There are nearly three dozen free contests in July. They cover the full range of topics, styles and genres, from short stories, to essays, to poetry, to full-length works. (If you are a self-published author, check out Library Journal 's Self-Published Ebook Awards!)
In addition to the prestige of winning a contest, some of the monetary prizes this month are substantial.
Be sure to check the submission requirements carefully, as some have age and geographical restrictions.
Many contests are offered annually, so if you miss a contest you may be able to catch it next year. For a full month-by-month listing of contests see: Free Contests.
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Bop Dead City. Genres: Flash fiction, poetry. Prize: $20. Deadline: July 1, 2017. More details are HERE.
Fred Otto Prize for Oz Fiction/Warren Hollister Prize for Oz Nonfiction. Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Creative Nonfiction. All work must be related to the world of Oz. Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre. Deadline: July 1, 2017 (electronic submissions only).
Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. Book must be author's first full-length book of poetry, published between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Self-published books are accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Richard J. Margolis Award. Genre: Journalism. Prize is awarded annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Prize: $5,000 and one month of residency at Blue Mountain Center. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Emmy Awards - Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. Restrictions: Non-US citizens under the age of 30 only. Prize: $2,500, a trip to New York City, and an invitation to the International Emmy® Awards Gala in November. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN$25,000.00. Deadline: Books published between January 1 and July 4, 2017 must be received by July 5, 2017.
Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards. Restrictions: Scottish writers over 18 years of age. Genres: The awards are divided into three different categories.: Fiction and Narrative Non-fiction in English and Scots, Poetry in English and Scots, Children’s and Young Adult Fiction in English and Scots. Prize: £2,000 and personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals. Training in PR, performance and presentation training, and the opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents. Deadline: Wednesday, July 5, 2017 (midday).
John Glassco Translation Prize. Sponsored by Literary Translators' Association of Canada. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents only. Genre: The work submitted must be the translator's first published book-length translation into English or French. The book must have been published between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017. Prize: $1000. Deadline: July 10, 2017.
Oregon Literary Fellowships. Restrictions: Writers must be residents of Oregon. 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 form. Deadline: July 10, 2017.
The Margaret and Reg Turnill Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be 21 of under on July 16. (Those over 21 can enter for a fee.) Genre: Short story on theme of "Light." Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000 and publication in the annual HG Wells Short Story Competition Anthology. Deadline: July 16, 2017.
Stone Canoe. Restrictions: Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City). Genres: Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: July 8, 2017 (poetry), July 22, 2017 (fiction), July 29, 2017 (non-fiction).
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 700 words in length. Prize: The winner will be commissioned to write a review for frieze magazine and will be awarded GBP£2,000. Deadline: July 18, 2017.
Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 24, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography. Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000. Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between May 24, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Asher Literary Award. Genre: Work that carries an anti-war theme. Restrictions: Open to Australian women writers only. Prize: $12,000 (AU). Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 11 - 17. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2015 semester. Genre: Our Topic for 2017: Several American presidents, including ideological opposites George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have stated that they have either admired or sought inspiration from the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. What is it about Lincoln that appeals to a wide range of political leaders? What lessons from Lincoln's presidency might be useful to our new president? Prize: 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Louise Meriwether First Book Prize. The Feminist Press has partnered with TAYO Literary Magazine to launch a contest seeking the best debut books by women and nonbinary writers of color. Genres: Fiction, including novels and short story collections, or narrative memoir, of 50,000 to 80,000 words. Prize: $5,000 and a publishing contract from the Feminist Press. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
SLF Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds Grants. Restrictions: Open to writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. -- those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process. Genres: Book-length works (novels, collections of short stories) of speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Landfall Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers. Genre: Essay about New Zealand. Prize: The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Betjeman Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK residents aged 10-13. Genre: Poem on theme of "Place." Prize: £500.00. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Carers UK Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents. Genre: Poem or short story about caring for a loved one. "We’d particularly like to receive entries on the theme of ‘This was not in the plan’. Sooner or later, most of us will face the challenge of caring for a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill, but it can often happen unexpectedly." Prize: £100.00 in vouchers. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Jan Garton Prairie Heritage Book Award. Genre: Book published in 2016 that illuminates the heritage of North America's mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors' first books receive extra consideration. Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Starkey Flythe Jr. Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Georgia or South Carolina. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Library Journal 's Self-Published Ebook Awards. Genres: Romance, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy. Open to all English-language self-published ebooks. No restrictions on date of publication. Prize: $1,000.00 USD plus review in Library Journal. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Travel for Seniors. Genre: Nonfiction and fiction. "We are seeking aspiring or established travel writers to submit an original article relating to the competition theme: Travel for Seniors. Entries should be no more than 750 words in length and should be written in English. We expect most entries will be factual travel writing, however we are very happy to accept entertaining fictional articles which fit with the competition theme." Prize: The author of the best entry will receive a cash prize of £100. Ten runners-up will each receive £10 Amazon UK Vouchers. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Polar Expressions Publications Short Story and Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Short story, poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Sweek India College Clash. Restrictions: Writers must be registered to a college in India. Genre: Short story in Hindi or English, maximum 3,000 words. Prize: Up to ₹10,000 cash. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Dragonfly Tea Short Story Competition. Restrictions: UK residents only. Genre: Short stories up to 3000 words on the theme “Journey” (or up to 500 words for youth aged 4-15). Prize: 1st £1500, 2nd £750, 3rd £500 for adults, and a £50 book voucher for kids plus £100 going to their schools. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
“Plot Without a Cause” Young Adult Book Proposal Contest. This is a contest run by Publishizer, a crowd-funded publishing platform for self-publishers. Genre: Young Adult plot proposal of 1000 words. The proposal with the most number of pre-orders sold in 30 days wins. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
In addition to the prestige of winning a contest, some of the monetary prizes this month are substantial.
Be sure to check the submission requirements carefully, as some have age and geographical restrictions.
Many contests are offered annually, so if you miss a contest you may be able to catch it next year. For a full month-by-month listing of contests see: Free Contests.
___________________
Bop Dead City. Genres: Flash fiction, poetry. Prize: $20. Deadline: July 1, 2017. More details are HERE.
Fred Otto Prize for Oz Fiction/Warren Hollister Prize for Oz Nonfiction. Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Creative Nonfiction. All work must be related to the world of Oz. Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre. Deadline: July 1, 2017 (electronic submissions only).
Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. Book must be author's first full-length book of poetry, published between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Self-published books are accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Richard J. Margolis Award. Genre: Journalism. Prize is awarded annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Prize: $5,000 and one month of residency at Blue Mountain Center. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Emmy Awards - Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. Restrictions: Non-US citizens under the age of 30 only. Prize: $2,500, a trip to New York City, and an invitation to the International Emmy® Awards Gala in November. Deadline: July 1, 2017.
Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN$25,000.00. Deadline: Books published between January 1 and July 4, 2017 must be received by July 5, 2017.
Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards. Restrictions: Scottish writers over 18 years of age. Genres: The awards are divided into three different categories.: Fiction and Narrative Non-fiction in English and Scots, Poetry in English and Scots, Children’s and Young Adult Fiction in English and Scots. Prize: £2,000 and personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals. Training in PR, performance and presentation training, and the opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents. Deadline: Wednesday, July 5, 2017 (midday).
John Glassco Translation Prize. Sponsored by Literary Translators' Association of Canada. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents only. Genre: The work submitted must be the translator's first published book-length translation into English or French. The book must have been published between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017. Prize: $1000. Deadline: July 10, 2017.
Oregon Literary Fellowships. Restrictions: Writers must be residents of Oregon. 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 form. Deadline: July 10, 2017.
The Margaret and Reg Turnill Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be 21 of under on July 16. (Those over 21 can enter for a fee.) Genre: Short story on theme of "Light." Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000 and publication in the annual HG Wells Short Story Competition Anthology. Deadline: July 16, 2017.
Stone Canoe. Restrictions: Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City). Genres: Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: July 8, 2017 (poetry), July 22, 2017 (fiction), July 29, 2017 (non-fiction).
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 700 words in length. Prize: The winner will be commissioned to write a review for frieze magazine and will be awarded GBP£2,000. Deadline: July 18, 2017.
Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 24, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography. Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000. Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between May 24, 2017 and September 30, 2017. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Asher Literary Award. Genre: Work that carries an anti-war theme. Restrictions: Open to Australian women writers only. Prize: $12,000 (AU). Deadline: July 19, 2017.
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 11 - 17. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2015 semester. Genre: Our Topic for 2017: Several American presidents, including ideological opposites George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have stated that they have either admired or sought inspiration from the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. What is it about Lincoln that appeals to a wide range of political leaders? What lessons from Lincoln's presidency might be useful to our new president? Prize: 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Louise Meriwether First Book Prize. The Feminist Press has partnered with TAYO Literary Magazine to launch a contest seeking the best debut books by women and nonbinary writers of color. Genres: Fiction, including novels and short story collections, or narrative memoir, of 50,000 to 80,000 words. Prize: $5,000 and a publishing contract from the Feminist Press. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
SLF Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds Grants. Restrictions: Open to writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. -- those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process. Genres: Book-length works (novels, collections of short stories) of speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Landfall Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers. Genre: Essay about New Zealand. Prize: The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Betjeman Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK residents aged 10-13. Genre: Poem on theme of "Place." Prize: £500.00. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Carers UK Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents. Genre: Poem or short story about caring for a loved one. "We’d particularly like to receive entries on the theme of ‘This was not in the plan’. Sooner or later, most of us will face the challenge of caring for a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill, but it can often happen unexpectedly." Prize: £100.00 in vouchers. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Jan Garton Prairie Heritage Book Award. Genre: Book published in 2016 that illuminates the heritage of North America's mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors' first books receive extra consideration. Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Starkey Flythe Jr. Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Georgia or South Carolina. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Library Journal 's Self-Published Ebook Awards. Genres: Romance, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy. Open to all English-language self-published ebooks. No restrictions on date of publication. Prize: $1,000.00 USD plus review in Library Journal. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Travel for Seniors. Genre: Nonfiction and fiction. "We are seeking aspiring or established travel writers to submit an original article relating to the competition theme: Travel for Seniors. Entries should be no more than 750 words in length and should be written in English. We expect most entries will be factual travel writing, however we are very happy to accept entertaining fictional articles which fit with the competition theme." Prize: The author of the best entry will receive a cash prize of £100. Ten runners-up will each receive £10 Amazon UK Vouchers. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Polar Expressions Publications Short Story and Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Short story, poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Sweek India College Clash. Restrictions: Writers must be registered to a college in India. Genre: Short story in Hindi or English, maximum 3,000 words. Prize: Up to ₹10,000 cash. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
Dragonfly Tea Short Story Competition. Restrictions: UK residents only. Genre: Short stories up to 3000 words on the theme “Journey” (or up to 500 words for youth aged 4-15). Prize: 1st £1500, 2nd £750, 3rd £500 for adults, and a £50 book voucher for kids plus £100 going to their schools. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
“Plot Without a Cause” Young Adult Book Proposal Contest. This is a contest run by Publishizer, a crowd-funded publishing platform for self-publishers. Genre: Young Adult plot proposal of 1000 words. The proposal with the most number of pre-orders sold in 30 days wins. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 31, 2017.
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