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Global
Writing Competitions

Global Writing Contests


Writing contests are a great way for poetry and fiction writers to get their work noticed by the literary community. Enclosed is a list of writing contests, including short story writing competions, essay contests and/or poetry contests from writing organizations around the world. All of the contests listed below either a) offer a minimum grand prize of $250 or b) are free to enter.

We make every effort to list only legitimate writing competitions, and try not to list publications that require an additional "purchase" before entrants are eligible to win any award. However, we also take no responsibility for the legitimacy of any of the following writing contests, and as always we recommend you do your own research.

OnceWritten.com
Contests

Current OnceWritten.com Writing Contest Deadlines


OnceWritten.com In the Midnight Hour Halloween Fiction Contest

Short Fiction, horror (unpublished)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $15; Deadline: 08/31/2009

OnceWritten.com In the Midnight Hour Halloween Fiction Contest Guidelines

OnceWritten.com Fall Fiction Contest

Short Fiction (5,000 words, max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $15; Deadline: 10/31/2009

OnceWritten.com Fall Fiction Contest Guidelines

OnceWritten.com Annual Poetry Contest

Poetry (unpublished)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $15; Deadline: 03/31/2010

OnceWritten.com Annual Poetry Contest Guidelines

OnceWritten.com Spring Fiction Contest

Fiction (5,000 words, max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000 & publication; Fee: $20; Deadline: 04/30/2010

OnceWritten.com Spring Fiction Contest Guidelines


July 5, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Short Fiction Competition

Short Fiction (3,500 words, max.)
Award: $500; Fee: $15

Short Fiction Competition Guidelines

July 13, 2009

Warren Adler Short Story Contest

Short fiction (2,500 words, max.)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $15

Warren Adler Short Story Contest Guidelines

July 15, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Astrea Foundation Lesbian Writers Fund

Poetry and Fiction (with lesbian content)
Award: $10,000; Entry Fee: $5

Astrea Foundation Lesbian Writers Fund Guidelines


Literal Latte Poetry Awards

Poetry (2,000 words max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $10

Literal Latte Poetry Awards Guidelines

July 18, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Narrative Magazine First Annual Poetry Contest

Poetry (5 poems, max., unpublished)
Award: $1,500 and publication; Fee: $20

Narrative Magazine First Annual Poetry Contest Guidelines

July 20, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Horror Screenplay Contest

Horror Screenplay
Award: $1000; Fee: $35

Horror Screenplay Contest Guidelines

July 31, 2009

Dreamquestone.com Poetry Contest

Poetry (30 lines, max.)
Award: $250 & publication; Fee: $5

Dreamquestone.com Poetry Contest Guidelines


Dreamquestone.com Writing Contest

Short Fiction, Non-Fiction (5 pages, max.)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $10

Dreamquestone.com Writing Contest Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Award

Fiction (3,000 words, max.; unpublished)
Award: $1,200 & publication; Fee: $15

Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Award Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Review Fuse Flash Fiction Contest

Flash Fiction (1,000 words, max.)
$100; No Fee

Review Fuse Flash Fiction Contest Guidelines

August 1, 2009

Memoirs Ink Writing Contest

Personal Essay (3,000 words, max.; unpublished)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $17

Memoirs Ink Writing Contest Guidelines


Nano Prize

Flash Fiction (300 words, max.)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $12

Nano Prize Guidelines

August 8, 2009

Gival Press Short Story Award

Short Fiction (5,000-15,000 words, max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000 & publication; Fee: $25

Gival Press Short Story Award Guidelines

August 15, 2009

Chamber Press Chapbook Award

Poetry Chapbook (24 pages, max)
Award: $1,000 and publication; Fee: $15

Chamber Press Chapbook Award Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

On Angels Magazine Art & Literary Contest

Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry
Award: $3,000 & publication; Fee: $25

On Angels Magazine Art & Literary Contest Guidelines

August 17, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

National Book Awards

Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry and Young People’s Literature
Award: $10,000; Fee: $125

National Book Awards Guidelines

August 25, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Dream Wedding Writing Contest

Short Fiction (Your Dream Wedding, 250 words)
Award: £500; No Fee

Dream Wedding Writing Contest Guidelines

August 29, 2009

Summer 2009 Short Story Competition

Short Fiction (2,500 words, max.)
£200.00; Fee: £3.50

Summer 2009 Short Story Competition Guidelines

August 31, 2009

Aesthetica Creative Works Competition

Short Fiction, Poetry (2 short stories, 5 poems, max.)
Award: £500; Fee: £10

Aesthetica Creative Works Competition Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award

Poetry MS (48 pages, min., unpublished)
Award: $3,000 and publication; Fee: $25

Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Best of the Best Ebook Contest

Best E-Book (Published)
Award: $250; No Fee

Best of the Best Ebook Contest Guidelines


OnceWritten.com In the Midnight Hour Halloween Fiction Contest

Short Fiction, horror (unpublished)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $15

OnceWritten.com In the Midnight Hour Halloween Fiction Contest Guidelines

September 4, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

A Slice of Life

Short Fiction (2,500 words, max.)
Award: Professional Recording; Fee: £5

A Slice of Life Guidelines

September 8, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

2008 Zoetrope Screenplay Contest

Screenplay
Award: $5,000; Fee: $35

2008 Zoetrope Screenplay Contest Guidelines

September 15, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Ascent Aspirations Poetry/Flash Fiction Contest

Poetry, Flash Fiction
Award: $100 (CDN) & publication; Fee: $5-$10

Ascent Aspirations Poetry/Flash Fiction Contest Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Write Real Good Poetry Chapbook Contest

Poetry (20-30 pages)
Award: $250; Fee: $15

Write Real Good Poetry Chapbook Contest Guidelines

September 17, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Life Lessons Essay Contest

Essay (Being a Grown Up, 1,500 words, max.)
Award; $3,000; No Fee

Life Lessons Essay Contest Guidelines

September 25, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Review Fuse Poetry Contest

Poetry (50 lines, max.)
Award: $100; No Fee

Review Fuse Poetry Contest Guidelines

September 30, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Ohio State Press Charles B. Wheeler Prize in Poetry

Poetry MS (48 pages min., unpublished)
Award: $3,000 & publication; Fee: $25

Ohio State Press Charles B. Wheeler Prize in Poetry Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Ruskin Art Club Poetry Award

Three Poems (120 lines, max)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $20

Ruskin Art Club Poetry Award Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest

Poetry
Award: $2,000; Fee: $7 per 25 lines

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest Guidelines

October 1, 2009

2009 Autumn Book Festival Writing and Poetry Contest

Fiction, Poetry (1,000-2,500 words, max.)
Cash Award; No Fee

2009 Autumn Book Festival Writing and Poetry Contest Guidelines


Boston Review Seventeenth Annual Short-Story Contest

Short Fiction (4,000 words max; unpublished)
Award: $1,500 & publication; Fee: $20

Boston Review Seventeenth Annual Short-Story Contest Guidelines

October 15, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction

Fiction (4,500 words, max.; unpublished)
Award: $1,000 & publication; Fee: $10

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Share Your SHINE Writing Contest

Inspirational Non-Fiction (350 words, max.)
Award: $500; No Fee

Share Your SHINE Writing Contest Guidelines

October 20, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

100 Words or Fewer Writing Contest

Short Fiction (100 words, max, unpublished)
Award: $400; Fee: $18

100 Words or Fewer Writing Contest Guidelines

October 31, 2009

OnceWritten.com Fall Fiction Contest

Short Fiction (5,000 words, max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $15

OnceWritten.com Fall Fiction Contest Guidelines

November 1, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Tennessee Williams One-Act Play Contest

Plays (unproduced)
Award: $1,500; Fee: $25

Tennessee Williams One-Act Play Contest Guidelines

November 16, 2009

New Writing Contest Listing

Tennessee Williams Fiction Writing Contest

Short Fiction (7,000 words, max., unpublished)
Award: $1,500; Fee: $25

Tennessee Williams Fiction Writing Contest Guidelines

November 30, 2009

Bottle Tree Productions One Act Play Competition

One-Act Play
Award: $1,000; Fee: $25

Bottle Tree Productions One Act Play Competition Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

FolioAlley Writing Contest

Short Fiction, Poetry ("Alley Cats and Alley Rats" theme)
Award: $500; No Fee

FolioAlley Writing Contest Guidelines


New Writing Contest Listing

Raving Dove of Hope Essay Award

Youth Essay (Oregon resident, high school student)
Award: $800 and publication; No Fee

Raving Dove of Hope Essay Award Guidelines

December 1, 2009

Cowboy Up Contest

Short Ficition, Cowboy Themed (2,500 words, max.)
Award: $250; Fee: $15

Cowboy Up Contest Guidelines

January 31, 2010

New Writing Contest Listing

Ohio State University Press Prize in Short Fiction

Short Fiction MS (80,000 words, max.)
Award: $1,500 & publication; Fee: $20

Ohio State University Press Prize in Short Fiction Guidelines

March 31, 2010

OnceWritten.com Annual Poetry Contest

Poetry (unpublished)
Award: $500 & publication; Fee: $15

OnceWritten.com Annual Poetry Contest Guidelines

April 30, 2010

OnceWritten.com Spring Fiction Contest

Fiction (5,000 words, max; unpublished)
Award: $1,000 & publication; Fee: $20

OnceWritten.com Spring Fiction Contest Guidelines

June 7, 2020

Arts & Letters Prizes

Short Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Essay (unpublished)
Award: $1,000; Fee: $15

Arts & Letters Prizes Guidelines

Free Writing
Contests

No Fee Contest Book If you are interested only in free writing contests, you should pick up a copy of Hope Clark's The No Fee Contest Book. In her research, as editor of FundsforWriters.com, she's identified more than 250 writing competitions that don't charge anything for contest submissions. For just $7.95, you can immediately download the e-book that contains contest listings, respective online links, and Hope's advice on entering writing competitions. 

Order The No Fee Contest Book now.


Free Writing Contest Website Content



All webmasters know the importance of creating "sticky" content, information that keeps your readers returning to your website, time and time again. OnceWritten.com provides you with the opportunity to provide your website or blog visitors with updated writing contest content, absolutely free.

Find out how you can put a self-updating Writing Contests Graph on your website, absolutely FREE!.


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