"Writing Contests & Writing Competitions in 2022: The Definitive Guide"
"A comprehensive and regularly updated list of writing contests in 2022. Whether you are an aspiring or established author, here you will find a complete list of short story, novel, poetry, books and essay competitions where you can submit your fiction and non-fiction masterpieces for the chance to win great prizes and receive notoriety for your work."
All of our darkest secrets hide in the shadows. What do you see when you turn off the lights? Turn Off The Lights is the biggest writing contest in Inkitt’s history. Let your imagination run free and thrill the 3 million active readers and writers currently on Inkitt. Submit your thriller, mystery, suspense, or horror novel and get the chance to become a published author and win huge cash prizes!
Submit your novel to Inkitt’s monthly Writing Contest for the chance to win cash prizes and exclusive winner’s badges for your books!
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- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- Two $100 second place prizes
The 12th Annual LGBTQ+ Saints and Sinners Short Fiction Writing Contest- The 12th Annual LGBTQ+ Saints and Sinners Short Fiction Writing Contest is now accepting submissions.
- The winner will be selected from submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBTQ+ content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.”
- One grand prize of $500 and two second place prizes of $100 will be awarded.
- The 18th Annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival is March 26-28, 2021 in New Orleans.
- For submission guidelines, please see our website.
- Deadline:
- October 01, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $20
-
- Top Prize
- $400
- Additional Prize
- There are prizes for up to 20 winners.
WOW! Women On Writing Winter 2021 Flash Fiction Contest- Prizes include: $400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
- Additional prizes: There are prizes for up to 20 winners.
- $10 entry fee; critique option for an additional $10
- Deadline: 2/28/2021
- Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words.
- The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants.
- Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints are okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail.
- Open internationally.
- Deadline:
- February 28, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $700
- Additional Prize
- $300 & all three finalists will also be published on the Chopping Blog.
An Axe to Grind—a flash fiction contest by the Darling Axe- Top prize $700 CAD
- 2nd place: $200 = 3rd place: $100
- All three finalists will also be published on the Chopping Blog.
- Tell us a story in fewer than 1000 words.
- Deadline:
- March 31, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $5
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- $350 in cash prizes and publishing contracts
City Limits 2020 Poetry Contest: Words, Words, Words- Our annual poetry contest is now live! This year’s theme is “Words, Words, Words” giving power to three of the most popular literary devices.
- $500 Cash Prize, Collection Publishing Contract, 100 Author Copies (of your collection)
- 2nd- $250 Cash, Publishing Contract, 50 Copies
- 3rd- $100 Cash, Publishing Contract, 20 Copies
- Your poem must include one of the following: Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Personification
- We accept multiple submissions, but each submission will include additional fee.
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $1000
Chapter One Prize for Novelists- The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first chapter of an unpublished novel written in English in any genre for adult or YA readers.
- Submissions must be in English
- With a top prize of $1000 = Additional prizes of $500 for 2nd place and $250 for 3rd place.
- Deadline:
- March 01, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $20
-
- Top Prize
- $2000
- Additional Prize
- Developmental edit and agent consultation
First Pages Prize- Top prize: US$2,000
- Additional prizes: Developmental edit and agent consultation
- Entry fees include $20 ($35 extended deadline)
- First Pages Prize 2021 invites entries of the first 5 pages of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction.
- Open to un-agented writers worldwide.
- This year’s judge is director of the esteemed Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Lan Samantha Chang.
- Deadline:
- February 07, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $20
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- Top Prize
- $1000
- Additional Prize
- 2nd place receives $500 and 3rd place receives $250 USD
Chapter One Prize for NovelistsThe Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first chapter of an unpublished novel written in English in any genre for adult or YA readers. All entries must be in English.
- Deadline:
- March 01, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $20
-
- Top Prize
- $3000
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize: €3000 and publication in "The Moth", 2nd prize: a week-long retreat at Circle of Misse in France plus €250 travel stipend; 3rd prize: €1,000
The Moth Short Story PrizeThe Moth Short Story Prize is open to anyone (over 16) as long as their story is previously unpublished. The word limit is 5,000. This year’s judge is award-winning story writer and novelist Ali Smith. See www.themothmagazine.com for details.
- Deadline:
- June 30, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $15
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- Top Prize
- $399
- Additional Prize
- Top prize also receives a free Bardsy Elite membership for 9 months
Bardsy Holiday Anthology Contest: The GiftsWrite a story about an exchange of gifts. Feel free to think outside the shiny, wrapped box; for example, gifts could mean time or love. Word count: 1,200 to 3,000. 18+ only please.
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- Book illustration (£600 value) + video animation of the story (£3000 value)+ £200 + Publication
ITS Groups Children’s Fiction & Novel Competition 2020- The competition aims to encourage writers of any age (Adult/under18).
- All work submitted for consideration can be on any subject, and written in any style or form, but must be the entrant's own original writing.
- The competition will be judged in two categories
- a) Young Writers (Under 18 years old)
- b) Adults
- Entries must not exceed 500 words, excluding title and headers and footers, written in English.
- First Place Prize: Book illustration + video animation of the story+ £200 + Publication
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- $250 Cash Prize, Publishing Contract, 50 Copies; $100 Cash Prize, Publishing Contract, 20 Copies
Romance Novel Contest with Cash Prize and Publishing Contract!- Top prize: $500 Cash Prize, Publishing Contract, 100 Author Copies
- Additional prizes: $250 Cash Prize, Publishing Contract, 50 Copies; $100 Cash Prize, Publishing Contract, 20 Copies
- City Limits Publishing is hosting a Romance Novel Contest featuring multiple cash prizes and publishing contracts!
- We’re looking for people with already completed works to join our authors.
- Winners will be announced by April 15, 2020.
- Submissions will receive feedback from our judges after our winners have been announced.
- Deadline:
- March 01, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $20
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- Top Prize
- $1000
- Additional Prize
- Publication in the summer 2021 issue of The Caterpillar
The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2021- The prize is for an unpublished poem, written by an adult for children aged 7–11.
- The prize consists of €1,000 plus publication in the summer 2021 issue of The Caterpillar.
- Entrants are welcome from anywhere in the world.
- There is an entry fee of €14 per poem.
- This year’s judge is Michael Morpurgo.
- Deadline: 31 March 2021. See www.thecaterpillarmagazine.com for details.
- Deadline:
- March 31, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- Prizes for up to 20 winners.
WOW! Women On Writing Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest- 1st Place: $500, publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store
- Additional prizes: Prizes for up to 20 winners.
- $12 entry fee; critique option for an additional $13
- Deadline: 1/31/2021
- Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (200 - 1000 words) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more!
- The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives.
- Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints are okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- $12
-
- Top Prize
- $5000
- Additional Prize
- 12 winners selected annually with cash prizes of $1,000, $750 and $500. From the 4 first prize winners, one grand prize winner is selected annually to receive the L. Ron Hubbard Golden Pen Award, and a $5000 cash prize.
Name: Writers of the Future-Stories are judged by leading professional genre authors, including Orson Scott Card, Brandon Sanderson, Kevin J. Anderson, Brian Herbert, Sean Williams, Larry Nevin, Nnedi Okorafore, Kathryn Kress, and many more. (https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writer-judges/)
-All winning stories are published in the annual anthology and you retain the rights to your story. -Submissions open to all countries.
-Stories are judged blind. Authors of every age, gender, race, and nationality compete on equal ground.
-Names and addresses are removed for blind judging based on the merit of the storytelling alone.
-Must be a new author to enter. (https://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules-writers/)
-17,000 word limit.
-Free online writing workshop available to get an edge on the competition.
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $345
- Additional Prize
- Six-month membership in LiteraTea’s Advanced Writers’ Program.
LiteraTea Emerging Writers’ Short Story ContestLiteraTea are looking for submissions to their Emerging Writers Short Story Contest
LiteraTea employs a rolling reading period. Once sufficient qualified entries, around 100, are received, finalists will be selected and announced.
A community reading period follows this announcement, prior to judging. Then, the contest will reset .
LiteraTea's Emerging Writers’ Contest is dedicated to supporting writers who would benefit from our Advanced Writers' Program, LiteraTea's highest membership level.
The word count of your submission should be 1200-3000 words.
Submission is free!
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $300
- Additional Prize
- Book and story winners will all receive coverage/promotion in our newspaper.
21st Century American Writing Contest- Top prize: $300 for books + publication; publication for stories
- Additional prizes: Book and story winners will all receive coverage/promotion in our newspaper.
- Entry fees: $40 for books; $20 for stories
- Only open to entrants from USA.
- Deadline: 4-20-21
- Chi Media Company and its sister company The Milpitas Beat have teamed up to hold the first annual 21st Century American Writing Contest.
- Our aim is to highlight the powerful voices of American writers and provide a platform for their views, insights, and talents.
- Deadline:
- April 20, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $40
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- Top Prize
- $1500
- Additional Prize
- 2nd place: $500, 3rd place $300, finalists $100
The SmokeLong Grand Micro Competition- Top prize: $1500
- Additional prizes: 2nd place: $500, 3rd place $300, finalists $100
- Entry fees: $6 for 1 micro, $10 for 2 micros, $16 up to 4 micros
- Contest is open to submissions wordwide
- Deadline is May 16th, 2021
- The SmokeLong Grand Micro Competition is open for submissions from March 1 to May 16.
- Fiction, non-fiction and hybrid are welcome, also non-Anglo texts accompanied by an English translation.
- Deadline:
- May 16, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $6
-
- Top Prize
- $200
- Additional Prize
- $50 for runner up; book choice for honorable mention
Principia Perspectives Writing ContestPrincipia Perspectives welcomes international students in grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 to participate in their themed creative nonfiction competition. For the 2021 competition, reflect on the theme of family. What have you learned about the role of family? What stories define family for you? Creatively explore this topic using 400-600 words for middle school students and 500-800 words for high school students.
- Deadline:
- April 30, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $20000
- Additional Prize
- 2nd place receives $5,000, 3rd place receives $1,000, and 10 runner ups will receive a year of Vocal+ memberships
Little Black BookPrompt: create a fiction story about someone who unexpectedly comes into $20,000. Whether it involves a mysterious inheritance, a lotto win, or random circumstance, the details are entirely up to you—the only requirement is that at some point in your narrative, whether it’s a major plot point or a minor detail, your story must include a small black notebook. The Little Black Book Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.
- Deadline:
- March 02, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $9
-
- Top Prize
- $1
- Additional Prize
- Top prize receives £1,000 and publication in a short story anthology to be published by Parthian Books.
The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition 2021The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition recognises the very best unpublished short stories in English in any style and on any subject up to a maximum of 5,000 words by writers in / from Wales. • Entrants must have been born in Wales, lived in Wales for 2 years or more or currently be living in Wales. See website for full terms and conditions.
- Deadline:
- March 22, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- $8
-
- Top Prize
- $399
- Additional Prize
- Top prize also includes a free Bardsy Elite membership for 9 months. All finalists will receive a free Bardsy Elite membership for 3 months and publication..
Bardsy Holiday Anthology Contest: The GiftsWrite a story about an exchange of gifts. Feel free to think outside the shiny, wrapped box; for example, gifts could mean time or love. Word count: 1,200 to 3,000. 18+ only please.
- Deadline:
- December 13, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $50
- Additional Prize
- Top Prize: Publication on Intrepid Times and $50NZD
“Become a Published Travel Writer in 2022” Scholarship ProgramWe are inviting three budding travel writers to be coached by Intrepid Times editors and see their work published on Intrepid Times. Winners will be selected before Christmas, and the scholarship program will begin in mid January. If you are accepted and follow the advice of your editor/coach, you can expect to see your article published on IntrepidTimes.com in the first quarter of 2022.
- Deadline:
- December 01, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $250
- Additional Prize
- $100 each for Best of Category; People's Choice Prize; Youth Writer (14 years and younger)
Ethos Literacy Third Annual Short Short Story ContestEthos Literacy - an literacy nonprofit - is hosting its Third Annual Short Short Story Contest. The challenge: write a story using 100 words on one of four topics. The contest supports literacy programming. Winning stories will be published in a digital magazine, and authors will be able to share their work in a webcast.
- Deadline:
- January 31, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $2000
- Additional Prize
- 1000 for three additional categories, plus publication in digital and print
Story of the Year ContestThe annual Story of the Year Contest is seeking fresh, diverse stories that are “easy to read and hard to put down.”
The 2021 competition will run from 11/2/21 to 2/1/22 and will feature 4 distinct categories. Winners will be announced April 5, 2022 to receive $5000 in cash prizes, in addition to publication in both digital and print form.
- Deadline:
- February 01, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $20000
- Additional Prize
- 2nd prize: $10,000 3rd prize: $5,000 1st - 10th place will receive a publishing contract for our app, Galatea.
Turn Off The LightsAll of our darkest secrets hide in the shadows. What do you see when you turn off the lights?
Turn Off The Lights is the biggest writing contest in Inkitt’s history. Let your imagination run free and thrill the 3 million active readers and writers currently on Inkitt. Submit your thriller, mystery, suspense, or horror novel and get the chance to become a published author and win huge cash prizes!
- Deadline:
- February 28, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $50
- Additional Prize
- Featureship on The Rain Fiction Podcast
The Rain Writing Contest #3: Curiosity Killed the CatThe door that leads to a strange, fabulous, and dangerous new world. The farmer who uncovers an ancient relic holding insidious power. The crazed alchemist who comes to a great and terrible epiphany through a dream that may or may not have been his own.
I ask you to submit a short story about a new discovery, invention, or insight that seems wonderful and glamorous on the outside, but which is truly insidious beneath the surface, or which goes terribly awry.
- Deadline:
- January 04, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $100
- Additional Prize
- 2-$50 3-$25
Sages Club New YearWe are the Sages Club, a team of crypto enthusiasts with a passion for literature and currently working on an NFT project. NFTs are a new technology based on the blockchain and used to prove the authenticity and ownership of a digital item – image, sound file or text. We want to write the first crowd created book blockchain based, to give more visibility to literature in this movement. To promote our vision and allow talented writers to discover the NFT space and be part of something different.
- Deadline:
- December 31, 2021
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize also includes: publication, interview, and gift code good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store
WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay ContestSeeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (200 - 1000 words) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives.
Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints/previously published are okay; multiple submissions are okay.
- Deadline:
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize also includes: publication, interview, and gift code good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store. Additional prizes: Prizes for up to 20 winners
WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay ContestSeeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (200 - 1000 words) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives.
Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; reprints/previously published are okay; multiple submissions are okay.
- Deadline:
- January 31, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $12
-
- Top Prize
- $50
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize also includes: eco home bundle and publication in global anthology. All winners will be published in a global anthology alongside experts and changemakers.
Create The Future climate writing and solarpunk competitionCreate The Future is running a free global writing competition to help us imagine a better earth for all. We’d like you to answer the question “What does a sustainable future look like to you? What happens when we dare to dream?” You can interpret this question as loosely as you wish and explore it from any perspective. All shortlisted work will be featured in the final anthology. Check out our instagram @createthefuture.earth for writing prompts and inspiration. New writers encouraged!
- Deadline:
- February 14, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $399
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize also includes: a six-month Bardsy Elite membership. All finalists will be published in the Romance Anthology and receive $50 and three-month membership.
Romance Anthology Contest: Love Is BlindFrom classical Rome to Shakespearean England, and even the present-day La-La Land of reality television, the notion of blind love has resonated through the ages. Write a story where a romantic connection goes beyond the surface. Off-prompt entries will not be considered. 18+ only please. Word count: 1,200 to 3,000.
- Deadline:
- February 10, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $6000
- Additional Prize
- Top prize also includes: Tailored Edit, Agent Consultation
First Pages Prize 2022OPEN TO UN-AGENTED WRITERS WORLDWIDE, THE FIRST PAGES PRIZE INVITES YOU TO ENTER YOUR FIRST FIVE PAGES (1250 WORDS) OF A LONGER WORK OF FICTION OR CREATIVE NONFICTION. THE 2022 PRIZE SUPPORTS FIVE EMERGING WRITERS WITH CASH AWARDS TOTALING $6000, A TAILORED EDIT, & AN AGENT CONSULTATION.
- Deadline:
- April 10, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $20
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- standard royalty contract and publication
Clay Reynolds Novella PrizeEstablished in 2001, The Clay Reynolds Novella Prize highlights one book a year that excels in the novella format. Since 2019 the Prize comes with a $500 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book. Judged this year by Renee Gladman.
- Deadline:
- March 31, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $20
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- $150 for second prize
Writing MAGICAre you an author who loves magic? Do you have an idea for a super short story that needs to be shared with the world? If you answered yes to both of those questions this contest is for you!
The story can be about anything magical. Maybe it’s something that you’ve experienced in real life or it’s something you’ve created. Maybe it’s the start of a great idea. Maybe it’ll be the thing that inspires you to finally publish your book.
- Deadline:
- March 31, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $1000
- Additional Prize
- 2nd place: $450 writing coaching package. 3rd place: $250 developmental or diversity
Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing ContestThe theme is "The power of words". We want to hear your 100 words to remind us of the immense power we have as writers and crafters of words.
- Deadline:
- April 30, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $10
-
- Top Prize
- $200
- Additional Prize
- Two runner up prices: £150 and £100
Science me a StoryThis competition was created by the Society of Spanish researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) with the aim of promoting scientific outreach in a fun and engaging way, appropriate for primary school children. The ultimate goal of the contest is to promote scientific spirit and inspire the generations that will build our future. We hope to achieve this through the communication of scientific achievements, findings, methods, and anecdotes in the form of short stories.
- Deadline:
- April 24, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $399
- Additional Prize
- 1st: publication in our Spring Anthology, and a 6-month Bardsy Elite membership All finalists: will be published, receive $50, and receive a 3-month Bardsy Elite membership.
Bardsy's Spring Anthology Contest: Spring BreakWrite a story involving a break from the ordinary. Think outside the box: it could be a protagonist doing something surprising, visiting an unfamiliar place or any other break you can imagine (orthopedic included!). Word count: 1,200 to 3,000. Must be at least 18 to enter.
- Deadline:
- March 29, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- Free
-
- Top Prize
- $1000
- Additional Prize
- 1st prize: £1000, a free creative writing course of the winners choice and publication on our website. Runners-up: £200 each.
Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2022The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2022 is open for entries from February 25, 2022!
The deadline for receipt of all entries is September 30, 2022 at 4pm (GMT).
Entries will only be accepted through Submittable.
Your story must be written in English. A maximum of 3,000 words. No minimum. Title not included in the word count.
Please submit a typed story in Arial or Times New Roman, 12pt, black. Double spaced.
- Deadline:
- September 30, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $9
-
- Top Prize
- $500
- Additional Prize
- Monetary prizes for winners & runners-up, plus publication in annual anthology.
Literary Taxidermy Writing CompetitionThe Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition invites writers to create original stories and poems using the first & last lines of classic works of literature. This year, we're offering lines from A. A. Milne, Edgar Poe, Langston Hughes, and Agatha Christie. Also, for the first time, we're providing editorial feedback for all the honorable mentions. Finally, we're running this year as a fundraiser for Ukraine.
- Deadline:
- July 11, 2022
- Entry Fee:
- $10