Welcome to /r/WritingContests!

Name of Sponsor / Host:
Nox

Category:
Short story, fiction (character-based storytelling)

Submission Length:
Tasks are limited to 800-1500 words per entry (specific lengths provided for each round).

Entry Fee:
None

Registration Deadline:
October 31, 2024

Eligibility Restrictions:
Participants must be 13+ years old to comply with Discord’s policies. This competition is open to writers worldwide—no other restrictions apply.

Official Guidelines:
Participants create and write original characters to compete in a Hunger Games-inspired narrative. Entries are submitted weekly based on evolving prompts and tasks. Each week’s challenge focuses on different themes and strategies, from alliances and survival to emotional depth and character arcs.

Important Information:

• This is a writing competition hosted on Discord.
• 4 spots remain.
• Participants will interact through their character’s point of view as they progress through the competition. Elimination rounds will occur until one victor remains.
• https://discord.gg/ezkPQkjvxZ is the link to join! :)

Your unconventional writing event is back this November. This contest is focused on helping writers build confidence, writing cadence, and finding communities along the way. In addition to submissions, we also organized free writing workshops for writers to improve their skills.

• Category: all genres welcome
• Registration deadline: 14 November
• Contest submission window: 1-30 November
• Eligibility restrictions: 18+, writing in English or Spanish
• Name of host: t2.world
• Submission length: more than 1000 words/week
• No fee
• Official guidelines
• Registration form
• Any other important information such as eligibility: you need to join with at least 1 friend, if you want to meet new friends, check out the friend-seeking billboard here.

• Organization: Mastermind | Creative Writing Community
• Contest Name: Mastermind Season 8
• Category: Fiction
• Registration/Submission Deadline: Nov 5, 2024 (11:59pm EST)
• Eligibility Restrictions: Standard Proficiency in High School English
• Entry fee: None
• Submission Length: 2000 words Maximum
• Prize/s: $100 USD for 1st place, $50 USD for 2nd and 3rd place
• Link to submission page/official rules:

Official Format and Rules: https://www.mastermindbp.com/discussion-forum/official-mastermind-contests/read-here-first-new-format-and-rules-for-seasons-8

Current Season Submission Thread: https://www.mastermindbp.com/discussion-forum/official-mastermind-contests/mastermind-season-8-submission-thread

• Other information:

Please click on the link to the Current Season Submission Thread to see the prompt. In order to submit a response, all contestants are required to create an account on our website https://www.mastermindbp.com and must follow all instructions on the season 8 submission thread.

Hi everyone - sharing details of Simily's first ever fiction short story contest!!

CASH PRIZE OF $1,000

Simily Fiction Short Story Contest

• Category: Fiction
• Prize: $1,000 cash
• Submission Deadline: November 1, 2024
• Contest: Simily Fiction Short Story Contest
• Entry Fee: $20 Early Bird, $35 regular
• Full Eligibility and Details Here: https://simily.co/simily-contest/
• Enter Here: https://buy.stripe.com/9AQcMMgQBgrp5SE6oq

Writer Advice’s Current Contest, www.writeradvice.com, seeks Micro Fiction, including “dribbles” (exactly 50 words), “drabbles” (exactly 100 words) and any fiction (or fictionalized but true experience) up to 500 words. Deadline is 12/02/24. Details, tips, tiered fees, and prizes explained at https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/

The Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award 2024 is open for submissions. The competition is open to any poet who writes in English. Previously published poems with proper acknowledgment are acceptable. Translations and previously self-published books are not eligible. Poets should submit forty-eight to seventy (48-70) pages (no more than one poem per page) and a $30 reading fee. Winner receives 25 copies of the published book and $1,000.

Submit here via Submittable.

3rd semi-annual Dead Cat Poetry Prize: a call for loving poems about dearly-departed cats. (We kept hearing of editors complaining about the vast quantities of poems they receive about dead cats. We thought it was time that this eternal human passion was celebrated.)

Entry fee: free to enter, donations gratefully accepted and go towards the prize fund.

Prizes: £75, £30 & £15

Maximum length: 60 lines, must fit on 2 pages.

Open to: International (Poems must be in English, or include a translation.) Ages 16+. Authors retain rights to their work; by entering, you agree that we may publish your poem on our site.

Deadline: 17th March 2025 by 11:59 pm GMT.

See our website for rules, FAQs, and previous winning poems.

Registration is 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 for the inaugural 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭 𝟓𝟎𝟎!

For fans of weekend-long, timed writing contests like 24-hour playwriting competitions, the 48-Hour Film Festival, and NYC Midnight: we’re a 48-hour, 500-word flash fiction competition open to writers of all ages from around the world. Entrants will receive a prompt that includes a genre, an item, and a short phrase (all randomly chosen from a hat), and will then have 48 hours to submit a story incorporating those elements into their piece. We have $𝟐,𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 to give out, including a $𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞, and we’d love for you to join us!

The prompt will be sent out just before midnight Central time (UTC-6) on 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, and the 500-word story is due back to us on January 19. Excited? We are too! You can read about all of the contest details at our website, and sign up here: https://www.jerboalit.com/registration

It’s going to be a blast, and we can’t wait to read what you come up with!—Hallie and David, the Jerboa Lit team

Flash fiction writers! We're Jerboa Lit, a new flash fiction contest opening for registration this October. All entrants will receive a random prompt including a genre, an item, and a phrase (chosen out of our coveted Video Hat), all of which must be incorporated into a short story of 500 words to be submitted 48 hours later. Winners split $2,200 in cash prizes!

If that sounds fun (and we hope it does), registration will open in October, but you can sign up for newsletters here: www.jerboalit.com

Jerboa Lit, LLC! This small desert mouse reading a book wants to be reading your flash fiction!

Story Street Writers is proud to announce our first annual Hundred Word Horror fiction contest. The winner will be announced on October 31, naturally, and will pick up a $100 prize and publication in the Story Street Review online. The three runners-up will also be published, each receiving a $25 prize. The contest opens for entries on September 15 and runs through September 30. 

For full contest rules and details, visit: https://storystreetwriters.com/word-on-the-street/first-annual-hundred-word-horror-contest/ 

Has anyone heard back from this competition yet? They're releasing the short list tomorrow. They haven't declined my story in submittable, it still says 'in progress' so I'm hoping that's a good sign I could be on a longlist? I've never entered this competition before so I'm not sure they send rejections before the announcement

Hello! I am excited to announce that there is a poetry competition being held on the topic of Improper Health Resources for Children by Health Goes Global. Here is some more info:

Topic: Improper Health Resources for Children

Due Date: September 25th

Fee: $10 (all proceeds go to helping underserved communities, its for a good cause!!)

Applicability: Age 13-18

Prize:

1st place winner: 50 dollar gift card

2nd place winner : 25 dollar gift card

Character max count: 1500 (quality over quantity)!

Link to sign up: https://forms.gle/ZQdMTwGwY2BL2A4S9

• Host: Mastermind | Creative Writing Community

• Category: Sci-fi fiction writing

• Submission length: 2000 words per submission

• Entry fee: Free (you must make an account for free to post as a member on the website)

• Deadline: Writing Challenge released on September 1st 2024, Submissions accepted until September 14th, 2024.

• Entry fee: Free

• Prize/s: 1st place is awarded a $100 USD scholarship, 2nd and 3rd placers are awarded a $50 USD scholarship each. Prize winners will be contacted by email.

• Link to official guidelines, rules, and announcement thread:

Mastermind Seasons 7+ Format and Rules: https://www.mastermindbp.com/discussion-forum/official-mastermind-contests/read-here-first-new-format-and-rules-for-seasons-7

Mastermind Season 7 Announcement Thread: https://www.mastermindbp.com/discussion-forum/official-mastermind-contests/mastermind-season-7-announcement-thread

• Other information:

Please note that every one who wishes to participate on our Mastermind Creative Writing Community website is required to make an account (it is free).

Please also note that this season's Writing Challenge Prompt will be released on September 1st, 2024 at 12:00am EST.

Scores will be assigned by judge(s) based on the following marking criteria:

Communication /20  

Creativity /20

Total /40

Communication:

• For example, how well does the submission follow conventions of spelling, grammar, and structure? Are all formatting points followed?

Creativity:

• For example, how interesting are the ideas? How well are they executed?

These are not exhaustive lists of what we are looking for in your submissions, but they should give some basic idea of what we expect.

Finally, here is also a link to our community Discord (the competition will NOT be hosted on Discord):

https://discord.gg/xkXqs7YwhF

Longlist is announced in August- presumably to all entrants, but I haven't seen it yet and they don't reply to emails. Anyone?

In a world where silicone meets flesh let your imagination cook like an overclocked hard drive. What would a symbiosis of the organic and technological look like? A glorious harmony or an insidious parasitism? How would it change the world around you? Write a story about cyborgs and implantable technology for your chance to win $250 in the Summer of Cyborgs Writing Contest!

https://symbiontlabs.io/blogs/news/writers-wanted-summer-of-cyborgs-writing-contest

For the first time in 3 years, After Dinner Conversation is caught up on reading our submissions. If you are looking to submit, now would be a great time.

We focus on short story (1500-7500 words) fiction that has an ethical or philosophical bend. Think “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by the amazing Ursula K. Le Guin. Or, if you are a movie person, think Ex Machina, Blade Runner, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Looper.Pay is $75. We are a monthly, both print and digital formats. Here is a link to our Chillsubs profile. https://www.chillsubs.com/magazine/after-dinner-conversation
Submission Info
https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/submissions

Name: Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024

Country: UK (open to entries worldwide)

Closing date: November 15th, 2024 at 4pm (GMT)

Results announced by December 15th, 2024

1st prize: £1000, a free creative writing course of the winners choice and publication on our website.

Runners-up: £200 each.

Entry fee: £9

Word count: 3000 words maximum.

Open theme/subject/genre

Link: https://creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2024/

I wrote a Christmas short story years ago. Reading it again, I might polish it up and try to submit it somewhere. Google isn't being particularly helpful, and the markets I've found already closed their submission periods for this year. Is this just a case where I missed the boat (or, one-horse open sleigh) for now? Please share any short story competitions or publications that might apply here. My story is less than 5K words right now but I'm willing to cut that down.

Upcoming deadline for a teen writing contest!

Edifii, an organization founded by Dr. Izzat Jarudi and Dr. Pawan Sinha at MIT, is currently encouraging students to submit their science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) stories for the upcoming Science Story Slam (3S) as part of the annual Cambridge Science Festival.

The Science Story Slam (3S) invites all US high schoolers to share 5-minute-long stories about STEM-related topics and compete for $5000 in total prizes. This event provides a platform for students to share their stories about STEM with the community at large, whether they are fictional scenarios explaining scientific concepts, gripping accounts of scientific discoveries, or personal memoirs about the impact of science on their lives. In addition, the judging panel includes scientists, engineers, and celebrated scientists and storytellers from MIT/Harvard, Boston-area tech companies, and the New York Times. 

Key Dates:

• Deadline to submit entries: Wednesday, August 7

• Finalists notified: Wednesday, August 21

- 3S in-person Finals event: Wednesday, September 25 at 6:30-8:30 PM at the Cambridge Public Library

Eligibility:

All US high school students, including rising 9th graders and graduating seniors as of Summer 2024, are invited to participate.

Entries:

Submitted stories should be original and roughly 500 words long, either prose or poetry, and capable of being narrated in 5 minutes or less. Students can also share their stories via a 5-minute video. Multiple entries and joint submissions are welcome.

For more information, please refer to the website.

The 9th To Hull And Back Humorous Short Story Competition

The details:

Link: https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-competition/

Submission window: 1st July 2024 until 30th June 2025

Word limit: 2,500 words maximum, no minimum

20 cash prizes:

1st 1,000

2nd £200

3rd £100

3x highly commended £70

14 x shortlisted £35

Total prize pot: £2,000

In addition to the £1,000 cash prize, the winner’s head will appear on the front cover of the next To Hull And Back Anthology. They will be depicted riding a flaming motorcycle and holding a quill of wrath. The winner’s copy of the book will be strapped to a Harley Davidson and filmed being ridden to Hull. And back. The winner can make the journey on the motorbike if they wish and appear in the video.

Entry fee:

Early-bird entry fee in place until 31st March 2025: £10 for 1 story, £17 for 2 stories, £20 for 3 stories

From 1st April 2025 to 30th June 2025, the entry fee is: £12 for 1 story, £20 for 2 stories, £24 for 3 stories

Publishing: All shortlisted stories are published in an anthology

Frequency: The competition runs biennially (every other year)

Competition name: New Writers Poetry Competition 2024

Website: https://newwriters.org.uk/poetry-competition/

Deadline: 23.59 (UK time) on 31st July 2024

Entry Fee: £10 per entry; (or £18 for two entries, £26 for three entries, £34 for four entries, or £42 for five entries if submitted together)

Prizes: 1st Place: £1,000; 2nd Place: £300; 3rd Place: £200

Head Judge: Jordan Hamel

Publication: The three winning entries will be published on the NewWriters.org.uk website and in a future New Writers Anthology

Word Limit: 42 lines (excluding title and line spaces)

Charity: £1 from each entry will be donated to First Story (England’s leading creative writing charity for young people)

I am just 16 years old, and I love writing, but I have no idea where to start or what to write about. I was publishing some books on wattpad, and they didn't ever get any views. I would love to write a book and I don't know how. If you have any tips or ideas, I would appreciate it. ♡

The Letter Review Prize (Categories: Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Unpublished Books): It’s always open, and it’s free to enter. Yearly Prize Pool of $20,000 USD, and the Winners are published by The Letter Review. It’s open to everyone in the world, and there are no theme or style restrictions. 10-20 are Shortlisted in each category, all entries are considered for publication, and the Winners are considered for submission to anthologies such as the Pushcart Prize. More information here: https://letterreview.com/information/

Do you write short fiction set in the past? World History Encyclopedia's Ink of Ages Fiction Prize, sponsored by Oxford University Press, is returning for a second year! Historical or mythology-inspired short fiction 1,500–2,000 words, free to enter. Details and last year's winners at fictionprize.worldhistory.org ⏳📜🪶

https://preview.redd.it/kzs93bl44v8d1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=ae908948ac439fb70d5ed82103c1ac917042223b

Hey all, just wondering if anyone has heard back from the Uncharted Magazine’s novel excerpt contest? It’s been 10+ weeks since the deadline and they said on their site that once 10 weeks comes, they’ll notify.

Does anyone know what the standard is if I submitted a story into a competition that specifies "Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast, have won or been placed (2nd, 3rd, runner up etc) in any other competition." (it's Bridport), but I put it onto my portfolio because it's one of the best things I've written and I'm applying to jobs. My portfolio is incredibly basic and hosted on Wordpress, which apparently puts stories online into a feed. I wasn't aware of that until I started getting emails that people were liking the story. Would having the story up there disqualify me from the competition? Real talk, does it even really matter? I doubt its good enough to win a competition like Bridport, though I do think it is good.

Lichfield Institute presents —

2024 Spring Writing Contest!

💥 1st Prize: $10,000

💥 2nd Prize: $5,000

💥 3rd Prize: $1,050

Open to the general public. Each submission will receive important literary feedback from our distinguished judges. Honorable mentions will be awarded stipends and considered for representation by literary agencies in San Francisco and New York.

Genres accepted: Poem, short story, essay

Submission deadline: June 23rd, 2024

Payment information: $15 entry fee.