March is a long, cold month that has Ides. (They all do, but the Ides of March is Shakespearian.) It's a great time to focus on writing, and all that getting published entails.
There are lots of writing contests with deadlines in March (some even fall on the Ides), and they cover the spectrum from poetry to Hoosier lit. Short story contests abound.
So, don't be shy. Take a chance and enter a contest. Who knows, you may win!
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The Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award is sponsored by Broadside Lotus Press. Restrictions: This competition is open to African American poets only. If you have already had a book published by Lotus Press, you are ineligible. However, inclusion in a Lotus Press anthology does not disqualify you. Genres: Poetry collections of approximately 60-90 pages. Prize: $500 in cash and publication by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2016 as well as free copies and discounts. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wicwas Anthology 2015. Genres: Beekeeping stories (fiction and nonfiction). Restrictions: US residents only. Prize: First prize - $500.00; Second prize - $300.00; Third prize - $200.00. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Ottawa Magazine Short Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open only to residents of Ottawa. Genre: Entries must be no longer than 3,000 words. Entries can be short stories or excerpts but must not have been published elsewhere. Prize: The winner will receive $700, the runner up $300, and both stories will be published in the Summer 2015 issue of Ottawa Magazine. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
2015 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Genre: Poetry. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35 as of March 2, 2015; Previously published in an independently edited magazine or anthology; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Prizes: Winner: $5,000; Finalists: $1,000. Deadline: March 2, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The John Gardner Fiction Award is sponsored by the Binghamton Center for Writers-State University of New York with support from the Office of the Dean of Binghamton University's Harpur College of the Arts & Sciences. Genre: Novel or collection of fiction published in 2014. Prizes: Winner: $1,000. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
NEA Literature Fellowships are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 11, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the a author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year (2014). Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 15, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Lakefly Writers Conference Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin only. Genres: Short story fiction: 2500 words or less. Any genre that includes the theme: Temptation Flash fiction: 500 words or less; any genre. First Five Pages: A maximum of the first five pages of an original, unpublished novel; any genre. It must be accompanied by a two-paragraph synopsis. The novel does not need to be completed at the time of submission. The Jean Nelson Essay: 2500 words or less. Theme: Literary character I would most like to meet. Prizes: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Deadline: March 15, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Modern Love Contest, sponsored by the New York Times, is inviting college students nationwide to open their hearts and laptops and write an essay that describes what love is like for them today. Restrictions: Open to college students. Genre: Essay (1,500 to 1,700 words). Prize: The winning author will receive $1,000 and his or her essay will be published in a special Modern Love column in May 2015, and on nytimes.com. Deadline: 3/15/2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award seeks to elevate the written arts in Indiana. Restrictions: Any living published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years will be eligible. Authors who have published works of fiction, prose, poetry and/or non-fiction are eligible; reference works, scholarly monographs and books of photography will not be considered. Self-published authors are considered. Prize: National Author: $10,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Regional Author: $7,500 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Emerging Author: $5,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library.. Deadline: March 20, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
2015 Short Story Contest - Lost Voices. Genre: Stories must be Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genre. Stories must be original, unpublished, unsold and no more than 3500 words in length. Prizes: First Prize: $200, and story published in the 2015 Confluence program book. Second Prize: $100 Third Prize: $50. Deadline: 3/31/2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The BEVEL SUMMERS PRIZE for Short Short Stories will be awarded to a short short (under 1000 words) submitted between March 15 and March 31, 2015. Send up to three stories. The winner and finalists will be published in the fall 2015 issue of Shenandoah. Prize: $1000. Deadline: 3/31/2015. How to enter: Print submissions only. Read submission guidelines HERE.
There are lots of writing contests with deadlines in March (some even fall on the Ides), and they cover the spectrum from poetry to Hoosier lit. Short story contests abound.
So, don't be shy. Take a chance and enter a contest. Who knows, you may win!
____________________
The Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award is sponsored by Broadside Lotus Press. Restrictions: This competition is open to African American poets only. If you have already had a book published by Lotus Press, you are ineligible. However, inclusion in a Lotus Press anthology does not disqualify you. Genres: Poetry collections of approximately 60-90 pages. Prize: $500 in cash and publication by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2016 as well as free copies and discounts. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wicwas Anthology 2015. Genres: Beekeeping stories (fiction and nonfiction). Restrictions: US residents only. Prize: First prize - $500.00; Second prize - $300.00; Third prize - $200.00. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Ottawa Magazine Short Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open only to residents of Ottawa. Genre: Entries must be no longer than 3,000 words. Entries can be short stories or excerpts but must not have been published elsewhere. Prize: The winner will receive $700, the runner up $300, and both stories will be published in the Summer 2015 issue of Ottawa Magazine. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
2015 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Genre: Poetry. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35 as of March 2, 2015; Previously published in an independently edited magazine or anthology; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Prizes: Winner: $5,000; Finalists: $1,000. Deadline: March 2, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The John Gardner Fiction Award is sponsored by the Binghamton Center for Writers-State University of New York with support from the Office of the Dean of Binghamton University's Harpur College of the Arts & Sciences. Genre: Novel or collection of fiction published in 2014. Prizes: Winner: $1,000. Deadline: March 1, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
NEA Literature Fellowships are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 11, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the a author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year (2014). Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 15, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Lakefly Writers Conference Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin only. Genres: Short story fiction: 2500 words or less. Any genre that includes the theme: Temptation Flash fiction: 500 words or less; any genre. First Five Pages: A maximum of the first five pages of an original, unpublished novel; any genre. It must be accompanied by a two-paragraph synopsis. The novel does not need to be completed at the time of submission. The Jean Nelson Essay: 2500 words or less. Theme: Literary character I would most like to meet. Prizes: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Deadline: March 15, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Modern Love Contest, sponsored by the New York Times, is inviting college students nationwide to open their hearts and laptops and write an essay that describes what love is like for them today. Restrictions: Open to college students. Genre: Essay (1,500 to 1,700 words). Prize: The winning author will receive $1,000 and his or her essay will be published in a special Modern Love column in May 2015, and on nytimes.com. Deadline: 3/15/2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award seeks to elevate the written arts in Indiana. Restrictions: Any living published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years will be eligible. Authors who have published works of fiction, prose, poetry and/or non-fiction are eligible; reference works, scholarly monographs and books of photography will not be considered. Self-published authors are considered. Prize: National Author: $10,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Regional Author: $7,500 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Emerging Author: $5,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library.. Deadline: March 20, 2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
2015 Short Story Contest - Lost Voices. Genre: Stories must be Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genre. Stories must be original, unpublished, unsold and no more than 3500 words in length. Prizes: First Prize: $200, and story published in the 2015 Confluence program book. Second Prize: $100 Third Prize: $50. Deadline: 3/31/2015. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The BEVEL SUMMERS PRIZE for Short Short Stories will be awarded to a short short (under 1000 words) submitted between March 15 and March 31, 2015. Send up to three stories. The winner and finalists will be published in the fall 2015 issue of Shenandoah. Prize: $1000. Deadline: 3/31/2015. How to enter: Print submissions only. Read submission guidelines HERE.
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