The Letter Review Prizes for Fiction and Poetry are now accepting entries!

Name: Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

Prizes: $1000 USD total prize pool. $600 first place plus publication. $ 250-second place plus publication. $150 third place plus publication. Twenty writers are Longlisted. All entries are considered for publication and for submission to the Pushcart Prize.

Entry Fee: $20 USD.

Dates: Open now until the 30th of June, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET.

Word Length: 999 – 3000 words.

Details: Open to anyone in the world. There are no genre or theme restrictions.  

Enter Here: https://letterreview.com/information/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction

Prizes: Winning entries are published at Letter Review. $400 USD for First Place, $250 for Second, and $150 for Third. 20 entries are Longlisted. All entries are considered for publication and for submission to anthologies such as the Pushcart Prize. 

Entry Fee: $15.

Dates: Open now, closing 30th June 2023 at 11:59 pm ET. 

Words: Up to 999. 

Details: Open to anyone in the world. There are no genre or theme restrictions.  

Enter Here: https://letterreview.com/information/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Letter Review Prize for Poetry 

Prizes: Winning entries published at Letter Review. $400 USD for First Place, $250 for Second, and $150 for Third. 20 entries are Longlisted. All entries are considered for publication and for submission to anthologies such as the Pushcart Prize. 

Entry Fee: $15.

Dates: Open now, closing 30th June 2023 at 11:59 pm ET. 

Lines: 70 lines max per poem.  

Details: Open to anyone in the world. There are no style or subject restrictions. 

Enter Here: https://letterreview.com/information/

Advertisement

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

Deadline: April 30, 2023

Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

Prizes: $1000 USD total prize pool.

First Prize is $600 USD and publication

Second Prize is $250 USD and publication

Third Prize is $150 USD and publication

All entries are considered for publication

Who May Enter: Unrestricted. We welcome writers from everywhere in the world. 

Entry Fee: $20 USD for one story, $35 for two, and $45 for three. You may enter as many times as you wish.   

Opens: Now. 

Deadline: 30th April 2023 11:59 pm (ET).

Length: 1000 – 3000 words. 

Restrictions: No genre or theme restrictions. All stories are welcome. 

Further Details: https://letterreview.com/information/

Email Address: mail@letterreview.com

Gemini Magazine – Fourteenth Annual Short Story Contest

Deadline: March 31, 2023

FIRST PRIZE: $1,000

Second Prize: $100
Three Honorable Mentions: $25
Entry Fee: $8

All Five Finalists Will Be Published Online in the June 2023 Issue of Gemini

• Any Subject, Style or Length
• Entries Must Be Unpublished
• Multiple Entries Are Allowed
• Stories from Blogs Allowed
• All Entries Are Read Blind

ENTER BY EMAIL:

1. Pay entry fee with credit, debit or PayPal: $8 each (NO dollar sign). OK to combine multiple entry fees into one payment. You will receive a transaction or receipt number.
2. Paste the number you receive into an email.
3. Attach entry as a .doc or .pdf file with NO identifying information or paste into body of email. Send to fictioncomp@gemini-magazine.com

Do not include bio. Include contact info in email only. (It is removed before reading.)

Contact editor here if you don’t receive a confirmation email. We will add you to our mailing list for new issues, news and contest info. Unsubscribe anytime.

ENTER BY SNAIL MAIL:

Mail previously unpublished entry with $8 check or money order, payable to Gemini Magazine, to:

Gemini Magazine
Short Story Contest
P.O. Box 1485
Onset, MA 02558 USA

Include $8 for each additional entry. Put name/contact info on separate page only. Include SASE for reply.

Visit the website for details on how to enter: https://gemini-magazine.com/

Dream Quest One is now accepting poems and short story entries!

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”

Mail to:

Dream Quest One

Poetry & Writing Contest

P.O. Box 804632

Chicago, IL 60680

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

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 14th Annual Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

FIRST PRIZE: $1,000

Second Prize: $100
Three Honorable Mentions: $25
Entry Fee: $8
Deadline: March 31, 2023

All Five Finalists Will Be Published Online in the June 2023 Issue of Gemini

• Any Subject, Style or Length
• Entries Must Be Unpublished
• Multiple Entries Are Allowed
• Stories from Blogs Allowed
• All Entries Are Read Blind

VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO ENTER BY EMAIL:

https://www.gemini-magazine.com/short-story-contest/

1. Pay entry fee with credit, debit or PayPal: $8 each. Combine multiple entry fees into one payment. You will receive a transaction or receipt number.
2. Paste the number you receive into an email.
3. Attach entry as a .doc or .pdf file with NO identifying information or paste into body of email. Send to fictioncomp@gemini-magazine.com

Do not include bio. Include contact info in email only. (It is removed before reading.)

Contact editor here if you don’t receive a confirmation email. We will add you to our mailing list for new issues, news and contest info. Unsubscribe anytime.

ENTER BY SNAIL MAIL:

Mail previously unpublished entry with $8 check or money order, payable to Gemini Magazine, to:

Gemini Magazine
Short Story Contest
P.O. Box 1485
Onset, MA 02558 USA

Include $8 for each additional entry. Put name/contact info on separate page only. Include SASE for reply.

Postmark deadline: March 31, 2023

READ PREVIOUS SHORT STORY CONTEST WINNERS HERE.

VISIT THE WEBSITE: https://www.gemini-magazine.com/short-story-contest/

Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Deadline: January 31, 2023

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the annual 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, Canada, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 1,500 words), nonfiction (up to 1,500 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 and a Word on the Lake festival registration package. Second Place: $125 and tickets to the Word on the Lake award banquet. Honourable Mention: $100 and tickets to the Word on the Lake award banquet. 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.

How to enter, visit: https://wordonthelakewritersfestival.com/saw/writing-contest/

Last call: WOW! Women on Writing Fall 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: November 30, 2022

Guest Judge: Literary Agent Savannah Brooks with KT Literary Agency

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

Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published 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 an 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

Last call! THE PLAZA PRIZES, NEW INTERNATIONAL WRITING COMPETITIONS

Deadline: November 30, 2022

I’m an Irish author and I run The Plaza Prizes – a series of international literary, art, and dramatic competitions, based in the UK. We have Toby Litt, Sam Blake, Roland Watson-Grant, Tara Laskowski, Richard Skinner, Maya C Popa, Simon Trewin, Anthony Joseph, and many more writers, screenwriters, dramatists, and artists, slated to talent spots in 20 competitions over 2022-23, with over £20,000 in prizes on offer.

These are fabulous opportunities for writers to create a worldwide platform.

Here are some details:

Sudden Fiction

Prize: £1,000, US$1,100 (and publication in an anthology)

Judge: Tara Laskowski

Word limit: 1,500

Deadline: 30th Nov 2022

Short Story

Prize: £2,000, US$2,200 (and publication in an anthology)

Judge: Roland Watson-Grant

Word limit: 8,000

Deadline: 30th Nov 2022

So far, we have seven live comps, Poetry, Prose Poetry, Memoir: First Chapters, Literary: First Chapters, and Crime: First Chapters. Just like the Bridport Prize, we set up a FREE ENTRY Bursary Scheme for low-income and under-represented writers.

For more details, please go to: https://theplazaprizes.com/

Write your best poem and/or story for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00!

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”

Mail to:

Dream Quest One

Poetry & Writing Contest

P.O. Box 804632

Chicago, IL 60680

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

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 Booksie 2022 Short Story Contest

The Booksie 2022 Short Story Contest

Deadline: September 24, 2022

We’re looking for the most interesting, original stories that will make us laugh, cry and see the world in a slightly different way. The winner will receive the Booksie Short Story Award, which comes with a hefty cash prize, a gold trophy badge, and one week of free Boosts. We also have awards for the runner-ups. The maximum length of 5,000 words.

Submissions via the Booksie website; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints/previously published are okay; multiple submissions are okay. Open internationally per the contest rules.

Prizes:

Grand prize winner
– $500 cash award
– Gold winner badge
– A free week of Promote for any published content of the winner’s choice (Promote features the content in front of Booksie’s millions of monthly readers).
– A Pro Review of the winning entry by Sol Nasisi, the publisher of WorldMaker Media.

Two runners-up
– $100 cash
– Silver winner badge
– One free week of Promotes for any published content of the winner’s choosing (Promote features the content in front of Booksie’s millions of monthly readers).

Entry: $5.99 entry fee; $3.00 for Premium members of Booksie.

Visit the website for details:

https://www.booksie.com/contest/the-booksie-2022-short-story-competition-28

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers –

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers.

Prizes: $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.

Contest Rules

Eligibility: Open only to writers whose work has not appeared or is not scheduled to appear in more than 2 publications in the genre in which they are submitting. (Self-published works, works with a distribution of fewer than 100 copies, and journalistic articles are not considered toward the count of 2 publications.)

Guidelines:

· Poetry: Up to 5 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems)

· Fiction: 5,000 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel)

· All work submitted must be unpublished.

· Work submitted may be on any theme, any subject.

· The contest is open internationally.

· Include a cover sheet containing title(s), author’s name, full address, phone, and email.

· Omit author’s name on the manuscript.

Dates: The contest opens May 1st, 2022. Postmark Deadline: July 15th, 2022.

Online Submissions: Work may be submitted online using our online submission manager system: https://nimrodjournal.submittable.com/submit

Postal Submissions: Clearly indicate “Ringold Contest Entry” on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Staple manuscript if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Include SASE for results only; manuscripts will not be returned. The results will be posted on Nimrod’s website.

Mail to:

Nimrod International Journal

Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers–Fiction or Poetry (indicate the appropriate category)

The University of Tulsa

800 S. Tucker Dr.

Tulsa, OK 74104

Entry Fee: Each entry must be accompanied by a $12 fee, which includes both the reading fee and a copy of the spring issue of Nimrod. Make checks payable to Nimrod. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each entry must include its own $12 fee.

Visit the website: https://artsandsciences.utulsa.edu/nimrod/francine-ringold-awards/

The 44th Nimrod Literary Awards

Founded by Ruth G. Hardman
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction & The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry

First Prize: $2,000 and publication
Second Prize: $1,000 and publication

The winners will also be flown to Tulsa from a domestic airport location for the Awards Ceremony and Writing Conference in October or, if global health situations do not allow for an in-person conference, winners will take part in a virtual Awards Ceremony and reading. All finalists will be considered for publication.

2022 Judges: Kaveh Bassiri and Toni Jensen

Contest Rules

Postmark Deadline: April 1, 2022

Poetry: 3-10 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems)

Fiction: 7,500 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel)

No previously published works or works accepted for publication elsewhere.  The author’s name must not appear on the manuscript.  Include a cover sheet containing titles, author’s name, full address, phone number, and email.

New for 2022: The Nimrod Literary Awards are open internationally.

Online Submissions: Work may be submitted online using our online submission manager system.

Postal Submissions: “Contest Entry” should be clearly indicated on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Manuscripts should be stapled, if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Manuscripts will not be returned.  Include SASE for results only. If no SASE is sent, no contest results will be sent; however, the results will be posted on Nimrod’s website.

Mail to:
Nimrod International Journal
Literary Contest–Fiction or Poetry (indicate the appropriate category)
The University of Tulsa
800 S. Tucker Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74104

Entry Fee: Each entry must be accompanied by a $20 fee.  Make checks payable to Nimrod. $20 includes both an entry fee & a one-year subscription (two issues). Writers may submit multiple entries, but each entry must include its own $20 fee.

Visit the website: https://artsandsciences.utulsa.edu/nimrod/nimrod-literary-awards/

Eaton Literary Awards (no fee)

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.

Winners will be notified in the month after the contest deadline. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.eatonliterary.com/index.htm

Last call! Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest – Deadline: March 31, 2022 – Enter Now!

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest

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.

Please visit DreamQuest’s official rules for more details at

https://www.dreamquestone.com

$8,700 IN PRIZES AND PUBLICATION by Fix, Grist’s solutions lab

Deadline: May 5, 2022 / No entry fee

Submissions are now being accepted for Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors, the annual climate fiction contest from Fix, Grist’s solutions lab. There is no fee to enter. Submit your short story by May 5, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PST. 

Imagine 2200 seeks unpublished short stories of 3,000 to 5,000 words that envision the next 180 years of clean, green, and just futures. Judges include Hugo Award-winning writer Arkady Martine, esteemed editor and author Sheree Renee Thomas, and professor Grace L. Dillon , who coined the term “Indigenous futurism.” Imagine 2200 draws inspiration from Afrofuturism, as well as Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, disabled, feminist, and queer futures, and the genres of hopepunk and solarpunk. 

While we’re looking for hopeful stories, we also don’t expect you to be overly optimistic or naïve. One hundred and eighty years of equitable climate progress will require hard work, struggle, and adaptation, and we invite you to show those as well. 

In addition, we’re especially interested in cultural authenticity (a deep sense of place, customs, cuisine, and more), rich characters with intersecting identifies, and stories that challenge the status quo in which wealth and power are built on extraction, oppression, and violence. 

The top three winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000, respectively, and nine finalists will receive a $300 honorarium. Those 12 authors will be published in an immersive digital collection this fall. Conjure your wildest dreams for society – all the justice, resilience, and abundance you can imagine – and put those dreams on paper.

There’s no fee to enter, so if you’re ready to get writing, you can find our submissions portal here. If you’d like to get in touch, you can reach us at imaginefiction@grist.org. 

About Grist

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Our goal is to use the power of storytelling to illuminate the way toward a better world, inspire millions of people to walk that path with us, and show that the time for action is now. 

Write your best poems and short stories to win cash prizes totaling $1275.00!

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”

Mail to:

Dream Quest One

Poetry & Writing Contest

P.O. Box 3141

Chicago, IL 60654

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

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

Something I Can Sink My Teeth Into

Deadline: February 28, 2022, at 11:59 PM

Don’t you just love the taste of blood in the morning? We’re seeking stories that capture all things you love about vampires. So give us those paranormal protagonists, those cruel counts, and those unruly undeads. Works up to 3,000 words will be considered.

First Prize: $600 – Feedback from the judges/Tales team, promotional placement across all Tales platforms, inclusion in our email list, new story cover, and “Award Winner” badge.

Second Prize: $300 – Promotional placement across all Tales platforms, inclusion in our email list, new story cover, and “Award Winner” badge.

Third Prize: $100 – Promotional placement across all Tales platforms, inclusion in our email list, new story cover, and “Award Winner” badge.

All winning stories will be greenlit for Tales Publication.

Contact information: brooke@talescreator.com

How to enter, visit: https://talescreator.com/contest/something-i-can-sink-my-teeth-into/

Rollick Magazine Fiction Prize 2021

Deadline

Friday, December 31, 2021

Categories

Essay, Fiction

Entry Fees

$10

Prizes

$1,000

Description

The Rollick Magazine Fiction Prize is valued at $1,000 and is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–6,000 words). Rollick’s mandate is to attract cutting-edge, quality stories that inspire real engagement. We will consider work that express unique and original thought.

Rollick Magazine is an independent literary magazine for contemporary fiction, thought, and opinion about popular culture, society, and everything on the periphery.

The Prize is open to writers of any nationality writing in English aged 16 and over at the time of the closing date.

Contact Information

Email: submissions@rollickmag.com

How to submit:
https://rollickmag.submittable.com/submit

Visit the website:

https://rollickmag.com

THE DISQUIET PRIZE

The 2022 DISQUIET Prize is now open for submissions in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Contest winners in each category will have their winning work published in North America’s leading publications: fiction in Granta.com, poetry in The Common, and non-fiction in NinthLetter.com.

One grand prize winner will receive a full fellowship (airfare stipend, tuition, and housing included) to the 2022 DISQUIET International Program in Lisbon, Portugal. Genre winners will receive a $500 cash prize in addition to publication.**

The complete guidelines for the 2022 contest are as follows:

Deadline: January 24, 2022

• Eligibility: Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted. We accept entries from all ages 18 and over and all countries, by authors who have not yet published more than one book with a major publisher.

• Entries should be the work of a single author.

• All entries should be in a standard typeface and 12pt font and in .pdf, .doc or .odt format.

• For fiction: ONE short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

• For non-fiction: ONE piece of non-fiction, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

• For poetry: No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.

• Entrants may submit to any or all categories more than once; however, each entry must be accompanied by its own entry fee.

• Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please notify us immediately if your submission is accepted elsewhere.

• Please indicate the type of submission (short story, novel excerpt, poetry, non- fiction, etc.) in the submission form

• Include your complete contact information (name, address, telephone, email address) in the Submittable form.

• Winners will be notified in March 2022.
• Previous first place winners may not re-enter in the same genre.

Visit our Submittable page to enter and pay the fee via Paypal. A $15 US reading fee must accompany each entry.

*We regret that due to the special circumstances of this year we are unable to guarantee a place in our 2022 program to more than one winner. If we are able to do so, we will offer a place to our genre winners in addition to the publication and cash prize.

Questions? Contact info@disquietinternational.org

Visit the website: https://disquietinternational.org/the-program/contests-scholarships/the-disquiet-prize/

CHARLOTTE LIT WRITERS/SOUTH AWARDS

Deadline: December 1, 2021

$15 ENTRY FEE (includes print copy of the journal).

Charlotte Lit’s inaugural Writers/South Awards offers $10,000 in prizes plus publication in four categories: poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, and flash. Four prize levels: $1,500, $500, $250, $50 honorable mentions. All prize winners published in the new Writers/South: Journal of Charlotte Lit. Judges: Ron Rash (fiction, 4,000 words), Jessica Jacobs and Nickole Brown (poetry, one to three poems, up to five total pages), Stephanie Elizondo Griest (nonfiction, 4,000 words), and flash (one to two pieces, up to 500 words each). Open to current and past residents of North Carolina and its four contiguous states: South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Visit the website: https://www.charlottelit.org/writerssouth/awards/

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/

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

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/