Next
Show All
These are prizes and grants/fellowships for writers, poets, playwrights, and reporters. The awards range from €50 to about $31,000. None of these charge an entry fee. Also see this list for grants and fellowships for writers – a number of deadlines are coming up. — S. Kalekar
Pen 2 Paper: A disability-focused creative writing contest
They want pieces of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and comics on the topic of disability. The writing must be about disability or have a major character with a disability. Writers need not be disabled to submit. They may submit one entry per category (prose up to 5,000 words, poetry up to 5 pages, comic/graphic narrative up to 20 pages). Selected entrants will have a chance to present their work at the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival at Austin in the fall.
Value: $500; division winners to get $100 each
Deadline: 4 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want pieces of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and comics on the topic of disability. The writing must be about disability or have a major character with a disability. Writers need not be disabled to submit. They may submit one entry per category (prose up to 5,000 words, poetry up to 5 pages, comic/graphic narrative up to 20 pages). Selected entrants will have a chance to present their work at the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival at Austin in the fall.
Value: $500; division winners to get $100 each
Deadline: 4 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
The Elmet Trust: Ted Hughes Young Poets Award
They want poetry in response to the final three lines of Ted Hughes’ ‘My Own True Family’ (see website), which was published in ‘Collected Poems for Children’ (Faber & Faber, 2005). The competition for young poets – in age groups 6-10, 11-14 and 15-18 – is free to enter. There is a contest for adults too, with an entry fee.
Value: £50, £25 for each age category
Deadline: 14 September 2018
Open for: Young poets
Details here.
They want poetry in response to the final three lines of Ted Hughes’ ‘My Own True Family’ (see website), which was published in ‘Collected Poems for Children’ (Faber & Faber, 2005). The competition for young poets – in age groups 6-10, 11-14 and 15-18 – is free to enter. There is a contest for adults too, with an entry fee.
Value: £50, £25 for each age category
Deadline: 14 September 2018
Open for: Young poets
Details here.
Gulf Coast: The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing
They want one piece of critical art writing of up to 1,500 words. The writing should have been written, or published, in the last one year. They will accept a variety of creative approaches and formats to writing on the visual arts, including thematic essays, exhibition reviews and scholarly essays.
Value: $3,000; two prizes of $1,000 each
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
They want one piece of critical art writing of up to 1,500 words. The writing should have been written, or published, in the last one year. They will accept a variety of creative approaches and formats to writing on the visual arts, including thematic essays, exhibition reviews and scholarly essays.
Value: $3,000; two prizes of $1,000 each
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
The Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing: Women’s Writes
They want a short story of up to 1,500 words featuring a strong female protagonist. Their website says, “To celebrate 100 years since women won the right to vote, we have decided to focus on strong and formidable women in this year’s competition, hence the title, Women’s Writes.” The competition is open to all genders.
Value: £100, £50, £25
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want a short story of up to 1,500 words featuring a strong female protagonist. Their website says, “To celebrate 100 years since women won the right to vote, we have decided to focus on strong and formidable women in this year’s competition, hence the title, Women’s Writes.” The competition is open to all genders.
Value: £100, £50, £25
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Brilliant Flash Fiction: “Wow Us” Writing Contest
They want flash fiction submissions, of up to 300 words. There is no set theme.
Value: €50, €25, €15, or equivalent in the winners’ currencies
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want flash fiction submissions, of up to 300 words. There is no set theme.
Value: €50, €25, €15, or equivalent in the winners’ currencies
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Kids World Fun Short Story Contest
This is an international short story contest for young writers, aged 7-9 (300-500 words), 10-12 (500-700 words) and 13-16 (700-1,000 words) years. The upper word count limit can exceed in all categories. There is no set theme. Read the terms and conditions carefully – one of the conditions for entry is, “All winning, highly commended and outstanding stories may not be published elsewhere without permission from KidsWorldFun.”
Value: $75, $50, $25 in each of the three age categories
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: Young writers
Details here.
This is an international short story contest for young writers, aged 7-9 (300-500 words), 10-12 (500-700 words) and 13-16 (700-1,000 words) years. The upper word count limit can exceed in all categories. There is no set theme. Read the terms and conditions carefully – one of the conditions for entry is, “All winning, highly commended and outstanding stories may not be published elsewhere without permission from KidsWorldFun.”
Value: $75, $50, $25 in each of the three age categories
Deadline: 15 September 2018
Open for: Young writers
Details here.
The Academy for Teachers and Tin House: Stories Out of School flash fiction contest
They want honest, unsentimental stories, of 6-479 words, about teachers and schools. The story’s protagonist or its narrator has to be a teacher.
Value: $1,000, $500
Deadline: 16 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want honest, unsentimental stories, of 6-479 words, about teachers and schools. The story’s protagonist or its narrator has to be a teacher.
Value: $1,000, $500
Deadline: 16 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
The Horne Prize
They want an essay on ‘Australian Life’ of 2,500-3,000 words. It could be a profile, a reported feature on a particular issue, or a series of vignettes. They do not want essays that look on the past without that reflecting on the present or the future, lyric or memoir essays that are purely expositional, any writing that purports to represent the experiences of those in any minority community of which the writer is not a member, or essays about David Horne. Going to Melbourne for the prize ceremony is a condition of entry. Domestic travel and hotel expenses will be met if necessary.
Value: AUD15,000
Deadline: 17 September 2018
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
They want an essay on ‘Australian Life’ of 2,500-3,000 words. It could be a profile, a reported feature on a particular issue, or a series of vignettes. They do not want essays that look on the past without that reflecting on the present or the future, lyric or memoir essays that are purely expositional, any writing that purports to represent the experiences of those in any minority community of which the writer is not a member, or essays about David Horne. Going to Melbourne for the prize ceremony is a condition of entry. Domestic travel and hotel expenses will be met if necessary.
Value: AUD15,000
Deadline: 17 September 2018
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Spruce Mountain Press: Past Loves Day Story Contest
They want a true story of an earlier love, of up to 700 words. Their website says, “Tell us about someone whose memory brings a smile or a tear, or both:
What feelings arise if you allow yourself to be fully open to remembering that person?
What is it about that special someone that you still cherish?”
Especially, “how did that person’s presence in your life change you and how you experience the world?” Winning stories will be published – anonymously, if requested.
Value: $100, $75, $50
Deadline: 17 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want a true story of an earlier love, of up to 700 words. Their website says, “Tell us about someone whose memory brings a smile or a tear, or both:
What feelings arise if you allow yourself to be fully open to remembering that person?
What is it about that special someone that you still cherish?”
Especially, “how did that person’s presence in your life change you and how you experience the world?” Winning stories will be published – anonymously, if requested.
Value: $100, $75, $50
Deadline: 17 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Royal Society of Literature: Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction
There are two awards, to buy the time for a writer to complete their first work of non-fiction for a mainstream audience. Writers should have a publishing contract. Entries from writers well-established in another genre are unlikely to be accepted. Writers must be residents of the UK or Ireland.
Value: £10,000, £5,000
Deadline: 19 September 2018
Open for: UK/Irish writers
Details here.
There are two awards, to buy the time for a writer to complete their first work of non-fiction for a mainstream audience. Writers should have a publishing contract. Entries from writers well-established in another genre are unlikely to be accepted. Writers must be residents of the UK or Ireland.
Value: £10,000, £5,000
Deadline: 19 September 2018
Open for: UK/Irish writers
Details here.
Speculative Literature Foundation: Gulliver Travel Grant
This grant is to help writers of speculative literature (in fiction, poetry, drama, or creative non-fiction) in their research. It is to be used to cover airfare, lodging, and/or other travel expenses. One of the entry requirements is a writing sample. Writers need not have been published to apply.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
This grant is to help writers of speculative literature (in fiction, poetry, drama, or creative non-fiction) in their research. It is to be used to cover airfare, lodging, and/or other travel expenses. One of the entry requirements is a writing sample. Writers need not have been published to apply.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Lilith Fiction Contest
They want a short story of up to 3,000 words and there are no theme restrictions. Lilith is a Jewish feminist magazine.
Value: $250
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want a short story of up to 3,000 words and there are no theme restrictions. Lilith is a Jewish feminist magazine.
Value: $250
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Writers’ College: My Writing Journey Competition
They want a 600-word piece on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. The writing can be funny, quirky, and/or inspirational.
Value: AUD200/£100
Deadline: 30 September 2017
Open for: All writers
Details here.
They want a 600-word piece on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. The writing can be funny, quirky, and/or inspirational.
Value: AUD200/£100
Deadline: 30 September 2017
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
Stories can be on any theme and should ideally be up to 3,000 words, though those up to 5,000 words will be considered.
Readers of this magazine are interested in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America.
Value: $100
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Stories can be on any theme and should ideally be up to 3,000 words, though those up to 5,000 words will be considered.
Readers of this magazine are interested in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America.
Value: $100
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Ron Hubbard’s Writers & Illustrators of the Future
This contest is for new and amateur writers of short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. Send stories of up to 17,000 words in length. This is a quarterly contest, and the year ends 30 September. Writers should be aware of this tweet about the contest by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware.
Value: $1,000, $750, $500 quarterly; one annual prize of $5,000
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: New/amateur speculative fiction writers
Details here.
This contest is for new and amateur writers of short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. Send stories of up to 17,000 words in length. This is a quarterly contest, and the year ends 30 September. Writers should be aware of this tweet about the contest by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware.
Value: $1,000, $750, $500 quarterly; one annual prize of $5,000
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: New/amateur speculative fiction writers
Details here.
The Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize
In its inaugural year, the prize will be awarded to a debut prose fiction work in progress by a Caribbean writer living and working in a Caribbean country. Writers need to send a manuscript extract of up to 3,000 words as part of the application. There will be a focus on different genres in the coming years, namely non-fiction and poetry.
Value: TT20,000 or equivalent in US dollars (about USD2,960), mentoring, sponsored workshop and networking in the UK and London
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: Caribbean writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
In its inaugural year, the prize will be awarded to a debut prose fiction work in progress by a Caribbean writer living and working in a Caribbean country. Writers need to send a manuscript extract of up to 3,000 words as part of the application. There will be a focus on different genres in the coming years, namely non-fiction and poetry.
Value: TT20,000 or equivalent in US dollars (about USD2,960), mentoring, sponsored workshop and networking in the UK and London
Deadline: 30 September 2018
Open for: Caribbean writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
Mother Jones: Ben Bagtikian Fellowship Program
Positions are now open for the Editorial (San Francisco and DC) fellowships. This is a research-intensive foray into investigative journalism. Fellows work closely with reporters and editors on everything from fact-checking and researching to reporting. They will receive training in the editorial process, from research tools and tactics to libel law and reporting strategies. This is for six months, with the opportunity of a further six-month extension. The positions are in San Francisco and Washington, and Mother Jones is unable to furnish work visas for those applying from outside of the US. They also have Social media, Digital media, and Strategic communications fellowships at other times of the year.
Value: $2,437.50/ month, and $200 monthly healthcare stipend ($31,650 for 12 months)
Deadline: 1 October 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Positions are now open for the Editorial (San Francisco and DC) fellowships. This is a research-intensive foray into investigative journalism. Fellows work closely with reporters and editors on everything from fact-checking and researching to reporting. They will receive training in the editorial process, from research tools and tactics to libel law and reporting strategies. This is for six months, with the opportunity of a further six-month extension. The positions are in San Francisco and Washington, and Mother Jones is unable to furnish work visas for those applying from outside of the US. They also have Social media, Digital media, and Strategic communications fellowships at other times of the year.
Value: $2,437.50/ month, and $200 monthly healthcare stipend ($31,650 for 12 months)
Deadline: 1 October 2018
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Everything with Words: Urban YA Competition
This contest is for writers living in the UK, for an urban young adult novel manuscript (40,000-70,000 words) set in today’s multicultural Britain. The writer can be agented or unagented and this should be their first YA novel. They want writing that “can capture the feel of the city, the sound and tone of how people speak, their raw thoughts, hopes and fears.”
Value: £1,000
Deadline: 30 November 2018
Open for: UK-based writers
Details here.
This contest is for writers living in the UK, for an urban young adult novel manuscript (40,000-70,000 words) set in today’s multicultural Britain. The writer can be agented or unagented and this should be their first YA novel. They want writing that “can capture the feel of the city, the sound and tone of how people speak, their raw thoughts, hopes and fears.”
Value: £1,000
Deadline: 30 November 2018
Open for: UK-based writers
Details here.
