February is a short month, but it does not lack for writing contests.
There are 42 contests this month, and they span the gamut of prizes and genres.
Some have regional restrictions, and others have age restrictions. These are indicated, but always read the contest guidelines to make sure you are eligible.
___________________
Online Writing Tips Short Fiction Prize. Genre: Short story of 2000-5000 words. Prize: £150. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Southern Exposure Writing Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties in California. Genre: Art writing. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Creative Nonfiction's Learning From Nature Contest (no entry fee if by mail). Genre: Essay. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to tribally-enrolled writers from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Nebraska who have not yet published a book of creative writing. Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, or the screenplay (20 double-spaced pages maximum) or poetry (15 pages maximum). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve.Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: February 1, 2016. Read full guidelines HERE.
Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2015 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: February 1, 2016. Read full guidelines HERE.
The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000 . Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Book of poems, 48 pages or more in length, published in 2015. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
$1000 for 1000 Words Creative Writing Contest is sponsored by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Restrictions: Students enrolled in grades 6-12. Genre: Short fiction of exactly 1000 words. Prize: Two $1,000 scholarship prizes will be awarded, one for grades 6-8 and one for grades 9-12. Seven $100 cash prizes will also be awarded for winning entries, one per grade level. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Contest. Restrictions: High School Students in grades 10 through 12 in High Schools in St. Louis and the St. Louis area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $100, $80, $60, $40, $20, $10 for all honorable mentions. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 6, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: February 7, 2016.
IGGY/Litro Young Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to 13–18 year olds. Genre: Short story. Prize: £1,000 and publication. Deadline: February 8, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Federation of BC Writers Literary Writes Awards 2016. Genres: Short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and writing for children. Prize: $100 top prize per category. Deadline: February 9, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Bethesda Literary Festival Essay and Short Story Contest. The Bethesda Urban Partnership & Bethesda Magazine have partnered to honor local writers at the Bethesda Literary Festival held April 15-17, 2016. Genres: Essays and poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Deadline: February 12, 2016. For more details click HERE.
Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to writers who were born in or are residents of Virginia or, in the case of nonfiction, books with a Virginia theme, are eligible. Genre: Books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year (2015). Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 12, 2016. For more details click HERE.
Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Canadians, grades 7 - 12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $400 (CAN). Deadline: February 15, 2016.
Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books published in 2015 are eligible. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
New England Youth Outdoor Writing Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to students in New England. Submissions from students in grades 6-8 will be entered in the Junior Division; grades 9-12 will be entered in the Senior Division. Genre: Prose or poem, The topic must be outdoor-oriented (fishing, hunting, boating, canoeing, hiking, camping, nature, ecology, etc.). 500 words max. Prize: $125, $150. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Prospero Prizes. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $150 and feature publication. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible for the 2016 Prize. 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: February 15, 2015.
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short Story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: £500. Deadline: February 15, 2015. Read details HERE.
Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to Kentucky poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Genre: Literary arts. Prize: $7,500 Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Genres: Nonfiction journalism works in progress with “strong, character-driven narratives with detailed scene writing and lyrical description.” Restrictions: The award will not fund proposals to report on armed conflicts where journalists are already imperiled, nor projects that are mainly investigatory. Prize: $12,500 grant and use of the NYU library. Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Moment Magazine's Publish-a-Kid Contest. Restrictions: Open to children 9-13. Genre: Book review. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is "wonder." Prize: £3,000. Deadline: February 19, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Reader's Digest 100-word-story competition. Genre: 100-word story. Prize: £2,000 and publication. Deadline: February 20, 2016.
The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction: 1500 words or less. Any genre. Theme: Wisconsin Choices. Flash fiction: 500 words or less. Any genre. No theme. Poetry: All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Theme: Wisconsin Choices. The Jean Nelson Essay for Young Adults: For young adult writers (ages 12 through 17). 2500 words or less. Theme: Notable Wisconsin figure (living or dead) who most inspires me. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2016 at the Oshkosh Public Library. Deadline: February 26, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Central PA Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to legal residents of Pennsylvania who are at least 18 years old. Genre: Short fiction, 1500 words max. Original, unpublished, work of fiction only; no poetry or nonfiction. Prize: $500, runner-up $200. Deadline: February 26, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
SLF Working Class/Impoverished Writers Grant is sponsored by the Speculative Literature Foundation. Genres: Speculative fiction, magical realism. Restrictions: Applicants must be working class (see guidelines page for definition) and demonstrate financial hardship. Available to international writers. Prize: $750. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Atlantic & College Board Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students 16 to 19 years of age. Genre: Essay. 1,000 to 1,500 words. Prize: $5,000 and publication in September issue of The Atlantic. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Science Fiction & the Medical Humanities Writing Competition. Genre: Science-fiction short stories (and also self-contained novel excerpts) of up to 3000 words that address themes of medicine, health, and illness. Prize: £300. Deadline: February 29, 2016.
Event Horizon Magazine Science Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry. Submitted work shall be inspired by and/or incorporate scientific thinking, concepts, or principles. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
National Indigenous Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Canadian Native Americans. Genre: Short story, under 3000 words. Story must contain Indigenous content. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Spirit First Meditation Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. Submissions may be of any length and any style but must have a theme of Meditation or Mindfulness. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Penny Fiction Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction stories told in exactly 16 words. Prize: $25 and publication. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE (scroll down).
There are 42 contests this month, and they span the gamut of prizes and genres.
Some have regional restrictions, and others have age restrictions. These are indicated, but always read the contest guidelines to make sure you are eligible.
___________________
Online Writing Tips Short Fiction Prize. Genre: Short story of 2000-5000 words. Prize: £150. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Southern Exposure Writing Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties in California. Genre: Art writing. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Creative Nonfiction's Learning From Nature Contest (no entry fee if by mail). Genre: Essay. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to tribally-enrolled writers from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Nebraska who have not yet published a book of creative writing. Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, or the screenplay (20 double-spaced pages maximum) or poetry (15 pages maximum). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve.Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: February 1, 2016. Read full guidelines HERE.
Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2015 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: February 1, 2016. Read full guidelines HERE.
The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000 . Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Book of poems, 48 pages or more in length, published in 2015. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
$1000 for 1000 Words Creative Writing Contest is sponsored by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Restrictions: Students enrolled in grades 6-12. Genre: Short fiction of exactly 1000 words. Prize: Two $1,000 scholarship prizes will be awarded, one for grades 6-8 and one for grades 9-12. Seven $100 cash prizes will also be awarded for winning entries, one per grade level. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Contest. Restrictions: High School Students in grades 10 through 12 in High Schools in St. Louis and the St. Louis area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $100, $80, $60, $40, $20, $10 for all honorable mentions. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 6, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: February 7, 2016.
IGGY/Litro Young Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to 13–18 year olds. Genre: Short story. Prize: £1,000 and publication. Deadline: February 8, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Federation of BC Writers Literary Writes Awards 2016. Genres: Short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and writing for children. Prize: $100 top prize per category. Deadline: February 9, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Bethesda Literary Festival Essay and Short Story Contest. The Bethesda Urban Partnership & Bethesda Magazine have partnered to honor local writers at the Bethesda Literary Festival held April 15-17, 2016. Genres: Essays and poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Deadline: February 12, 2016. For more details click HERE.
Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to writers who were born in or are residents of Virginia or, in the case of nonfiction, books with a Virginia theme, are eligible. Genre: Books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year (2015). Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 12, 2016. For more details click HERE.
Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Canadians, grades 7 - 12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $400 (CAN). Deadline: February 15, 2016.
Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books published in 2015 are eligible. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
New England Youth Outdoor Writing Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to students in New England. Submissions from students in grades 6-8 will be entered in the Junior Division; grades 9-12 will be entered in the Senior Division. Genre: Prose or poem, The topic must be outdoor-oriented (fishing, hunting, boating, canoeing, hiking, camping, nature, ecology, etc.). 500 words max. Prize: $125, $150. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Prospero Prizes. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $150 and feature publication. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2016. Read details HERE.
Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible for the 2016 Prize. 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: February 15, 2015.
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short Story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: £500. Deadline: February 15, 2015. Read details HERE.
Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to Kentucky poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Genre: Literary arts. Prize: $7,500 Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Genres: Nonfiction journalism works in progress with “strong, character-driven narratives with detailed scene writing and lyrical description.” Restrictions: The award will not fund proposals to report on armed conflicts where journalists are already imperiled, nor projects that are mainly investigatory. Prize: $12,500 grant and use of the NYU library. Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Moment Magazine's Publish-a-Kid Contest. Restrictions: Open to children 9-13. Genre: Book review. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: February 16, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is "wonder." Prize: £3,000. Deadline: February 19, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Reader's Digest 100-word-story competition. Genre: 100-word story. Prize: £2,000 and publication. Deadline: February 20, 2016.
The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction: 1500 words or less. Any genre. Theme: Wisconsin Choices. Flash fiction: 500 words or less. Any genre. No theme. Poetry: All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Theme: Wisconsin Choices. The Jean Nelson Essay for Young Adults: For young adult writers (ages 12 through 17). 2500 words or less. Theme: Notable Wisconsin figure (living or dead) who most inspires me. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2016 at the Oshkosh Public Library. Deadline: February 26, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Central PA Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to legal residents of Pennsylvania who are at least 18 years old. Genre: Short fiction, 1500 words max. Original, unpublished, work of fiction only; no poetry or nonfiction. Prize: $500, runner-up $200. Deadline: February 26, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
SLF Working Class/Impoverished Writers Grant is sponsored by the Speculative Literature Foundation. Genres: Speculative fiction, magical realism. Restrictions: Applicants must be working class (see guidelines page for definition) and demonstrate financial hardship. Available to international writers. Prize: $750. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Atlantic & College Board Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students 16 to 19 years of age. Genre: Essay. 1,000 to 1,500 words. Prize: $5,000 and publication in September issue of The Atlantic. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Science Fiction & the Medical Humanities Writing Competition. Genre: Science-fiction short stories (and also self-contained novel excerpts) of up to 3000 words that address themes of medicine, health, and illness. Prize: £300. Deadline: February 29, 2016.
Event Horizon Magazine Science Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry. Submitted work shall be inspired by and/or incorporate scientific thinking, concepts, or principles. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
National Indigenous Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Canadian Native Americans. Genre: Short story, under 3000 words. Story must contain Indigenous content. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
Spirit First Meditation Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. Submissions may be of any length and any style but must have a theme of Meditation or Mindfulness. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.
The Penny Fiction Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction stories told in exactly 16 words. Prize: $25 and publication. Deadline: February 29, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE (scroll down).
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