Below you will find writing contests including fiction contests, poetry competitions, nonfiction awards, book prizes etc. We update it once a month. We only include legitimate and trustworthy competitions with excellent industry reputations. However, it’s important to read the T&C of each opportunity carefully to make sure you understand the rules of the contest you are entering. Reach out to each organizer individually for further clarification of their rules. Happy submitting, and good luck! Reach us at mail@letterreview.com to discuss adding your contest to the list.
Rolling Deadlines (Open Now)
The Letter Review Prize
Genre: Short Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Books
Deadline: Rolling (Every Three Months)
Prizes: $16,000 USD Annually + Publication
Entry Fee: $15 – $25 USD
Enter here
The Poetry.com Contest
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: Rolling (Monthly)
Prizes: $200 – $500
Entry fee: $25
Enter here
The Reedsy Prompts Contest
Genre: Fiction and Short Story
Deadline: Rolling
Prizes: $250 and publication on Reedsy Prompts; $25 credit for Reedsy Marketplace services for shortlisted entries.
Theme: Submission must respond to one of five Reedsy writing prompts.
Entry fee: $5
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
Enter here
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
December 2025
2025 Book Prize (Unleash Press)
Genre: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Short Story
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 and standard publishing contract for the winner, finalists will be considered for publication.
Entry fee: $35
Enter here
Danahy Fiction Prize
Genre: Fiction (Short Stories and Flash Fiction)
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 USD and publication in Tampa Review
Entry Fee: $20 USD (includes a one-year subscription to Tampa Review)
Enter here
Green Stories Writing Competition (University of Southampton)
Genre: Fiction (Short Stories and Novels)
Deadline: Late 2025, contest details to be announced
Prizes: Previously there has been a first prize of £1,000; runner up prize of £500
Theme: Entries should conform with positive visions of more sustainable futures and/or the inclusion of green solutions but needn’t have an explicitly green theme.
Entry fee: None
Enter here
January 2026
The Welkin Writing Prize
Genre: Fiction and Nonfiction (up to 100 words)
Deadline: January 2, 2026 at 15:00 GMT (entries open December 1, 2025)
Prizes: £10 – £50
Entry fee: None
Enter here
The Bridge Prize 2026
Genre: Fiction (Short Stories)
Deadline: January 26, 2026
Prizes: $1,000 CAD – $5,000 CAD
Entry fee: None, only Canadian students eligible
Enter here
February 2026
The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition
Genre: Nonfiction (Essays)
Deadline: February 10, 2026
Prizes: $500 – $1,000 and participation in the Harvard Crimson Summer Journalism Course
Entry fee: None, only open to high school students globally
Enter here
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Genre: Fiction and Nonfiction
Deadline: February 12, 2026
Prizes: $100 – $1,500
Entry fee: $80 per title for the first category entered, and $65 for each additional category entered
Enter here
The Next Generation Short Story Awards
Genre: Fiction (Short Stories)
Deadline: February 26, 2026
Prizes: $75 – $500
Entry fee: $25 per story for the first category entered and $20 for each additional category entered for the same story
Enter here