A successful entry in a writing competition can be a significant boost for an author's career, providing exposure and potentially even leading to a publishing deal. They also provide fantastic motivation to get a work finished, to hone your writing, and to test yourself against your peers. Some also offer cash prizes—always welcome! In this list, we showcase over 270 of the best writing contests out there, in a variety of genres.
Categories
Children's Fiction & Nonfiction
Children's & Young Adult Fiction
Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
Adventure Writing
Adventure Writing
Chapbooks
Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest
Children's Fiction & Nonfiction
Mslexia Children’s & Young Adult Novel Competition
Children’s & Young Adult Fiction
Searchlight Writing for Children Awards
Children’s & Young Adult Fiction
Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition
Children's Fiction
Children's Fiction
Cherished Children's Story Contest
Children's Fiction
Children's Fiction
AAWP Slow Canoe Creative Nonfiction Prize
Creative Nonfiction
Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction
Creative Nonfiction
WOW! Women on Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest
Creative Nonfiction
Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award
Crime Novel
St. Martin’s Minotaur/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
Crime Novel
Brandon Langhjelm Memorial Essay Contest
Essay
Essay
Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize
Essay
Kemper Human Rights Education Essay Contests
Essay
KSCPP Essay Contest Essay
Essay
Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest
Essay
Fable
Blue Pencil Agency Pitch Prize
Fiction
Fiction
Fiction
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
Fiction
Killer Nashville Claymore Award
Fiction
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
Fiction
Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize
Fiction
Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition
Fiction
Mslexia Adult Novel Competition
Fiction
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
Fiction
Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest
Fiction
Fiction
Fiction
Fiction
Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize
Fiction
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Friends of American Writers Chicago Adult Literature Award
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Friends of American Writers Chicago Young People's Literature Awards
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Fiction, Essay
Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
Fiction, Nonfiction
Fiction, Nonfiction
Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest
Fiction, Nonfiction
Chanticleer International Book Awards
Fiction, Nonfiction
Fiction, Nonfiction
Fiction, Nonfiction
Fiction, Nonfiction
Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing
Fiction, Nonfiction
Fiction, Nonfiction
Smokelong Quarterly Comedy Prize
Fiction, Nonfiction
Aniko Magazine Flash Fiction Competition
Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition
Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition
Flash Fiction
Fusilli Writing Flash Fiction Competition
Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Quantum Shorts Flash Fiction Contest
Flash Fiction
Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition
Flash Fiction
Voice.Club Flash Fiction Contest
Flash Fiction
WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest
Flash Fiction
Bet Tuppi’s Ancient Near Eastern Historical Fiction Prize
Historical Fiction
Saudi Historical Fiction Awards
Historical Fiction
Historical Nonfiction
Memoir
Memoir
Mslexia Memoir & Life Writing Competition
Memoir
Long Story
Nature Writing
Nonfiction
Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prizes
Nonfiction
Marfield Prize (aka National Award for Arts Writing)
Nonfiction
A Woman's Write Annual Writing Competition
Novel
Novel
Novel
Novel
Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award
Novel
Booksie First Chapter Novel Contest
Novel
Novel
Novel
Novel
Novel
Flash 500 Novel Opening & Synopsis Competition
Novel
Grindstone International Novel Prize
Novel
Novel
James Jones First Novel Fellowship
Novel
Novel
Meet Me at 19th Street’s Competition
Novel
Novel
Novel
VCU Cabell First Novelist Award
Novel
Novella
Novella
Exisle Academy "Passed Down" Writing Competition
Open-Form
Academy of American Poets First Book Award
Poetry
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
Poetry
Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize
Poetry
Poetry
Arts Queensland Val Vallis Award for Unpublished Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Contest
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition
Poetry
Poetry
Guernsey International Poetry Competition
Poetry
Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Joan Eardley Centenary Poetry Competition
Poetry
Poetry
Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition
Poetry
Live Canon International Poetry Competition
Poetry
Luschei Prize for African Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Mslexia Women's Pamphlet Competition
Poetry
Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition
Poetry
Nature and Place Poetry Competition
Poetry
Never Such Innocence Poetry Competition
Poetry
Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition
Poetry
Oxford Brookes International Poetry Competition
Poetry
Parkinson’s Art Charity Poetry Competition
Poetry
PenFluenza Short Story Contest
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry d’Amour Love Poetry Contest
Poetry
Poetry
River Styx International Poetry Contest
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
SAETA Spring Poetry Festival Contest
Poetry
Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition
Poetry
Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival Poetry Competition
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Third Wednesday Annual Poetry Contest
Poetry
Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Poetry
Trio Award for First or Second Book
Poetry
Poetry
Tusculum Review Poetry Chapbook Prize
Poetry
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry
Poetry
Query Letters
Roswell Award & Feminist Futures Award
Science Fiction
Tomorrow Prize & Green Feather Award
Science Fiction
Taking Flight 2022 New Writing Competition
Script Writing
Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
Short Story
Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction
Short Story
Stony Brook $1,000 Short Fiction Prize
Short Story
Short Story
Mary Mccarthy Prize In Short Fiction
Short Story
CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition
Short Story
Short Story
Short Story
Short Story
Short Story
Blackwater Press Short Story Contest
Short Story
Short Story
Short Story
City Academy Short Story Writing Competition
Short Story
Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition
Short Story
Djillong Short Story Competition
Short Story
Écrire! Words Alike Short Story Competition
Short Story
Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest
Short Story
Exisle Academy ‘Undiscovered Gems’ Writing Competition
Short Story
Short Story
Flash 500 Short Stories Competition
Short Story
George Floyd Short Story Competition
Short Story
Grindstone International Short Story Prize
Short Story
Henshaw Short Story Competition
Short Story
Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Writing Competition
Short Story
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
Short Story
Mary River Press Services Short Story Competition
Short Story
Masters Review Winter Short Story Award for New Writers
Short Story
MiNDFOOD Short Story Competition
Short Story
Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing
Short Story
Short Story
Mslexia Short Story Competition
Short Story
Olga Masters Short Story Award
Short Story
Short Story
Short Story
PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers
Short Story
Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition
Short Story
River Styx Microfiction Contest
Short Story
Short Story
Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition
Short Story
Seán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition
Short Story
ServiceScape Short Story Award
Short Story
Shimmering Short Story Contest
Short Story
Short Story
Shooter Short Story Competition
Short Story
Southport Writers’ Circle Short Story Competition
Short Story
Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus
Short Story
Stringybark Times Past Short Story Award
Short Story
Short Story
Wenlock Writers-on-the-Edge Short Story Competition
Short Story
Swoop Books Writing Competitions
Short Story
Do Wha(TS) Creative Writing Contest
Short Story
Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
Short Story
Short Story
To Hull And Back Humorous Short Story Competition
Short Story
Turn Off The Lights Thriller Contest
Thriller
Novel, Short Story, Personal Essays, Reimagined Fairytales, Narrative Nonfiction
Novel, Short Story, Poetry, Prose
Pen Nib International Writing Competition
Poetry, Essay
Orison Prizes in Poetry & Fiction
Poetry, Fiction
Manchester Writing Competition
Poetry, Fiction
Lascaux Prizes in Poetry and Flash Fiction
Poetry, Flash Fiction
Black River Chapbook Competition
Poetry, Prose
Poetry, Prose
SaveAs Writers' International Writing Competition
Poetry, Prose
VISIBLE Poetry and Prose Submissions
Poetry, Prose
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award
Poetry, Short Fiction
Prime Number Magazine Awards for Poetry & Short Fiction
Poetry, Short Fiction
Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest
Poetry, Short Story
Poetry, Short Story
Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest
Poetry, Short Story
Poetry, Short Story
Poetry, Short Story
Poetry, Short Story, Children's Book
Poetry, Short Story, Creative Nonfiction, Novel
Create the Future Writing Competition
Poetry, Short Story, Creative Prose
Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize
Prose
Prose, Fiction, Nonfiction
L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Globe Soup Writing Competitions
Short Memoir, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Travel Writing
Short Story, Flash Fiction, Poetry
Short Story, Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction
Short Story, Novel, Poetry, Literary Nonfiction
Writing Magazine Grand Prize Short Story and Poetry Writing Competition
Short Story, Poetry
Short Story, Poetry, Novel
Travel Writing, Narrative Nonfiction, Fiction, Essay, Poetry
City of Fremantle Hungerford Award
Adult fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction