List Of Writing Contests

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A free list of writing contests for creative writers. These listings are organized by deadline and include themes (if any), entry fees, prizes, and URLs. Advertisers are not affiliated with Writer's Relief. 

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Deadline: 5/30/2012
Submit to: Baltimore Review. Online Form
Entry Fee: $10
First Prize: $300 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems, 3 pages MAX), short stories, and creative nonfiction (3,000 words MAX)
URL: Baltimore Review

Deadline: 5/30/2012
Submit to: The Beacon Street Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $500 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems MAX) and fiction (8,000 words MAX)
URL: The Beacon Street Prize

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: 2012 Field Poetry Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $28
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (50 to 80 pages)
URL: 2012 Field Poetry Prize


Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Connecticut Poetry Award, CPS, PO Box 270554, West Hartford, CT 06127
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $400 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems MAX, 80 lines MAX)
URL: Connecticut Poetry Award

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Crab Creek Review Contest. Send via one file. Entry fee payable through PayPal. Email Address
Entry Fee: $10
First Prize: $200 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems MAX)
URL: Crab Creek Review Contest

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Hobart Buffalo Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $16
First Prize: $500 plus publication (six winners are chosen)
Type: Short stories (8,000 words MAX)
URL: Hobart Buffalo Prize


Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Monstrosities of the Midway Contest. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (5 poems, 1 page per poem, 20 pages MAX), fiction, and nonfiction (6,000 words MAX). They want any writing that complicates issues of performance and identity. Real and unreal. Exposed and concealed.
URL: Midway Journal's Contest

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: MoonPath Press, c/o Concrete Wolf, PO Box 1808, Kingston, WA 98346
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: 50 copies of perfect-bound chapbook
Type: Poetry (24 to 38 pages)
URL: Moon Path Press

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Rannu Fund for Writers of Speculative Literature. Submit via email, pasted-in text only. Email Address
Entry Fee: $10 for one entry in *either* fiction or poetry, $15 for one entry in *both* fiction and poetry.
First Prize: $500
Type: Fiction (7,000 words MAX) and poetry (5 poems, 10 pages MAX). Speculative literature: sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, horror, etc.
URL: Rannu Fund for Writers of Speculative Literature

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: River Styx Poetry Contest, 3547 Olive Street, Suite 107, St. Louis, MO 63103-1014
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $1,500 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems MAX; no more than 14 pages)
URL: 2012 International Poetry Contest

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: Sports Poetry & Prose Contest. Submit to Winning Writers, Attn: Sports Poetry & Prose Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3961 Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: Two awards of $1,500 and online publication
Type: Sports: poetry, stories, essays (6,000 words MAX)
URL: Sports Poetry & Prose Contest

Deadline: 5/31/2012
Submit to: The Backwaters Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $25
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (60 to 85 pages)
URL: The Backwaters Prize

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: Boulevard Emerging Poets Contest, PMB 325, 6614 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems MAX)
URL: Boulevard Emerging Poets Contest

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: Fourth and Verse Books, c/o Matthew Ritger, The English Department, 250 Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-3201. Online submissions preferred. Online Form
Entry Fee: $10
First Prize: Publication, 75% royalties (after cost), and 50 copies.
Type: Poetry (15 - 30 pages)
URL: Fourth and Verse Chapbook Prize

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: James DenBoer, Managing Editor, Swan Scythe Press, 515 P Street, Apartment 804, Sacramento, CA 95814
Entry Fee: $16
First Prize: Publication of chapbook and 25 copies
Type: Poetry (20 - 32 pages MAX)
URL: Chapbook Contest

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: Poetry Contest, Boston Review, PO Box 425786, Cambridge, MA 02142. Or send online. Online Form
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $1,500 plus publication
Type: Poetry (5 poems, 10 pages MAX)
URL: Boston Review Fifteenth Annual Poetry Contest

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: St. Martin's Press/ Hillerman Mystery Contest, Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Entry Fee: None
First Prize: Winner is awarded a contract with St. Martin's Press for publication of the novel and $10,000.
Type: Novels (220 pages OR 60,000 words MAX)
URL: 2012 Hillerman Mystery Competition

Deadline: 6/1/2012
Submit to: Tiferet Writing Contest. Online Form
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $400 per genre
Type: Poetry (6 poems) or prose (20 pages).
URL: Tiferet Writing Contest

Deadline: 6/4/2012
Submit to: The MacGuffin/Poet Hunt Contest, Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, MI 48152
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $500
Type: Poetry (5 poems)
URL: The MacGuffin’s National Poet Hunt Contest

Deadline: 6/15/2012
Submit to: Nicole Louise Reid, Editor, RopeWalk Press, University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712. Or send online. Online Form
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $1,000 plus 25 copies
Type: Fiction (45 pages MAX)
URL: RopeWalk Press

Deadline: 6/15/2012
Submit to: The Akron Poetry Prize, The University of Akron Press, 120 E. Mill Street, Suite 415, Akron, OH 44308
Entry Fee: $25
First Prize: $1,500 plus publication
Type: Poetry (48 pages MAX)
URL: The Akron Poetry Prize

Deadline: 6/15/2012
Submit to: The Bitter Oleander Library Of Poetry Book Award, The Bitter Oleander Press, 4983 Tall Oaks Drive, Fayetteville, NY 13066-9776
Entry Fee: $25
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (48 to 80 pages MAX)
URL: The Bitter Oleander Library Of Poetry Book Award

Deadline: 6/15/2012
Submit to: The Writer 2012 Travel Essay Contest. Submission Link
Entry Fee: $10
First Prize: $1,000, plus publication in The Writer magazine, an online class from Gotham Writers' Workshop, and a year's subscription to The Writer
Type: Travel essays (1,200 words MAX)
URL: The Writer 2012 Travel Essay Contest

Deadline: 6/15/2012
Submit to: Veterans’ Contest: Genre Submitting, The Iowa Review, 308 EPB, Iowa City, IA 52242. Or send online. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (20 pages MAX). Writers MUST BE veterans or in active duty.
URL: The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans

Deadline: 6/18/2012
Submit to: THE NEW GUARD, P.O. Box 10612, Portland, ME 04104. Or send online. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15 per genre
First Prize: $1,000 (per genre) plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 prose/narrative poems, 300 lines MAX) and short stories (7,500 words MAX)
URL: The New Guard Contests

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Barrow Street Press Book Contest, PO Box 1558, Kingston, RI 02881 Online Form
Entry Fee: $25 (or $28 if sending online)
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Poetry (50 - 70 pages MAX)
URL: Barrow Street Press Book Contest

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Burnside Review Poetry Chapbook Contest, PO Box 1782, Portland, OR 97207, or via email. Email Address
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $200 plus 10 copies
Type: Poetry (18 to 24 pages)
URL: Burnside Review Poetry Chapbook Contest

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Drue Heinz Literature Prize, University of Pittsburgh Press, 3400 Forbes Avenue, Eureka Building, Fifth Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Entry Fee: None
First Prize: $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract.
Type: Short Stories (150 - 300 pages MAX), one or more novellas (130 pages MAX); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories.
URL: Drue Heinz Literature Prize

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Drue Heinz Literature Prize, University of Pittsburgh Press, 3400 Forbes Avenue, Eureka Building, Fifth Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Entry Fee: None
First Prize: $15,000 plus publication
Type: Fiction manuscripts between 150 and 300 pages (double-spaced).
URL: http://www.upress.pitt.edu/renderhtmlpage.aspx?srchtml=htmlsourcefiles/drueheinz.htm

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse. Submit to Winning Writers, Attn: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3961 Online Form
Entry Fee: $8 for every 25 lines
First Prize: $3,000 and online publication
Type: Poetry: traditional verse forms
URL: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize. Email Address
Entry Fee: None
First Prize: $500, 25 printed copies of the chapbook, and a book contract for the sale of physical and electronic versions of the chapbook.
Type: Poetry (20 to 40 pages MAX)
URL: Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: Women Who Write, P.O. Box 6167, Louisville, KY 40206. Or send online. Online Form
Entry Fee: $12 for each poem or prose piece
First Prize: $300 plus publication and five copies
Type: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (3,000 words MAX). Writers MUST BE women.
URL: Women Who Write International Poetry & Short Prose Contest

Deadline: 6/30/2012
Submit to: ABZ Poetry Prize, ABZ Press, PO Box 2746, Huntington WV 25727-2746
Entry Fee: $30
First Prize: $1,000 and 50 copies of winning book
Type: Poetry (48 - 76 pages)
URL: ABZ Poetry Prize

Deadline: 7/1/2012
Submit to: Betty Gabehart Prize, Kentucky Women Writers Conference, University of Kentucky, 232 East Maxwell Street, Lexington, KY 40506-0344
Entry Fee: $10/poem, story, or essay
First Prize: $200, 2 two-day passes to the conference, opportunity to read the work, space in a small writing workshop
Type: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (6,000 words MAX)
URL: Betty Gabehart Prize

Deadline: 7/1/2012
Submit to: L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest, PO Box 1630, Los Angeles, CA 90078
Entry Fee: None
First Prize: $1,000
Type: Fiction (17,000 words MAX). MUST HAVE fantasy, sci-fi, or horror topics.
URL: L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest

Deadline: 7/1/2012
Submit to: The Saturday Evening Post Fiction Contest. Online Form
Entry Fee: $10
First Prize: $500 plus publication
Type: Short stories (5,000 words MAX)
URL: The Saturday Evening Post Fiction Contest

Deadline: 7/31/2012
Submit to: Augury Books - Editors' Prize in Poetry Online Form
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $750, plus publication and 20 copies
Type: Poetry (45 to 70 pages)
URL: Editors' Prize in Poetry

Deadline: 7/31/2012
Submit to: Creative Nonfiction, Attn: Southern Sin, 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $5,000 plus publication
Type: Essays (4,000 words MAX) on the topic of "Southern Sin"
URL: Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: 7/31/2012
Submit to: Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest. Submission Link
Entry Fee: $5 per poem/$10 per story
First Prize: $250 Poetry, $500 Short Story
Type: Poetry (1 poem/30 lines MAX), Prose (1 short story, 5 pages MAX)
URL: Dream Quest One

Deadline: 8/1/2012
Submit to: Salt Hill's Philip Booth Poetry Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $500 plus publication
Type: Poetry (3 poems)
URL: Salt Hill's Philip Booth Poetry Prize

Deadline: 8/15/2012
Submit to: MYSTERY SHORT STORY CONTEST, New Mexico Magazine, 495 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: Publication in New Mexico Magazine plus two tickets to the awards ceremony at the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference
Type: Short stories (2,500 words MAX). Story MUST take place in New Mexico.
URL: Hillerman Short Story Contest

Deadline: 8/31/2012
Submit to: Gemini Magazine, Flash Fiction Contest, P.O. Box 1485, Onset, MA 02558. Or send via email. Email Address
Entry Fee: $4, $3 for additional story
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Short stories (1,000 words MAX)
URL: Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: 9/1/2012
Submit to: Donna M. Marbach, Palettes & Quills Chapbook Contest, 330 Knickerbocker Avenue, Rochester, NY 14615
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $200 plus 50 copies
Type: Poetry (14 - 50 pages MAX)
URL: Palettes & Quills Third Biennial Poetry Chapbook Competition

Deadline: 10/15/2012
Submit to: Anderbo Self-Published Book Contest, Postal-22, 75 East 4th St, New York, NY 10003
Entry Fee: $20
First Prize: $500 plus excerpt published on the Anderbo.com website
Type: Self-published fiction or nonfiction books (40 pages to judge)
URL: Anderbo Self-Published Book Contest

Deadline: 10/15/2012
Submit to: Ruminate Magazine: William Van Dyke Short Story Prize. Online Form
Entry Fee: $15
First Prize: $1,000 plus publication
Type: Short stories (7,000 words MAX)
URL: William Van Dyke Short Story Prize
A free list of writing contests for creative writers, compiled and updated regularly by Writer’s Relief. This easy-to-skim writing contest list is developed for all levels of writers. You’ll find competitions for poetry, short stories, flash fiction, personal essays, creative nonfiction, fiction, memoir, novels, poetry collections, chapbooks, books of all kinds, and more. Some of these writing contests are free (no entry fee, aka “no fee contests”) and some of them require an entry fee. Prizes often include publication (online or in print) and also some monetary award. Writers must look into and research these writing contests prior to entering them. We hope you enjoy our free writing contests list, and we encourage writers to share these listings with their friends. Learn how you can advertise your writing contest with us and reach our subscribers.