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There are over two dozen contests in August for short stories, poetry, essays, scripts, and books in every genre. None charge entry fees. Prizes range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to publication. Some accept self-published work. As always, read the restrictions to make sure you qualify.
If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
_______________
The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $1,000 - $25,000. Deadline: Nominations by publishers for books in English must reach the Canada Council no later than August 1, 2019.
The Miracle Monocle Award for Ambitious Student Writers. Restrictions: Authors must be currently enrolled as students (high school, undergraduate, or graduate). Genre: All. Prize: $200. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Milwaukee Irish Fest. Genre: Poetry. Entries should have a culture/literary relation to either Ireland, Irish-America, or to Irish poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Epigram Books Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be Singaporean, Singaporean permanent resident or Singapore-born. Genre: A full-length, original and unpublished novel written in the English language. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grants. Restrictions: Writers living in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties Delaware who are 18 years of age or older and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: $2500. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Boardman Tasker Prize. Restrictions: Books published between 1st August 2017 and 31st July 2019 in the UK. Genre: Books with mountain,not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Delaware poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who have lived in Delaware for at least one year prior to application and who are not enrolled in a degree-granting program. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: Established Professional Fellowships of $6,000 each and Emerging Artist Fellowships of $3,000 each. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Pen 2 Paper Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers with disabilities. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF, graphic novel. Prize: One Grand Prize winner will receive $500 USD, and a 1st Place winner in each of the four divisions will receive $100 USD. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Costa Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to writers in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Short story (maximum 4,000 words). Prize: £3,000. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Bethune & Son Texas Short Story Competition. Genre: Unpublished short stories with the Texas theme: "Black Gold." Prize: up to $1,000. Deadline: August 2, 2019.
Frieze Writers' Prize. Genre: Essay: Art Criticism. Aspiring art critics are invited to submit one unpublished review of a recent contemporary art exhibition, which should be 500 words in length. Prize: The winner will be commissioned to write a review for frieze magazine and will be awarded GBP£2,000. Deadline: August 5, 2019.
Oregon Literary Fellowships. Fellowships of $3,000 each are given annually to Oregon writers to initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. One Women Writers Fellowship and one Writer of Color Fellowship of $3,000 each are also given annually. Submit three copies of up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose with the required entry from. Deadline: August 9, 2019.
Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Poets living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., or West Virginia. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500, publication by Broadkill River Press, ten author copies, and two cases of Dogfish Head craft beer. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Headway Quarterly Writing Contest. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Theme is color—whatever that means to you—but should also be limited to 350 words in length. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English between July 1, 2019 and Sept 30, 2019. Must be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Restrictions: Emerging African American writers. Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Montgomery County Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Prize: $250. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship. Restrictions: Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated sufficient income to support the author. Genre: Book-length children's or young-adult fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Bodley Head/Financial Times Essay Prize. Restrictions: open to anyone between 18 and 35 years old. Genre: "A dynamic, authoritative and lively essay of no more than 3,500 words in English, on any subject." Prize: £1,500 cash and an e-publication with The Bodley Head, publication in the FT of their winning essay and a mentoring session with The Bodley Head. Two runners-up will win £500 cash each and an e-publication with The Bodley Head. Deadline: August 16, 2019.
RBC Taylor Prize. Restrictions: Citizens or residents of Canada. Must be published author. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Prize: $25,000 (CAN). Deadline: August 26, 2019 for books published between June 1 and August 23, 2019.
Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize. Restrictions: Open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34. Genre: Short story translation from French to English. Entrants will translate an excerpt from the novel De purs hommes by Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: August 30, 2019.
On The Premises Short Story Contest. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which some kind of tradition(s) play(s) an important role." Prize: Winners receive between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: August 30, 2019.
Kindle Storyteller Award (UK). Restrictions: The prize is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk. Genre: Book. Prize: £20,000. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation or Multi-Lingual Texts. Restrictions: Translators and authors of multi-lingual texts. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $200. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Lee & Low Books New Voices Award is sponsored by Lee &Low Publishers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published. Genre: Children's books - fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Prize: $1,000 and publication. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: Nonfiction: Biographical Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Travel Nonfiction, and Animal Nonfiction. Prize: First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Upstate New York authors. Genre: Poetry collection, at least 48 pages long, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the deadline year. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Jack Grapes Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: WINNERS will receive $200 each, plus publication. FINALISTS will receive $50 each, plus publication. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, Catholic themes. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
_______________
The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $1,000 - $25,000. Deadline: Nominations by publishers for books in English must reach the Canada Council no later than August 1, 2019.
The Miracle Monocle Award for Ambitious Student Writers. Restrictions: Authors must be currently enrolled as students (high school, undergraduate, or graduate). Genre: All. Prize: $200. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Milwaukee Irish Fest. Genre: Poetry. Entries should have a culture/literary relation to either Ireland, Irish-America, or to Irish poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Epigram Books Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be Singaporean, Singaporean permanent resident or Singapore-born. Genre: A full-length, original and unpublished novel written in the English language. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grants. Restrictions: Writers living in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties Delaware who are 18 years of age or older and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: $2500. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Boardman Tasker Prize. Restrictions: Books published between 1st August 2017 and 31st July 2019 in the UK. Genre: Books with mountain,not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Delaware poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who have lived in Delaware for at least one year prior to application and who are not enrolled in a degree-granting program. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: Established Professional Fellowships of $6,000 each and Emerging Artist Fellowships of $3,000 each. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Pen 2 Paper Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers with disabilities. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF, graphic novel. Prize: One Grand Prize winner will receive $500 USD, and a 1st Place winner in each of the four divisions will receive $100 USD. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Costa Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to writers in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Short story (maximum 4,000 words). Prize: £3,000. Deadline: August 1, 2019.
Bethune & Son Texas Short Story Competition. Genre: Unpublished short stories with the Texas theme: "Black Gold." Prize: up to $1,000. Deadline: August 2, 2019.
Frieze Writers' Prize. Genre: Essay: Art Criticism. Aspiring art critics are invited to submit one unpublished review of a recent contemporary art exhibition, which should be 500 words in length. Prize: The winner will be commissioned to write a review for frieze magazine and will be awarded GBP£2,000. Deadline: August 5, 2019.
Oregon Literary Fellowships. Fellowships of $3,000 each are given annually to Oregon writers to initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. One Women Writers Fellowship and one Writer of Color Fellowship of $3,000 each are also given annually. Submit three copies of up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose with the required entry from. Deadline: August 9, 2019.
Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Poets living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., or West Virginia. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500, publication by Broadkill River Press, ten author copies, and two cases of Dogfish Head craft beer. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Headway Quarterly Writing Contest. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Theme is color—whatever that means to you—but should also be limited to 350 words in length. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English between July 1, 2019 and Sept 30, 2019. Must be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Restrictions: Emerging African American writers. Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Montgomery County Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Prize: $250. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship. Restrictions: Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated sufficient income to support the author. Genre: Book-length children's or young-adult fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: August 15, 2019.
Bodley Head/Financial Times Essay Prize. Restrictions: open to anyone between 18 and 35 years old. Genre: "A dynamic, authoritative and lively essay of no more than 3,500 words in English, on any subject." Prize: £1,500 cash and an e-publication with The Bodley Head, publication in the FT of their winning essay and a mentoring session with The Bodley Head. Two runners-up will win £500 cash each and an e-publication with The Bodley Head. Deadline: August 16, 2019.
RBC Taylor Prize. Restrictions: Citizens or residents of Canada. Must be published author. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Prize: $25,000 (CAN). Deadline: August 26, 2019 for books published between June 1 and August 23, 2019.
Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize. Restrictions: Open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34. Genre: Short story translation from French to English. Entrants will translate an excerpt from the novel De purs hommes by Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: August 30, 2019.
On The Premises Short Story Contest. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which some kind of tradition(s) play(s) an important role." Prize: Winners receive between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: August 30, 2019.
Kindle Storyteller Award (UK). Restrictions: The prize is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk. Genre: Book. Prize: £20,000. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation or Multi-Lingual Texts. Restrictions: Translators and authors of multi-lingual texts. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $200. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Lee & Low Books New Voices Award is sponsored by Lee &Low Publishers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published. Genre: Children's books - fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Prize: $1,000 and publication. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: Nonfiction: Biographical Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Travel Nonfiction, and Animal Nonfiction. Prize: First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Upstate New York authors. Genre: Poetry collection, at least 48 pages long, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the deadline year. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Jack Grapes Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: WINNERS will receive $200 each, plus publication. FINALISTS will receive $50 each, plus publication. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, Catholic themes. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2019.
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