THE POETRY KIT EKPHRASTIC POETRY COMPETITION 2021

Deadline: All entries must be received before midnight Monday 27th SEPTEMBER 2021

Our competition is for poems based on a painting (this can be broadly interpreted). There are no style or length restrictions, but it should be stressed that a short poem is just as likely to be selected as a longer one. 
Competition Judge: JIM BENNETT
1st prize is £100  2nd prize is £50
ENTER ONLINE
Entry is by email to comps@poetrykit.org  after an appropriate fee is paid by Pay Pal to the account of info@poetrykit.org
All entries must be received before midnight Monday 27th SEPTEMBER 2021
Entries received after this time will be discarded. All entries are judged anonymously so please do not put any identifying features on the poems.
Entry fees are as follows. 
1 poem    £3.50     3 Poems  £8.00    5 poems  £10

For more details see https://www.poetrykit.org/PKcomp1.htm

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition 2021

$2,500 Awaits Winners of Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition 2021

Deadlines and Entry Fees: The entry fee is $15 for each story submitted by October 1, 2021. The late entry fee for stories submitted from October 2, 2021 through October 15, 2021 is $20. Entries submitted online after October 15, 2021 will not be accepted. Writers may submit for the 2022 competition beginning October 2, 2021.

Writers of short fiction may now enter the 2021 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. The competition has a forty-year history of literary excellence, and Lorian Hemingway and her small judging panel are dedicated to enthusiastically supporting the efforts and talent of writers of short fiction whose voices have yet to be heard. Lorian Hemingway, a granddaughter of Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway, is the author of three critically acclaimed books: Walking into the River, Walk on Water, and A World Turned Over.

Ms. Hemingway is the competition’s final judge.

Prizes and Publication:

The first-place winner will receive $1,500 and publication of his or her winning story on our competition website. The second – and third-place winners will receive $500 each. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise.

Eligibility requirements for our 2021 competition are as follows:

• What to submit: Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains the property of the author.
• Who may submit: The literary competition is open to all U.S. and international writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more. Writers who have been published by an online magazine or who have self-published will be considered on an individual basis.
• Submission requirements: Submissions may be submitted online only at this time. Please visit our online submissions page for complete instructions regarding online submissions. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each must be accompanied by a separate entry fee and separate cover sheet. We do accept simultaneous submissions; however, the writer must notify us if a story is accepted for publication or wins an award or places in any way in another competition (i.e. receives an Honorable Mention, is a semi-finalist, etc.) prior to announcement of our Winners and Honorable Mentions. No entry confirmation will be given unless requested. The author’s name should not appear on the story. Our entrants are judged anonymously. Each story must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet — which should be the first page of the story document — with the writer’s name, complete mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, the title of the piece, and the word count. Manuscripts will not be returned.
• Deadlines and Entry Fees: The entry fee is $15 for each story submitted by October 1, 2021. The late entry fee for stories submitted from October 2 through October 15 is $20. Entries submitted online after October 15, 2021 will not be accepted. Writers may submit for the 2022 competition beginning October 2, 2021.
• How to pay your entry fee: Entry fees for online submissions may be paid with PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to use this feature.

Announcement of Winners and Honorable Mentions

Winners of our 2021 competition will be posted in late spring of 2022 on our website, and also on our Facebook page. Only the first-place entrant will be notified personally

All manuscripts should be submitted online to the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. Please do not mail your entries at this time. We are updating our P.O. Box and will notify you on this website when this is complete. For more information, please explore this website or e-mail: shortstorykeywest@hushmail.com.

Visit the website: https://shortstorycompetition.com/

August Strawberry Suspense Micro-Fiction Contest

Closing Date: September 1st, 2021

Entry Fee: None

Top Prize: $75

Other Details: We will be announcing the winners in early September. They will be featured on our site and receive their prize ($75 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place) then.

Our main rules concerning the actual submissions are that they fit in a Quote Tweet on Twitter (as this is where we receive submissions) and mention the Strawberry Suspense tea.

The rest of the rules and our contact information are at theteainme.com/fun/ and theteainme.com/support/ respectively,

and the contest invitation is at https://twitter.com/TheTeaInMe/status/1420125719548547074.

THE HISTORICAL FICTION COMPANY BOOK AWARDS

Deadline: Extended to December 15, 2021

Opened to all authors with novels published in 2021 in the categories of Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical Biography, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Alternate Historical, and Historical Non-Fiction.

Grand Prize of $500 for Overall Book of the Year

Visit the website: www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com

How to enter: www.thehistoricalfictionpress.com/book-awards

Contact information: Dee Marley, HFC CEO, thehistoricalfictioncompany@gmail.com

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest – Summer 2021

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who loves expressing their innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful literary art of poetry and/or writing a story that is worth telling everyone! Welcome to all, having the ability to dream… Write a poem or a short story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00. All works must be original. http://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, nonfiction or creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries and screenwriting). Also, all entries must be either typed or neatly hand printed.

Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.

Postmark deadline: September 22, 2021

All contest winners will be published October 31, 2021

Prizes:

Writing First Prize is $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100.

Poetry First Prize is $250. Second Prize: $125. Third Prize: $50.

All contest winners will be published online in our Dare to Dream pages on October 31, 2021.

Entry fees:

$10 per story, $5 per poem.

To send entries: Include title(s) with your story (ies) or poem(s), along with your name, 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”

Mail to:

Dream Quest One

Poetry & Writing Contest

P.O. Box 3141

Chicago, IL 60654

USA

Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com for details on how to enter!

INDIANA REVIEW 2021 1/2K PRIZE

Deadline August 15, 2021

$20 ENTRY FEE.

Remember to send up to three pieces. Any genre for this contest! Each piece should be 500 words or fewer and in a single document (.doc, .docx. or .pdf). Entry fee also buys you a subscription. Winner receives $1,000 and publication.

To Submit

• Remember to send up to three pieces. Any genre for this contest! Each piece should be 500 words or fewer and in a single document (.doc, .docx. or .pdf).
• Entrant’s name must not appear on the submission.
• A cover letter is not required but can be included in the comments box if you like.
• Each $20 fee gets you a year-long subscription of the journal. International addressees, please add $6 for postage ($3 for addresses in Canada).
• We’re offering free entries for Black or Indigenous writers. The first thirty free entries will also include a year-long print subscription; after that, you can still enter for free, but we don’t have the funds to cover additional free print subscriptions.
  • [Note: As of 8/2/2021, we’ve hit our free-subscription cap.]
• Be sure to select the correct genre on the submission form. Submissions with incorrectly designated genres will not be read.
• Click the “submit entry” button on this page to get started. You will be redirected to the Submissions Manager to upload your submission after making the PayPal payment. If you are not automatically redirected, please contact inreview@indiana.edu and we will ensure you are able to complete your submission.

Keep in Mind:

• IR doesn’t accept mailed or emailed submissions.
• All entries are considered anonymously.
• Previously published works and works forthcoming elsewhere cannot be considered.
• Simultaneous submissions are okay, but the entry fee is non-refundable if the submitted work is accepted elsewhere or withdrawn for another reason.
• Multiple entries are okay, as long as a separate reading fee is included with each entry.
• Finally, IR cannot consider work from anyone currently or recently affiliated with Indiana University or the prize judges. This includes people who have studied or taught at IU in the past four years.

How to enter, visit: https://indianareview.org/prizes/1-2-k-prize-2/

LEE SMITH NOVEL PRIZE

Deadline September 1, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

The Lee Smith Novel Prize opens for submissions and will close on September 1, 2021 at midnight EST. The final judge will be Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. Winner will receive $1,000 and publication.

There is no longer a submission fee for this contest. The suggested donation is optional. Readers and the final judge will not see submitters’ donation status or any identifying information of the submitter. Submissions should be full-length, literary fiction novel manuscripts of at least 25,000 words. 

Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or a similar font, and should NOT contain the submitter’s name or any identifying information anywhere in the manuscript or the name of the manuscript file. Manuscript files should be named with the title of the manuscript only. Be sure author’s name and any other identifying information only appear in the cover letter and not in the manuscript itself (including in headers or footers or on the first page of the manuscript).

Author’s biography and list of previously published works is not required but may be included in the cover letter. 

Simultaneous submissions are okay, but let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. 

Please note that Blair does not publish genre fiction. Manuscripts cannot be substituted or edited after submission. Finalists will be announced in early 2022. Thank you for your patience with the process as we give each manuscript the individual attention it deserves.

We look forward to reading your work!

About the judge:

Deesha Philyaw’s debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, and the 2020 LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction.

How to enter, visit: https://blair.submittable.com/submit

HELEN ANNE BELL POETRY BEQUEST AWARD

Deadline August 20, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

Australia’s richest poetry prize: $40,000 to celebrate Australian women’s poetry in 2021

Presented by the Department of English at the University of Sydney, the Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award is funded by the generous bequest of former student of the University, Helen Anne Bell.

This year the award offers an increased prize of $40,000 for a collection of poems by an Australian woman poet and its publication by Vagabond Press. This is the fourth biennial award made under the bequest as Helen Anne Bell’s legacy continues to recognise, support and celebrate Australian women poets.

We invite women poets to submit a collection of poems between 50 to 80 pages to the award. The work should broadly deal with Australian culture in some way; otherwise there are no restrictions on subject matter.

The award is judged by three distinguished Australian women poets. The judges for the 2021 award are: Kate Lilley, Pam Brown and Melinda Bufton.

Important Dates

• Entries open on 20 May 2021 and close on 20 August 2021, 11.59pm (AEST).

How do I enter?

• Ensure your work complies with the Conditions of Entry below.
• Complete the required sections below then click the Submit button at the bottom of the page. You will receive confirmation of your entry once it has been submitted.

What is the prize?

• There is a cash prize of $40,000 for the award winner. The winning entry will be published by Vagabond Press.

Want more information?

• For any further enquiries about the award please email slam.events@sydney.edu.au (with Helen Anne Bell in the subject line).
• Visit the University of Sydney page about the prize.
• If you have any trouble using this online system, please email support@submittable.com.

** Please read the full Conditions of Entry below before submitting your work.**

Conditions of Entry

• Closing date for submissions is 20 August 2021, 11.59pm (AEST).
• Entry is FREE.
• Only ONE entry per person will be accepted.
• The award is for an original, previously unpublished collection of poems between 50 – 80 pages, “about Australian culture”, broadly defined.
• Applicants must be Australian women over the age of 18.
• Individual poems can have been previously published or won prizes, but the manuscript, as a whole, should be unpublished.
• Entries may be under consideration for publication elsewhere, but if an offer to publish the manuscript is accepted elsewhere, the applicant should immediately withdraw from the award.
• The writer must present the entry under her own name and NOT under a pseudonym.     
• The entry must be typed (12 point) and submitted in one Word or PDF document.
• The judges will short-list applications and select a winner. The decision of the judges is final, and no further correspondence will be entered into.
• Applicants may reapply for a subsequent award provided that they have not previously won the award.
• The winner must agree to give a public reading of the works at University of Sydney.
• Late entries will not be considered.
• Entries will not be accepted by post, email or fax.
• All entries to be submitted to: https://slamsydney.submittable.com/submit
• The winning manuscript will be delivered in its final form to Vagabond Press in November 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can enter this award?

Women poets. This includes poets who identify as women.

Can anyone living in Australia enter?

The award is only open to Australian citizens.

I’m an Australian based overseas, can I still enter?

Australian citizens may enter, regardless of where they live, as long as their work is about Australian culture, broadly understood.

What age can enter this award?

You need to be 18 years or over at the date of entry.

What does ‘unpublished’ mean?

‘Unpublished’ means your collection of poems has not been published in any form of publication, printed or online, by a registered publisher who is not paid by you to publish your work.

Does self-published count as already published?

No. You may enter the award if you have self-published your collection.

Are there any restrictions on formatting?

Entries must be typed and be between 50-80 A4 pages. Please upload a single pdf or Word document for your whole manuscript. We only accept .doc, .docx, .pdf file format. Font size and style is your choice.

Are acknowledgements/title/content pages etc. included in the page count?

No.

Can I include illustrations/drawings/photos in my work?

Yes. These will count towards the maximum number of pages allowed (80). Illustrations/drawings/photos must be your own or that you have been legally granted permission to use.

I have entered or been shortlisted before, am I eligible to enter this time?

Yes, you can. Only previous winners cannot enter.

Can I include poems written by other people?

No. The award is for a collection of poems by an individual poet.

How many times can I enter?

One entry per person.

How do I know my entry has been successfully submitted?

You will receive a confirmation email via the Submittable system when you submit your work.

Can employees of the University enter the award?

Yes. Employees directly connected to administering or judging the prize may not enter.

When is the closing date/time and will late submissions be accepted?

20 August 2021, 11.59pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Can I query why my manuscript has not been selected or ask for feedback?

No. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into either prior to or after the winner is announced.

For any further enquiries please email slam.events@sydney.edu.au (with Helen Anne Bell in the subject line).

Visit the website for details on how to enter: https://slamsydney.submittable.com/submit/193455/the-helen-anne-bell-poetry-bequest-award-2021

MEDIUM STORYTELLER CONTEST

Deadline August 24, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

The Medium Writers Challenge – Calling all storytellers.

Calling all storytellers! When was the last time you read a great piece of writing? What quality made you want to share it far and wide? Why did it strike such a powerful chord? If you were asked to replicate that feeling — to craft an essay that leaves readers caught up in the rapture of an unforgettable narrative — could you do it?

We believe you could. You showed us as much in the past: the Pandemic Reflections writing prompt resulted in hundreds of submissions in the first month. Our call for entries to the #StopAsianHate blog resulted in hundreds of perspectives shared in the first week. And now we want to help discover and nurture great writing again, with The Medium Writers Challenge.

The challenge, which will take place over the course of four weeks, is a chance for you to share your best ideas with an esteemed panel of judges and millions of Medium readers — plus, an opportunity to win $50,000.

Here’s how it will work. We’re providing four guiding prompts: Reentry, Death, Work, and Space. Each is accompanied by a descriptive paragraph to help you get your wheels turning — but don’t feel confined. Your experiences or perspectives might take you down other roads that are well within the parameters of the prompt.

An expert panel of cultural leaders, editors, and writers will join as guest judges to select their favorites. Those judges include Natalie Portman, Roxane Gay, Saeed JonesSaeed Jones

My memoir, How We Fight For Our Lives, is available for pre-order now and will be published by Simon & Schuster this October.

7.1K FollowersFollow, Imani Perry, Eve L. Ewing, Susan Orlean, Robert Kolker, kelly corrigan, Dao-Yi Chow, Bonsu Thompson, Julio Vincent Gambuto, Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Kurt Andersen, David Dennis, Jr., and others.

With the help of the judging panel, Medium will select four finalist winners — one for each prompt — who will each be awarded with $10,000 each. One of the four finalists will be selected for a grand prize of $50,000. Additionally, 100 honorable mention selections will each win $100.

Entering the challenge is easy: Just write to one — or more — of the writing prompts outlined below, and include the associated tag when publishing your story on Medium. (Once you hit “Publish” on your post, you can type it into the “Add a tag…” box.)

REENTRY

Tell us about an experience you’ve had coming back to something — or someone — after time away. What changed in your absence? How did you change? What are the funny moments, faux pas, discomforts, and joys that came with returning to an old situation (or your pre-pandemic life) with new eyes?

TAG: MWC Reentry
JUDGES: Imani Perry, Julio Vincent Gambuto, Saeed Jones, Jude Ellison Doyle

DEATH

People die, of course, but so do other things. Ideals. Relationships. Jobs. Life phases. Pieces of who we once were. A death isn’t always inherently sad, either; sometimes, it’s a positive step, freeing us from what was weighing us down or allowing us to move forward. Illusions can die. Grudges. Bad habits. Tell us about a death you’ve experienced, for better or worse, and how you marked the loss — whether it was with mourning or celebration.

TAG: MWC Death
JUDGES: Susan Orlean, Robert Kolker, kelly corrigan, Eve L. Ewing

WORK

“Work” is a term that contains multitudes. Maybe your work is a key pillar of your identity. Maybe it’s the thing that allows you to focus on other pursuits. Maybe it fulfills you; maybe it drains you. Maybe the real work in your life isn’t the same as the way you make money. We want to know what “work” means to you — and the factors that have shaped your thinking. What’s the most important work you do, however you define it? What’s the value of work in your life? What’s your dream job? Is there such a thing as a dream job? Is there a moment, a person, a role that’s changed the way you approach your work?

TAG: MWC Work
JUDGES: Roxane Gay, Kurt Andersen, David Dennis, Jr.

SPACE

Whether we’re letting our imaginations run wild or focusing on what’s in front of us, our day-to-day lives are defined by space: living space, personal space, outer space. We make space. We claim space. We practice social distancing. We turn spaces into homes, into communities, into refuges, and we forge relationships with others and ourselves within those spaces. We wonder, with varying degrees of skepticism and belief, about the beings that occupy the space beyond our planet. However you define it, tell us a story about a role space has played in your life.

TAG: MWC Space
JUDGES: Natalie Portman, Dao-Yi Chow, Bonsu Thompson

Need some pointers on creating a standout essay? Please register for the Medium-hosted workshop, How to Write an Essay Everyone Wants to Read: 5 Steps to Craft Meaningful Personal Narratives on July 29, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. ET. And be sure to follow our Creators Hub for updates and writing advice over the course of the four-week challenge.

The deadline to publish your work is August 24, 2021. The four finalists and grand prize winner will be announced by September 21, 2021.

For more information please read this FAQ.

THE FINE PRINT

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY. Except for residents in Quebec, Canada, open to Medium users who are at least age 18 (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence, whichever is older) at the time of entry. “Contest Period” is from 12:00:01 a.m. ET on 07/28/21 to 11:59:59 p.m. ET on 08/24/21. There will be four writing prompts made available at the start of the Contest Period. To enter: (i) log into your Medium account; (ii) publish an essay of 500 words or more in response to a prompt; and (iii) tag the essay with that prompt (i.e. MWC Reentry, MWC Death, MWC Work, MWC Space). One entry per person per prompt and four entries total during Contest Period. Submissions will be scored based on: (i) creativity (40%); (ii) originality (30%); and (iii) writing quality (30%) by September 23, 2021. 100 honorable mentions will each receive $100; four finalists will each receive $10,000; and one grand prize winner will receive $50,000. Total Value of All Prizes: $100,000. Odds of winning depend on number and quality of eligible entries. Submissions must comply with the Medium Rules and meet Medium’s Distribution Standards. Contest subject to Official Rules. Details and restrictions apply, so visit here for Official Rules. Sponsor: A Medium Corporation.

Visit the website: https://blog.medium.com/introducing-the-medium-writers-challenge-f8a95f6d17f

LEVAR BURTON READS WRITING CONTEST

Deadline August 31, 2021.

No Entry Fee.

FIYAH and Tor.com are partnering with the LeVar Burton Reads podcast for their first-ever writing contest! Do you write speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror)? Do you love the podcast? Have you dreamed of getting your work in front of THE LeVar Burton ever since the days of Reading Rainbow? Well, here’s your shot. We are looking for one special story to be featured in Season 10 of the podcast. For more, here’s the man himself:

For a couple of seasons now, we’ve been trying to figure out how to conduct a short story contest with all of the submissions coming from listeners of the podcast. I’m happy to report that we have finally cracked the code! It is my extreme and joyous pleasure to announce the inaugural LeVar Burton Reads short story writing contest. #bydhttmwfi

-LeVar Burton

Theme: Origins & Encounters

We are interested in stories that examine the magical joys and tragic pitfalls of blended civilizations and cultural exchanges in all their forms. As our worlds change, what precious things do we carry with us and allow to be altered or demand they remain untouched? What is taken from us and what will we do to get it back? What do we allow ourselves to remember of our histories, our roots, and what do we allow ourselves to forget? What do we leave behind and what do we choose to carry into the future?

Some things to consider as you think about the guidelines. How is it that blended civilizations and cultural exchanges might impact the following categories:

• gods
• faiths, religious traditions
• food traditions
• language
• gender recognition
• concepts of community
• concepts of identity
• race prejudice (human vs. other species)

We welcome works of the Indigenous fantastic, the other-worldly, and alternative histories. The submission window is open AUG 1, 12:00 AM ET – AUG 31, 11:59 PM ET.

Other Requirements:

• Works must include speculative or fantastical elements.
• Sexually explicit works or those depicting graphic violence/gore are not a good fit for this contest.
• No simultaneous submissions, reprints, fan fiction, or excerpts of longer works will be considered.
• Submissions must be prose. Poetry, scripts, and screenplays will not be considered.

While FIYAH is a limited-demographic publication, this contest is open to all. We highly encourage listening to previous episodes of the podcast to familiarize yourself with LeVar’s tastes.

View full submission guidelines and contest rules here

Visit the website for details: https://www.fiyahlitmag.com/levar-burton-reads-origins-encounters-writing-contest/

WRITER’S DIGEST POETRY AWARDS

Deadline: 10/1/2021

$20 ENTRY FEE.

Calling all poets! We’re on the look out for poems of all styles–rhyming, free verse, haiku, and more–for the 16th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards! This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. Enter any poem 32 lines or less for your chance to win $1,000 in cash.

Prizes

One First Place Winner will receive:

• $1,000 in cash
• Their poem published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2022 issue and to a worldwide readership on WritersDigest.com
• A 20-minute consultation with Editor, Robert Brewer

The Second Place Winner will receive:

• $250 in cash
• Their poem’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2022 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com

The Third Place Winner will receive:

• $100 in cash
• Their poem’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2022 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com

Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:

• $100 off a purchase from the Writer’s Digest Shop
• Their poem’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2022 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com

Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:

• $50 off a purchase from the Writer’s Digest Shop
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com

How to Enter

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately. Entries must be accompanied by the required judging fee We accept PayPal or credit card payment for the required judging fee. Fees are non-refundable.
• All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered.
• Entries must be typed and formatted to 8-1/2 x 11 or A4 pages. Poems may be single or double-spaced. Your name, address, email and phone number should not appear on the entry file since that information is collected on the entry form.
• BE SURE OF YOUR LINE COUNT! Entries exceeding the line limits will be disqualified. Type the exact line count (counting every single line, except the title and contact information) at the top of the manuscript.
• Due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.
• For more information visit our Preparing Your Entry Page or our FAQ page.

• Pricing and Deadlines
• Judging and Notification
• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Visit the website for details on how to enter:

https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/poetry-awards

Last call for entries! WRITER’S DIGEST 9th Annual – SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS

Deadline August 16, 2021

$99 ENTRY FEE.

Honors the best self-published ebook(s) in eight of the most popular categories. Overall winner receives $5,000, interview in Writer’s Digest, and a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference. The first prize winner in each category will receive $1,000. Numerous honorable mentions and finalists. The competition is open to self-published authors of English-language ebooks which were published (or revised and republished) electronically between 2016 and 2021. Authors who have published in print via a traditional publisher but retained their ebook rights and self-published or subvented publication via independent publishers who publish fewer than twelve ebooks/year are also eligible.

How to enter, visit: https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/self-published-ebook-awards

STORIES OUT OF SCHOOL FLASH FICTION CONTEST

Deadline September 1, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

Teachers have the most fascinating, difficult, and important job on the planet, and their workdays are filled with stories. Yet teachers seldom appear in fiction.This annual contest was created to inspire great stories about teachers and the rich and crazy world of schools. Our partner this year is A Public Space.

There are a few criteria for submissions:

• Any adult (whether a teacher or not) can submit.
• The story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher.
• Stories must be between 6 and 749 words and previously unpublished.
• You must be over 18.
• Only one submission per writer.
• Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden.

The winning story comes with a $1000 prize and publication in the print edition of A Public Space.

Julia Alvarez is the author of many novels, including How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies, as well as collections of poetry. Her many awards include the Pura Belpré and Américas Awards for her books for young readers, the Hispanic Heritage Award, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award. In 2013, she received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama.

Submit to the 2022 contest here. The deadline is Wednesday, September 1, 2021. Winners will be announced in January 2022.

Visit the website for details on how to enter: https://www.pandemic-edition.academyforteachers.org/stories-out-of-school-contest/

WILD ATLANTIC WRITING AWARDS (WAWA)

Deadline September 30, 2021

10 EURO ENTRY FEE.

Buoyed by a sense of freedom and renewal here in northwestern Ireland with Covid restrictions being lifted, we’ve decided the next edition of our ‘Wild Atlantic Writing Awards’ (WAWA) should be completely open, meaning you can choose whatever theme you wish. 

We welcome whatever stories you decide to send to us …

…as long as it is within our customary 500-word limit… 

…either flash fiction or creative nonfiction…

…with 1,000 euro in prize money.

And to add a little spice to the mix and help focus your mind, one teeny-weeny challenge is that the title of your story MUST be 3 (three) words only, no more, no less.

Flash Fiction Award

This category is open to all genres – sci-fi, crime, romance, horror, humor, thriller, fantasy, mystery, whatever tickles you and your Muse’s fancy – with no restrictions on the theme.

And to add a little spice to the mix and help focus your mind, one teeny-weeny challenge is that the title of your story MUST be 3 (three) words only, no more, no less.

Maximum length 500 words (please be mindful of this requirement, even one word over the limit can disqualify your entry). Maximum length does not include the title.

PRIZE – The winner will receive 500 euro in cash.

The top ten finalists will receive special ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ certificates, plus the chance to have their stories published on our website with photographs and relevant back links.

Creative Nonfiction Award

Your story in this category can be in the form of memoir, profile, literary journalism, personal essay, food, travel (and remember, award-winning travel articles don’t have to be about exotic destinations, it could be about your own hometown), or any creative nonfiction category you prefer. 

Maximum length 500 words (not including the title) with no restrictions on the theme.

And to add a little spice to the mix and help focus your mind, one teeny-weeny challenge is that the title of your story MUST be 3 (three) words only, no more, no less.

PRIZE – The winner will receive 500 euro in cash. The top ten finalists will receive special ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ certificates, plus the chance to have their stories published on our website with photographs and relevant back links.

How to enter, visit: https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/wawa

SMOKELONG QUARTERLY COMEDY PRIZE FOR FLASH

Deadline November 15, 2021

This fall we are hosting our first annual prize for comedy in flash!

We want to feel your razor-sharp wit, share your sideways view of the world, hear your irresistibly bizarre voice. We want to laugh out loud and snort our coffee through our noses. Yes, we want this. All at the same time. Make us smile.

While there is no specific theme for this competition, your work should interpret the idea of comedy in some (in)appropriate way. Comedy can be dark or slapstick, burlesque or deadpan, a parody or even a mockumentary. It’s up to you. Give us your satire, your surrealism, or your absurdism. Or all four.

Guidelines:

• Word Limit: 782 Words (not including the title, no minimum length requirement)
• Open to anyone 18 years of age and/or older in the world who is not actively on staff at SmokeLong Quarterly.
• Open to fiction, non-fiction, and anything in between. No poetry please.
• Open to works previously unpublished as well as those previously published as long as the author has retained copyright. Narratives previously published by SmokeLong Quarterly are not eligible.
• Open to narratives in any language as long as accompanied by an English translation. Judging will be based on the English translation. Prize will be split evenly between author and translator.
• All entries are read blind. Please remove all identifying information from the document(s). In the case of previously published work, please do NOT indicate where the piece was published. Please also retitle the piece(s) so that they are not searchable by title online. All of this information should be in the cover letter, which the judges will not see until acceptance or rejection.
• Formatted in a legible, dark 12pt font. No invisible ink please.
• Prize money paid through Paypal.
• Competition entry period: August 1 — November 15, 2021

Judging:

The SmokeLong staff will judge this competition. As always at SmokeLong, if two editors have passed on your work you will receive an immediate reply. You will not have to wait until the end of the competition to hear from us in this case. If, however, your work has been nudged up to the senior editors for comment, we will need longer. If your work has been in progress for more than 2 weeks, this is an encouraging sign. This means we’re discussing your work, maybe even cleaning coffee off our computer monitors.

Prizes:

Prize Fund: At least $1600

Each of the (at least) four narratives selected to win The SmokeLong Comedy Prize will receive $400 and publication in our December issue 2021.

A shortlist will be announced prior to publication of the December issue.

Entry fees:

August 1-October 31

1 entry — $7

2 entries — $12

Up to 5 entries – $22

November 1-November 15

1 entry — $8

2 entries — $14

Up to 5 entries — $26

For writers who are financially unable to pay an entry fee, please watch our social media channels for our free-entry day.

How to enter, visit: https://www.smokelong.com/comedy-prize-2021-opens-aug-1/

ON THE PREMISES: Short Story Contest #38

Deadline September 3, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

MONSTER

For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which someone or something is considered to be a monster… and maybe that’s accurate! Maybe you’re writing a straightforward horror story. Or maybe the “monster” label is terrible and undeserved. Or is the truth somewhere in between? That’s entirely up to you.

SPECIAL NOTE: Famous mythological monsters from history, religion, or folk tales are fine. True, we say below that pastiches/parodies of (or other uses of) other authors’ fictional worlds are not acceptable, but we meant specific fictional worlds created by known authors after, let’s say, the 1750s. Vampires are fine. Bram Stoker’s “Count Dracula of Transylvania” is not. Large, dangerous plants are fine. Triffids from John Wyndham’s “The Day of the Triffids” are not. We hope these guidelines help.

GENRE RULES: No fiction aimed at readers younger than 12, no exploitative sex, no over-the-top grossout horror, and no stories that are obvious parodies of (or otherwise use) existing fictional worlds/characters created by other authors. Other than that, we’ll take anything from the most super-realistic literary drama to crazy farces (real-world or otherwise) to any variant of science fiction or fantasy you can imagine. Read our past issues and you’ll see.

Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern US time, FRIDAY, September 3, 2021.

One entry per author. There is no fee for entering this contest.

Remember to take all identifying information out of your story! Tell us who you are in the space provided in the web form cover letter you get when you click on the “submit” button, NOT in your story! No headers, no bylines… just the story.

How to enter, visit: https://onthepremises.com/

Heart Poetry Award

Deadline postmark August 31, 2021

Winner & Honorable Mentions published

in HEART 16 – Winter 2021

Judge: John Sibley Williams https://www.johnsibleywilliams.com/

● $10 covers 3 poems. Entry reserves winter 2021 issue of HEART
● Unpublished, prose poetry-free verse, insightful, immersing, poignant, reflective; sample shown under Featured Writers this site
● Include name, address, phone, Email, each page (Info removed for judge)
● Website announces winners. Poems discarded.

Email poems: nostalgiapress@gmail.com

Or mail: Nostalgia Press, 115 Randazzo Dr., Elloree, SC 29047 (checks payable to Nostalgia Press)

Visit the website for detail on how to enter: https://nostalgiapress.com/heart-poetry-award-500/

Last call! Grayson Books Poetry Contest: Full-Length Manuscripts

Deadline is August 15th, 2021

The winner will be awarded a $1,000 prize, publication, and 10 copies.

Reading fee of $25

Please do not put contact information on the manuscript. The entries are judged anonymously.
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if we are notified immediately about an acceptance elsewhere.  Acknowledgments may be included with your submission, but are not required.
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is the judge for the 2021 contest.

Use the submission manager to submit your 50-90 page manuscript electronically: https://graysonbooks.submittable.com/submit

CHILDREN OF STEEL SHORT STORY CONTEST

Deadline November 1, 2021

NO ENTRY FEE.

One prize of $1,000 to the winner. Theme — FICTION regarding life in Steel Mill Towns. Eligible are all who were born and raised in or who lived in a steel mill town. The story need not be about steel mills or working in them, but steel mills should be mentioned at least in passing. Word count 7,500 to 9,500 words. Open to US residents aged 21 or older.

How to enter, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/451677966136430/about

Poetry Super Highway – 2021 Poetry Contest

Entry Guidelines:

• The Poetry Super Highway Poetry Contest is open to all human beings on planet Earth. (except for the three judges)
• Enter as many poems as you like.
• Poems may be of any style, length, or subject matter.
• Previously published poems are accepted. However, because the contest is judged blindly (with names removed from the poems) if a judge recognizes a poem from somewhere, they have the right to mark it as ineligible.
• This contest is separate from weekly Poet of the Week consideration. Submissions for Poet of the week consideration must be separate from Contest Submissions and the same poems may not be submitted for both.
• There is a One Dollar Per Poem (US Funds Only) entry fee.
• Poems are sent to the three contest judges with your name removed. The judges score each poem from 0-5 using quarter point intervals. (0, .25, .5, .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, etc…)
• Poems are sent to judges only after you fill out the Contest Entry Form and we have received your payment.

To enter gather your poems into a single document (either Word .doc, .docx or RTF).

• Do not include your name in the document.
• Please use a basic font such as Times New Roman, Helvetica or Arial.

Click here to go to the entry form.

Deadlines Etcetera

• The deadline to enter is Saturday, September 18th, 2021 at midnight (pacific)
• If you are paying by check, the deadline for postmarking your entry fee is Saturday, September 18, 2021.
• Regardless of when you postmark, your entry fees must be received by Wednesday, September 22. So if you’re mailing your entry fee, please account for the amount of time it will take for your it to travel between your home and Los Angeles.
• This is a not for profit contest. All of the collected entry fees will be divided between the top three scoring poems (minus postage for mailing out additional prizes. See Prize List below)
• Once your entry fee is received, your poems will be sent with your name removed to the three judges who will score them 0 – 5 (5 being best).
• Your poems will not be forwarded to the judges until your entry fee is received.
• If you have any questions or need any of the contest details clarified, please e-mail Rick@PoetrySuperHighway.com

Prizes

First Prize: 50% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH website.

Second Prize: 30% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH website.

Third Prize: 20% of the entry fees collected plus winning poem featured on the PSH website.

In addition, contest sponsors Rolland Vasin and Lummox Productions have each donated $300 (total $600) which will be added to the prize poet divided by the three winning poets.  Also, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we are able to supplement the cash prizes with an impressive array of prizes which would be of interest to poets and writers. The following prizes will be used to bolster first through third prize as well as distributed to other contest entrants. Our goal is to be able to send every single person who enters the contest something.

Additional Prizes:

Ain’t Got No Press
www.poetrysuperhighway.com
1 copy of the book “The Tokyo-Van Nuys Express” by Rick Lupert

Akshaya Pawaskar
1 copy of the book “The falling in and the falling out” by Akshaya Pawaskar

Alexandra Umlas
2 copies of the book “At the Table of the Unknown” by Alexandra Umlas

Amélie Frank
1 copy of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 1997 Anthology”
7 copies of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 1998 Anthology”
6 copies of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 2001 Anthology”
17 copies of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 2002 Anthology”
11 copies of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 2003 Anthology”
6 copies of the book “Beyond The Valley of the Contemporary Poets 2004 Anthology”

Angele Ellis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angele-ellis-03985a31/
3 original Shakespearean-style sonnets written by Angele Ellis for a special occasion. 8″ x 10″ PDF format. Suitable for printing and framing.

Angélique Jamail, Author
www.AngeliqueJamail.com
1 copy of the book “Finis.” by Angélique Jamail
1 copy of the book “Homecoming” by Angélique Jamail
1 copy of the book “The Sharp Edges of Water” by Angélique Jamail
1 copy of “Sonic Chihuahua zine” (volume 2, issue 1)

Arroyo Seco Press
www.arroyosecopress.org
10 Copies of the book “Leave With More Than You Came With” by Christian Lozada and Steven Hendrix

Author & Book Promotions
www.author-promotions.com
2 copies of the book “Becoming: The Life & Musings of a Girl Poet” by Nadia Janice Brown

Beakful & Urtica
urticalitblog.blogspot.fr
1 book of the winners choice published by Beakful
1 book of the winners choice published by Urtica

Betsy Mars
https://marsmyst.wordpress.com/
1 copy of the anthology “Floored” edited by Betsy Mars featuring 27 poets from around the world
1 copy of the book “In the Muddle of the Night” by Betsy Mars and Alan Walowitz
1 copy of the book “Alinea” by Betsy Mars

Bill Cushing
2 copies of the book “Music Speaks” by Bill Cushing

Carey Link
1 set of the three books “To Light a House of Bones”, “Through the Kaleidoscope” and “I Walk a Frayed Tightrope Without a Safety Net” by Carey Link

Carol Carpenter
1 copy of the book “In the space we leave behind” by Carol Carpenter
1 copy of the book “Love and Besides” by Carol Carpenter
1 copy of the book “Open Sky” by Carol Carpenter

Carrie Magness Radna
https://carriemagnessradna.com
1 copy of the book “Conversations with dead composers at Carnegie Hall” by Carrie Magness Radna

Charlie Brice
1 copy of the book “All the Songs Sung” by Charlie Brice

Chris Vannoy
https://www.facebook.com/cvannoy777
2 copies of the book “What is BEAT” by Chris Vannoy

Christian Garduno
https://gumroad.com/christiangarduno
2 copies of the book “Digital Pompeii: The Lost MySpace Archives” by Christian Garduno.

Christopher Nielsen
https://christophernielsenpoetry.com/
2 copies of the book “A Kaleidoscope of Love” by Carla Joy Martin

Chuck Peek
1 copy of the book “Nebraska–Conflicting Reports” by Chuck Peek

Compulsive Reader
http://www.compulsivereader.com
1 one-month advertisement of your book in Compulsive Reader.

Daniel S. Irwin
1 copy of the book “East of Bengazi” by Daniel S. Irwin

David Flynn
2 copies of the book “Selected Poems” by David Flynn

Don Krieger
http://DonsPoetryPage.com
2 copies of the book “Discovery” by Don Krieger

Dreams & Nightmares magazine
https://dreamsandnightmaresmagazine.blogspot.com/p/submission-guidelines-i-print-primarily.html
3 One-year (3-issue) PDF subscriptions to the venerable speculative-poetry magazine “Dreams and Nightmares”

Frank Mundo
https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Mundo/e/B004KUAB1Y
2 copies of the book “Eleven Sundry Flowers” by Frank Mundo

Gnashing Teeth Publishing
http://gnashingteethpublishing.com/
1 copy of the book “malepoet.” by PW Covington
1 copy of the book “Rain Minnows [Notecards and Poems]” by Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton
1 copy of the book “Insurrection” anthology
1 copy of the book “Heat the Grease, We’re Frying Up Some Poetry” anthology
1 copy of the book “Love Notes You’ll Never Read” anthology

Guinotte Wise
www.wisesculpture.com
2 copies of the book “I Was In The Vicinity” by Guinotte Wise

Ink Publications
https://inkpublications1.wixsite.com/mysite
1 copy of “The Anatomy of a Cratedigger” by Eric Evans

Jonathan Yungkans
3 copies of the book “Beneath a Glazed Shimmer” by Jonathan Yungkans

Joshua Corwin
www.joshuacorwin.com
2 copies of the book “Becoming Vulnerable” by Joshua Corwin
1 Featured Podcast Interview on Assiduous Dust

Judith R. Robinson
http://www.judithrrobinson.com/
2 copies of the book “Carousel” by Judith R. Robinson

Lannie Stabile
http://www.cephalopress.com/good-morning-to-everyone/
2 copies of the book “Good Morning to Everyone Except Men Who Name Their Dogs Zeus” by Lannie Stabile

Larry O. Bubar
1 copy of the books “Poetry of War” volumes 1 and 2 by Larry Bubar

Lawrence Berger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrenceberger/
1 copy of the book “Instant Poetry (Just add words!)” by “Laughing” Larry Berger

LB Sedlacek
http://www.lbsedlacek.com
1 copy of the book “The Poet Protection Plan” (nonfiction) by LB Sedlacek
1 copy of the book “Red Headed Eskimos and Other Poems” by LB Sedlacek
2 copies of the book “For the Love of Poetry, LB Sedlacek is a Woman” by LB Sedlacek
1 copy of the book “Star Maps” by LB Sedlacek

Lesléa Newman
https://lesleanewman.com/
1 copy of the book “I Carry My Mother” by Lesléa Newman
1 copy of the book “I Wish My Father” by Lesléa Newman

Linda Kleinbub
https://www.instagram.com/lindakleinbub/
2 copies of the anthology “The Silver Tongued Devil” Edited by Linda Kleinbub & Anthony C. Murphy

Lummox Productions
www.lummoxpress.com
$300.00 added to the prize poet divided by the winning poets.

M. J. Arcangelini
https://mjarcangelini.bandcamp.com/merch
1 copy of the book “What the Night Keeps” by M.J. Arcangelini
1 Copy of the book “A Quiet Ghost” by M.J. Arcangelini

Mary Langer Thompson
1 $15.00 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble

Muddy River Poetry Review
1 book of poetry from Zvi Zesling’s Personal Library

Neil Leadbeater
2 copies of the book “Reading Between the Lines” by Neil Leadbeater

Randal A. Burd, Jr.
http://theedgeofmemory.com
2 signed and numbered copies of the book “Memoirs of a Witness Tree” by Randal A. Burd, Jr. (Kelsay Books, 2020)

Rohini Sunderam
https://fictionpals.wordpress.com
1 copy of the book “Twelve Roses for Love” by Rohini Sunderam

Rolland Vasin
$300.00 added to the prize poet divided by the winning poets.

Ron Kolm
7 copies of the book “Swimming in the Shallow End” by Ron Kolm

Samantha Terrell
http://SamanthaTerrell.com
2 copies of the book “Vision, and Other Things We Hide From” by Samantha Terrell

SFPA – Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association
www.sfpoetry.com
2 one-year memberships with the SFPA includes 4 issues of Star*Line, The Rhysling and the Dwarf Stars Anthologies (Digital only PDFs)

Sibling Revelry Poetry
siblingrevelrypoetry.newwindpublishing.com
5 copies of the book “Hand on My Heart: Poems” by Anara Guard
5 copies of the book “Red Thread Through a Rusty Needle” poetry by Gay Guard-Chamberlin

Silver Birch Press
https://www.silverbirchpress.com/
20 copies of the book “Gerald Locklin: New and Selected Poems (1967-2007)” by Gerald Locklin

Space Cowboy Books
http://www.spacecowboybooks.com
2 copies of the book “Betelgeuse Dimming” by Jean-Paul L. Garnier

Susan Tutors
5 copies of the children’s book “The Missing Toe Cylinder” by Susan Taylor

Susana H. Case
www.susanahcase.com
2 copies of the book “Body Falling, Sunday Morning” by Susana H. Case

Suzanne O’Connell
www.suzanneoconnell-poet.org
1 copy of the book “A Prayer For Torn Stockings,” by Suzanne O’Connell
1 copy of the book “What Luck,” by Suzanne O’Connell

Sybaritic Press
https://www.sybpress.com/
2 copies of “Gondal Heights: A Bronte Tribute Anthology” edited by Marie C Lecrivain

Tebot Bach
http://tebotbach.org
2 copies of Spillway 29 guest edited by Lynne Thompson and Patricia Smith

Tina Hacker
2 copies of the book “GOLEMS” by Tina Hacker

Unlikely Books
https://www.unlikelybooks.org/
1 copy of the book “fata morgana” by Joel Chace
1 copy of the book “Typescenes” by Rodney A. Brown
1 copy of the book “Political AF: A Rage Collection” by Tara Campbell
1 copy of the book “The Deepest Part of Dark” by Anne Elezabeth Pluto
3 copies of the book “Swimming Home” by Kayla Rodney
3 copies of the book “The Mercy of Traffic” by Wendy Taylor Carlisle
3 copies of the book “Cantos Poesia” by David E. Matthews
1 copy of the book “anonymous gun.” by Kurtice Kucheman
1 copy of the book “Ghazals 1-59 and Other Poems” by Sheila E. Murphy and Michelle Greenblatt
1 copy of the book “brain : storm” by Michelle Greenblatt
1 copy of the book “Definitions of Obscurity” by Vernon Frazer and Michelle Greenblatt
1 copy of the book “ASHES AND SEEDS” by Michelle Greenblatt
1 copy of the book “pleth” by j/j hastain and Marthe Reed

Voices Israel Group of Poets in English
www.voicesisrael.com
2 copies of the book “A Second Decade of Poems” published by Voices Israel – selections from that decade’s annual anthologies

Winning Writers
https://winningwriters.com/
2 copies of the book “Bullies in Love” by Jendi Reiter, signed by the author

Visit the Poetry Super Highway website: https://www.poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/2021-poetry-contest/

WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Deadline: October 31, 2021

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (200 – 1000 words) and in any style–from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives.

Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints are okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints/previously published are okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

Limit: 300 entries.

Prizes (20 winners!):
1st Place: $500, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store
2nd Place: $300, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store
3rd Place: $200, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store
7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store
10 Honorable mentions receive a gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow’s Store

Entry: $12 entry fee; critique option for an additional $13

How to enter, visit:

https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#EssayContest

WOW! Women On Writing Summer 2021 Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: August 31, 2021

Guest Judge: Literary Agent Amy Giuffrida with Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 – 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants.

Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints are okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints/previously published are okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

Limit: 300 entries.

Prizes (20 winners!):
1st Place: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
2nd Place: $300, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
3rd Place: $200, publication, interview and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview
10 Honorable mentions receive $20 Amazon Gift Card
Top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW’s blog, The Muffin.

Entry: $10 entry fee; critique option for an additional $10

How to enter, visit: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

SINNERS AND SAINTS POETRY CONTEST

Deadline October 16, 2021

$15 ENTRY FEE.

One grand prize of $500 and two second-place prizes of $100 will be awarded. A list of the top ten finalists will be posted on our website and in our e-newsletter. Finalists will be published in the Saints and Sinners Poetry Chapbook to be distributed at a special reading at the 2022 Festival. The contest is open to all LGBTQ+ writers. Authors who have published in other genres are eligible. Please submit original, unpublished work that has not won other prizes or contests. Submit two to four original, unpublished poems of any style based on our theme of RAIN, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines.

How to enter, visit: https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit

SINNERS AND SAINTS FICTION CONTEST

Deadline October 2, 2021

$20 ENTRY FEE.

The winner will be selected from this year’s submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBT content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” One grand prize of $500 and two second-place prizes of $100 will be awarded. In addition, the top stories will be published in an anthology. There will also be a book release party and reading held during the 19th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Conference in New Orleans in 2022. The annual fiction contest is open to authors at all stages of their careers, from all over the globe, with stories in all genres.

How to enter, visit: https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit

THE ANNUAL PUERTO DEL SOL POETRY/PROSE CONTEST

Deadline September 2, 2021

$9 ENTRY FEE.

 Publishes one work of prose and one poem as winners of our annual contest. Winners receive $500 and publication. Submissions are limited to three poems and one self-contained work (no excerpts please) and can be any length under 25 pages.

How to enter, visit: https://www.puertodelsol.org/contest