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As of January 1, 2009, contests will all be listed on the main blog page under the category Contests [Month]. For example, a listing of all contests ending in January can be found by clicking Contests January in the left sidebar. Likewise for all the following months.
I won’t be updating the Fall Contest page any more, however, feel free to click the links below. Many of the contests are annual or quarterly, so when you click on the guidelines link, it may have the new contest guidelines listed.
Happy writing!
October
Zoetrope: All-Story
Entry Fee: $15
Deadline: October 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.all-story.com/contests.cgi
Zoetrope, the highly competitive writers contest accepts fiction entries up to 5,000 words in all genres. Winners may be offered representation by prestigious literary agencies, such as William Morris Agency, Inkwell Management, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, and others. Joyce Carol Oates was the judge in 2007, and the winning entry is linked to the guidelines page. Polish your best prose and send it to Zoetrope: All-Story.
16th Annual Short Story Contest at the Boston Review
Entry Fee: $20
Deadline: October 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://bostonreview.net/about/contest/
The Boston Review, a small political and literary magazine founded in 1975, is looking for literary stories up to 4,000 words. Winners will receive $1,500 and publication in the May/June 2009 issue. The guidelines page has links to the winning essay for each year so you can get an idea of the type of writing that appeals to the judges and editors. Good luck!
Burning the Midnight Oil Poetry Contest
Entry Fee: $5
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.thewritehelper.com/
This website offers courses and writers’ services. With your contest entry, you receive a critique. Caveat emptor: this may be a contest to help the website owner drum up new clients for her services. The winner does receive a cash prize and publication online.
Vancouver International Writers Contest
Entry Fee:$10 Canadian
Deadline: October 26, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/news/writingcontest08
Canadian writers unite! This is the 10th Annual Poetry and Short Story Contest, and writers from any country may enter. It accompanies the Writers Festival held each October on Granville Island. The link for the festival is http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/.
The thing that makes this contest different, is they give you some ideas of how your worked will be judged. Criteria includes originality, imagination, (we’ve all got that, right?), emotion, focus and clarity, (we’ve all learned that in our writing lessons), and an organized, fluid writing style. Prizes are nice. They include publication and a nice chunk of change to the tune of $350 for first prize and $250 for second prize.
Narrative 30 Below Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: October 27, 2008
Guidelines: http://narrativemagazine.com/30-below-story-contest
Narrative Magazine is requesting writers aged 18 to 30 to submit entries to this contest. Prizes total a tidy sum of $2,500. In addition, ten finalists will be selected and announced in the magazine. All entries will be considered for publication, which is quite an award in itself.
Bards and Sages 5th Annual Contest
Entry Fee: $10
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidlelines: http://www.bardsandsages.com/2008contest.html
Blood, fangs, and fire, oh my! Bards and Sages is hosting their 5th anuual speculative fiction contest. This year’s theme is on dragons, vampires, and hybrids. All proceeds from the entry fees go to the Children’s Literacy Initiative, which increases child literacy by providing professional development to teachers. The winning entries will be published in next year’s anthology, and will receive U.S. Series EE Savings Bonds.
Funds for Writers 7th Annual Contest
Entry Fee: FREE or $5 (You choose the level.)
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm
C. Hope Clark, the founder and editor of Funds for Writers is a common sense person. She doesn’t believe you should ever give your writing away, and she has dedicated her business to helping writers earn money and find money through jobs, grants and other means available.
Her contest is also a common sense subject. You choose to write on one of two topics:
The Best Advice I Ever Had And Ignored, or
The Best Advice I Ever Had And Followed.
Your entry is a nonfiction essay of 750 words or less. Entrants will be added to her mailing list, and I can assure you, she gives good information in her FundsforWriters newsletter. Winners receive cash prizes, the amounts based on whether you enter for free or pay the $5 fee.
Narrative Travel Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/information/writers/travel_writing_contest.shtml
What did you do on your summer vacation? If you traveled, here is a chance to share your experience with other travel enthusiasts?
Transitions Abroad, a work, study, and travel webzine, is looking for essays of journeys in other countries for its current contest. They look for writing that is evocative, inspirational and shares the cultural aspects of the country or region.
Last year the editors received over 250 entries. Fifteen of the winners and runners up are posted on the website for your review, so you can get a sense of the editors’ tastes. This year’s theme is “Travel in a Dangerous World.” The winner receive $500 and the runners up receive $50. Be sure to check the website for complete guidelines.
52PerfectDays.com Travel Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.52perfectdays.com/2008-travel-writing-contest
If you have a favorite place to visit, you can write about it and enter this contest. 52PerfectDays.com is looking for travel writing on little known destinations within the United States. In 750-1,000 words, describe your perfect itinerary for your favorite spot. The essay should not be a travelogue, but rather, a guide to the most enjoyable experience in that location. The website has very clear guidelines, so be sure to check them out.
Wild Violet 2008 Writing Contests
Entry Fee: $5
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.wildviolet.net/fictioncontest.html
The Wild Violet Online Literary Magazine is hosting its sixth annual writing contest. Two categories are open: fiction and poetry. Unpublished work is eligible. They also have winning entries posted online for you to examine. Prizes are not mentioned, so if you have more information about this contest, please comment.
November
The First Line
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 1, 2008
Genre: Short Fiction
Guidelines: http://www.thefirstline.com/
“While not the intended effect, the outcome was surprisingly satisfying.”
Write a short story between 300 and 3,000 words that begins with this line, and enter it in the First Line Contest. They run four contests each year, and winners receive cash prizes or subscriptions. Your choice. This is a fun contest to get the creative gears turning.
Lilith Magazine Sixth Annual Fiction Competition
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.lilith.org/writers.htm
Lilith Magazine publishes articles, poetry, and fiction that has to do with the female Jewish experience. All writing should shed light on modern Jewish women. According to their website, they are looking for “unpublished stories with heart, soul, and chutzpah.” Send them your manuscript, up to 3,000 words, for consideration. They also have a concurrent poetry contest with a deadline of November 30, 2008.
Fifth Annual Geist Literal Literary Postcard Contest
Entry Fee: $20
Deadline: November 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.geist.com/postcard-contest
Try to say the name of this contest three times fast. Seriously, this looks like a fun contest. Find a postcard picture to write about, write a flash fiction piece of up to 500 words about the postcard, and send it in to win cash or gifts. First prize is $250, second prize is $150, third prize is $100, and honorable mentions receive Geist gifts. The entries must be mailed to British Columbia, so if you’re mailing from the USA, you’ll want to give the postal service a couple of extra days.
Writers Digest Popular Fiction Awards
Entry Fee: $12.50
Deadline: November 3, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/popularfictionawards
Here’s a short story contest in five popular fiction categories. Choose from Romance, Mystery/Crime Fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense, And Horror. Enter in one category, or enter in them all. Winners receive cash, $100 worth of Writers Digest books, and the 2009 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market. Stories should be 4,000 words or less, and be polished to such a high shine that the judges will need sunglasses to read them.
CREEC Imagine This! Story Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.cfaitc.org/Imaginethis/Imaginethis.php
Teachers in California may recognize CREEC as the California Regional Environmental Education Community. This contest is aimed at students in grades 3-8. The students should write a fiction or nonfiction story about a positive aspect of California agriculture. This is a great way to combine science and writing in your curriculum. Student winners receive a $100 savings bond, the teachers receive $100 in school supplies, and the student, teacher, and parents will be guests at the Awards Ceremony during Agriculture Week. State winners will have their stories published in a book that will be distributed to schools and libraries across California.
Florida Collegiate Honors Council Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 7, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.floridacollegiatehonorscouncil.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=33
This contest is limited to students enrolled in honors programs in Florida colleges and universities. It’s an excellent way to gain scholarship funds. Writing in four different categories, students may submit up to three papers. In addition to cash prizes, winners receive free conference registration to present their papers at the FCHC conference in 2009. These are academic papers, and the writing should be in MLA or APA style.
Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival
Entry Fee: $20
Deadline: November 15, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/article.php?story=fictioncontest
This is a first annual fiction writing contest. Winners will receive cash prizes and publication in the New Orleans Review. They will also receive round trip airfare to attend the festival in March. Entries are open to any fiction writing up to 7,000 words.
Central Coast Writers Spring 2009 Contest
Entry Fee: $15
Deadline: November 15, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.centralcoastwriters.org/2009-spring-contest-rules.htm
The Central Coast Writers of California sponsor this short story and poetry contest each year. The prize is $500 and publication in the Homestead Review, published by Hartnell College. Prose entries are limited to 4,000 words.
Lumina Poetry Contest
Entry Fee: $10
Deadline: November 15, 2008
Guidelines: http://pages.slc.edu/~lumina/contest/
The Graduate Writing Program at Sarah Lawrence College publishes a literary magazine that is sponsoring a poetry contest. The contest is open to anyone who is not a Sarah Lawrence student. The contest this year is being judged by Ilya Kaminsky, an author and winner of many awards. The contest page has a link to his webpage and samples of his poetry. First prize is $500 and publication in Lumina. General submissions outside of the contest are open to fiction and non-fiction September 1 through November 15 of each year.
WOW! Women On Writing Fall Contest
Entry Fee: $10 without critique, $20 with critique
Deadline: November 17, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php
“Create the Space You Deserve: An Artistic Journey to Expressing Yourself Through Your Home” is the prompt for the WOW! Women on Writing Fall Contest. It’s sponsored by skirt! the publisher of a wide variety of books addressing women’s issues. This contest is a way to get noticed by one their editors. It’s open to men and women, so don’t be shy, gentlemen. The $20 fee includes a personalized critique of your work.
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Words of Belief Holiday Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 21, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.wordsofbelief.com/PromoPages/WOBContest.aspx
Words of Belief wants fiction and nonfiction holiday stories for this contest. You may enter up to three stories between 500 and 5,000 words. The Grand Prize is $500, Editor’s Selection Prize is $250, and there will be thirteen finalists be published in the Winter Anthology. All winners receive a hardbound copy of the anthology, and all participants receive an e-book version of the anthology.
Crab Creek Review Writing Contest
Entry Fee: $10
Deadline: November 30, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.crabcreekreview.org/contest.htm
Crab Creek Review is a literary journal accepting submissions now. They are looking for fiction up to 3,000 words in length. First prize is $100 and publication in the magazine. However, all entries will be considered for publication in the Spring/Summer 2009 contest. Sample issues are available at the website for review.
Ramble Underground Winter 2009 Short Fiction Contest
Entry Fee: $6
Deadline: November 15, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.rambleunderground.org/underground_winter06_007.htm
Do you have a short story that doesn’t quite fit into any one market? Perhaps it’s cross-genre, or it’s on the edgy side. This literary zine may be the place where your writing can find a home. Ramble Underground is looking for submissions for their 10th issue of their anthology of short stories. They look for writing that is unusual, that has a new slant on an old topic, or something that hasn’t been done before. Cash prizes are based on the number of entries.
Oceanview Publishing Short Story Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 17, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.oceanviewpub.com/Contest.htm
Oceanview Publishing, a small, independent publisher, is looking for new authors with its first annual short story contest. Do you have a short story with a unique twist to it? According to the website, they want original, unpublished stories between 1,000 and 5,000 words that have “something out of the ordinary” in them. The judges of the contest write science fiction and medical thrillers, so if you write in those genres, you might find a home here. Submit your entries via email, and follow the guidelines carefully. Oceanview Publishing has their catalog online, so taking the time to browse it could be worthwhile.
Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers
Entry Fee: $15
Deadline: November 30, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.glimmertrain.com/shorawfornew2.html
The prestigious Glimmer Train has monthly contests, and November is the Short Story month. It’s open to any writer who has not had fiction published in a magazine or anthology with a circulation of greater than 5,000. Winners receive $1,200 and 20 copies of the magazine. In addition, you may make a standard submission for publication instead of the contest. See the guidelines page for details.
Narrative Magazine Fall Fiction Contest
Entry Fee: $20
Deadline: November 30, 2008
Guidelines: http://narrativemagazine.com/2008-fall-fiction-contest
Narrative Magazine is a literary journal looking for erudite fiction and poetry. They have a story of the week feature, which will help you get a taste for what the editors want. Narrative features writing from famous authors as well as unknown writers. You must sign up at the website to read the stories, but it’s free for access to most features of the magazine. The entry fee to the contest includes access to Narrative Backstage, an exclusive member’s only site.
This contest awards $3,000 for First Prize, $1,500 for Second Prize, $750 for Third Prize, and ten finalists each receive $100. Submissions are only accepted online, so you don’t have to worry about printing and mailing expenses. Polish your prose well, for they expect the best.
December
The Mona Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Nonfiction
Entry Fee: $5
Deadline: December 1, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.brashcyber.com/mona.htm
So a guy walks into a restaurant…Wait. That story has already been written. In Haute Cuisine in Marin County, the winner of this contest in 2007, the author takes an irreverent look at his experiences with the chichi cuisine in upscale restaurants in an upscale county in Northern California. It’s a laugh out loud read, along with several other winning stories at this site.
The founder of this contest teaches and writes humor. Winners that make the judge laugh in 750 words or less take home up to $500 cash and publication online. However, be forewarned. Don’t read Haute Cuisine in Marin County when you’re hungry.
American Short Fiction Story Contest
Entry Fee: $20
Deadline: December 8, 2008
Guidelines: http://americanshortfiction.org/
American Short Fiction is a high quality literary publication that has received two awards from the National Magazine Award in Fiction. Authors that have appeared in the past issues include Ursula K. LeGuin, Louise Erdich, Joyce Carol Oates, and Reynolds Price. The first prize in the contest is $1,000 and publication, so although the entry fee is high, the prize is substantial as well. You may enter an unpublished story up to 6,000 words in length, using their online submission form. The magazine is open to regular submissions on December 1, 2008.
Christmas Holiday Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 15, 2008
Guidelines: http://botothechristmasdolphin.blogspot.com/
The owner of this blog is a microbiologist by day and a writer by night. On a shopping trip one day, he saw a new Christmas ornament, a lighted Christmas dolphin. He named the dolphin Boto. Alas, poor Boto has no life history, no background. Hence, he opened a writing contest for him. The guidelines are vague, and there is no prize, but it sounds like a fun creative writing project. Enter if you have the time to write a short holiday story that will grant Boto a life of his own.
Suspense Magazine First Annual Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 31, 2008
Genre: Suspense/mystery/thriller
Guidelines: http://www.suspensemagazine.com/contest.html
This contest calls for a story between 1,500 and 5,000 words. The submission dates are May 1, 2008 till December 31, 2008. That gives you plenty of time to dream up a killer-diller-thriller. Even better, you may enter as many times as you wish. (Not the same story, mind you.) They don’t have a large stable of authors at this website, so I’m guessing this might be a way to garner some submissions for their magazine.
The winner will receive twelve bestselling books (many or all of them autographed by the authors). Second and third place winners will receive Amazon.com gift cards.
Creative Quills Writing Contests
Entry Fee: $15
Deadline: December 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.creativequills.com
Creative Quills offer a number of contests, in poetry, inspirational essays, and humorous stories or essays. They offer cash awards and online publication. They also offer editing and literary advice. You can check the guidelines online, or mail your entry to:
Andrea Foster, Creative Quills
PO Box 942
Kingfisher, OK 73750.
Lunch Hour Stories Very Short Story Contest
Entry Fee: $5
Deadline: December 31, 2008
Lunch Hour Stories is a new website with stories written for busy readers who want to read an entire story in a few minutes. They have a flash fiction contest running until December 31. Entries can be in several different genres, including poetry, and should be 500 words or less. The winners receive cash and publication in a print anthology. Lunch Hour Stories charges a subscription fee to readers. The good news is, if you have multiple entries, you can purchase a subscription, and your entry fees are waived. More good news is, they accept general submissions year round, and they are a paying market. Check out their blog with tips for writers hoping for publication on their site.
Road Junky 2008 Gonzo Travel Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 31, 2008
Guidelines: http://www.roadjunky.com/about/1684/road-junky-2008-gonzo-travel-writing-contest-hell-trips
Have you ever gone on a trip where everything went wrong? The trip you call your trip from hell? Well, make that terrible trip pay for all the pain and suffering it caused you.
Write about that trip in 800 to 1,500 words, and send it in to the Road Junky contest. First prize is $400, second prize is $200, and third prize is $100. Share your worst travel memory and get paid for it!
