The Word Count Short Fiction Contest
For: Unpublished works of short fiction
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: March 1 – March 31, 2020
Prize:
– Endorsement of the piece on The Word Count’s Facebook Page, Instagram, Twitter Account and Pinterest Board.
– Inclusion of the piece under “The Word Count Creative Writing Contests” reading list on Wattpad.
Submission guidelines and details:
The short story should be no longer than 2,000 words and can address any subject matter. All submissions must be formatted in double spaced, Times New Roman 12-pt font. To enter, please email your pdf submission to thewordcount@yahoo.com (subject: Writing Contest Spring 2020). The contest winner will be announced on our Facebook Page and in our Facebook group.
American Poets Continuum Series
For: Mid-career poets
Open to: Published poets only
Entry Period: February 1 – February 29, 2020
Submission details and guidelines
BOA Short Fiction Prize
For: Authors more concerned with the artfulness of their writing than the twists and turns of plot (i.e. the majority of genre writing such as mystery, science fiction, horror, etc.)
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: April 1 – May 31, 2020
Prize: Book publication by BOA Editions LTD. IN spring 2022, a $1,000 honorarium
Submission details and guidelines
Poetry Contest for Emerging Poets
For: New poets
Open to: Poets who have not yet published a book of poetry with a nationally distributed press
Entry Period: January 1 – June 1, 2020
Prize: Publication and $1,000
Submission details and guidelines
Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers
For: New writers
Open to: Writers who have not yet published a book of poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction with a nationally distributed press
Entry Period: June 2 – September 30, 2020
Prize: Publication and $1,000
Submission details and guidelines
Omnidawn Fabulist Fiction Chapbook / Novelette Contest
For: Magic realism and literary forms of fantasy, science fiction, horror, fable, and myth. Stories can be primarily realistic, with elements of non-realism, or primarily, or entirely non-realistic
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: September 1 – October 15, 2020
Prize: $1,000 prize, publication of the perfect bound pocket series chapbook / novelette with a full color cover by Omnidawn, 100 free copies of the winning chapbook / novelette, and extensive display advertising and publicity, including prominent display ads in Poets & Writers Magazine, Rain Taxi Review of Books and other publications.
Submission details and guidelines
THE BLACK RIVER CHAPBOOK COMPETITION
For: An unpublished chapbook of poems or prose between 16-36 pages in length
Open to: New, emerging, and established writers
Entry Period: September 1 – October 31, 2019
Prize: Book publication, a $500 cash award, and ten copies of the book.
Submission details and guidelines
2021 Alice James Award
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Reading Period: September, 2019 – March , 2020
Prize: $2000, book publication, and distribution through Consortium
Submission details and guidelines
Colorado Prize for Poetry
For: An unpublished manuscript of poetry between 48 – 100 pages
Open to: Anyone except
-friends and students (current and former) of the final judge: Kiki Petrosino
-Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni
Entry Period: October 1, 2019 – January 14, 2020
Prize: $2,000 honorarium and publication through the Center for Literary Publishing and distribution through the University Press of Colorado in the fall of 2020.
Submission details and guidelines
The Hudson Prize
For: Unpublished collection of poems or short stories
Open to: New, emerging, and established writers
Entry Period: February 1 – March 31, 2020
Prize: Publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book
Submission details and guidelines
The Black River Chapbook Competition
For: Unpublished chapbook of poems or prose between 16-36 pages in length
Open to: New, emerging, and established writers
Entry Period: April 1 – May 31, 2020
Prize: Book publication, a $500 cash award, and ten copies of the book
Submission details and guidelines
First/Second Book Poetry Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: November 1 – February 18, 2020
Prize: $3,000
Submission details and guidelines
Single Poem Broadside Poetry Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: March 1 – April 13, 2020
Prize: $1,000
Submission details and guidelines
Poetry Chapbook Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: May 1 – June 15, 2020
Prize: $1,000
Submission details and guidelines
Main Street Rag Poetry Book Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Reading Period: December 1, 2019 – February 1, 2020
Prize: Publication, 50 copies of the published book, and $1200.
(Runners up will also be considered for publication)
Submission details and guidelines
Diana Woods Memorial Award
For: Non-Fiction
Open to: Unpublished work
Entry Period: Year Round
Prize: Publication in Lunch Ticket and $250
Submission details and guidelines
Twitter Poetry Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Unpublished works
Entry Period: Year Round
Prize: Publication on the Twitter Poetry Contest Page with the Lunch Ticket (Note: The poem will also be pinned to the top of the Lunch Ticket Twitter page for the remainder of the month)
Submission details and guidelines
The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts
For: Prose and Poetry
Open to: Translators and authors of multi-lingual texts
Entry Period:
February 2020 (for publication in the June)
August 2020 (for publication in December)
Prize: Publication in Lunch Ticket and $200
Submission details and guidelines
Single Poem Broadside Poetry Contest
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: March 1, 2020 – April 13, 2020
Prize: TBD
Submission details and guidelines
The Elyse Wolf Prize
For: Chapbook of Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: TBD in March 2020
Prize: Publication and $500
Submission details and guidelines
Full-Length Poetry Book Contest with Jacar Press
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: January 1 – April 30, 2020
Prize: Publication and a contract that pays them 10% of all sales, after publishing expenses are covered, from the first 200 books sold. This royalty escalates to 40% of all sales, after expenses, from copies 201-400 sold. Once the 400 sales figure is reached, writers will receive 50% of all sales, after expenses. Finalists will be considered for publication at the discretion of Jacar Press.
Submission details and guidelines
Poetry Chapbook Competition with Jacar Press
For: Poetry
Open to: Anyone
Entry Period: January 1 – April 30, 2020
Prize: Publication and a contract that pays them 30% of all sales after the first 200 books are sold. Finalists will be considered for publication at the discretion of Jacar Press.
Submission details and guidelines
The St. Lawrence Book Award
For: An unpublished first collection of poems or short stories
Open to: Any writer who has not yet published a full-length collection of short stories or poems
Entry Period: June 1 – June 30, 2020
(Early Bird Entry Period: July 1 – August 31, 2020)
Prize: Publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book.
Submission details and guidelines
© 2020 by Naomi Roberson
