Our Contest Lists database of the best writing contests is updated each month and contains information about a wide range of creative writing contests including fiction competitions, novel contests, poetry awards, nonfiction prizes, and many other varieties of creative writing competition. At Contest Lists we only list contests that have excellent and proven reputations in the industry. We don’t include scammers, meaning our lists are populated with trustworthy and legimate contests. Make sure to contact organizers directly with any queries. Regarding fees: Many legitimate contests charge fees. However it is important to research each opportunity thoroughly to ensure you understand the terms and conditions of each contest.
April 2025
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: April 1, 2025
Prizes: $100 – $2,000 and publication on the Winning Writers site
Entry fee: None
Enter here
Susan Kamil Scholarship for Emerging Writers
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: April 22, 2025
Prizes: $12,500 x 2
Entry fee: None
Eligibility: Writer must be employed at a bookstore or comic shop
Enter here
Florida Review Editor’s Prizes
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 and publication in The Florida Review
Entry fee: $25
Enter here
Writing Fellowship for New Parents
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: April 17, 2025
Prizes: $2,000, publication in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (online and print) and inclusion in the annual anthology, a year of mentorship, and a reading at a Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Fall, 2025
Entry fee: $20
Enter here
Iowa Poetry Prize
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Prizes: Publication by University of Iowa Press under a standard royalty agreement
Entry fee: $20
Enter here
May 2025
Waterston Desert Writing Prize
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Prizes: $3,000, reading and reception at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon on September 25, 2025
Theme: The work must recognize “the vital role deserts play worldwide in the ecosystem and the human narrative”
Entry fee: None
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Noemi Press Book Award
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Prizes: $2,000 and publication by Noemi Press
Entry fee: $25
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Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Prizes: $25,000
Entry fee: $75
Enter here
Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Prizes: $2,000, publication in the Winter 2025-26 issue of Ploughshares, a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management literary agency
Entry fee: $30 (includes 1-year print and digital subscription) or free to current Ploughshares subscribers
Enter here
The Bridport Prize
Genre: Poetry and Fiction (Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel)
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Prizes: £1,000 – £5,000
Entry fee: £11 – £24
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John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize
Genre: Essay
Deadline: (Registration deadline May 31, 2025) June 30, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 – $10,000 scholarship to attend any John Locke Institute program
Theme: Essay must address a listed question (see entry details linked below)
Entry fee: None
Enter here
June 2025
The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition
Genre: Fiction (full-length children’s novel)
Deadline: June 2, 2025
Prizes: A worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £7,500 – £10,000 and a discussion of representation with an agent
Entry fee: £20
Enter here
The International Audio Drama Competition 2026
Genre: Audio Drama Scripts
Deadline: June 4, 2025
Prizes: £2,500 and a trip to London x 2
Entry fee: None
Enter here
2025 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Prizes: £1,000 and publication in Wasafiri magazine, Chapter and Verse or Free Reads mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy (dependent on eligibility), as well as a one-year print subscription to
Wasafiri
Entry fee: £6 – £16
Enter here
The Moth Short Story Prize 2025
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Prizes: 1,000€ – 3,000€
Entry fee: 15€ per story
Enter here
July 2025
2025 HG Wells Short Story Competition
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: July 8, 2025
Prizes: £500 – £1,000 and publication of all shortlisted entries
Theme: “The Middle Ground”
Entry fee: Free – £10
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Rattle Poetry Prize
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: July 15, 2025
Prizes: $500 – $15,000
Entry fee: $30 (includes 1-year subscription) or free to current Rattle magazine subscribers
Enter here
August 2025
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2025
Genre: Poetry and Short Fiction
Deadline: August 31, 2025
Prizes: £2,500 x 2
Entry fee: £12 – £18
Enter here
The Masters Review Summer Short Story Award For New Writers
Genre: Fiction and Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: August 25, 2025
Prizes: $200 – $3,000, online publication in The Masters Review, and an agency review
Entry fee: $20
Enter here
September 2025
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: September 1, 2025
Prizes: $500 – $1,500 and online publication
Entry fee: $15
Enter here
October 2025
Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Competition
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Prizes: $250 – $1,000, publication as an online supplement to the Spring 2025 edition of Zoetrope magazine, and consideration for representation by participating agencies
Entry fee: $30
Enter here
November 2025
John Steinbeck Award For Fiction
Genre: Fiction (Short Story)
Deadline: November 1, 2025
Prizes: $1,000
Entry fee: $20 (includes a free copy of the latest edition of Reed magazine)
Enter here
Gotham Writers Workshop Crossroads Contest
Genre: Fiction (Short Fiction, Flash Fiction), Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Prizes: Publication on the Gotham Writers website and a free Gotham Writers Workshop class
Theme: In 50 words or less, and must be about a “crossroads”
Entry fee: None
Enter here