{"id":9439,"date":"2021-09-24T07:18:30","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T14:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/?p=9439"},"modified":"2021-09-24T07:54:45","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T14:54:45","slug":"31-free-writing-contests-grants-fellowships-up-to-65000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/uncategorized\/31-free-writing-contests-grants-fellowships-up-to-65000\/","title":{"rendered":"31 Free Writing Contests, Grants & Fellowships (Up to $65,000)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are 31 fee-free prizes, grants, and fellowships for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They range from $50 to $65,000. They are, very loosely, divided by geography.\u00a0 \u00a0 – S. Kalekar<\/strong><\/p>\n

CONTESTS OPEN FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS<\/p>\n

The Perito Prize
\n<\/strong>They want fiction of 1,000-2,000 words, centred around the theme of accessibility, inclusion, diversity & inclusive environments. Apart from the cash prize, the winner will also receive mentoring, as will the runners-up. Commended stories will be included in an anthology. Submission is via the Zealous platform.
\nValue: \u00a3500
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\nNoTokens Young Writers\u2019 Prize – Prose
\n<\/strong>This literary magazine wants stories, essays, and hybrid works from writers under 18 years.
\nValue: $300, $200, $100
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: Writers under 18 years
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Camargo Core Program
\n<\/strong>This residency at Cassis, France is for artists (including writers, playwrights and translators) and scholars\/thinkers, to think, create and connect. Applicants should have a publication and\/or grant track record.\u00a0They welcome spouses\/partners and dependent minor children. Fellowships span 6 to 11 weeks.
\nValue: $250 per week, basic coach class travel (see guidelines)
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Getty Scholar Grants
\n<\/strong>These are for researchers of all nationalities who are working in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, for established scholars and writers who have achieved distinction in their fields. Recipients can pursue their own projects free from academic obligations and make use of Getty collections. There are three-, six-, and nine-month residencies.
\nValue: $21,500-65,000, residency
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: Established scholars and writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Furious Gazelle\u2019s 2021 Halloween Writing Contest
\n<\/strong>The Furious Gazelle literary magazine wants submissions of Halloween-themed poetry, fiction, short plays, and creative non-fiction. Each writer can submit either one short story (max 4,000 words) or up to three shorter pieces (any combination of flash pieces \/poems is ok as long as they don\u2019t exceed 3 submissions). Poems shouldn\u2019t exceed one page; flash pieces should be capped at 1,500 words each.
\n<\/strong>Value: $50; $5
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

American Antiquarian Society: Fellowships for Creative and Performing Artists and Writers<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>These are fellowships for historical research by the American Antiquarian Society 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.
\nValue: $2,000 (less room fee in some cases \u2013 see above), residency
\nDeadline: 5 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Embracing Our Differences Quotation Contest
\n<\/strong>Embracing Our Differences is a not-for-profit organization based in Florida that uses art and education to expand consciousness and celebrate human diversity. They want original quotes, of 20 words or fewer, for their 2022 exhibit. Their guidelines say, \u201cA critical part of the impact of the exhibit is the selected quotations from the general public that accompany each piece of artwork.\u201d The theme is \u2018enriching lives through diversity and inclusion.\u2019 They have several ideas on their website to help stimulate your thoughts, including: What does embracing our differences mean to you? What does diversity and inclusion mean to you? Writers can send as many quotations as they like, but they ask that writers submit only up to five quotations at a time.
\nValue: $1,000
\nDeadline: 6 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dream Foundry Short Story Contest
\n<\/strong>They want a speculative fiction story of up to 10,000 words for this contest. It is for beginning professional writers (see guidelines). Also check out their contest for artists.
\nValue: $1,000, $500, $200
\nDeadline: 11 October 2021
\nOpen for: Beginning professional writers
\nDetails here<\/a> (scroll down).<\/p>\n

One Story: Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship
\n<\/strong>This fellowship is for an early-career writer of fiction who has not yet published a book and is not currently nor has ever been enrolled in an MFA program. They are seeking writers whose work speaks to issues and experiences related to inhabiting bodies of difference. This means writing that explores being in a body marked by difference, oppression, violence, or exclusion; often through categories of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, religion, illness, disability, trauma, migration, displacement, dispossession, or imprisonment.\u00a0Apart from the stipend and tuition to attend One Story\u2019s week-long summer writers\u2019 conference in July 2022, it offers free tuition for all One Story online classes and programming; a full manuscript review & consultation with One Story Executive Editor Hannah Tinti (story collection or novel in progress up to 150 pages\/35,000 words). A fiction writing sample of 3,000-5,000 words is part of the submission requirement.
\nValue: Travel stipend ($2,000) and tuition to attend writers\u2019 conference, other benefits (see above)
\nDeadline: 11 October 2021
\nOpen for: Early-career fiction writers (see guidelines)
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Welter 55 Micro Fiction Contest
\n<\/strong>Welter is the literary journal of the University of Baltimore. They want fiction, nonfiction, and prose poetry of 100 words or fewer for this contest. Their guidelines say, \u201cWe are particularly looking for pieces related to the theme of “Home,” but we will consider other pieces. One micro piece will be selected by the editors to be awarded a prize of $100.\u201d They are also accepting unthemed fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art for the online magazine.
\nValue: $100
\nDeadline: 19 October 2021
\nOpen for: Unspecified
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Open Notebook<\/strong><\/em>\/Burroughs Wellcome Fund fellowship
\n<\/strong>This is a global opportunity for early-career science writers. The fellowship is remote and part-time. Fellows will report and write five articles for publication at\u00a0The Open Notebook\u00a0<\/em>with the guidance of a mentor who will help shape story ideas, provide reporting and writing guidance, edit final copy, and offer career-development mentoring. Each fellow will receive a stipend. The fellowship is open to early-career science writers with less than two years of regular professional science writing experience. (Internships and student work do not count toward this requirement). Graduate students in the sciences who are interested in science writing are eligible.
\nValue: $4,000
\nDeadline: 21 October 2021
\nOpen for: Early-career science writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\nThe LoveReading Very Short Story Award
\n<\/strong>LoveReading is a UK-based book recommendation website. They are reading submissions of stories, in any genre, of 600-1,000 words for the award. \u201cWe are looking for exciting, stimulating, original and beautifully written stories that leave a powerful impression on the reader.\u201d They have two awards, a Judges\u2019 Choice and a People\u2019s Choice award.
\nValue: \u00a3300; \u00a3200
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 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. <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Value: \u00a34,000, \u00a31,000
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: Debut novelists over 40
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Otherwise Fellowship (formerly the James Tiptree, Jr Literary Award)
\n<\/strong>The Otherwise Fellowship was previously called the James Tiptree, Jr Literary Award. It 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 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest: Travel Nonfiction
\n<\/strong>They want essays, 1,000-10,000 words, by unpublished writers (see guidelines). They are currently reading for the Travel Nonfiction category \u2013 \u201cStories should be factual and true accounts of a trip taken by the author or a person or persons known by the author.\u201d Please read the guidelines carefully; \u201ccontest runners-up and winners are expected to remain on the site for as long as the Preservation Foundation exists.”
\nValue: $200; $100
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: All unpublished writers (see guidelines)
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Defenestrationism: 2021 Flash Suite Contest
\n<\/strong>This is a contest for at least three flash fiction pieces (up to 1,000 words each) that co-relate in some way. A single piece of the suite may have been published before, otherwise, no previously published material. 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: 1 November 2021
\nOpen for: All writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Malice Domestic Grants for Unpublished Writers
\n<\/strong>This is given to an unpublished writer (see guidelines) in the Malice Domestic genre at each year\u2019s Malice Domestic convention. The\u00a0grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers\u2019 conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of non-fiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses.\u00a0The Malice Domestic genre is loosely described as mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type\u2014i.e. \u201ctraditional mysteries.\u201d These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. See guidelines for additional details and submission requirements. Apart from the cash award, the prize covers a comprehensive registration for the upcoming convention and two nights\u2019 lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals.
\nValue: $2,500, and other expenses \u2013 see above
\n<\/strong>Deadline: 1 November 2021
\nOpen for: Unpublished writers in the Malice Domestic genre
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Black Mountain Institute: Shearing Fellowship
\n<\/strong>This is a residential fellowship for emerging and distinguished writers who have published at least one book with a trade or literary press. Apart from the cash stipend, this fellowship includes:\u00a0a semester-long letter of appointment; eligibility for health coverage; office space in the BMI offices on the campus of UNLV; free housing (fellows cover some utilities) in a unique and vibrant arts complex in the bustling district of downtown Las Vegas. While there are no formal teaching requirements, this is a \u201cworking fellowship\u201d\u00a0(see guidelines). The Believer magazine is associated with this institute.
\n(The page also has details of City of Asylum fellowships, now closed, which provides safe haven for writers whose voices are muffled by censorship, or who are living with the threat of imprisonment or assassination; these are associated with the International Cities of Refuge<\/a> network, which serves as an umbrella organization and information clearinghouse for local asylum programs worldwide \u2013 also see their Residencies, Scholarships, and Grants<\/a> list; some information is dated, but it is a great resource for artists at risk.)
\nValue: $20,000 over 4 months, residency
\nDeadline: 1 November 2021
\nOpen for: Unspecified
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A couple of contests with later deadlines are:<\/strong> the One Teen Short Story Contest<\/strong><\/a>, which is open for short fiction of 2,000-4,500 words by writers ages 13-19 \u2013 prize is $500, and the deadline is 19 November 2021; and St. Martin\u2019s Minotaur\/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition<\/strong><\/a>, an international contest for crime novel manuscripts of approximately 60,000 words, for writers who have never been the author of any published novel in any genre; the prize is an advance of $10,000 against royalties, and the deadline is 17 December 2021.
\nAlso, the deadline for C\u00e9sar Egido Serrano Foundation VI International Short Tales Contest<\/strong><\/a>, which was earlier 30th<\/sup> September 2021, has been postponed. At the time of writing, the new deadline was not yet fixed; see the announcement dated 21st<\/sup> September on their Facebook page<\/a>. This prize pays $20,000 for a microfiction entry of up to 100 words, and writers over 14 years can participate.<\/p>\n

CONTESTS OPEN TO WRITERS IN THE US AND CANADA
\n(Also see \u2018Commonwealth\u2019 category for Canadian writers)<\/strong><\/p>\n

PEN America: US Writers Aid Initiative
\n<\/strong>This is an emergency fund for US-based professional writers with publication history (see guidelines) – fiction and nonfiction authors, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, translators, and journalists. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping them to address an emergency situation. They have various deadlines, through 2021 and 2022; the upcoming one is on 1 October 2021.
\nValue: Unspecified
\nDeadline: 1 October 2021
\nOpen for: US-based professional writers
\nDetails here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Canada Council for the Arts\u2019 Explore and Create Grants
\n<\/strong>These are for Canadian artists, curators and writers (literature includes fiction, poetry, drama, graphic novel, young people\u2019s literature, literary non-fiction, exploratory literary works using new technologies, spoken word creation, storytelling and literary performance). Grants provide support for creative research, creation and project development. Individuals who are Deaf or who have disabilities, including those living with mental illness, and require accommodation at any stage of the application process may be eligible for additional assistance.
\nValue: Up to CAD25,000
\nDeadline: 6 October 2021
\nOpen for: Canadian writers
\nDetails here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship
\n<\/strong>This is for a poet born in the US, who is willing to spend a year outside the continent of North America. While many recent winners have been published poets, there is no requirement that applicants have previously published their work. Applications have to be mailed.
\nValue: Approximately $62,500, adjusted for inflation
\nDeadline: 15 October 2021
\nOpen for: American-born poets
\nDetails here<\/a> (application instructions), here<\/a> (FAQ \u2013 includes link to application form), and here<\/a> (home page).<\/p>\n

The Haven Foundation Grants
\n<\/strong>These grants were instituted by Stephen King after he suffered a debilitating accident. They give financial assistance to help freelance artists and writers who have suffered disabilities or a career-threatening illness, accident, natural disaster or personal catastrophe. They do not give emergency grants or COVID-19 grants.
\nValue: Varying
\nDeadline: 22 October 2021
\nOpen for: Legal US residents
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ECW Press Best New Speculative Novel Contest
\n<\/strong>This is for a speculative fiction novel (YA or adult) of 40,000-150,000 words by a Canadian writer. They have extensive guidelines, including \u201cSpeculative fiction is an umbrella term for fiction that includes elements of the unreal, surreal, and imagined or elements that do not exist in nature or the universe. The speculative fiction category includes fantasy, science fiction, horror, supernatural, superhero, apocalyptic, myth and folklore, magical realism and fabulism, alternate realities\/histories, and more.
\nThis contest places no limits on the strength of the speculative elements present within the manuscript. We also invite genre-bending, genre liminality, and slipstream. This means that speculative elements can interplay with non-speculative themes and genres (e.g. literary speculative, fantasy romance).\u201d Simultaneous submissions to agents are allowed.
\nValue: CAD3,000, publishing contract
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: Canadian writers
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CONTESTS OPEN TO WRITERS IN THE UK & IRELAND, AND THE COMMONWEALTH <\/strong><\/p>\n

Canongate Books: The Nan Shepherd Prize for Nature Writing
\n<\/strong>This is for unpublished UK and Ireland based writers who consider themselves underrepresented in nature writing. Writers need to send a sample chapter of up to 7,000 words as part of the submission.
\nValue: A publishing contract with \u00a310,000 advance, editorial mentoring, literary representation
\nDeadline: 6 October 2021
\nOpen for: Underrepresented UK and Ireland based writers (see guidelines)
\nDetails\u00a0 here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BBC Writers Room: NHS Heroes Casualty Writing Contest
\n<\/strong>This scheme is aimed at finding and developing writers with medical experience who are interested in writing for the medical drama, Casualty. As part of Casualty\u2019s 35th anniversary celebrations they are launching an opportunity for frontline medical professionals to have a chance to write their own shadow episode of Casualty. At least one successful writer will have full access to a BBC script editor and input from the Casualty team into their paid shadow script. See their extensive guidelines for character breakdowns, how the submissions will be assessed, and more. Applicants must submit the first scene of the episode (up to 3 pages), the last scene of the episode (up to 3 pages), a prose account of the story of the episode keeping tightly to the brief above and showing story progression, medical detail and character (up to 2 pages, or 1,000 words). Writers who are short-listed will be required to submit further scenes at that stage. For writing partnerships, the scenes and story outline must be the work of both writers.
\n<\/strong>Value: Fees will be based on the standard shadow script fee for Casualty
\nDeadline: 20 October 2021
\nOpen for: UK\/Ireland residents who are working or have worked in any kind of frontline medical role
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction
\n<\/strong>This contest is organised by the University of Central Lancashire and Comma Press. They want a short story, of 2,000-6,000 words, and this year the theme is Crime Stories.
\nValue: \u00a3500<\/strong>
\nDeadline: 29 October 2021
\nOpen for: UK residents
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 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 2021
\nOpen for: Poets who are British nationals or living in the UK\/North Ireland aged 30 or under
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Society of Authors: The ALCS 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 at least one short story published or accepted for publication.
\nValue: \u00a31,000
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: UK, Commonwealth, or Ireland based authors
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Benjamin 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 this year\u2019s competition is \u2018\u2018Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech.\u2019 — Silence Dogood, No.8, The New-England Courant<\/em> (1722). Writers are asked to interpret this quote for its significance today.
\nValue: \u00a3750, \u00a3500
\nDeadline: 31 October 2021
\nOpen for: UK writers aged 18-35
\nDetails here<\/a> (scroll down).<\/p>\n

The Young Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction
\n<\/strong>This is a prize for young UK writers for two categories, ages 11-15 and 16-19. They want historical fiction of 800-2,000 words. The fiction can be in any form \u2013 a story or an extract from a longer work, a poem or drama script, a fictional diary, letters, or reportage. The story can be set at any time in history, as long as it is an identifiable period before the author was born, in a world recognisably different from the present. They want mailed entries only. The prestigious Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction<\/a> (for books published in the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth) is also open for submissions, with a later deadline.
\nValue: \u00a3500 travel and research grant for two category winners, an invitation to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland, in June 2022 (Covid permitting)
\nDeadline: 1 November 2021
\nOpen for: UK residents aged 11-19
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize
\n<\/strong>This is for writers in the Commonwealth regions of Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, Caribbean, and Pacific. Entries can be in the Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Kiswahili, Malay, Portuguese, Samoan, Tamil and Turkish languages. Translated entries from any language into English are also eligible.
\nValue: \u00a35,000; \u00a32,500 for regional winners
\nDeadline: 1 November 2021
\nOpen for: Writers in the Commonwealth (see guidelines for the list of countries)
\nDetails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Bio:<\/strong>\u00a0S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of\u00a0182 Short Fiction Publishers.<\/a> She can be reached\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are 31 fee-free prizes, grants, and fellowships for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They range from $50 to $65,000. They are, very loosely, divided by geography.\u00a0 \u00a0 – S. Kalekar CONTESTS OPEN FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS The Perito Prize They want fiction of 1,000-2,000 words, centred around the theme of accessibility, inclusion, diversity &…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9439"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9443,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9439\/revisions\/9443"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}