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This December there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $45,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.
Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
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 is past, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
___________________________
Green Stories Writing Competition: Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize. Genre: Novel that inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. Prize: £1000 for the winner and £500 for runner up. Half price manuscript appraisal (worth £300-400) for top three entries by established literary consultancy Daniel Goldsmith. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Kierkegaard Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry inspired by Kierkegaard. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition. Restrictions: Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Stowe Prize. Restrictions: US authors only. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that "makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society." Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award. Genre: All works of fiction with significant Jewish thematic content written in English–novels, short story and flash fiction collections–by a single author published and available for purchase in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the award. Jewish thematic content means an extended grappling with Jewish themes throughout the book, including Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc. Prize: The award will include a $1,000 cash prize as well as support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations). Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Rise & Shine Mini Contest. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Micro poems, micro essays, and flash fiction. Prize: $75.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $75.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: December 2, 2022.
WWPH Writes Holiday Poetry & Prose Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 4, 2022.
Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 5, 2022. Opens December 2.
Quantum Shorts Competition. Genre: Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are "clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics." For 2020, entries also must contain the phrase "It's a lot to think about." Prize: $1,500 and online publication. Deadline: December 5, 2022.
Globe Soup Alternative Story Titles Challenge. Genre: Alternative title for short story (See site). Prize: £100. Deadline: December 5, 2022.
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. Deadline: December 6, 2022. (For books published between October 4, 2022 and December 5, 2022)
J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000. Deadline: December 8, 2022.
Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 9, 2022.
Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2022. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2022.
Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: December 13, 2022.
Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: December 14, 2022. See themes.
Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: December 15, 2022.
Queer Adventurers LGBTQIA Writing Contest. Restrictions; Open to any writer 18+ from anywhere in the world who identifies as LGBTQ+. Genre: 1,000 to 1,500 word personal essays on the theme of Shelter. Prize: $150. Deadline: December 15, 2022.
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 16, 2022.
Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2022.
Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. New Suns Climate Fiction Award, for original short science fiction that reimagines new ways of living and depicts humanity exploring and overcoming today's climate and biodiversity crises. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: December19, 2022.
Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Essay on theme: Emotions. Prize: £2,500 top prize. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2022. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: December 22, 2022. See theme. Opens December 16.
VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2022. No self-published books. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2022.
Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100). Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Sator New Works Award. Genre: Debut book-length work of fiction or non-fiction by an author who identifies as trans or nonbinary. Prize: $2,500 advance and publication. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The AIIRA Writing Contest 2022. Restrictions: Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited US academic institution and 18+ years old. Genre: Fiction or creative nonfiction that 'explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food in 2050: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it?" Prize: First Place: $2,000 USD; Second Place: $1,500 USD; Third Place: $1,000 USD. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022 for books published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read details HERE.
The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read more about the award HERE.
Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Caribbean Writer Prize. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2022 theme: "Carrying: Reflection, Recognition and Repair.” Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Olde Wolf Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022. This is a monthly contest.
Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $10 - $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Hooks Institute National Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
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 is past, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
___________________________
Green Stories Writing Competition: Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize. Genre: Novel that inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. Prize: £1000 for the winner and £500 for runner up. Half price manuscript appraisal (worth £300-400) for top three entries by established literary consultancy Daniel Goldsmith. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Kierkegaard Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry inspired by Kierkegaard. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition. Restrictions: Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Stowe Prize. Restrictions: US authors only. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that "makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society." Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award. Genre: All works of fiction with significant Jewish thematic content written in English–novels, short story and flash fiction collections–by a single author published and available for purchase in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the award. Jewish thematic content means an extended grappling with Jewish themes throughout the book, including Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc. Prize: The award will include a $1,000 cash prize as well as support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations). Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Rise & Shine Mini Contest. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Micro poems, micro essays, and flash fiction. Prize: $75.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $75.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2022.
Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: December 2, 2022.
WWPH Writes Holiday Poetry & Prose Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 4, 2022.
Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 5, 2022. Opens December 2.
Quantum Shorts Competition. Genre: Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are "clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics." For 2020, entries also must contain the phrase "It's a lot to think about." Prize: $1,500 and online publication. Deadline: December 5, 2022.
Globe Soup Alternative Story Titles Challenge. Genre: Alternative title for short story (See site). Prize: £100. Deadline: December 5, 2022.
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. Deadline: December 6, 2022. (For books published between October 4, 2022 and December 5, 2022)
J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000. Deadline: December 8, 2022.
Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 9, 2022.
Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2022. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2022.
Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: December 13, 2022.
Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: December 14, 2022. See themes.
Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: December 15, 2022.
Queer Adventurers LGBTQIA Writing Contest. Restrictions; Open to any writer 18+ from anywhere in the world who identifies as LGBTQ+. Genre: 1,000 to 1,500 word personal essays on the theme of Shelter. Prize: $150. Deadline: December 15, 2022.
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 16, 2022.
Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2022.
Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. New Suns Climate Fiction Award, for original short science fiction that reimagines new ways of living and depicts humanity exploring and overcoming today's climate and biodiversity crises. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: December19, 2022.
Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Essay on theme: Emotions. Prize: £2,500 top prize. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2022. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 20, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: December 22, 2022. See theme. Opens December 16.
VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2022. No self-published books. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2022.
Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100). Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Sator New Works Award. Genre: Debut book-length work of fiction or non-fiction by an author who identifies as trans or nonbinary. Prize: $2,500 advance and publication. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The AIIRA Writing Contest 2022. Restrictions: Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited US academic institution and 18+ years old. Genre: Fiction or creative nonfiction that 'explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food in 2050: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it?" Prize: First Place: $2,000 USD; Second Place: $1,500 USD; Third Place: $1,000 USD. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022 for books published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read details HERE.
The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read more about the award HERE.
Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Caribbean Writer Prize. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2022 theme: "Carrying: Reflection, Recognition and Repair.” Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Olde Wolf Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022. This is a monthly contest.
Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $10 - $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Hooks Institute National Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
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