Writing Contests
Poetry Contests, Fiction Contests, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Essay and Photography Contests, and more! Contests for publications, publishers and universities listed in NewPages.com. Book contests listed separately.
Deadline Dates
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Open or No Deadline Contests
/ Awards for Works Published
Please note dates carefully.
Most recent updated July 22, 2008
The "NEW!"
graphic indicates recently added/updated.
July Deadline
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Comstock Review
The Comstock Review Poetry Contest
Final Judge: Carolyn Forché
Deadline: Postmark July 1 (annual)
Elsewhere Journal
Scott Russell Sander Prize for Nonfiction
Deadline: April 1 - July 4, 2008
Glimmer Train
Fiction Open
Summer Deadline: May 1– July 15 (annual)
Winter Deadline: November 1 - January 15 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Family Matters Contest
Standard Short Story Contest
Deadline: Submit during July only (annual)
Alehouse. Poetry. Deadline 7/1/08
The Baltimore Review. Poetry. Deadline 7/1 (annual)
The Pittsburgh Quarterly. Poetry. Deadline 7/1/08
Literal Latte Magazine. Poetry. Deadline 7/15 (annual)
Post Road Magazine. Fiction, Poetry. Deadline 7/15 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Fiction. Deadline 7/30 (annual)
The Adirondack Review/Black Lawrence Press. Poetry. Deadline 7/31/08
Narrative Magazine. Prose. Deadline 7/31/08
Two
Review. Poetry. Deadline 7/31/08
Whidbey Island Writers Association. Prose, Poetry. Monthly Deadline
August Deadline
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Ecotone
Ecotone Evolution Contest
Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction
Deadline: October 15, 2008 Changed to August 1, 2008
The Malahat Review
Creative Non-fiction Prize
Deadline: Postmark August 1, 2008
Juked
Fiction and Poetry Prizes
Final Judges: Mark Winegardner (fiction) and
Angela Ball (poetry)
Deadline: Postmark August 1, 2008
Rattle
Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark August 1, 2008
Memoir (and)
Nonfiction Prize
Deadline: Postmark May - August 15, 2008
Glimmer Train
Very Short Fiction Award
Deadline: Submit during August only (annual)
Our Stories
Emerging Writers Story Contest
Deadline: June 1 - August 31 (annual)
Feedback provided for all entries
Bellevue Literary Review. Open genre. Deadline 8/1/08
Opium Magazine. Story. Deadline 8/1/08
Gival Press. Fiction. Deadline 8/8/08
Smartish Pace. Poetry. Deadline 8/15 (annual)
The Writers Journal. Fiction. Deadline 8/20 (annual)
Packingtown
Review. Essay. Deadline 8/30/08
Writers' Journal. Poetry. Deadline 8/30 (annual)
Knockout Literary Magazine. Poetry. Deadline 8/31/08
Southern California Review. Fiction. Deadline 8/31/08
September Deadline
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American Literary Review
Short Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry
Deadline: Postmark June 1 - September 1, 2008
Raving Dove
Evolve Beyond Violence Nonfiction Essay Award
Deadline: March 1 - September 1, 2008
Rhino
Founders Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark June 1 - September 1, 2008
Southeast Missouri State University Press
Big Muddy Journal
Mighty River Short Story Contest
Wilda Hearne Flash Fiction Contest
Deadline: September 1, 2008
Glimmer Train
Fiction Open
Deadline: Submit during September only (annual)
Raving Dove
Evolve Beyond Violence Nonfiction Essay Award
Deadline: March 1 - September 30, 2008
The Southwest Review
Morton Marr Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark September 30 (annual)
Newport Review. Flash Fiction. Deadline 9/1/08
Ontario Review. Fiction. Deadline 9/1/08
American Zoetrope. Screenplay. Deadline 9/2/08
Moment. Fiction. Deadline 9/3/08
Hunger Mountain. Nonfiction. Deadline 9/10/08
High Desert Journal. Prose. Deadline 9/15/08
The Missouri Review. Audio, Video. Deadline 9/15/08
Open City. Fiction. Deadline 9/15/08
Literal Latte Magazine. Essay. Deadline 9/20 (annual)
Toasted Cheese. Fiction. Deadline 9/21 +/- (annual)
ARC Poetry Magazine. Poetry. Deadline: 9/30 (annual)
Canadian Writer's Journal. Fiction. Deadline 9/30/08
Swell. Fiction. Deadline 9/30/08
October Deadline
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Black Warrior Review
Fiction and Poetry
Deadline: Postmark May 1 - October 1, 2008
Harpur Palate
The Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry
Deadline: July 1 - October 1 (annual)
Mississippi Review Prize
Fiction and Poetry
Deadline: Postmark April 2 - October 1, 2008
Cutthroat
Joy Harjo Poetry Award and
Rick DeMarinis Short Fiction Award
Deadline: Postmark June 15 - October 10, 2008
Ecotone
Ecotone Evolution Contest
Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction
Deadline: October 15, 2008 Changed to August 1, 2008
Isotope
2008 Editors' Prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry
Deadline: July 1 - October 15, 2008
*Dates as published in Spring/Summer 2008 issue.
Ruminate
Short Story Contest
Deadline: October 15, 2008
So to Speak
Poetry and Nonfiction Contests
Deadline: October 15, 2008
DIAGRAM
Hybrid Essay Contest
Deadline: October 30, 2008
Inkwell
Short Fiction Contest
Poetry Contest
Deadline: Postmark August 1 - October 30, 2008
Glimmer Train
Family Matters Contest
Standard Short Story Contest
Deadline: Submit during October only (annual)
the new renaissance
tnr Poetry Award
The Louise E. Reynolds Memorial Fiction Award
The awards are give for each 3-issue volume of tnr, and only writers published in that volume are eligible.
Deadline: January 2 – June 30 for fiction or poetry;
September 1 – October 31 for fiction only
Alligator Juniper. Prose, Poetry. Deadline 10/1/08
Boston Review. Fiction. Deadline 10/1 (annual)
The Missouri Review. Prose, Poetry. Deadline 10/1 (annual)
Yalobusha Review. Fiction, Poetry. Deadline 10/1/08
Zoetrope
All-Story. Fiction. 10/1/08
University of Louisville. Fiction. Deadline 10/15/08
Press
53. Fiction. Deadline 10/31/08
Press
53. Short- Short Fiction. Deadline 10/31/08
Transitions Abroad. Nonfiction. Deadline 10/31/08
November Deadline
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Anderbo
Poetry Contest
Deadline: Postmark November 1, 2008
Judge: Kim Waller
The Briar Cliff Review
Poetry and Fiction Contest
Deadline: November 1 (annual)
Harpur Palate
The Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry
Deadline: July 1 - Extended to November 1 (annual)
Ruminate
Short Story Contest
Deadline: November 1, 2008
The Tampa Review
Danahy Fiction Prize
Deadline: November 1 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Short Story Award for New Writers
Deadline: Submit during November only (annual)
Compass Rose. Poetry. Deadline 11/1 (annual)
Lilith.
Fiction. Deadline 11/1/08
The Pinch. Poetry, Prose. Deadline 11/1/08
Reed. Poetry. Deadline 11/1/08
Reed. Fiction. Deadline 11/1/08
Smartish Pace. Poetry. Deadline 11/1 (annual)
Sow's Ear Poetry Review. Poetry. Deadline 11/1 (annual)
The Teacher's Voice. Poetry. Deadline 11/1/08
Concrete Wolf. Poetry. Deadline 11/3/08
Moment
Magazine. Short Fiction. Deadline 11/14/08
Blind Man's Rainbow. Poetry. Deadline 11/15 (annual)
Fourth River. Poetry, Nonfiction. Deadline 11/15/08
Hollins University. Poetry. Deadline 11/15 (annual)
Ramble
Underground. Fiction. Deadline 11/15/08
Yemassee Journal. Fiction. Deadline 11/15 (annual)
The Broome Review.
Poetry. Deadline 11/29/08
Lilith.
Poetry. Deadline 11/30/08
Press
53. Poetry. Deadline 11/30/08
Prairie Fire Press. Poetry, Prose. Deadline 11/30/08
Writers' Journal. Photography. Deadline 11/30 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Nonfiction. Deadline 11/30 (annual)
December Deadline
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Phoebe
Winter Fiction Contest
Greg Grummer Poetry Award
Deadline: Postmark December 1 (annual)
Water~Stone Review
Jane Kenyon Poetry Prize
Deadline: November 1 - December 15, 2008
Glimmer Train
Fiction Open
Deadline: Submit during December only (annual)
Alligator Juniper. Photography. Deadline 12/1/08
The Baltimore Review. Fiction. Deadline 12/1 (annual)
The Cream City Review. Prose, Poetry. Deadline 12/1 (annual)
Fiddlehead.
Fiction & Poetry. Deadline 12/1/08
Hunger Mountain. Poetry. Deadline 12/10/08
The Adirondack Review. Photography. Deadline 12/15 (annual)
Chelsea. Poetry. Deadline 12/15 (annual)
The Fiddlehead. Poetry, Fiction. Deadline 12/15 (annual)
Meridian. Fiction, Poetry. Deadline 12/20 (annual)
Toasted Cheese. Fiction. Deadline 12/21 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Poetry. Deadline 12/30 (annual)
The Litchfield Review. Poetry, Prose. Deadline 12/31 (semi-annual)
Lunch Hour Stories. Fiction. Deadline 12/31 (annual)
Perigee. Fiction. Deadline 12/31 (annual)
Press
53. Creative Non-Fiction. Deadline 12/31/08
Press
53. Novella. Deadline 12/31/08
Southern California Review. Poetry. Deadline 12/31/08
January Deadline
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The Journal
William Allen Creative Nonfiction Prize
Deadline: Postmark January 15 (annual)
Chattahoochee Review
Lamar York Prize for Nonfiction
Deadline: October 1 - January 31 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Family Matters Contest
Standard Short Story Contest
Deadline: Submit during January only (annual)
Press
53. Short Fiction. Deadline 1/1/09
Madhatter's Review/Web Del Sol. Video. Deadline 1/1/09
Literal Latte Magazine. Fiction. Deadline 1/15 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Fiction. Deadline 1/30 (annual)
February Deadline
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Glimmer Train
Very Short Fiction Award
Deadline: Submit during February only (annual)
The Madison Review. Poetry, Fiction. Deadline 2/1 (annual)
Yemassee Journal. Poetry. Deadline 2/15 (annual)
Press
53. Genre Fiction. Deadline 2/28/09
March Deadline
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Bayou Magazine
Nonfiction Bonanza
Deadline: Postmark November 15 - March 31 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Fiction Open
Deadline: Submit during March only (annual)
Harpur Palate
The John Gardner Memorial Prize for Fiction
Deadline: January 1 - March 31 (annual)
Shenandoah
The Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers
2006 Prize - Short Fiction; 2007 Prize - Poetry; 2008 Prize - Creative Nonfiction; 2009 Prize - Short Stories
Deadline: March 15 - March 31 (annual)
Flint Hills Review. Nonfiction Deadline 3/15 (annual)
The Pinch. Fiction, Poetry. Deadline 3/15
Toasted Cheese. Fiction. Deadline 3/21 +/- (annual)
Writers' Journal. Fiction. Deadline 3/30 (annual)
Canadian Writer's Journal. Fiction. Deadline 3/31/09
Poetica Magazine. Poetry. Deadline March 31 (annual)
Press
53. Young Writers. Deadline 3/31/09.
Whiskey Island. Poetry, Fiction. Deadline 3/31 (annual)
April Deadline
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sub-TERRAIN
Lush Triumphant
Fiction, Poetry, Creative Non-fiction
Deadline: Postmark April 15 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Family Matters Contest
Standard Short Story Contest
Deadline: April 30 (annual)
The Baltimore Review. Nonfiction. Deadline 4/1 (annual)
Crab Orchard Review. Poetry, Prose. Deadline 4/1 (annual)
Eleventh Muse. Poetry. Deadline 4/1/09
Writers' Journal. Poetry. Deadline 4/30 (annual)
May Deadline
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The Journal
Short Story Contest
Deadline: Postmark May 1 (annual)
The Malahat Review
Far Horizons Award for Fiction
Deadline: Postmark May 1, 2009
(Alternating years fiction/poetry: poetry-2010.)
The Southwest Review
David Nathan Mayerson Prize for Fiction
Deadline: May 1 (annual)
subTerrain
Annual Literary Awards Competition
Fiction, Poetry, Creative Non-fiction
Deadline: Postmark May 15 (annual)
New Letters
Annual Literary Awards Competition
Poetry, Creative Non-Fiction, and Fiction
Deadline: Postmark May 18 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Short Story Award for New Writers
Deadline: Submit during May only (annual)
Blue Collar Review. Poetry. Deadline 5/1 (annual)
The LBJ: Avian Life, Literary Arts. Poetry, Prose.
Deadline 5/15 (annual).
Blind Man's Rainbow. Poetry. Deadline 5/15 (annual)
Dancing Poetry Contest. Poetry. Deadline 5/15 (annual)
Room of One's Own. Fiction, Poetry. Deadline 5/15 (annual)
Vocabula Review. Prose. Deadline 5/30 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Photography. Deadline 5/30 (annual)
Writers' Journal. Fiction. Deadline May 30 (annual)
Perigee. Poetry. Deadline 5/31 (annual)
Runes: A Review of Poetry. Poetry. Deadline 5/31 (annual)
University of Georgia Press. Fiction. Deadline 5/31 (annual)
June Deadline
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Southern Poetry Review
Guy Owen Prize Contest
Deadline: March 1 - June 15 (annual)
Glimmer Train
Fiction Open
Deadline: Submit during June only (annual)
the new renaissance
tnr Poetry Award
The Louise E. Reynolds Memorial Fiction Award
The awards are give for each 3-issue volume of tnr, and only writers published in that volume are eligible.
Deadline: January 2 – June 30 for fiction or poetry;
September 1 – October 31 for fiction only
Boston Review. Poetry. Deadline 6/1 (annual)
Literal Latte Magazine. Fiction. Deadline 6/7 (annual)
Chelsea. Fiction. Deadline 6/15 (annual)
Toasted Cheese. Nonfiction. Deadline 6/21 (annual)
Gival Press. Poetry. Deadline 6/27 (annual)
The Litchfield Review. Poetry, Prose. Deadline 6/30 (semi-annual)
Lunch Hour Stories. Fiction. Deadline 6/30 (annual)
Open Deadline or No Noted Deadline
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Zone 3
Annual Fiction Award
No Deadline
poemeleon. Poetry.
Awards for Published Works
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American Poetry Review
The Jerome J. Shestack Poetry Prizes
Two annual prizes for poetry published in APR dduring the calendar year.
Beloit Poetry Journal
"Awarded to the author of the poem or group of poems that the editors judge to be the most outstanding among those we've published during the previous year."
Michigan Quarterly Review
Lawrence Foundation Prize
"This is not a contest."
Best short story published in MQR the previous year.
the new renaissance
tnr Poetry Award
The Louise E. Reynolds Memorial Fiction Award
The awards are give for each 3-issue volume of tnr, and only writers published in that volume are eligible.
Deadline: January 2 – June 30 for fiction or poetry;
September 1 – October 31 for fiction only
The Paris Review
The Plimpton Prize
Awarded to the best work of fiction published in The Paris Review in a given year by an emerging or previously unpublished writer.
The Paris Review Hadada
Awarded annually to a distinguished member of the literary community who has demonstrated a strong and unique commitment to the literary arts.
PRISM International
The Earle Birney Prize for Poetry
Awarded annually to an outstanding poetry contributor published in PRISM.
Rhino
Annual Editors’ Prizes for works published in Rhino.
Shenandoah
Fiction, Poetry, Essay
Awarded annually to the best author in each genre published during the volume year.
The Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers
Eligibility for 2007 Prize: all writers of POETRY with only one published book in that genre.
Deadline: March 15 to March 31
The Southern Review
The Eudora Welty Prize in Fiction
given to the best short story published in The
Southern Review each volume year
The Robert Penn Warren Prize in Poetry
given to the best poem or group of poems published in
The Southern Review each volume year
The Cleanth Brooks Prize in Nonfiction
given to the best work of nonfiction published in
The Southern Review each volume year
Southwest Review
McGinnis-Ritchie Awards for Fiction and Nonfiction, Essay
Awarded annually to the best genre works published during the previous year in SR's pages.
The Elizabeth Matchett Stover Memorial Award
Awarded to the best poem or group of poems published during the previous year in SR's pages.
Morton Marr Poetry Prize
An annual award to a poem by a writer who has not yet published a first book of poetry.
The David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction
New prize, beginning in 2008, for fiction writers who have not published a first book.
Arc Poetry Magazine. Poetry. Reviews.
Birmingham Poetry Review. Poetry.
Chaffin Journal. Poetry. Fiction
Free Lunch. Poetry.
Hunger Mountain. Open Genre.
Narrative Magazine. Prose.
Pilgrimage. Essay. 2008.
Weber Studies. Poetry, Prose.