Each month we curate a list of contests, fellowships, and other writing opportunities with approaching deadlines. Opportunities will be posted in the month prior to their deadlines, so that you have ample time to submit your work or applications.
If you would like a contest, grant, fellowship, residency, or workshop to be added to our next Submissions post, please contact us. Include a link to your submission guidelines and the information we include in all our listings: deadline, entry fee, and prize.
Fiction Contests
David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction
Eligibility: Writers who have not published a book of fiction
Prize: $1,000 + publication
Entry fee: $25
Deadline: May 1, 2018
Raymond Carver Short Story Contest
Eligibility: All writers
Prize: $1,500 + publication
Entry fee: $17 online; $15 by mail
Deadline: May 15, 2018
BOA Short Fiction Prize
Eligibility: Writers who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or have DACA status, TPS or LPS
Prize: $1,000 + publication
Entry fee: $25
Deadline: May 31, 2018
Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction
Eligibility: All writers
Prize: $1,000 + publication
Entry fee: $30
Deadline: May 31, 2018
Nonfiction Contests
Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant
Eligibility: Creative nonfiction writers under contract with a publisher & at least two years into their contract
Prize: $40,000
Deadline: May 2, 2018
Poetry Contests
Stan & Tom Wick Poetry Prize
Eligibility: Poets who have not published a full-length volume of poetry
Prize: $2,500 + publication
Entry fee: $25
Deadline: May 1, 2018
Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize
Eligibility: All poets
Prize: $1,500
Entry fee: $20
Deadline: May 15, 2018
Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize
Eligibility: Poets under 40 years of age
Prize: $1,000
Entry fee: $15
Deadline: May 15, 2018
James Laughlin Award
Eligibility: Poets with 2nd full-length book of poetry coming out in the following calendar year
Prize: $5,500 + 1 week, all expenses paid stay at The Betsy Hotel in Miami
Deadline: May 15, 2018
Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize
Eligibility: Poets with a full-length book of poetry published in the previous calendar year
Prize: $25,000
Entry fee: $75
Deadline: May 15, 2018
Loraine Williams Poetry Prize
Eligibility: All poets
Prize: $1,000 + publication
Entry fee: $15
Deadline: May 15, 2018
Guy Owen Prize
Eligibility: All poets
Prize: $1,000 + publication
Entry fee: $20
Deadline: May 31, 2018
Multi-Genre Contests
Ploughshares Emerging Writers Contest
Eligibility: Writers who have not published a book
Prize: $2,000 + publication
Entry fee: $24
Deadline: May 15, 2018
For more information on contests, check out our how-to guides: Lit Mag Contests 101
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