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- Weekly Writing Competitions Nov 15th 2024
Weekly Writing Competitions Nov 15th 2024
A list of writing competitions to submit your work to
Craig D
November 15, 2024
Hello fellow writers.
We have 8 new paid writing competitions, and 1 FREE publication submissions.
Good luck writing!
Craig
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Please note: We are not endorsing every publication or company listed here. Engaging with a publication or company is entirely up to the reader.
Competitions
Deadline This Month
Paid
Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition – Closing Date: Nov 15th, 2024 (Early-Bird) | Entry Price: Varies (see website for details) | Prize: $3,000 for first place, publication, Writer's Digest Conference trip, and more | Word Count: Up to 1,500 words.
Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition - Closing Date: Nov 18th, 23:59 GMT | Entry Price: £8.99 | Prize: £100 (1st), £50 (2nd), £25 (3rd & 4th), plus publication in anthology | Word Count: Up to 6,000 words | Note: Open worldwide to unpublished and published writers. Stories must respond in some way to the prompt "The 14th Day" and can be in any genre, though romance entries should avoid explicit content. Limited free entry slots available for low-income writer
The Smokelong Grand Micro Contest - Start Date: Aug 1st | Closing Date: Nov 14th | Early Entry Price: $11 | Prize: 1st $1000, 2nd $500, 3rd $300 | Word Count: Up To 250
Curious Curls Fiction Contest 2024 - Closing Date: Nov 15th (12:00 PM EST) | Entry Price: $2.50 | Prize: $250, $125, $100 + publication + video promotion + book of choice | Word Count: Up to 10,000 words | Note: Open to fiction stories embracing the theme of curiosity.
Creative Writing Ink - Start Date: Now | Closing Date: Nov 15th | Entry Price: £9 | Prize: 1st £1000 , 2nd £200 , 3rd £200 | Word Count: Up to 3000
Fosseway Writers Short (Epistolary) Story Competition 2024 - Closing Date: Nov 16th, 2024 | Entry Price: £5 for the first entry, £3 for each additional entry (£1 discount for members) | Prize: 1st Prize: £50, 2nd Prize: £30, 3rd Prize: £20 + £10 for the best placed local writer (NG22/23/24/25) | Word Count: 1,500 - 2,500 words
2024 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize - Closing Date: Nov 22nd | Entry Price: $12 for subscribers, $20 for non-subscribers | Prize: $5,000 and publication in Overland; two runners-up receive $750 each | Word Count: up to 3,000 words. Note: Theme is "travel"; open to writers worldwide. Unpublished, original works only.
Dark Holme Publishing - Closing Date: Nov 25th | Entry Price: Donation | Prize: 1st £25 | Word Count: 250 - 500
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Narrative Fall 2024 Story Contest - Closing Date: Nov 26th| Entry Price: $27 (includes three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage) | Prize: $2,500 for First Prize; $1,000 for Second; $500 for Third; $100 each for up to ten finalists | Word Count: up to 15,000 words. Note: Open to all unpublished fiction and nonfiction. All entries are also eligible for the $5,000 Narrative Prize.
Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize 2024 – Closing Date: Nov 30th | Entry Price: Free | Prize: £750 for first place, £500 for runner-up, plus publication | Word Count: 1000-1500 words. | Note: Open to UK residents aged 18-25. Entrants may submit one entry, either fiction or non-fiction, interpreting the quote: “Truth will be Truth tho’ it sometimes prove[s]… distasteful.”
Anansi Archive Writing Awards - Closing Date: Nov 30th | Entry Price: £1 (Poetry/Flash Fiction), £3 (Short Fiction) | Prize: £20 (Poetry/Flash Fiction), £50 (Short Fiction); Runner-ups: £10 (Poetry/Flash Fiction), £20 (Short Fiction) | Word Count: Poetry & Flash Fiction up to 500 words; Short Fiction up to 3,000 words
Prairie Fire Annual Writing Contests - Closing Date: Nov 30th | Entry Price: $34 (includes 1-year Prairie Fire subscription) | Prize: $1,250 per category (Fiction, Poetry, Creative Non-Fiction) and publication | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words for prose
Fish Short Story Prize 2024 - Closing Date: Nov 30th, 2024 | Entry Price: €22 (€14 for subsequent entries) | Prize: €3,000 (1st) + workshop + publication, €300 (2nd & 3rd), €200 (7 honorable mentions) | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words
Tadpole Press - Start Date: Now | Closing Date: Nov 30th | Entry Price: $15 | Prize: 1st $2000 | Word Count: 100
Flash Fiction 101 Dec - Start Date: Now | Closing Date: Nov 30th | Entry Price: £1.50 | Prize: Depends on number of entries | Word Count: Exactly 101 | Note: Theme - Winter Wonder
Ongoing
Free
Short Story Stack Contest - Closing Date: End of the Month | Entry Price: Free | Prize: $100 + 50% of subscription revenue | Word Count: 6 - 10,000 words
The Hungur Chronicles - Closing Date: Open Submission (April 15th and October 15th deadlines) | Entry Price: Free | Prize: $25 for original stories, $12 for reprints, $5 for poems, $10 for articles, $8 for illustrations, and $25 for cover art | Word Count: 3,000–8,000 words for stories, up to 100 lines for poems, and 1,000 words for articles.
Paid
Does It Have Pockets - Entry Price: $3 (fee-free periods in late February and August) | Prize: $10 per published issue | Word Count: Poetry: 3-5 poems, Fiction/Creative Nonfiction: up to 5,000 words, Flash Fiction: 3-5 pieces up to 5,000 words total
December
Free
Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest (7th Annual) - Closing Date: Dec 1st, 2024 | Prize: $50 for each category winner, $35 for honorable mentions (10-12) | Word Count: Up to 350 words
Paid
Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest - Closing Date: Dec 1st, 2024 | Entry Price: $25 | Prize: $1,000 for first place (up to 3 prizes awarded) | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words
The Ringwood Short Story Competition 2024 - Closing Date: Dec 6th, 2024 (midnight GMT) | Entry Price: £2 per story (up to 5 stories) | Prize: £100 and publication on the Ringwood website; additional runners-up may also be published | Word Count: Up to 3,000 words| Note: Open to writers with a Scottish connection—those based in Scotland, previously residing in Scotland, or identifying as Scottish.
The Masters Review 2024 Chapbook Open - Closing Date: Dec 15th, 2024 | Entry Price: $25 per entry ($15 for writers from marginalized groups, limited to 50 submissions) | Prize: $3,000, publication, and 50 contributor copies | Page Limit: 25 to 45 pages (double-spaced)| Note: Open to emerging writers only
Marlowe & Christie Flash Fiction Prize - Closing Date: Dec 15th | Entry Price: £9 (Early Bird) / £11 (Standard) | Prize: £250 / $325 | Word Count: 250 words | Note: Inspired by Christmas.
Synkroniciti's "Haunting" Contest - Closing Date: Dec 15th | Entry Price: $3 (free with subscription) | Prize: $75 | Word Count: Up to 4,000 words (Short Story)
2024 Open Short Story Competition - Closing Date: Dec 16th, 2024 (23:59 UK time) | Entry Price: Early: £8 (1 story), £12 (2 stories), £15 (3 stories); General: £16 (1 story), £24 (2 stories), £30 (3 stories) | Prize: £2,000 | Word Count: Up to 8,000 words (no minimum)
Arkbound's Scottish Landscape Writing Competition - Closing Date: Dec 31st | Entry Price: £8 | Prize: Publication in anthology | Word Count: Under 4,500 words | Note: Open to UK writers only. Submissions should align with the theme of Scottish natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and environmental preservation.
Writing Magazine Grand Flash Prize 2024 - Closing Date: Dec 31st, 2024 | Entry Price: £15 (£10 for subscribers) | Prize: £1,000 for first place, £150 for second, £50 for third | Word Count: Up to 500 words
Front Range Book Prize - Closing Date: Dec 31st | Entry Price: $18 | Prize: $1,000 upon publication | Word Count: Any length | Note: Open to unpublished manuscripts in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, play script, or hybrid work by a Colorado author or on the theme of Colorado.
Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay and Short Story Competition - Closing Date: December 31st, 2024 | Entry Price: $30-$40 for Short Story, varies for screenplays | Prize: $1,000 and various benefits for Short Story category winner, including publication on the Killer Shorts website, Scrivener Writing Software, a 1:1 30-minute Zoom meeting with screenwriter Chris Hicks, a skull-shaped typewriter trophy, and more | Word Count: Up to 6,000 words for Short Stories
January
Free
Story of the Year Contest 2024 - Closing Date: Jan 13th, 2025 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: $15,000 in total cash prizes + publication | Word Count: Varies by category
Discoveries 2025 - Closing Date: Jan 13th, 2025 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: £5,000, Curtis Brown representation offer, creative writing courses, and more | Word Count: Up to 10,000 words (novel opening) + 1,000-word synopsis | Note: Open to women aged 18+ who are residents of the UK or Republic of Ireland.
Paid
2024 Exeter Novel Prize - Start Date: | Closing Date: Jan 1st | Entry Price: £20 | Prize: 1st £1000 | Word Count: Opening 10,000 of your novel
StoryBottle Co. Short Story Contest - Closing Date: Jan 15th, 2025 | Entry Price: $15 | Prize: $1,000, publication in print and online, and 10 print copies (second and third place also published) | Word Count: Up to 10,000 words | Note: Open to unpublished stories only.
Bournemouth Writing Prize 2025 - Closing Date: Jan 15th, 2025 | Entry Price: £10 (Short Story up to 3,000 words or up to 3 poems, 30 lines each) | Prize: £500 per category (Short Story and Poetry), publication in anthology and Bournemouth Journal, festival tickets, consultation with writing professionals, and open mic performance at Bourn Jammy event
NEW Heart 2025 Flash Fiction - Closing Date: Jan 19th, 10:00 PM ET | Entry Price: $35 USD (increases to $39 after Dec 12) | Prize: $20,000 prize pool, genre winner: $3,400, runner-up: $800, semi-finalists: $400 | Word Count: Up to 1,000 words
Nine Dots Prize - Closing Date: Jan 27th, 2025 | Prize: $100,000 and book publication | Word Count: 3,000 words | Note: Entrants must respond to the question "Is data failing us?"
NEW Story Unlikely Annual Short Story Contest - Closing Date: Jan 31st, 2024 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: $3,000 total (1st: $1,500, 2nd: $1,000, 3rd: $500); publication and illustration in Story Unlikely’s monthly issue | Word Count: Up to 4,000 words (Members: 5,000 words)
47th Nimrod Literary Awards - Closing Date: Jan 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: $25 per entry (includes a one-year subscription to Nimrod) | Prize: $2,000 for First Prize in Fiction and Poetry, $1,000 for Second Prize; publication for winners and finalists | Word/Page Count: Up to 7,500 words for fiction; 3-10 pages for poetry
Charter Oak Award for Best Historical - Closing Date: Jan 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: $4.99 per submission (up to 5 pieces) | Prize: $100 for first place, $25 for second and third place | Word Count: Up to 10,000 words | Note: Submissions must be individual pieces of historical writing (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid) that fit a historical theme. Free submission periods in February, March, and November.
February
Free
New Media Writing Prize 2024-25 - Closing Date: Feb 1st, 2025 | Prize: £1000 for the Chris Meade Memorial Prize, £500 for the Opening Up Award, and other TBD prizes | Word Count: Not specified
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition 2025 - Closing Date: Feb 14th | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Arvon Residential Writing Week (£850 value) and publication on website | Word Count: Up to 2,000 words
The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition 2024/25: Surprise, Surprise!
Closing Date: Feb 28th, 2025 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Up to £300 for individual winners and up to £1,000 for their school libraries | Word Count: Maximum 500 words
Paid
NEW Winter 2025 Flash Fiction - Closing Date: Feb 9th, 10:00 PM ET | Entry Price: $22 USD (increases to $25 after Jan 2) | Prize: $15,000 prize pool, genre winner: $2,550, runner-up: $600, semi-finalists: $300 | Word Count: Up to 1,000 words
NEW The Elmbridge Literary Competition 2024/25 - Closing Date: Feb 21st | Entry Price: £8 for adults, free for under 18s | Prize: Cash prizes by age category, plus the Elmbridge Prize for local residents | Word Count: Varies by category (see Terms and Condi
AWP Award Series 2025 - Closing Date: Feb 28th, 2025 | Entry Price: $30 per entry | Prize: $5,500 and publication for the Grace Paley Prize (Short Fiction), James Alan McPherson Prize (Novel), and Donald Hall Prize (Poetry); $2,500 and publication for the Sue William Silverman Prize (Creative Nonfiction) | Length: Poetry: 48+ pages; Short Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: 150–300 pages; Novel: 60,000–110,000 words
The Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition - Closing Date: Feb 28th, 2025 (6pm GMT) | Entry Price: £18 | Prize: £500 cash prize | Word Count: Up to 3,500 words
Edinburgh Short Story Award 2025 - Closing Date: Feb 28th, 2025 | Entry Price: £11 per story | Prize: 1st Prize £3,000; 2nd Prize £500; 3rd Prize £250; plus publication in The Edinburgh Anthology | Word Count: No specified limit
March
Free
Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize 2025 - Closing Date: Mar 1st, 2025 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: £3,000 for First Place, £1,000 each for Second and Third; invitation to the Alpine Fellowship symposium with up to £500 travel support | Word Count: Up to 1,000 words
PET Letras Conexões de Saberes Literary Contest 2024 - Closing Date: March 15th | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Publication in e-book and participation certificate | Word Count: 1-3 pages | Note: Open to writers 15 and older.
The Tom Grass Spirit of Adventure Literary Prize - Closing Date: March 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: £5,000 and publication | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words | Note: Open to emerging writers over the age of 25.
Paid
2025 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize - Closing Date: Mar 7th, 2025 | Entry Price: $25 per story | Prize: $1,000, publication on Electric Literature, performance by an actor, plus a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers | Word Count: Up to 750 words
Rubery Book Award - Closing Date: March 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: Varies by country (see website for details) | Prize: Book of the Year: £2,000 (approx. $2,760 USD), Category Winners: £200 (approx. $276 USD) + glass plaque and write-up for all winners & shortlisted authors | Word Count: Not specified
April
Free
Orwell Youth Prize 2025 - Closing Date: Apr 30th, 2025 (Mar 5th for feedback) | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Recognition, feedback option, potential publication | Word Count: 1,000 words (Years 7–11), 1,500 words (Years 12–13) | Note: Open to UK students in Years 7–13.
Paid
NEW Wonder 2025 Flash Fiction - Closing Date: Apr 20th, 10:00 PM ET | Entry Price: $35 USD | Prize: $20,000 prize pool, genre winner: $3,400, runner-up: $800, semi-finalists: $400 | Word Count: Up to 1,000 words
Electric Book Award - Opening Date: Jan 1st | Closing Date: Apr 30th, 2025 | Entry Price: $18 per manuscript | Prize: $1,000 upon publication, gold Electric Book Award digital medallion, certificate, 30 gold medallion seals, book publication on Alternating Current Press, 30% net royalties, and more | Word Count: Any length | Note: Manuscripts must be unpublished adult literary works, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, or hybrid.
May
Paid
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest - Closing Date: May 1st, 2025 | Entry Price: $25 per entry | Prize: $3,500 for best story, $3,500 for best essay, plus $500 for 10 Honorable Mentions; top 2 winners also receive a Duotrope subscription | Word Count: Up to 6,000 words
NEW Writing Battle Spring 2025 Microfiction Contest - Closing Date: May 2nd | Entry Price: $35 (discounted, increases to $39 after Dec 12th) | Prize: $10,000 total prize pool (Genre Winners: $1,700 each, Runners-up: $400 each, Semi-finalists: $200 each) | Word Count: Up to 500 words
July
Paid
Anthology Short Story Competition - Closing Date: July 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: €12 (Sept-Oct 2024), €15 (Nov 2024-Jan 2025), €18 (Feb-July 2025) | Prize: 1st: €1,000 + publication in Anthology magazine, 2nd: €250, 3rd: €150 | Word Count: Up to 1,500 words
August
Paid
NEW Writing Battle Summer 2025 Nanofiction Contest - Closing Date: Aug 1st | Entry Price: $35 | Prize: $10,000 total prize pool (Genre Winners: $1,700 each, Runners-up: $400 each, Semi-finalists: $200 each) | Word Count: Up to 250 words
October
Paid
NEW Writing Battle Fear 2025 Flash Fiction Contest - Closing Date: Oct 5th | Entry Price: $35 | Prize: $20,000 total prize pool (Genre Winners: $3,400 each, Runners-up: $800 each, Semi-finalists: $400 each) | Word Count: Up to 1000 words
Manuscripts
Free
Modern Muse For Writers - Start Date: Oct | Closing Date: Dec | Prize: Developmental Critique and Line Edit of First Chapter | Word Count: First Five Pages
The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2025 - Closing Date: Oct 31st, 2024 | Entry Price: Free (but shortlisted books will incur a £1,200 + VAT fee for promotion) | Prize: £25,000 for the winner; £1,500 for shortlisted authors | Word Count: Not specified| Note: Eligible books must be published in 2024, set at least 60 years before the publication date (i.e., before 1964), and written in English. Only submissions from publishers are accepted, with a maximum of three titles per imprint. Self-published works are not eligible.
Paid
Miami University Press - Reading Fee: $25 | Prize: $1,000, a standard contract, publication and 20 copies of the book. | Word Count: 18000 - 40000
Bath Children’s Novel Award 2024 - Closing Date: Nov 30th, 2024 | Entry Price: £29.99 | Prize: £5,000 + Minerva trophy + feedback on full manuscript | Word Count: First 5,000 words + synopsis (or up to 3 picture book texts)
Reader Views Literary Awards - Closing Date: Dec 15th, 2024 | Entry Price: $89 per title (through Oct 31, 2024) / $99 per title (after Oct 31, 2024) | Prize: Awards based on categories, including a review from Reader Views | Word Count: Not specified
Leiby Chapbook Award - Closing Date: Jan 7th, 2025 | Entry Price: $25 | Prize: Chapbook publication, 50 copies of the winning chapbook, and $1,000 upon publication | Word Count: Up to 45 pages (double-spaced)
Emerging Author Dagger - Closing Date: Feb 28th, 2025 (6pm GMT) | Entry Price: £42 | Prize: £500 cash prize, professional assessment for shortlisted authors, exposure to UK publishers and agents | Word Count: 3,000-word novel opening + 1,500-word synopsis | Note: Open to debut writers (no traditional novel publication over 20,000 words, limited self-publishing experience, and no literary agent at the time of entry).
Xanadu Book Awards - Closing Date: August 31st, 2025 | Entry Price: $65 per category | Prize: $1,000 cash, a full consultation with an editor at Xanadu Press, and a one-year marketing package worth $3,000 for Grand Prize winners; gold medal, certificate, digital award badge, and three months of book marketing for category winners | Word Count: Not specified
Publications
Free
The Dark Magazine - Closing Date: Rolling Submissions | Prize: $0.05/word for original fiction, $0.01/word for reprints | Word Count: 2,000–6,000 words | Note: Accepting horror and dark fantasy fiction.
Et Sequitur Magazine - Closing Date: Rolling Submissions | Prize: $25 upon acceptance | Word Count: 500–2,500 words
Assemble Artifacts Magazine - Closing Date: Rolling Submissions | Prize: Not specified (subject to negotiation upon acceptance) | Word Count: Minimum of 5,000 words preferred (shorter or longer stories also welcome) | Note: Seeking high-concept stories of wonder and suspense, with a focus on high-concept horror and grounded sci-fi.
Fictive Dream Story Submissions - Closing Date: Rolling | Prize: No monetary prize; stories nominated for national and international awards | Word Count: 500-2,500 words
Micromance Magazine - Closing Date: Rolling (varies by issue) | Prize: Publication on Substack and newsletter | Word Count: 75-3,500 words (depending on category)
Dear Booze Submissions - Closing Date: Rolling | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Publication on Dear Booze website | Word Count: 300-3,000 words (fiction), up to 4 poems, longer works considered for serialization | Note: Submissions must center around drinking—no sober content or works where drinking is incidental.
Split Lip Magazine - Pays $75 per Author | Type: Flash, Fiction | Free Subs in Jan, March, May, Aug, Sept, Nov
The Wordsmith Literary Magazine (Issue 03) - Closing Date: Rolling (Sept 2024 issue) | Prize: Publication on website | Word Count: Short Stories (5,000 words or less), Flash Fiction (1,000 words or less), Creative Non-Fiction (2,000 words or less) | Note: Music-themed submissions for poetry, creative nonfiction, and short stories.
Literary Fiction & Speculative Fiction Submissions - Closing Date: Open year-round | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Not specified for regular submissions | Word Count: Up to 8,000 words (fiction); up to 1,500 words for flash fiction (up to 3 pieces per submission)
Driftwood Submissions - Closing Dates: February and August (Normal Submissions) | Entry Price: Not specified | Prize: Not specified | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words
Cicada Song Press: Breaking Through the Penumbra Anthology - Closing Date: Nov 30th, 2024 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Free e-copy of the anthology | Word Count: 100 – 5,000 words
OKD Mag Submissions - Open Date: 1st of every month | Entry Price: Free (Tip Jar and Expedited Response options available) | Publication: One new piece every Friday (alternating between flash fiction and poetry)| Note: We accept either one flash fiction (up to 1,200 words) or one poem per author, per submission period.
Exquisite Death Fiction Submission - Closing Date: Rolling | Entry Price: Free | Prize: No payment (may be offered in the future) | Word Count: Up to 3,000 words
Fictive Dream Submissions - Closing Date: Rolling | Prize: No payment; stories nominated for awards | Word Count: 500 to 2,500 words
Folding Rock - Closing Date: Dec 1st, 2024 | Prize: £360 and a contributor copy per published piece | Word Count: 1,000–4,000 words | Note: Open to creative fiction and non-fiction. For Issue One, pieces should engage with the theme of “Roots” (interpret broadly).
NEW Creation Magazine Winter 2024 Holiday Issue - Closing Date: Dec 11th | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Publication in printed issue | Word Count: Up to 5,000 words | Note: Submissions should reflect holiday themes, multicultural celebrations, or personal narratives that evoke nostalgia and diverse traditions.
Tales of the Wastelands Vol. 1 Writing Competition – Closing Date: Dec 31st, 2024 | Entry Price: Free | Prize: Inclusion in zine, free PDF download, chance to receive printed copies | Word Count: 100-4,000 words.
Note: Open to original, post-apocalyptic stories featuring vehicle combat themes, not set in commercially established worlds.
The Hoolet’s Nook Submissions - Closing Date: 21st of Each Month | Prize: No payment currently; cash prizes planned for future | Word Count: Microfiction up to 300 word
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