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

 

newThe "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

 

newTwo 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)

 

newPackingtown 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

 

newZoetrope All-Story. Fiction. 10/1/08

 

 

University of Louisville. Fiction. Deadline 10/15/08

 

newPress 53. Fiction. Deadline 10/31/08

 

 

newPress 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)

 

newLilith. 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

 

newMoment 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)

 

newRamble Underground. Fiction. Deadline 11/15/08

 

 

Yemassee Journal. Fiction. Deadline 11/15 (annual)

 

newThe Broome Review. Poetry. Deadline 11/29/08

 

 

newLilith. Poetry. Deadline 11/30/08

 

 

newPress 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)

 

newFiddlehead. 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)

 

newPress 53. Creative Non-Fiction. Deadline 12/31/08

 

 

newPress 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)

 

newPress 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)

 

newPress 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)

 

newPress 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

The Chad Walsh Poetry Prize

"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.