200+ Writing Contests to Join in 2023
- By Kotobee
- on Nov 15, 2022
- in Writing Tips
- Last update: April 16th, 2023
- at 8:54 am
Writing could be rewarding in itself, but joining a writing contest could be even more exciting. Whether you need a push to finish your manuscript or want to get better exposure, competing with other writers is a great way to prove your talent and advance in the writing field.
Are you ready to win some awards? Take a look at the writing contests happening in 2023 and start sharpening your skills.
Eligibility & Restrictions
To apply, submit a 10,000 word novel in Englishm with a synopsis of not more than 500 words. Any entries received without a synopsis will be disqualified.The novel can’t have been published by a traditional publishing house. Anyone above 18 can enter. All genres including children’s of Middle Grade (9-12), Young Adult, and New Adult are acceptable.
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The poem/s may be on any subject; 40 lines of text maximum, no minimum. Entries must never have been traditionally published, self-published, published on any website, or broadcasted in any form.
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The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems, totaling ten pages or less.
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Stories and poems must be: unpublished, written in English and up to 2000 words long unless otherwise specified.
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Submit three to five poems totaling up to 10 pages, or a short story or an essay of 1,000 to 8,000 words,
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Submissions must be original, previously unpublished work of fiction, no longer than 7500 words. UNO students and alumni are ineligible. Previous contest winners as well as current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.
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Submissions must be original, previously unpublished poetry. You may submit up to three poems per entry. UNO students and alumni are ineligible to submit. Previous contest winners, along with current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.
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The winning entry is considered for publication in the Carolina Quarterly. Black writers who live in North Carolina are eligible. Submit a short story or essay of up to 3,000 words
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Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted. Entries should be the work of a single author. For fiction: ONE short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For non-fiction: ONE nonfiction piece or book excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For poetry: No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.
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Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.
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To enter the contest, please submit the following: proposal or prospectus for work to be written (one to three pages including basic timeline), resumé, 3 letters of recommendation (sent directly from recommender—the online system will prompt you for their email addresses), and a writing sample of no more than 25 pages.
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Any Subject, Style or Length. Entries Must Be Unpublished. Poems on Personal Blogs Are OK.
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Typically novels around 60,000 – 95,000 words. Submit three chapters* (minimum of 4000 words, maximum 10,000 words). Open to all adults (18+) of any nationality, as long as the submission is in English and has not been published elsewhere.
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The Immerse Education Essay Competition is open to entries from young people aged 12-18 interested in all subjects, from Architecture to Medicine, Creative Writing to Film Studies. If participants are successful, they should be aged 13 and above before the start of their programme.
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Entries must be fictional short stories of up to 2000 words on any theme. All entries must be the original work of the author, must not have been published before the date of submission.
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If a word count is not specified above there is no word count requirement. Recommended length is 5,000 words or less. This contest is open to all members. Past contest winners can join the contest. One entry per person. New entries to the site only. If you already posted a work on FanStory.com that work is not eligible for a contest.
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Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.
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Each entry must incorporate the theme of Local Heroines. All students must be in grades K to 8 and live in the United States. Both the text and art must be solely created by the students. One book entry per person. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number
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Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Frederick) and Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William) are eligible. High School entries must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C. Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Stories must be limited to 4,000 words or less.
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Anyone can enter. Please send as much poetry or prose of which you are the sole author and that were not written earlier than 1999.
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Anyone can enter.
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Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count. Essays must be the original work of the student. Essays must have a minimum of five sources.
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The award is open for any published second novel, which must be a full-length work of fiction. The writer must have been resident in the United Kingdom (UK) or the Republic of Ireland (RoI) for the past three years. Novellas or children’s books are ineligible. Books published with vanity publishers are not eligible.
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The contest is only open to students who live in Oklahoma. Entries are limited to one per student in each contest.
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The competition is open to anyone, except Colorado State University students, alumni, and employees. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. They may be composed of any number of poems. The theme and style are both open. Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished.
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Essays of up to 7500 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 1000 to 2000 words. These include “Close Looks”, in which writers offer in-depth critiques of individual artworks, and “Studio Visit”, in which the writer visits with and interviews a contemporary artist. We welcome essay proposals by Nov. 15 or earlier. Alternatively, you may submit completed works by Jan. 15.
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The story cannot be longer than 100 words. Incorrectly hyphenated words will be counted as two words. Examples: old-man, hot-fire. The title is not included in the word limit.
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Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations).Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.
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Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.
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The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Simultaneous submissions are ok, but please notify them immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 2,000 words.
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The application requires a project proposal, a biographical statement, and a writing sample of no more than 10 pages. Please submit all materials in one document.
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Poems that have previously appeared online (temporarily or permanently, on your own or a third-party site) should not be submitted, nor should work that has already been published electronically or in print. Simultaneous submissions are welcome with timely notification of acceptance elsewhere.
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We’re inviting all high-school-age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 8th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.
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Anyone above 16 can enter. Novella-in-flash entries must not have been previously published in print or online, broadcasted, or won a prize. It must be written in English, between 6,000 and 18,000 words long.
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The book of poetry submitted must be the work of a single author, at least 64 pages long, and published in 2022 by an established press. It is expected that the book will contain both new and previously published poems. Manuscripts, videos, CDs, chapbooks, and self-published books are not eligible, nor are books that have already won an award
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Anyone can enter. The theme of this poetry contest is “faith”.
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The Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate year of secondary education (the equivalent of Y12 in England) and who are interested in studying a humanities or social sciences subject at university. Submitted essays should answer one of the specified questions. Pupils can submit up to 1,500 words.
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Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.
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Plays are adjudicated by at least two theatre professionals and the critique forms are available to the playwrights after the competition, by request. Comedy or drama plays of all types are accepted. Plays that should be staged or that would be loved by audiences. After all, the title is “STAGE IT!”
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In the 1st Round, the maximum length of the stories is 2,500 words. In the 2nd Round, the maximum length is 2,000 words. In the 3rd Round, the maximum length is 1,500 words. In the 4th Round, the maximum length is 1,250 words
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All entries must be in English, typed, unpublished, original, and not scheduled for publication before May, 2022. All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.
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All are welcome to submit: the only stipulation is that applicants must be 18 years of age or over. Responses and the resulting book must be in English.
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All entrants must be aged 18 or over. Stories submitted MUST be your own work and a work of fiction. Stories must not exceed 3000 words, this includes the title. Should your word count exceed 3000 words, it will be disqualified from the competition.
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Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. We are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. All entries should be in English and be accompanied by a short (75 word) biography of the author and postal address. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, broadcasted, or won a prize in another writing competition.
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Short Story: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. They are looking for real storytellers who create great characters to tell them something fresh, and surprise or touch them. Poetry: Up to 42 lines.They are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. Again, this can be about anything that you wish. You may have been inspired by the personal impact of recent world events or you may want to offer a story of hope for the future, the choice is yours.
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Submit your first chapter only. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,000 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction).
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Poetry entries must consist of three poems under 50 lines each. Short stories should be no longer than 2,000 words. The story or poems submitted should not have been accepted for publication elsewhere. There is no restriction on theme or style.
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Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published, accepted for publication in print or online, broadcasted, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time. Length: 11–50 lines.
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The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.
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Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed for the week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable. As long as the original spelling is intact. Poems should be newly written, during this 7-day period. There is no limit to volume of entries. Entrants should be at least 18 years of age at the date of submission.
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Stories must be your own work and not have been published, in any way, online or in print, or won any other competitions. anyone over the age of 18 can enter. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as you withdraw your entry if it wins, or is placed in, any other competition. You can enter as many times as you want but must pay each time.
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To enter, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,023 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.
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The competition is for anyone aged 16 and over. Poems must be in English, your original work, on any subject, in any style, no longer than 40 lines. Poems should have neither been published elsewhere (including self-published) by 18th April 2023. Nor should they be entered into any other competition for which the results will be announced prior to 18th April 2023.
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The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.
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Writing Contest is open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17. Original, unpublished submissions only. Fiction / Nonfiction / Children’s Stories —1500 words maximum. Poetry – 40 lines maximum.
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Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.
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The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional unpublished novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length.
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Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.
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One page—maximum 500 words. Only original, unpublished, unrepresented work may be submitted. Word documents & PDFs are accepted. The winning submissions will be published on the Chopping Blog. All entrants will be notified of winners and shortlist by email.
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Send only one submission per genre at any one time. (In other words, submitting a short story and an essay at the same time is fine, but please wait to hear from us before submitting another story.), All submissions must be typed and all prose double-spaced.
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Students may enter one piece of writing between 500 and 1,000 words in length, typed, and double spaced. Each entry must be original work of the entrant, and have an out door theme.
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Memoirs can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. A 300-word One-Pager (summary of your Memoir). The opening chapters of your Memoir. (5,000 words, max). Entries will be disqualified if they are over the word limit, or have no One-Pager, and there will be no refund.
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The contest is open to K–12th grade students, ages 5–19. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). For ASL poetry, please include a brief written summary of the poem’s content.
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Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “A hard day’s work” .
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Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 40 lines of text, no minimum. Titles, epigraphs, dedications and blank lines are not included in the line count.
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Anyone can enter. Submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition, and remain unpublished until the results are declared. Submissions should not appear in any print or online publication, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), or forums as the competition is anonymous. There is no limit on the number of submissions per competitor.
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Entrants should submit a collection of poems. Manuscripts must be previously unpublished. Some or all of the poems in the collection may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies, but these must be identified. Manuscripts must be at least 48 typed pages. The preferred length is between 60 and 100 pages.
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The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished piece of creative work in one of four categories themed around all aspects of the pandemic including “lockdown”: poetry, short fiction, children’s literature and scriptwriting.
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Entrants must be a high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Students from anywhere in the United States may enter. Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines. No entry may have been previously published.
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Elementary school student stories must be no more than 650 words. Middle school student essays must be no more than 700 words. High school student essays must be no more than 750 words. You must also include a reference list of 3-10 resources. Each resource should be listed using the APA citation style.
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Essay (max. 2,100 words, excl. abstract, bibliography, and footnotes). Individual work expected, no group work allowed. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest. The idea must be the author’s own.
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Writers from 9-17 years of age. Total word count—2500 words or less—placed on upper right-hand corner of page 1 only. Story title must appear on every page—upper left-hand corner.
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Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.
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Be current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2023. Be 21 years of age and under. Plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2023.
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Each entry must include a PDF or a link to the article along with the name, address, e-mail address and telephone number of the entrant, the name of the publication and the date the item was published. Entries must have appeared in print or online between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
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1000 Word limit (not including title page). Name or address cannot be written anywhere. All stories are separated into their respective genres and each compete in a single-elimination tournament specific to its genre.
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Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.
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Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.
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Entrants must be aged 30 years or under at the 7 February 2023 closing date, have been born in Australia or the United Kingdom, or are currently an Australian citizen, and have been living in Australia for the 12 months preceding the 7 February 2023 closing date.
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All 2023 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcasted, or issued between February 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2022.
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The NFPW National Communications contest is a two-tiered competition offering categories across the communication spectrum. This contest is open to anyone regardless of age, gender, professional status or location.
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The 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2021, 2022 or 2023 or with a 2021, 2022 or 2023 copyright date.
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The work you submit must be unpublished, and must not have been accepted for future publication or self-published. In addition, anyone who has previously had a full-length novel accepted for publication is not eligible to enter. Entrants must be resident in the UK or Ireland.
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Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of ‘love’.
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Current and previous apprentices are not eligible. Novelists commercially published (in English) are not eligible. Self published writers are eligible.
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Poetry and prose should be single spaced and in 12pt Times New Roman font. If your poetry or prose is visual (includes drawings or special typography) submit it as a PDF.
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Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.
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Sophomores and juniors in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Nominations should be based on whether the writer exhibits the power to inform and move an audience through language. Entries are only accepted from teachers; students may not self-nominate. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate students. Nominating schools must be US accredited.
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Eighth-grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by a school committee or department. It is recommended nominees be decided upon by several teachers. Students MAY NOT self-nominate. Nominees must demonstrate evidence of effective writing. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate students. Nominating schools must be US accredited.
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U.S. Citizen. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years. Works translated into Spanish from another language are ineligible.
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This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. Length: between 150-250 pages.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone who is an active Greensboro Review subscriber can enter. Entries must be previously unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 pages for fiction; up to 500 words for flash fiction; up to 10 pages for poetry.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. All judges, editorial or administrative employees of Anchorage Daily News, faculty or administrative employees of the University of Alaska and board members of the Alaska Center for the Book, and their immediate family are ineligible. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non-fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in their age group.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Only books published in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the 2023 prize. U.S. Citizens. Books must be published in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Collaborations by up to two translators are eligible.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script as shown in the example) for any medium on any topic.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All students enrolled in grades 9-12 in U.S. public, private and home schools within the United States. Students must submit original work. The essay should be 300-500 words. Entries may be typed or handwritten but must be double-spaced.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Submit a poetry manuscript of 75 to 100 pages. Individual poems included in the submission may have been published, as long as all rights have reverted to the poet.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Both previously published and unpublished works are eligible, provided that potential publication in AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought does not infringe on previously held rights.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 24 February 2023. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 6 words.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Short stories must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 1000 words (8-13 years) or 1500 words (14+). Poems must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 30 lines typed, using a standard, legible font, double-spaced on single sides of A4 paper.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Poems must not exceed 70 lines in length. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome. You should include a short biography of less than 200 words in your cover letter and ensure that it is suitable for publication.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Poems must not exceed 70 lines in length. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome. You should include a short biography of less than 200 words in your cover letter and ensure that it is suitable for publication.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Poems must not exceed 70 lines in length. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome. You should include a short biography of less than 200 words in your cover letter and ensure that it is suitable for publication.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Maximum number of words is 300. The title is not included in the word limit. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology, and therefore must not have been published previously. Fish holds publishing rights for one year after publication, after which publishing rights revert to the author
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Manuscripts must be between 16 and 24 pages in length, in the English language and the sole work of the entrant with no pastiches, translations or versions. The poems can be in verse or prose.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words. There is no minimum word count.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words. The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages. Essays you have written at school are eligible for entry. To enter you must be in year 12 or 13.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to all writers worldwide, published and unpublished, who are over 16 years by 1 September 2022. You do not have to be Scottish to enter the competition. Word limit: 2,000 words (not including the title)
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The Isobel Lodge Award for New Scottish Writing is a special award within the competition that is only open to unpublished writers resident in Scotland on 1 January 2022. If you have a work of fiction that has been published online or in print but were not paid for it by a publisher or competition you can qualify for the Isobel Lodge Award. Writers also qualify if they have self-published a work of fiction. Authors of commercially published non-fiction may also submit stories for the Isobel Lodge Award.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they have been accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only. No word limit.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Short stories: 5000 words/Flash Fiction: 1000 words /Poetry: 240 lines/Scripts: 90 pages, Each submission must be original, unpublished fiction written by the submitting author. Each submission must be entered into one of four categories including: poetry, micro/flash fiction, short stories or script writing.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
You must never have had a publishing contract for any work of fiction over 20,000 words at time of entry. You must not have had any work of fiction over 20,000 words available to the public in the last five years. Manuscript submissions must fall within the prescribed word count limit of 4,500 including synopsis and excluding headings, and cannot exceed it by even a few words.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
This contest is free and open to all self-published authors who meet the requirements. All eBooks submitted to the contest must be: in the poetry or fiction genres, a PDF or an ePUB file, in the English language, an original work that you own the rights to, and written by an African American author born in the U.S.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
25,000 word minimum, 80,000 word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only. The award is open to all women writers with the following exceptions: Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press, employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press, and relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Poems can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Maximum 60 lines. Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Only haiku poems.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entries should address the themes of science fiction/fantasy/horror/science. Limit: 3 poems/person, maximum 60 lines each.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Poems must have a title and must be no more than 40 lines, excluding the title, and be typed in black ink on one side of A4. Poems must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published or published online or broadcast. Poems are judged anonymously so the poet’s name, address, etc., MUST NOT appear on the poem.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
This competition is open to original English language works in the genres of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. The submission must be an unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time of entry. All entries must be written in English. Submissions must be standalone and cannot be extracts from a larger piece. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone above 16 can enter. The title for the competition is “Breaking Point”. Length: max 1500 words. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, commended, long-listed or short-listed in another writing competition.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Open to adults only (i.e. over 16 years of age at the closing date). Word count: A maximum of 2,200 words, excluding the title.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entries should be 750 words or less. Stories can be on any theme. Translated work is not accepted.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains the property of the author.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All women age 40 and above, who do not yet have a book-length publication of fiction, can enter. The author must be unpublished and the entry should be in English.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must have never published a novel, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of America with Green Cards, and may have published any other type of work including non-fiction articles and short stories. A two-page (maximum) outline or synopsis of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. A specific format for the outline or synopsis is not required.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All poems must be written or translated into the English language, 30 lines or fewer, and must be neatly hand printed or typed.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All short stories may be on any subject or theme, written or translated into the English language. For example, any fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, diary, screenwriting, stage plays, and journal entries are accepted.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
TBA (On Mar 6, 2023)
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they be accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. There is an upper limit of 5000 words for short stories. Only unpublished work.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. It should be between 40-100 pages of poetry. Experimental poetry, hybrid work, poetry with a visual element, prose poetry, and any avant-garde poetry are welcomed! Submissions should be primarily in English, but collections with a moderate bilingual component will of course be considered.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
There is no publication date restriction. Submitted work can be fiction (all genres), young adult, children’s, biographies, non-fiction, self-help, cookery, poetry, photography etc. There are no limits on the type.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Poem length is restricted to 60 lines. The title is not included in the word limit, and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Your book must be available for sale by the submission deadline. Put all the categories in which you submit on one Submission Form and be sure to place a copy of the submission form and in each book you send in, one for each category. All titles must have an ISBN and be published books.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entries can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. A 300-word One-Pager (story synopsis). The opening chapters of your Literary novel. (5,000 words, max). Entries will be disqualified if they are over the word limit, or have no One-Pager, and there will be no refund.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Prose poems can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Maximum 50 lines. Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded. (You will have to enter again.)
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must be in kindergarten through twelfth grade, and must be a legal resident of Kentucky. Only single-author stories written within the current school year are eligible.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Submissions shall be no more than 2,500 words in length. Contestants shall be no younger than 14 and no older than 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year and shall reside or attend school in Maryland.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Only unpublished work of a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
You must have a Neovel account. You must write at least 4 chapters before the end of the contest. This contest is open to all audiences. The main character or characters of your entry have to carry out an investigation in relation to a mysterious event.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Only Oklahoma residents are eligible to enter. Poems will be judged in 4 categories: K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th, and Adult. The maximum length for poems is 30 lines. Poems can be rhymed or unrhymed.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Manuscripts must be between forty-eight and ninety pages. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
TBA (On Apr 3, 2023)
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a poem of any type. But there must be a rhyme scheme.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Residents of the following countries are not eligible to enter: Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). You may submit stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Do not include any preambles, or bios within your submitted manuscript. Manuscripts must have a table of contents. Manuscripts must be typed in a no less than 12-point font, paginated, and 48 – 84 pages in length (single spaced).
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Acceptable publishing dates for books submitted for the 2023 President’s Book Awards will be books with a copyright date from 2021 to 2023. There are 37 categories in which you may enter. The same book may be entered in multiple categories.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
For the purposes of this competition, an adventure novel is defined as an original, invented (fictional) prose narrative between 50,000 and 200,000 words dealing with a series of human experiences through a connected sequence of events that are action-adventure in nature.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Word Limit: 100 words or less per entry. Word limit includes the title and introduction, though these are not required. Entry Limit: You may submit as many entries as you’d like, but each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. This is a “New Arrival” contest which is designed to welcome new members to the site.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 40 lines maximum. Only count the lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information. Memoirs/Personal Essay, Nonfiction Essay or Article and Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. The rhyme scheme is abcb.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
TBA (On May 8, 2023)
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All students who are legal US residents or citizens, older than 14 and younger than 19, may apply. Each submission must adhere to the topics and should fully answer the question and all sub-parts. Each submission must adhere to the word limits for each question (between 500 and 800 words).
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they be accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only. While there is no word limit to short fiction entries, most fall within the range of 2000 – 5000 words.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Jan 1, 2020 will be disqualified. All works that have been published must be published after Jan. 1, 2020. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Cover page should include the title, but remove any contact information (name, email address, etc.). Logline and genre on the title page as well is preferred. Co-writers are allowed. List each writer’s name when registering your script. Script should be an original pilot. We will not be accepting spec scripts of existing shows.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Writers above 16 living in Britain and Ireland and British writers living overseas can enter. Entries must be an exclusive effort and writers must not have previously published a novel, (although self-published and ebooks are accepted). Novel entrants who have had other types of books traditionally published e.g. poetry, memoir, non-fiction, are eligible to submit. Length: between 5,000 to 8,000 words.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Short story length: 5000 words max.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Poetry length: 42 lines max.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Flash fiction length: 250 words max.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words. Each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter.Your story must be written in English. A maximum of 3,000 words.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified.
Genre
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All students in school, university, or graduate school can apply. Essays should be directed to a well-informed general audience, not a strictly academic one, and should be based primarily on the student’s own observations, with adequate support from the Jane Austen work under discussion
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Story length: 500 words.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
All students aged 11 – 18 can apply. All entries must be original work in English and not previously submitted. Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division (Creative Writing: up to 750 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 1 page). Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division (Creative Writing: up to 1,250 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 2 pages).
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Submissions are accepted only through the electronic submission system. Submissions through postal services or email aren’t accepted. All manuscripts should be in 12-point type, with at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced. Poetry should be single-spaced.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Submitted stories must: Be between 900 and 5000 words, written in the English language, wholly the original work of the entrant, written solely by the entrant, and the author must own all rights to the story.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Each manuscript should consist of a 20-30 page chapbook in a standard 12-point font. Chapbooks may not have been previously published nor be forthcoming, though individual poems may have been published elsewhere (provided rights have reverted to the author).
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: The house was empty. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. The poem should have three stanzas. The subject can be anything.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
TBA (On Jun 5, 2023)
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.
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Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.
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Anyone can enter. Must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.
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Stories must be no longer than 2,500 words in length. This includes the title. To make this crystal clear, if your entry contains 2,502 words or more, it will be disqualified. There is no minimum word count.
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All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.
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Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.
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Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.
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Anyone can enter. Put your readers on edge or terrorize them.
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TBA (On Jul 3, 2023)
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All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 1000. Minimum words: 200.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
All work must be original and will be checked for plagiarism. Entries should not have been previously published. You may enter one poem and/or one short story only! Poems must be 48 lines or less.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence, please. Published works before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 40,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.
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Anyone can enter. Theme: Detour. Length: maximum 1,000 words. Stories can be a fictional tale or a tale inspired by a true story.
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Anyone can enter. Write exactly 300 words. Title does not count in word count. Fiction or non-fiction welcomed.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified.
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Anyone can enter. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ in English. To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Memories’ with a maximum of 1,500 words.
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Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.
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Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.
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Works may be published on the web or in print or may be non-published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. International entries are accepted but they must be written in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Works must be 10,000 plus words. Works must be 10,000 plus words. You may enter more than one work into a given contest.
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Entry Fee
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 40,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. No restrictions.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.
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Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pubs accepted. Entries must be in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. Works published before December 31, 2018 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs and Word files accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. 20,000+ word count .
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Entry Fee
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Early Readers and Picture Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Works published before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
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Entry Fee
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Eligibility & Restrictions
The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry. a portfolio comprising a minimum of three and a maximum of five poems. There is no minimum or maximum line limit for each individual poem, but the overall maximum length of the poems combined must not exceed 120 lines.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry. a short story of up to 2,500 words in length. There is no minimum word count.
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Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.
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Entry Fee
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
A 100 word elevator pitch of your novel. The opening 5,000 words of your manuscript (10% margin). A 300-400 word synopsis summarising the key plot points of your novel. Please endeavour to submit your novel in Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 or 2.0 line spaced for ease of reading. If this is not possible, please use another easily readable font.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
This contest is for previously unpublished short fiction between 250 and 2500 words in length. Multiple entries are welcomed. Total entries limited to 200.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words OR at least 75 pages for Photobooks, Graphic Books, Charts, and other types of visual books or cookbooks/instructional books (knitting, etc). You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.
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Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
The submitted story must be less than 4,000 words. No previously published work will be considered. The writer’s name and contact information should only appear within the cover letter box in Submittable.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Submit an original, unpublished poem, written in English with a maximum of 40 lines. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. There is no age limit. All poems are judged anonymously and therefore the poet’s name must not appear on the poem itself. Name and contact details should be on the entry form only.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Anyone can enter. Entries may have appeared online in private (password protected) peer review sites, but should not have been published in any commercial online form including blogs or personal websites or accepted for publication elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a one page synopsis of the balance of the story. Entries must be in English.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels must be published: Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Each book in the series must be at least 60,000 plus words. YA and Middle-Grade Works may be less but at least 40,000 words. The first book in the series must have been published AFTER January 1, 2010. You may enter in more than one category. However, each complete series entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.
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Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
Genre
Sub-Genre
Entry Fee
Deadline
Prize
Eligibility & Restrictions
Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose a prompt and write a 800-1,600 word essay.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Your story must be 53 words—no more, no less—titles are not included in the word count. Stories not meeting this rule will be disqualified. Send only stories; poetry with line breaks will not be considered. Hyphenated words count as one word. One submission per person. There are no age restrictions.
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Eligibility & Restrictions
Stories up to 1,000 words long on any theme/genre are welcomed . Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words excluding title. Stories may be submitted at any time as submissions are open on a rolling basis. Stories can be previously published or unpublished, and writers may submit multiple stories for consideration.
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While not all the contests mentioned here will be suitable, there are surely a few that you’ll find inspiring. So check the ones that you are most interested in and start preparing to win some awards!
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Read More
Top 2023 Writing Retreats from All Over the World
Willie Day
December 21, 2022Now that I am in my senior years, I find that I find that I have more time to return to writing stories of which there are many in my head. I think that with some structure like joining a contest or other writing formats, that it would be motivating for me to commit to writing, fiction initially.
Kotobee
April 5, 2023Great to hear that you’re returning to writing! Participating in writing contests can definitely provide structure and motivation to commit. It’s also a great way to receive feedback on your writing and potentially gain recognition for your work.
Best of luck! 🙂
Nelson
January 5, 2023May we please add another writing competition to the list? Here are the details below:
Atlas Shrugged novel Essay Contest
Eligibility and Restrictions: The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose a prompt and write a 800-1,600 word essay. First prize: $10,000; 3 second prizes: $2,000; 5 third prizes: $1,000; 25 finalists: $100; 50 semifinalists: $50. Please visit the website to apply: https://aynrand.org/students/essay-contests/atlas-shrugged/
Genre: Fiction
Sub-Genre: Novel
Entry Fee: Free
Deadline: Nov 6
Prize: 84 cash-prizes up to $10,000
Kotobee
April 5, 2023Thank you for sharing this information about the Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest. We appreciate your contribution to the list of writing contests. The contest looks interesting and we will definitely consider adding it to our list.
Thank you again for bringing it to our attention.
Dearbhaile
February 6, 2023Thank you for featuring the Anthology Short Story Competition! We also have a Poetry Competition that would be worth adding to your list. Here are the details: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/poetry-competition/
Thanks!
Kotobee
April 5, 2023Thank you for bringing this to our attention! We’ll definitely take a look at the Anthology Poetry Competition and consider adding it to our list.
Dearbhaile
April 11, 2023Thank you for listing the Poetry Competition. We have also launched Flash Fiction and Travel Writing competitions this year:
Travel Writing: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/travel-writing-competition/
Flash Fiction: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/flash-fiction-competition/
Would love if you could add them as well! Thank you.
Kotobee
April 11, 2023Sure! Thanks for letting us know about your latest writing contests. We’ll make sure to add both in our next article update.
Alex
October 11, 2023Hello!
If you’re still updating this post, Bardsy has a contest we would love to have on your list!
Here is the contest information and link.
Thank you!
Contest Name: 2023 Winter Anthology Contest: Compelling First Chapters
Grand Prize: $1000 and anthology publication.
Finalist Prize: All finalists will receive $50 and anthology publication.
Prompt: Enter the first chapter of your in-progress novel or memoir. Your goal is to create a sample that compels readers to click buy. That means we’re looking for first chapters that capture our attention and leave us eager to keep reading.
Prerequisites: An original, unpublished first chapter. 2,500-3,000 words. Entrants must be 18+. Please do not send short stories or your entire manuscript. English only.
Deadline: 01/15/24.
Entry Fee: $20
https://bardsy.com/contest
Kotobee
November 1, 2023Hi ALex, thank you for letting us know about your contest. We’ll try to add it in in the next update.