Welcome to my Calendar of free writing contests! Subscribe to the once-a-month newsletter to get updated when this list posts! Dates posted are DUE DATES, unless it is a one-day event. Follow @writevent or search #writevent to see all upcoming contests on Twitter.
Short Stories
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- Opens 4/1 (Ongoing) Writers Games
- 4/15 Everything Change (Up to 5000 words of climate fiction, see site.)
- 4/15 SFF/Horror Parsec Contest (Up to 3500 words on theme “forging.”)
- 4/17 USA Military/Veteran Proud to Be (Up to 5000 words.)
- 4/20 Science Me A Story (Scientific stories up to 4 pages.)
- 4/20 Ecrire Competition (5000-10,000 words on a cause that impassions you.)
- 4/30 South Africa SA Writers College (Up to 2000 words.)
- 5/1 Cuba CINTAS Fellowship
- 5/1 USA:WV West Virginia Fiction Competition
- 5/1 The Hooded (1,000-10,000 words.)
- 5/1 Fantasy Remastered Words (Up to 5000 words.)
- 5/8 RTE Competition (Up to 2000 words.)
- 5/15 Who Among Us (Any length on theme “your predictions for the future.”)
- 5/31 Jerry Jazz (Up to 4000 words regarding the jazz era in the USA.)
- 5/31 USA: Veterans Sharlet Award (Up to 20 pages.)
- 5/31 Diverse Creative Future Award (Up to 2000 words for underrepresented authors on theme “tomorrow.”)
- 6/3 Icelandic at Heart (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 6/20 Sick Cruising Anthology (2,000-10,000 on “cruise ship virus” theme, see site.)
- 6/30 SFF Writers of the Future (1500-17,000 words.)
Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction only. List does not include informative scholarship essays, articles, or journalism.
- 1+ Weekly Contest
- 4/15 Travel Chance Encounters (Up to 1500 words on title theme.)
- 4/17 USA Military/Veteran Proud to Be (Up to 5000 words.)
- 4/30 Women, College, USA/Canada Adler Award (Up to 500 words.)
- 4/30 Preservation Foundation (1,000-10,000 words.)
- 5/31 Age is Just a Number (Up to 1200 words.)
Poetry
Includes poetry collections and chapbooks.
- 1+ Weekly Contest
- 4/15 Gary Fincke Contest (Any length.)
- 4/17 USA Military/Veteran Proud to Be (Up to 3 poems.)
- 4/27 Is Royalty Relevant? (Up to 50 lines regarding real-life royalty.)
- 5/1 Cuba CINTAS Fellowship
- 5/1 erbacce Prize (Up to 5 pages.)
- 5/1 Morris Award (Up to 3 pages on the American South.)
- 5/31 Nonfiction Age is Just a Number (Up to 1200 words.)
- 5/31 Diverse Creative Future Award (Up to 42 lines for underrepresented poets on theme “tomorrow.”)
- 6/3 Icelandic at Heart (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
Flash Fiction
- 10+ Monthly Contests
- 4/14 Bulwer Lytton (50-60 words.)
- 4/17 Sunlight Press (Up to 1000 words.)
Novels and Books (All Ages)
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- 4/13 Secret Agent
- 4/15-17 Diverse Sourcebooks #Ownvoices Pitchfest
- 4/18-19 #RevPit
- 4/22 Diverse #DVPit (YA/Children’s)
- 4/23 Diverse #DVPit (Adult)
- 4/30 Indigenous Utemorrah Award
- 4/30 Christian Words from the King
- 5/1 Cuba CINTAS Fellowship
- 5/1 Immigrant Restless Books Prize
- 5/21 #PitDark (Dark fiction of all stripes.)
- 5/31 TEN Contest
- 5/31 Novella:Mystery Black Orchid Novella Award
- 6/1 Wisteria Publishing Competition (For a book plan; book need not already be finished.)
- 6/4 #PitMad
For Published Writers
Contests for those who have published short stories, essays, novels, or poetry. Submission may or may not be the published work itself, depending on the contest. Does not include contests requiring the publisher to submit.
- None this month (that we could find).
Other
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- 5/4 UK/European Darke Award (Stage play of up to 45 minutes.)
- 5/10 Favorite Meal Photo Story
- 5/15 Road Trip Photo Story
- 5/31 Novella:Mystery Black Orchid Novella Award
Youth
Does not include student scholarship essays, unless they are creative nonfiction.
- 1+ Monthly Contests
- 4/20 CAN Stursberg Prize (Poetry, fiction, personal essays.)
- 4/30 Seaman Award (Poetry, fiction, personal essays.)
