{"id":7242,"date":"2019-09-27T07:07:33","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T14:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/?p=7242"},"modified":"2019-09-27T07:26:09","modified_gmt":"2019-09-27T14:26:09","slug":"22-free-writing-contests-with-cash-prizes-up-to-50000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/uncategorized\/22-free-writing-contests-with-cash-prizes-up-to-50000\/","title":{"rendered":"22 Free Writing Contests With Cash Prizes (Up to $50,000)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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These are prizes for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, with prizes\/fellowships ranging from $50 to $50,000. There is also a bonus residency listed, which does not have a cash award.<\/p>\n

Also see this list<\/a> of fee-free grants and fellowships for writers. Several deadlines are coming up. \u2013\u00a0S. Kalekar<\/strong>\n<\/div>\n

\nThe Academy for Teachers: Stories Out of School
\n<\/strong>They want honest, unsentimental stories, of 6-479 words, about teachers and schools. The story\u2019s protagonist or narrator must be a K-12 teacher. Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden. The stories will be published online by Electric Literature.
\nValue: $1,000, $500
\nDeadline: 1 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a> and here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Word Poetry Competition
\n<\/strong>The contest is organized by Lichfield Cathedral, and is for UK poets. They want \u201cnew poems inspired by the awe and wonder of the anniversary of the Moon landing and that one small step for humanity, to reflect on the origins of the universe and the vastness of space, light and time, and to explore our fragile earth through the themes of creation and cosmology, space travel and astronomical discovery.\u201d Poems submitted should be written on the theme of either ‘Awe and Wonder’ (7\u201311 and 12\u201316 age categories) or ‘Light in our Darkness’ (17\u201325 and 26 and over age categories).
\nValue: \u00a0\u00a3100, \u00a350, \u00a325; <\/strong>prizes in the 7\u201311 and 12\u201316 categories will be awarded as book vouchers for the winning schools
\nDeadline: 3 October 2019
\nOpen for: UK poets
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nNUHA Foundation Blogging Prizes
\n<\/strong>This is an international prize for writing, and there are different themes for writers in each age category to choose from. Prizes are for young writers<\/a>, youth<\/a>, and adults<\/a>. It doesn’t matter if English was not the author’s first language, the\u00a0jury will look at the quality of their arguments and the originality of their ideas. Read the guidelines carefully \u2013 they ask for rights to potentially use, reproduce, or adapt all submitted articles, regardless of whether or not they win.
\nValue: Up to $250 for young writers, up to $900 for youth, up to $2,400 for adults
\nDeadline: 12 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nDream Foundry Short Story Contest
\n<\/strong>They want a speculative fiction story of up to 10,000 words for this contest. Professional writers are not eligible to enter (see guidelines). C. C. Finlay, editor at the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Lisa Rodgers, literary agent with JABberwocky Literary Agency, will judge the final ten stories. Also check out their contest for new artists (scroll to the bottom of the page).
\nValue: $500
\nDeadline: 13 October 2019
\nOpen for: Beginning writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nPublic Space Fellowships<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>This is for writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work. Part of the submission requirement is a one previously unpublished prose piece \u2013 there is no word count requirement (if selected, this prose piece will be published in the magazine). They want to seek out and support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. The fellows will receive six months of editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine, and an opportunity to meet with members of the publishing community. Three fellowships will be awarded and international applications are welcome. There is no residency requirement for this fellowship.
\nValue: $1,000, editorial support
\nDeadline: 15 October 2019
\nOpen for: Writers who have not published a book
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nDefenestrationism: 2020 Flash Suite Contest
\n<\/strong>This is a contest for at least three flash fiction pieces that co-relate in some way. Finalists will be published daily on the site, followed by at least two weeks of Fan Voting \u2013 winners will be selected by a judging panel, with Fan Voting counting as an additional judge vote.
\nValue: $75, $60
\nDeadline: 16 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nHalloween 50 Word Horror Short Story Contest<\/strong><\/p>\n

For this contest, they want 50-word horror stories. Writers can enter as many times as they want. Read the guidelines carefully \u2013 the stories have to be posted as comments on the Every Writer website, and some stories from these will be published in an anthology. There will be a cash prize for one winning story.
\nValue: $500
\nDeadline: 25 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

\nAmerican Antiquarian Society: Fellowships for Creative and Performing Artists and Writers<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are fellowships for historical research by those who wish to produce \u201cimaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history.\u201d Room fee will be charged if staying in the Society\u2019s scholars\u2019 housing. Fellowship projects may include (but are not limited to) historical novels, documentary films, TV programs, radio broadcasts, plays, screenplays, illustration and other graphic arts, magazine or newspaper articles, and non-fiction works of history for a general audience, either for adults or for children. The deadline has been extended.
\nValue: $1,850 (less room fee in some cases \u2013 see above), residency
\nDeadline: 21 October 2019 (extended)
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

\nComma Press: The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction
\n<\/strong>This is a fiction contest for UK-based writers. They want a short story, of 2,000-6,000 words, on the theme of \u2018Artificial Intelligence\u2019.
\nValue: \u00a3500<\/strong>
\nDeadline: 25 October 2018
\nOpen for: UK residents
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nDeborah Rogers Foundation Writers\u2019 Award<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is for unpublished (see guidelines) prose writers who would benefit from financial support to complete their work, in the British Commonwealth and Eire. Send 20-30,000 words of a work in progress, fiction or non-fiction, which is not under contract. Applications are only open to writers who have not previously published or self-published a full-length book of prose (with the exception of a collection of poetry). The judges for this cycle are Ian Rankin\u00a0(Chair),\u00a0Sarah Perry\u00a0and\u00a0Max Porter.
\nValue: \u00a310,000; \u00a31,000 for runners-up
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: Unpublished prose writers in the British Commonwealth and Eire
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

\nKraemer Intergenerational Story Contest
\n<\/strong>They want stories\u00a0about people in skipped, non-adjacent relationships in four ways — the written word (i.e. story, poem, memoir, of up to 500 words), video (i.e. story, song, dance), visual art (i.e. quilt, painting, pottery), or audio clip. The contest rules say they may create subcategories of judging based on ages and abilities, so they encourage everyone to submit. Also, they say they have the non-exclusive right to distribute and publish these works \u2013 it is unclear whether they mean all submissions, or the winning entries.
\nValue: $500; four prizes of $250 each
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Society of Authors: McKitterick Prize
\n<\/strong>This prize is for an author over the age of 40 for a fiction novel, published in the UK, or unpublished. The author must not have had a novel published before, barring works for children. For unpublished manuscripts, submit the first 30 pages. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/strong>Value: \u00a34,000, \u00a31,000
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: Debut novelists over 40
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Society of Authors: The Tom-Gallon Trust Awards
\n<\/strong>This award is for a short story of up to 5,000 words, published or unpublished. Applicants must have had one short story accepted for publication before.
\nValue: \u00a31,000, \u00a3500
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: UK, Commonwealth, or Ireland based authors
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Society of Authors: The Eric Gregory Awards
\n<\/strong>These are for young UK poets, for a collection of poems \u2013 send up to 30 poems to be considered, published or unpublished. The prize purse for these awards is unspecified.
\nValue: Unspecified
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: UK poets aged 30 or under
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nAftermath Short Story Contest: The End of Our World
\n<\/strong>For this contest, they want short fiction on the end of our world \u2013 about the harm that we are doing to our planet and the dire consequences this will have.\u00a0Their guidelines also say, \u201cWhat we don\u2019t like to see are stories that ignore the human causes of our downfall and simply embark on wild post-apocalyptic fantasies. They have no cautionary value. And that is ultimately what all this is about. An attempt to bring humans to their senses, by conceiving the inconceivable, showing them what they are doing and what this is going to do to them and their loved ones.\u201d
\nValue: $1,000, $300, $100
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nJames Tiptree, Jr Literary Award
\n<\/strong>This is for a range of disciplines \u2013 writers, artists, scholars, media makers, remix artists, performers, musicians, or something else entirely. If the applicant\u2019s work is changing the way we think about gender through speculative narrative \u2013 maybe in a form recognizable as the science fiction and fantasy genre, maybe in some other way \u2013 they are eligible. Writers do not have to be a professional or have an institutional affiliation, as they hope to support emerging creators who do not already have institutional support for their work.
\nValue: $500
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nBenjamin Franklin House Literary Prize
\n<\/strong>This prize is for young UK-based writers. They want fiction or non-fiction of 1,000-1,500 words on the relevance of Benjamin Franklin\u2019s relevance in our time. The quote for 2019 is\u00a0\u2018Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults\u2019 — Poor Richard, 1756. <\/strong>Writers are asked to interpret this quote for its significance today. Winning entries will also be published online by The Telegraph.
\nValue: \u00a3750, \u00a3500
\nDeadline: 31 October 2019
\nOpen for: UK writers aged 18-35
\nDetails here<\/a> (scroll down).\n<\/div>\n
\nCommonwealth Writers Short Story Prize
\n<\/strong>This is for writers in the Commonwealth regions of Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, Caribbean, and Pacific. Translated entries are also eligible, as are stories written in the original Bengali, Chinese, French, Greek, Kiswahili, Malay, Portuguese, Samoan, Tamil and Turkish.<\/strong>
\nValue: \u00a35000; \u00a32,500 for regional winners
\nDeadline: 1 November 2019
\nOpen for: Writers in the Commonwealth (see guidelines for the list of countries)
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nAcademy of American Poets: Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize
\n<\/strong>This prize is given to honor exceptional poems that help make real for readers the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment at present. It is for US writers (see guidelines). In addition to the prize money, all three poems will be published in the popular Poem-a-day series.
\nValue: $1,000, $750, $500
\nDeadline: 1 November 2019
\nOpen for: US poets (see guidelines)
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nWeird Christmas Fiction Contest
\n<\/strong>This is a contest for winter holiday short fiction of up to 350 words. Stories should be weird or strange or odd. According to guidelines, \u201cIt can be \u201cHaha!\u201d weird or \u201cOh, Jesus, no!\u201d weird. It can be genre (sf, fantasy, horror\/weird, bizarro, etc.) or it can just be off-kilter. Sentimental is fine, but it better be sentimental in a way that leaves me feeling\u2026uncomfortable. As long as it\u2019s something about the holidays we aren\u2019t expecting, it fits.\u201d Try to avoid evil Santa (or monster Santa or Cthulhu Santa or diabolical Santa) stories. Stories will be published on the website and as a podcast.
\nValue: $50, $25
\nDeadline: 2 November 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nGaius Charles Bolin Dissertation and Post-MFA Fellowships
\n<\/strong>This is for US writers who must be PhD or recent MFA graduates. Their guidelines say, \u201cFellows\u00a0devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work\u2014or in the case of MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios\u2014while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the College\u2019s academic departments or programs. The second year of residency (ideally with degree in hand) is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course.\u201d For post MFA writer applicants, 2-3 short stories, 10-15 poems, or novel passages not to exceed 50 pages is part of the application requirements. The Bolin Fellowships are awarded to applicants from underrepresented groups.
\nValue: $50,000, additional $4,000 for research, other benefits; Residency at Williams College
\nDeadline: 15 November 2019
\nOpen for: US writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nfresh.ink writing contest
\n<\/strong>This contest is for short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels. Writers can enter as many times as they like, and entries can be from anywhere in the world. Writers are free to publish already-published stories. Read the guidelines carefully – fresh.ink is a platform that will connect your writing to beta readers for ratings, engagement analytics, and feedback. According to guidelines, \u201cOur judging process works the same way. Rather than using a small team of editors to decide, we\u2019ll match your work with a subset of readers on our fresh.ink mobile reading app.\u201d\u00a0Writers are rated by the average \u2018completion rate\u2019 (the number of readers who finished reading your story) and star rating. All submissions have to be in US English. They do not offer publishing deals.
\nValue: $3,000 for novels, $2,000 for novellas, $1,500 for novelettes, and $1,000 for short stories
\nDeadline: 1 December 2019
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n
\nBonus: Writers Omi Residency
\n<\/strong>This residency welcomes published writers of every type of literature. All text-based projects \u2013 fiction, non-fiction, theater, film, poetry, etc. \u2013 are eligible.\u00a0It is fully funded, with accommodation, food, and local transport provided. Notable alumni include Booker, PEN\/Faulkner Award, and Commonwealth Prize winners, as well as bestselling authors. A writing sample of up to 50 pages, published or unpublished, is part of the application requirement. Also check out their translation lab. They have residencies for other disciplines as well, including art.
\nValue: Residency at Ledig House, overlooking the Catskill Range
\nDeadline: 15 October 2019
\nOpen for: Published writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n