submission as an attachment in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format to eatonlit@aol.com. Alternately, you may mail a printed copy of your work to Eaton Literary Agency, P.O. Box 49795, Sarasota, FL 34230.
Announcing the second annual Perkoff Prize, a new contest from the Missouri Review. The re-vamped Perkoff Prize is a tri-genre contest that will award $1000 and publication each to writers of the best story, set of poems, and essay that engage in evocative ways with health and medicine as judged by the editors.
The initial concept for the Perkoff Prize was as a post-publication award (much like TMR’s Peden Prize) that recognized literary excellence in a piece that had a meaningful connection to health and medicine. The original benefactor of this prize, the late Dr. Gerald Thomas Perkoff, was Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (learn more about his life here). His love of poetry and the possibilities in treating the vast, rich arena of human experience with health and medicine drove this desire to take note of and reward literary achievement. We started planning ways to reinvent and revitalize the prize in the late spring of 2019, with no idea what the following years would bring us. Now here we are, amidst a pandemic that has relentlessly revealed to us the precarity—and resourcefulness—of human health and the endeavors of medicine to relieve pain and suffering. It is our humble hope that the Perkoff Prize is an opportunity for the artful expression of these infinitely diverse and collectively resonant human experiences.
NEW DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2022
Guidelines:
All submissions must engage with health and medicine in some way.
All submissions must be previously unpublished.
Poetry: up to 10 pages of poetry.
Fiction and Nonfiction: up to 8500 words, double-spaced.
Winners will be published in print issue of TMR.
All entries will be considered for publication (whether in print, or as part of our Poem of the Week or Blast features).
Multiple submissions and simultaneous submissions are welcome, but you must pay a separate fee for each entry and withdraw the piece immediately if accepted elsewhere.
Current University of Missouri students and faculty are ineligible.
Standard Entry fee: $15. Each entrant receives a one-year subscription to the Missouri Review in digital format (normal price $24).
“All Access” Entry fee: $30. In addition to the one-year digital subscription to the Missouri Review, the “All Access” entry fee grants access to the last 10 years of digital issues and the audio recordings of each digital issue.
How to Submit, click on the designated links below:
If you love expressing innermost thoughts and feelings using the beautiful literary art of poetry and/or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone, then here is an excellent opportunity for you. This poetry and writing contest is open to everyone and international. This is a platform where you can showcase creative writing and poetic talent, skills, and abilities.
Writing Contest entries may be written on a maximum of 5 pages, wither neatly handwritten or typed, single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme, fiction, nonfiction or creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries and screenwriting).
Poetry Contest entries may be written on any subject, theme, or form. All poems must be 30 lines or fewer and either neatly handwritten or typed, single or double line spacing.
Multiple and simultaneous entries in both the Poetry Contest and the Writing Contest are accepted.
The following are the details of the prizes:
The First Writing Prize is $500.00
Second Writing Prize is: $250.00
Third Writing Prize is: $100.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The First Poetry Contest is: $250.00
Second Poetry Prize is: $125.00
Third Poetry Prize is: $50.00
There is a $5.00 (US dollars) entry fee per poem submitted and a $10.00 (US dollars) entry fee per short story submitted.
Kindly note that DEADLINE is MARCH 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM.Enter Now! for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00.
If you would like to receive greater recognition, monetary prizes, awards, and exposure for your books, here is an opportunity not to miss. Enter the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Calling all indie book authors and publishers – including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers, and self-published authors who have a book written in English released in 2020, 2021, or 2022 or with a 2020, 2021, or 2022 copyright date to enter the most rewarding book awards program. Offering 80+ Categories – More than 80 Awards – with over 80 monetary prizes totaling more than $10,000 in cash, including $1,500 cash prizes plus trophies for best fiction book and best non-fiction book, $750 cash prizes plus trophies for second-best fiction book, and non-fiction book and $500 cash prizes plus trophies for third-best fiction book and non-fiction book!
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers and the only book awards program of its kind offering more monetary prizes, more awards, more recognition, and more exposure including exposure to a leading Literary Agent for possible representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights, and other rights! Presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (IBPPG) in conjunction with Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the top independently published books of the year. IBPPG was formed to provide support and recognition for the independent book publishing profession, and we encourage all independent authors and publishers to enter their books in the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards so that they too can earn recognition and receive other benefits from having an award-winning book!
Awards given to the Finalists and Winners of the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards are: ▪$1,500 cash prize and trophy for the best Fiction Book ▪$1,500 cash prize and trophy for the best Non-Fiction Book ▪$750 cash prize and trophy for the second-best Fiction Book ▪$750 cash prize and trophy for the second-best Non-Fiction Book ▪$500 cash prize and trophy for the third-best Fiction Book ▪$500 cash prize and trophy for the third-best Non-Fiction Book ▪$100 Cash Prize & Gold Medal for all 80+ category Winners ▪Finalist Medals for each finalist in the 80+ categories
Winners and Finalists will also receive: ▪An invitation to the gala awards reception. ▪Exposure for a full year atNext Generation Indie Book Awards as a Winner or Finalist. ▪All Winners will be listed in the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Catalog which will be distributed to thousands of book buyers, media, and others! ▪The opportunity to display Finalist or Winner gold award stickers on your book. ▪Other benefits of an award-winning book (such as potential increased revenue).
PLUS, the top 80 books will be sent to be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency or one of Ms. Allen’s co-agents for possible representation in areas that could generate even more revenue for your book (unless an entrant prefers not to have their book forwarded to the agent). Ms. Allen has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience, including serving as Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Director of Marketing for Harper Collins and directing sales and marketing teams for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books, and Avon Books. Ms. Allen has had the pleasure of working with many best-selling authors including Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Gray, Mary Higgins Clark, and many more.”
Independently-published books have become a major source for quality fiction and non-fiction, but often go unrecognized by the mainstream publishing industry,” notes Marilyn Allen. “Finally, an award program has been created to recognize talented authors from this important segment of our industry. Our agency represents over 100 authors and we’re always looking for new talent, so it is a great pleasure to be part of this program. We look forward to reviewing the works of the 80 best candidates and helping these authors gain the recognition they deserve.”
Deadline for the 2022 awards program – February 11, 2022.
The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who enjoys expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful literary art of poetry or writing a story that’s worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00! All works must be original. https://www.dreamquestone.com
Guidelines:
Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand printed.
And/or write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction or non-fiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short screenplays, and screenwriting). Also, all entries must be either typed or legibly hand-printed.
Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Postmark deadline: March 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM
All contest winners will be published on May 22, 2022
Prizes(USD):
Writing First Prize is $500. Second: $250. Third: $100.
Poetry First Prize is $250. Second: $125. Third: $50.
Entry fees(USD): $5 per poem, $10 per story
To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) or poem(s), along with your name, mailing address, phone#, email, brief biographical info. (Tell us a little about yourself), on the coversheet. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for entry confirmation. Fees payable to: “DREAMQUESTONE.COM”
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. “And remember, in whatever you do, it’s okay to dream, for dreams do come true.” –Dream Quest One
The Ringling College of Art and Design Creative Writing Program was created to support, empower, and honor young writers. It’s an exciting time to be a writer thanks to the increasing number of narrative possibilities that new technologies and media offer. We believe that well-told stories can speak truths and communicate ideas in a way that nothing else can.
To that end, we’re inviting all high-school-age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 7th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.
Submission Guidelines
All high-school-age students writing in English may submit one entry (maximum) in each of the following categories via the Google form which will be available only during the contest’s submission window.
Submission Category 1: Literary Stories Examples of this type of writing? Short fiction, flash fiction Examples of writers who work in this vein? Tim O’Brien, O. Henry, John Green, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Robert Olen Butler, Amy Tan, Sandra Cisneros, and Lorrie Moore
Submission Category 2: Genre Stories Examples of this type of writing? Horror stories, fantasy stories, mystery stories, science fiction, thriller stories Examples of writers who work in this vein? Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allen Poe, J.K. Rowling, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R.R. Martin, Philip K. Dick, and Patricia Highsmith
Submission Category 3: Nonfiction Stories Examples of this type of writing? Autobiographical essays, personal essay, creative nonfiction (including very well-written, story-based travel writing, nature writing, science writing, and/or biography)
Examples of writers who work in this vein? Lauren Hillenbrand (Unbroken), Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle), Oliver Sacks (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat), John Burroughs (“In Mammoth Cave”), Chuck Klosterman (Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs), Jorge Luis Borges (“Blindness”), E.B. White (“Once More to the Lake”), and Annie Dillard (“Seeing”)
How to Submit: Submit this Google form from October 15, 2021 to January 15, 2022
Submission Period October 15, 2021 – Jan 15, 2022 (Winners will be notified in February 2022)
Judges The Ringling College of Art and Design Creative Writing Program faculty
Entry Fee None
Prizes in Each Category
1st prize
$1,000
1:1 consultation about your writing with bestselling author and editor Brooke Vitale
iPad for each first-place winner’s high school writing teacher
Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt
2nd prize
$100
Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt
3rd prize
$50
Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt
Honorable Mentions
Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt
FAQs
How do I submit work? Click on the SUBMIT YOUR WRITING HERE tab on the main contest page. The Google form is located there. Submissions sent in any other manner (snail mail, email, etc.) will not be considered.
Do I need to use special formatting for my contest entry? Please double space and use a 12-point font, and include your name as well as the title of your piece. Here is a good example of a professional standard format.
Will the contest entries be published? The top winner in each category may be offered the opportunity for their work to be published in Shift, the Creative Writing Program’s literary arts journal. Authors retain all rights to their stories whether they accept this possible publication opportunity or not.
What if I win first prize but don’t want my work published? That’s a decision we will respect.
Can I submit to more than one category? Yes. Though each piece can only win a prize in a single category so please send different pieces if you’d like to contend in more than one contest category.
Can I submit more than one entry for a single category? No. It’s one entry per category per person. The maximum amount of entries anyone can send is three–one literary short story, one genre story, and one nonfiction piece.
You say you want “unpublished” work. What does that mean? If you wrote something for a school assignment, that’s fine. If your piece ran in your school newspaper or school literary magazine, that’s fine too.
If your piece ran in a national periodical of any type (USA Today, Reader’s Digest, Boy’s Life, Seventeen, etc.)? That’s published. The same is true with posting your piece in online forums, blogs, and websites (personal ones or Wattpad). And if your piece was included in any textbook or anthology, that too counts as being published.
If you have any questions about this, please email us to ask.
I want to send in something different than a traditional short story. Can I do that? Absolutely. While many submissions will be traditional short stories, we are also quite open to graphic narratives, scripts, picture book manuscripts, comics, and other literary forms/blends.
I’m a poet. Can I submit a poem? You may submit anything you choose up to 2,000 words long, though poetry without an extremely strong narrative component likely doesn’t fit well in any of the submission categories. This is primarily a prose narrative contest.
What type of stories/subjects/themes do you want? That’s entirely up to you, though a familiarity with the genre/style you’re writing in will surely be of help to you.
What are the judges REALLY looking for? High-quality writing that engages the reader.
What are the common issues with most submissions? Here are three of the top reasons most entries don’t make the cut.
Failure to follow the contest guidelines
Poor editing/proofreading
Cliché ideas/plots
I’m not an American citizen. Can I still submit? If you’re a high-school-age student enrolled in a high-school curriculum and you’re writing in English? Yes.
I’m homeschooled. Can I enter the contest? If you’re a high-school-age student enrolled in a high-school curriculum and you’re writing in English? Yes.
I’m 10. Can I enter? If you’re chronologically younger than most high school students but you’re in a full-time high school program, then yes, you can enter the contest.
I’m 45. Can I enter? If you’re chronologically older than most high school students but you’re in a full-time high school program, then yes, you can enter the contest. Please note–for the purposes of contest eligibility, working on your GED isn’t the same as being in a full-time high school program,
Is Ringling College associated with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus? John Ringling was involved with the launching of the institution in 1931, but beyond that, we have no relationship to the circus beyond the association of his name. So the circus’ closing in 2017 had zero effect on Ringling College.
I’ve got a question that doesn’t seem to be answered anywhere. What do I do? Send in your question via email to creativewriting@ringling.edu with the subject line “Contest Question.”
Introduction:Dream Quest One Poetry and Writing Contest is about showcasing the creative writing and poetic talent, skills, and abilities of all poets and writers. The Dream Quest One mission is to inspire, motivate and encourage anyone having the desire or love for poetry and writing, to continue doing so without fear of failure or success!
Awards:
Writing First Prize: $500, 2nd: $250, 3rd: $100.
Poetry First Prize: $250, 2nd: $125, 3rd: $50
Eligibility: The Dream Quest One Poetry and Writing Contest is international, and is open to all poets and writers whether published or not. Current and former employees of Dreamquestone.Com or their relatives are not eligible. Previously published poems and short stories in other contests, books, magazines, etc., are accepted and welcome as long as they are original to the contest entrant.
Rules: All poems must be 30 lines or fewer, may be either neatly handwritten or typed, single or double line spacing, on any subject, theme, form, or style. All entries must be original works.
All short stories may be on any subject or theme. Genres: any fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, diary, journal entries and short screenplays are accepted. Contestants will enter their short stories either neatly hand printed or typed, using single or double line spacing, within a maximum of (5) pages or less. No word count. All entries must be original works. You may submit entries to both the poetry contest and the writing contest, at the same time. Multiple entries are accepted.
Fee Details: $5.00 (US dollars) per poem. $10.00 (US dollars) per story.
All entries may be submitted by March 31, 2022 at 11:59PM, Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Winners will be notified and published online in the Dare to Dream pages on May 22, 2022.
Contact: c/o Andre L. West Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest P.O. Box 3141 Chicago, IL 60654
Give us a glimpse of something that reveals the abundance of this big, beautiful, unexpected life that we’ve got. Create never-ending possibilities in a complex, never-ending universe. Make us “see a World in a Grain of Sand.” Show us all of that immense, wide world in only 100 words or less.
All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome.
Creative Writing Contests 