Writing Contests & Writing Competitions in 2019: The Definitive Guide

• The 2020 Heroines Women's Writing Prize are open for submissions, with a particular interest in works exploring: lost women's history, untold stories, reimagined myths, fairy tales, folklore, legends and speculative imaginings
• The prize is open to both short fiction and poetry from writers who identify as women.
• All longlisted entries will be published in the 2020 Heroines Anthology and be paid $25.
• The winning short story will receive $1000 and the poetry winner will receive $500.

• If you have written a poem you think would appeal to 7–11-year olds, The Caterpillar Poetry Prize wants you!
• The prize is open to anyone over the age of 16 and the poem can be on any subject
• The prize will be judged by Roger McGough. McGough has published more than 50 books of adult’s and children’s poetry. He was awarded a CBE for services to poetry and currently hosts Poetry Please on BBC Radio 4.
• The author of the winning poem will receive €1,000, and will feature in the summer 2020 issue of The Caterpillar.

Open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17.

Entry fees, $20, $10, $5

The Leapfrog Press fiction contest brings in about 500 manuscripts each year from as many as 24 countries and all 50 U.S. states, and includes both established and emerging authors. -Adult, young adult, and middle grade novels, novellas, and story collections are accepted (no picture books). -A list of honorable mention, semi-finalist, and finalist manuscripts is announced in June. -Finalists (3-5) will be critiqued this year by author Cris Mazza. -In addition to the critique, finalists receive $150. One or two winners are offered a publication contract with advance.

• The Adventure Writers Competition, sponsored by the Clive Cussler Family, the Clive Cussler Collector's Society, Braveship Books, Venator Media Services and Sven Gillhoolie Publishing is an international competition now in our ninth year.
• We have one category: Adventure, so any novels between 50,000 and 200,000 words that are in the realm of action/adventure/thriller/mystery - and chocked-full of adventure - are welcome.
• We do not accept sci-fi, fantasy, horror or young children's books.
  
• We are open for entries January 1 through April 30 of 2020.

• The 2019 Accenti Writing contest is open for submissions!
• The topic is open, maximum length 2000 words.
• The contest is open to all writers, established and emerging, worldwide.
• First prize is $1000.00 (CDN) and publication in Accenti.
• Two runner-up prizes: $100.00 (CDN) each and publication in Accenti.
• Popular Vote prize: $100.00 (CDN) and publication in Accenti.
• There is a $30 entry fee, non-refundable.
• Deadline: February 3, 2020.
• Visit https://accenti.ca/writing-contest/rules/ for more information.

• The contest is open to women writers, age 40+
  
• Both fiction and non-fiction writers are eligible. Poetry is excluded.
• Application fee is $45, with possible reduction or waiver for pre-approved hardship cases.
• NOTE: Pre-approval is required - see the contest FAQs for details
• Grand prize is $1,000 plus a month-long free residency in the Daisy Pettles' Writer's House, a vintage 1920s arts & crafts bungalow in Bedford, Indiana.
• First runner-up is $250, a certificate, and the residency if the grand prize winner cannot accept.
• Second runner-up is $100 and certificate.
• There are two awards scheduled for 2020.
  
• Application deadline for the June, 2020 residency 2/15/20.
• Application deadline for the July 2020 residency is 4/15/20.

• The L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future writing contest is open to all writers who wish to apply and is held quarterly through-out the year.
• Submissions must be short stories or novelettes (up to 17000 words) in the genre of science fiction or fantasy
• The contest is open to novels or short novels that are not professionally published
• Submitted entrants are limited to one novelette, or three short stories
• Entrants retain all publishing rights
• First Prize: $1000
• Second Prize: $750
• Third Prize: $500
• The contest also offers an additional annual grand prize of $5000 and L. Ron Hubbard Golden Pen Award
• Deadlines: Quarterly

• Women On Writing's Winter 2020 Flash Fiction Contest is seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words.
• Featuring guest judges: Literary Agent Marlo Berliner with the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
• Submissions are accepted via e-mail only and multiple submissions are accepted as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail.
• The contest is open internationally
• 20 winners will be announced; 1st Place: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate 2nd Place: $300, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate 3rd Place: $200, publication, interview and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate 7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards, publication and interview 10 honorable mentions receive $20 Amazon Gift Card Top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW's blog, The Muffin.