These are awards and grants up to £20,000 for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, and journalism. A couple of the deadlines are in July. They’re loosely divided geographically. – S. Kalekar
INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS
Briefly Write Poetry Prize
Briefly Write is a magazine of short fiction and poetry. They want poetry of 10 lines for this contest. “The Briefly Write Poetry Prize celebrates and rewards bold, succinct writing.”
Value: £30; £15; three third prizes of £5 each
Deadline: 31 July 2022
Open for: All poets
Details here.
Horror Writers Association Scholarships
These scholarships offer various amounts for assisting authors in professional development as horror writers. There are various amounts and requirements. The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly scholarship is for female writers, and the Horror Writers Association scholarship is for all writers (no membership necessary). There is also the Dark Poetry Scholarship, the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for Nonfiction Writing, and Diversity Grants, the Dennis Etchison Young Writers Scholarship, and Young Adults Write Now endowment program for libraries. The funds can be used for various things like course fees, resources like textbooks and guides, subscriptions for appropriate periodicals, and registration fees for relevant literary festivals. The Scholarship from Hell (for StokerCon) is closed right now.
Value: Various
Deadline: 1 August 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here.
(The HWA is also open for the Bram Stoker Award for published works in various categories – anthology, collection, first novel, graphic novel, long fiction and nonfiction, novel, poetry collection, screenplay, short fiction and nonfiction, and young adult novel. There are two deadlines, 30 November and 31 December 2021 – see guidelines).
UN Foundation: Thomas Lovejoy Memorial Press Fellowship
This is a new international press fellowship journalists interested in covering climate change, sustainable development, biological science, and environmental issues. It “will bring a group of journalists to the heart of the Amazon to explore issues of biodiversity, deforestation, and sustainable development. The trip will take place the week of October 17, 2022 against the backdrop of a national election to determine Brazil’s next president, just three weeks ahead of COP27, and two months before the Biodiversity COP in December.” Journalists from all countries are welcome to apply. Participating journalists will be expected to publish 2-4 on the topics covered within six months of the fellowship’s conclusion.
Value: Will cover roundtrip airfare, visa fees, accommodations, and local travel in Brazil, meals; other expenses incurred during the trip may be eligible for reimbursement
Deadline: 5 August 2022
Open for: All journalists interested in covering climate change
Details here.
(See other opportunities for journalists on the International Journalists’ Network website here.)
Yale Drama Series: David Charles Horn Prize
This contest is for an full-length play in English, of at least 65 pages, and is meant for emerging playwrights. Translations, musicals, adaptations, and children’s plays are not accepted. Apart from a cash prize, there will be publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a celebratory event.
Value: $10,000
Deadline: 15 August 2022
Open for: All playwrights
Details here.
Lunch Ticket: Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction
This award is for a creative non-fiction piece of up to 5,000 words on any subject. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $250
Reading period: 1-31 August 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Lunch Ticket: The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts
Translators and authors of multilingual texts are encouraged to submit their work for The Gabo Prize. Writers should indicate whether the translation falls under poetry or prose, and include the original work along with your translation. Original, bilingual work qualifies for the Gabo Prize. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $200
Reading period: 1-31 August 2022
Open for: All translators
Details here.
Cast of Wonders Flash Fiction Competition
Cast of Wonders is a YA speculative/genre fiction market. They will open submissions for a flash fiction contest in August; the details will be live on their Moksha submission page when the contest opens. Their usual pay rate is $0.08/word.
Value: Unspecified
Reading period: 1-31 August 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here (schedule), here (general submission guidelines), and here (Moksha submission portal).
The Val Wood Prize 2022
They want a short story of up to 2,000 words. Their guidelines say, “The overall theme of this year’s competition is simply great storytelling. We are looking to receive entries packed with originality and creativity that paint a picture and take the reader on a journey. The story can cover any genre as long as it is not brutally violent or gruesome.” The competition is open to anyone over 16 years of age. Their rules also say that entries from already commercially published writers will not be considered.
Value: £100
Deadline: 31 August 2022
Open for: All writers who haven’t been commercially published
Details here.
(Apart from the global prize, there are also prizes for Yorkshire residents; the theme of the competition is also good storytelling but the story must be set in Yorkshire and it is to be written in the form of a short story; the deadline for that is 31 August, and the prize is £100, and two prizes of £25 each.)
Preservation Foundation Contest: Biographical non-fiction
This is an international contest for unpublished writers (see guidelines). Their upcoming deadline is for the biographical non-fiction category: “A biographical entry must be a true story about the author or an individual(s) known to the author personally–not a fictional or historical character. Or, it could be autobiographical, a true story about the author’s life, the whole or an episode.” Entries should be 1,000-5,000 words. They want all entries, regardless of whether or not they win, to be on their website as long as the Foundation exists (see guidelines). Also see contests in other genres, which will open for submissions later.
Value: $200, $100
Deadline: 31 August 2022
Open for: Unpublished writers
Details here.
Gulf Coast: The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing
This prize is for critical writing on art, of up to 1,500 words. Their guidelines say, “The Beauchamp Prize will consider submissions of work that have been written (or published) within the last year. A variety of creative approaches and formats to writing on the visual arts are encouraged, and can include thematic essays, exhibition reviews, and scholarly essays.”
Value: $3,000; two prizes of $1,000 each
Deadline: 31 August 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here and here. (Gulf Coast has opportunities in other genres too, which have entry fees.)
Kindle Storyteller Award
This is an international award for those who publish their work through Kindle Direct Publishing in English in any genre. Entrants must make the book available for sale in both digital and print versions through KDP. The book must be at least 24 pages long, and can have a maximum of 2 co-authors. Please note, readers play a significant role in winner selection.
Value: £20,000
Deadline: 31 August 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here.
The Academy for Teachers – Stories Out of School Flash Fiction Contest
They want honest, unsentimental stories, of 6-749 words, about teachers and schools. The story’s protagonist or narrator must be a K-12 teacher. Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden.
Value: $1,000, and publication in A Public Space
Deadline: 1 September 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here.
American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Awards
The American-Scandinavian Foundation annually awards translation prizes for outstanding translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose written by a Scandinavian author born after 1900. The Leif and Inger Sjöberg Award is for those whose translations from a Nordic language have not been previously published. There is also the Nadia Christensen Prize, and the Wigeland Prize (this is for the best translation by a Norwegian). The application includes 25-50 pages of prose or 15-25 pages of poetry.
Value: $2,500 (Nadia Christensen Prize); $2,000 (Leif and Inger Sjöberg Award); $2,000 (Wigeland Prize)
Deadline: 1 September 2022
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
On the Premises: Objects in Motion
They want short fiction, and the theme is ‘Objects in Motion’ – “For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which the story’s main character(s) spend most (even better, all) of the story’s time in constant motion. For instance, they could spend the whole story in a moving vehicle. There are plenty of other ways to do it, too. (Just being on the Earth, which is spinning and moving around the sun, doesn’t count.)” They do not want children’s fiction, exploitative sex, over-the-top grossout horror, or stories that are obvious parodies of existing fictional worlds/characters created by other authors.
Value: $250, $200, $150, $75
Deadline: 2 September 2022
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.
(A couple of other contests with later deadlines are:
— Bracken Bower Prize: This is an international award for young writers by The Financial Times and McKinsey & Company – the award will go to the best proposal for a business book “about the challenges and opportunities of growth” by an author, or authors, under the age of 35. The proposal should take the form of an essay or article, of up to 5,000 words, that conveys the argument, scope, and style of a proposed full-length business book and includes the description of the structure of the proposed work. The award is intended to fuel further research leading to publication of a full-length work. The prize is £15,000, and the deadline is 30 September 2022. Details here and here.
— ServiceScape Short Story Award: For this award, any genre or theme of short story is accepted. All applicants should submit a work of short fiction or non-fiction, 5,000 words or fewer. Read the guidelines carefully – they reserve the right to modify or terminate the contest at any time without prior notice. The winner gets $1,000, deadline 30 November 2022, and it is open for all writers. Details here.)
PRIZES FOR WRITERS IN THE US AND CANADA
Gasher Journal: Two grants
This journal has both fee-free and fee-based submission opportunities. The paying fee-free opportunities are:
— First Book Scholarship 2022: This scholarship is to provide financial assistance of $250 to a writer submitting their first book. This year, the award is for poetry. The book manuscript must be at least 48 pages in length.
Value: $250
Deadline: 30 July 2022
Open for: US writers
Details here.
— Writers Submission Fee Grant: These are micro-grants, to help “writers in need afford the cost of journal submissions, which has become an alarming new trend in digital publishing. Gasher distributes submission fee grants of $35 every quarter to as many writers as we can afford for that period.” Recipients are selected randomly with a lottery application.
Value: $35 each
Deadline: 28 August 2022
Open for: US writers
Details here.
Great Canadian Longform’s New Faces of 2021-22 Contest
This is for nonfiction pieces of up to 2,000 words for emerging writers (see guidelines) – “Your piece was written for an undergraduate feature writing/creative non-fiction/journalism class taken in 2021-22 at a Canadian university/college (All majors/concentrations welcome to apply).” There is no age restriction. Apart from a cash prize, the winners will also get feedback on their piece and assistance with crafting a pitch and placing their piece with a Canadian magazine, newspaper or digital outlet. Pieces on all topics are welcomed from personal essays to reported features.
Value: CAD250; CAD100
Deadline: 31 July 2022
Open for: Emerging Canadian writers
Details here.
PEN America: US Writers Aid Initiative
This is intended to assist fiction and non-fiction authors, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, translators, and journalists. To be eligible, applicants must be based in the United States, be professional writers, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping them to address an emergency situation. Various deadlines are listed for 2022, and the next one is 1st August. Other deadlines are in October and December. Writers do not have to be PEN members to apply.
Value: Unspecified
Deadline: 1 August 2022
Open for: US writers
Details here.
(They have other opportunities listed as well, including the PEN/Robert J Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers for a debut published short story; deadline 1 November 2022.)
Lee & Low Books: New Visions Award
This award is by Tu Books, the middle grade and young adult imprint of Lee & Low Books. The award is for writers of color or Indigenous/Native writers who are residents of the US, and have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel traditionally published. Manuscripts may be fiction or narrative non-fiction for children ages 8 to 12 or young adults ages 12 to 18. Manuscripts should address the needs of children and teens of color and Native nations by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. They are interested in contemporary or historical fiction, literary fantasy, science fiction, mystery, suspense, and genre fusions. Graphic novel scripts and novels in verse for these categories are also welcome. Submissions should be of full, unagented manuscripts or graphic novel scripts plus synopsis. Middle grade novels are not to exceed 75,000 words in length; young adult novels are not to exceed 95,000 words in length. Graphic novels should not exceed 150 scripted pages.
Value: $2,000 and publishing contract; $1,000
Deadline: 1 August 2022
Open for: US writers of color and Native nations
Details here.
Nickelodeon Writing Program
This is a full-time, paid, yearlong development program for television comedy writers with unique voices and from underrepresented communities. Writers have to be eligible to work in the US. Also, “The Nick Writing Program is not a writing contest – It’s a launching pad for diverse and emerging creatives. If you bring the unique voice and innovative ideas for kids’ and family content, we’ll help you launch a career with all the tools you’ll need to succeed in the industry for years to come.” Writers have to pick a focus – kids’ content (audience age 11-6), preschool content (audience age 2-6), and preteen/YA (audience age 11-17), and prepare scripts accordingly. All applicants must submit a spec script and original comedy pilot (see guidelines).
Value: Unspecified
Deadline: 1 August 2022
Open for: Those eligible to work in the US
Details here.
Granum Foundation Prizes
Submissions are open for the Granum Foundation Prize and the Granum Foundation Translation Prize. These are for works in progress, to help US-based writers complete substantive literary projects, including novels, memoirs, books of poetry, short story collections, and works in translation.
Value: The Granum Foundation Prize is $5,000, with up to three finalist prizes of with $500 or more each; and the Translation Prize is $500 or more
Deadline: 2 August 2022
Open for: US-based writers
Details here and here.
The Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize
This award is given for a published or soon-to-be-published article that furthers the understanding of the history of working people. Articles must be focused on historical events OR focused on current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) and include historical context. The article must be published in print or online between August 31, 2021 and August 30, 2022. The prize is given to insightful work that contributes to the understanding of labor history; shows creativity; demonstrates excellence in writing; and adheres to the highest journalistic standards of accuracy. Publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 30 August 2022
Open for: Unspecified; but publications and subject matter should target the US and Canada
Details here.
The RESP Fellowship
This is a new fellowship for US-based journalists and other writers. “The Religion & Environment Story Project Fellowship supports journalists, editors, and public-facing academics who are producing – or want to learn how to produce – stories at the intersection of religion and the environment. A cohort of ten fellows will gather twice over the course of six months for practical, on-the-job training designed to develop new ways of thinking about the climate crisis and the role played by religious individuals and institutions in addressing (and ignoring) it.” Apart from a stipend, RESP will cover travel, food, and lodging for their two workshops, and offer other benefits.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 25 August 2022
Open for: US Journalists or editors, staff or freelance, all media; US-based college and university faculty members who actively write for general audiences
Details here.
WRITERS IN THE UK AND IRELAND
(Yorkshire residents should also see The Val Wood Prize 2022, in the international section above.)
KenMor Films
“KenMor Films are searching for their next production to be based in the UK, on a budget under 500K. Types of genre and scripts they are interested in seeing: Horror or Thriller, preferably something that is quite clever and thought provoking.” Send them only the logline and synopsis; if they’re interested, they will request to see the script. See this, and other calls on the BBC Writers’ Room Opportunities page (this is not a BBC call).
Value: Unspecified; “Details of payment applicable to writers are industry standard and will be discussed upon successful application. Paid on 1st day of principal photography.”
Deadline: 31 July 2022
Open for: UK writers
Details here.
Goldsmiths Young Writer Competitions
This is for students in the UK, ages 16-18. They have two awards: Young Writer (a short story writing competition for creative writers – send a story of up to 1,000 words, the containing elements that will be revealed once you register), and Young Anthropologist (for writing about identity and culture – send an essay of up to 1,000 words on issues of identity and culture; this year, the theme is ‘What does the food you eat and how you eat it say about you and/or your culture?’). (The Young Journalist award is not running this year, and will return in 2023.)
Value: £1,000 first prize, and two runner-up prizes of £50 for each contest
Deadline: 1 August 2022
Open for: Students in the UK, ages 16-18
Details here.
Waterford Poetry Prize
This is for a poem of up to 40 lines, by a resident of Ireland. The winner and runner-up will also be invited to participate in a writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore. There is no age limit; minors have to get a parent or guardian’s consent.
Value: €400, €300, €200
Deadline: 12 August 2022
Open for: Ireland writers
Details here.
Rebecca Swift Foundation: Women Poets’ Prize
This prize is awarded every two years to three women poets in the UK and North Ireland. One of the application requirements is three poems (text, video, or audio – see guidelines). They strongly encourage applications from poets belonging to marginalised or underrepresented communities. The poems can be previously published (see terms).
Value: £1,000
Deadline: 14 August 2022
Open for: Women poets in UK and North Ireland
Details here and here.
4th Write Short Story Prize
This is a competition open to Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers living in the UK or Ireland. Apart from a cash prize, the winner will receive a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate, and publication of their story on the Guardian website.
Value: £1,000
Deadline: 14 August 2022
Open for: BAME writers in UK/Ireland
Details here.
RSL’s Literature Matters Awards
These awards, by the Royal Society of Literature, are for UK residents. The awards “aim to reward and enable literary excellence and innovation. Each year, after an open call for proposals, the Awards are given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project.
Priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters.” The project may be a piece/pieces of writing, a publication, an event, or a production.
Value: £20,000 corpus, split between various projects
Deadline: 24 August 2022
Open for: UK writers
Details here and here.
(Also see RSL’s Sky Arts Awards, free mentoring for British writers of color over a 12-month period in fiction, non-fiction, playwriting, poetry, and screenwriting; the deadline to apply is 31 July 2022.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
