Contest Database
View our curated results of the best free literary contests!
| Name | Deadline | Type | Status | Top Prize | WW Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor General's Literary Awards | 07/15/25 | Published Poetry Book Published Prose Book | Active | C$25,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines February 15, May 15, July 15 (must be received by these dates). Highly recommended free contest awards prizes up to C$25,000 for best English-language and French-language books in each of 7 categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People's Literature (text), Young People's Literature (illustrated books), and Translation (from French to English or from English to French). Books must be first foreign or first Canadian edition trade books that have been written, translated, or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada aged 18+. Submission by publishers only. For each title, send one e-book and four hard copies along with the completed nomination form. Electronic submissions accepted in Fiction and Nonfiction categories, but one hard copy of nominated title must still be sent. See website for more details about eligibility and deadline requirements. Sponsored by Canada Council for the Arts. | ||||||
| Helen Schaible Sonnet Contest | 07/15/25 | Individual Poems | Active | $50.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline July 15 (must be received by this date; don't enter before June 1). Neutral free contest gives two top prizes of $50 apiece for the best sonnets (one Shakespearean or Petrarchan and one Modern). One poem per category per person. Submit your previously unpublished entry via the sponsor's online submission form. Be sure to specify which sonnet type (Shakespearean, Petrarchan, or Modern) you're submitting on each entry. No simultaneous submissions. Sponsored by the Poets & Patrons of Chicago, an organization that fosters an appreciation of poetry through writing workshops and other activities. | ||||||
| Stone Canoe Awards | 07/15/25 | Individual Poems Short Fiction | Active | $250.00 | Neutral | |
Deadlines July 15 (fiction), August 18 (poetry) (must be received by these dates). Neutral free contest gives prizes of $250 apiece for previously unpublished poetry and fiction by writers who live or have lived in upstate New York and who have not yet published full-length books. Winners will be published in Stone Canoe literary journal. Awards are for work already published in the journal. No separate application process; all submissions are automatically considered for the prizes. An entrant may submit one entry in each of the two genres. Submit 1-5 poems and/or one story (up to 7,500 words), through the sponsor's online submissions portal. Be sure to include a biographical note clearly detailing your current or past residency in the eligible region of New York State. | ||||||
| Black Voices in Children's Literature Contest | 07/22/25 | Prose Manuscript | Active | $1,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline July 22 (don't enter before June 16). Recommended free contest gives prizes up to $1,000 and possible publication for children's picture book and board book manuscripts. Entries should be original fiction or nonfiction board books for ages 0-4 (50-125 words) and picture books for ages 4-8 (300-800 words) featuring Black characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, identity, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development. The contest is open to Black authors who have not previously published work for children, are residents of the United States, and are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Enter by mail, email, or online. Co-sponsored by Free Spirit Publishing and Strive Publishing. | ||||||
| International Booker Prize | 07/24/25 | Published Prose Book | Active | £25,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines July 24, September 25, October 23 (must be received by these dates; don't enter before June 24). Highly recommended free contest awards 25,000 pounds each for author and translator of an English translation of a novel or collection of short stories published in the UK or Ireland between May 1 of the deadline year and April 30 of the following year by an established UK/Ireland imprint. Author and translator need not be UK/Ireland citizens or residents, but entries must be submitted by an established UK/Ireland publisher. E-books and self-translated works welcome, but self-published titles are ineligible. Submit completed entry form, 10 copies of the work, a PDF of the text, and other required materials specified in the contest's full rules of entry by July 24 (if slated for publication between May 1 and November 30, 2025) or September 25 (if slated for publication between December 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026). Any imprint that has more than 3 books to submit may nominate additional titles as call-ins; all call-in nomination forms and other required application materials must be submitted by October 23. Sponsored and coordinated by the Booker Prize Foundation. | ||||||
| Anthem Essay Contest for Students | 07/31/25 | Scholarly Essay | Active | $2,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadline July 31 (must be received by this date). Highly recommended free contest for 8th-12th graders awards top prize of $2,000, other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novella 'Anthem'. After registering for the contest online, student will receive instant access to the book, the essay prompt(s), and the word limit. Submit one essay online. Past first-prize winners are ineligible. Sponsored by the Ayn Rand Institute. | ||||||
| Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest for Students | 07/31/25 | Scholarly Essay | Active | $25,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines July 31, September 20, December 27 (must be received by these dates). Highly recommended free contest for high school, college, and graduate students awards $25,000 annual grand prize, three $3,000 top seasonal prizes, and other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. After registering online for the contest, students will receive instant access to the book, the essay prompts, as well as the word limit. The winning essays in the three seasonal contests are eligible to win the annual grand prize. A student can enter any or all of the three seasonal rounds. Enter online. Contest is looking for entries that are sympathetic to Rand's rationalist, libertarian philosophy. See sponsor's website for other student contests. | ||||||
| Diverse Writers/Diverse Worlds Grants | 07/31/25 | Prose Manuscript Fellowship | Active | $500.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline July 31 (must be received by this date; don't enter before July 1). Recommended free contests award two diversity-centered grants (Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds) of $500 apiece for book-length speculative fiction rich in diversity. Diverse Writers is for "underrepresented and underprivileged groups...whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing/publishing process"; Diverse Worlds is for "work that best presents a diverse world, regardless of the writer's background". Submit an excerpt of 5,000 words or fewer from an in-progress manuscript. See website for other submission requirements. Enter via sponsor's online application form. Sponsored by Speculative Literature Foundation. | ||||||
| Fountainhead Essay Contest for Middle and High School Students | 07/31/25 | Scholarly Essay | Active | $25,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines July 31, September 13, December 20 (must be received by these dates). Highly recommended free contest for middle and high school students in grades 8-12 awards $25,000 annual grand prize, three $3,000 top seasonal prizes, and other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novel 'The Fountainhead'. After registering for the contest online, student will receive instant access to the book, the essay prompt(s), as well as the word limit. The winning essays in the three seasonal contests are eligible to win the annual grand prize. A student can enter any or all of the three seasonal rounds. Submit your essay online. Contest is looking for entries that are sympathetic to Rand's rationalist, libertarian philosophy. See sponsor's website for other student contests. | ||||||
| Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award | 07/31/25 | Individual Poems | Active | Highly Recommended | ||
Deadline July 31. Highly recommended free contest for unpublished poems, 40 lines maximum, by authors aged 11-17 gives winners anthology publication, tuition to a week-long Arvon writing class, and other prizes. All 100 winners will be invited to an awards party in London. Online entries accepted. Poets aged 11-12 must submit a signed parent/guardian permission form to enter. Submissions can be made by the individual poet, a parent/guardian, or a teacher. Sponsored by the Poetry Society of the UK, a prestigious literary society. | ||||||
| Short Story Substack's Monthly Contest | 07/31/25 | Short Fiction | Active | $100.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline January 31 (must be received by this date), subsequent deadlines on the last day of each month. Neutral free contest for short fiction gives a monthly prize of $100 plus 50% of the site's subscription revenue for that month, and publication in their monthly Substack newsletter that is archived on the website. Entries may be published or unpublished, as long as you have the reprint rights. Send one story, 6-10,000 words, by email to shortstorystack@gmail.com as an MS Word or Google Doc file. | ||||||
| Sisters in Crime Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers | 07/31/25 | Short Fiction Novel Excerpt | Active | $2,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline July 31 (must be received by this date; don't enter before June 1). Recommended free contest from Sisters in Crime awards $2,000 grant for unpublished crime fiction, 2,500-5,000 words, by an emerging writer in the LGBTQIA+ community who has not published more than ten pieces of short fiction or two books. (Preference is given to previously unpublished authors.) Entries may be aimed at readers of all ages (from children's chapter books through adults). Winner may be asked to share thoughts on their win and the impact the award has made as well as serve as a member of next year's award selection committee. Send short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript-in-progress, resume, and cover letter describing how the applicant is emerging in the genre and how the grant money would be used. Submit application materials via sponsor's online portal. | ||||||
| Tilted House 1BR/3BATH Chapbook Prize | 07/31/25 | Poetry Chapbook | Active | $200.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline July 31 (must be received by this date; don't enter before June 1). Neutral contest gives $200 prize, a publication run of 150-200, and 15 author copies to poets for an "innovative, sonic, omissive, dislocated, explorative, cryptic, and/or transgressive" poetry chapbook, between 16-35 pages. This contest has a sliding scale reading fee, and you can pay zero. Excerpts may have been previously published, but MS. must be unpublished. Author can submit multiple entries online. Sponsored by Tilted House, a New Orleans-based mico-press that publishes experimental works. | ||||||
| Granum Foundation Prizes | 08/01/25 | Fellowship Fellowship | Active | $5,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline August 1 (must be received by this date; don't enter before May 1). Recommended free contest gives $5,000 top prize to a US resident age 18+ for a writing sample of a work-in-progress (all genres compete together). Authors must not have published more than five books or chapbooks. The prizes are meant to assist writers in "completing substantive literary works (poetry books, essay or short story collections, novels, and memoirs) or to help launch these works". A special Translation Prize of at least $1,500 is also awarded to a US-based writer age 18+ to support the completion of a translation into English. Complete the appropriate entry form online, and be sure to include a cover letter, project description, timeline for project completion, and an explanation of how the grant will assist you. Upload approximately 12 poems or approximately 25 pages of prose (for short stories or essays, send AT LEAST two full pieces even if this exceeds the 25-page limit). Sponsored by the Granum Foundation, a nonprofit that offers grants to writers to enable the completion of new projects. | ||||||
| John Glassco Translation Prize | 08/08/25 | Published Poetry Book Published Prose Book | Active | C$1,000.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline August 8 (must be received by this date). Neutral free contest from the Literary Translators' Association of Canada awards C$1,000 for an author's first book-length translation from any language into French or English, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the current year. Work may be poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction, or children's literature (all genres compete together). Contest is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Translators can self-nominate. Submit four copies of translation, four copies of original book, and completed entry form; also email digital files of the translation and the original work to the sponsor. | ||||||
| Oregon Literary Fellowships | 08/08/25 | Fellowship Fellowship | Active | $10,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadline August 8 (must be received by this date; don't enter before June 20). Highly recommended free contest awards two fellowships of $10,000 each and up to eight fellowships of $4,000 apiece to full-time Oregon residents, particularly those in the early stages of their writing career and demonstrating exceptional talent, in the following genres: poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama, and young readers literature. Two fellowships (one $10,000 grant and one $4,000 grant) are reserved specifically for writers of color. There are also fellowships for women/gender-nonconforming writers as well as special fellowships for fiction writers who have lived in Oregon over the past 5 years. All genres compete together, and the total number of fellowships varies from year to year depending on funding. Fellowship recipients in the last 5 years (2021-25) are ineligible for this 2026 cycle. Submit up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose with the required entry form online. To apply for the larger grant, also submit your 1-page artist's statement and 1-page impact statement. | ||||||
| Peter Blazey Fellowship | 08/11/25 | Fellowship | Active | A$20,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline August 11 (must be received by this date; don't enter before May 12). Recommended free contest sponsored by the University of Melbourne gives an Australian writer a fellowship of up to A$20,000 to further a work-in-progress in the nonfiction fields of autobiography, biography, or life writing. Applicant must have a publishing record. Manuscript cannot be part of a submission for a higher degree. Submit 2-page CV, 1-page synopsis, and 5,000-word writing sample from the manuscript online. Fellowship is named in honor of journalist, author, and gay activist Peter Blazey. | ||||||
| Scotiabank Giller Canadian Book Prize | 08/15/25 | Published Prose Book | Active | C$100,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines February 14, April 17, June 20, August 15 (must be received by these dates). Highly recommended free contest awards top prize of C$100,000 for a full-length novel, graphic novel, or short story collection written in English (either originally or in translation) by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, that is scheduled for publication in Canada between October 1 of the previous year and September 30 of the deadline year. Book must be available for sale in retail/book stores across Canada. Publishers of shortlisted titles must agree to pay C$2,000 per shortlisted book. Shortlisted authors must attend award ceremony in Toronto in November, participate in various marketing activities, and sign 2,000 copies of their book (purchased by sponsor for internal distribution). Deadline varies based on the time of year that the book was published; see website for complete schedule and entry rules. Publisher must send 5 hard copies by post AND provide e-books as PDFs. Founded in 1994 to honor literary journalist Doris Giller, the prize has been sponsored by Scotiabank since 2005. | ||||||
| Waterford Poetry Prize | 08/15/25 | Individual Poems | Active | £500.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline August 15 (must be received by this date; don't enter before June 6). Neutral free contest from the Waterford City & County Council's Arts Office awards prizes up to 500 pounds for a previously unpublished poem, 40 lines maximum, by a resident of Ireland. Winner will also be invited to participate in a writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore. No simultaneous submissions permitted. Enter online. | ||||||
| Stone Canoe Awards | 08/18/25 | Individual Poems Short Fiction | Active | $250.00 | Neutral | |
Deadlines July 15 (fiction), August 18 (poetry) (must be received by these dates). Neutral free contest gives prizes of $250 apiece for previously unpublished poetry and fiction by writers who live or have lived in upstate New York and who have not yet published full-length books. Winners will be published in Stone Canoe literary journal. Awards are for work already published in the journal. No separate application process; all submissions are automatically considered for the prizes. An entrant may submit one entry in each of the two genres. Submit 1-5 poems and/or one story (up to 7,500 words), through the sponsor's online submissions portal. Be sure to include a biographical note clearly detailing your current or past residency in the eligible region of New York State. | ||||||
| Not Quite Write Prize for Flesh Fiction | 08/24/25 | Short Fiction | Active | A$500.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline August 24 (must be received by this date). Recommended free contest from Australian writers' podcast Not Quite Write gives prizes up to A$500 for erotic short fiction, 1,500 words maximum. 2025 theme is "Making the unsexy irresistible." Entrants should be 18+. All characters must be consenting adults and original to the author (no real-life characters or fan fiction). Winners and runners-up receive publication in anthology, story read aloud on Not Quite Write podcast, free or discounted entry fee to NQW's flash fiction contest, plus other gifts. Deadline is in Australian time, so entrants in other time zones should adjust the date accordingly. | ||||||
| Women's Prize for Fiction | 08/29/25 | Published Prose Book | Active | £30,000.00 | Highly Recommended | |
Deadlines August 29, October 31, November 28 (must be received by these dates; don't enter before July 7). Highly recommended free contest offers 30,000 pounds for full-length novels (no short story collections or novellas) by women, first published in the UK between April 1 of the current year and March 31 of the following year. Deadline varies depending on title's publication schedule. Translations and self-published books are not eligible. No fee, but publishers must contribute significantly toward the publicity budget for shortlisted books. Publishers should read detailed eligibility conditions on website closely before submitting. Publishers with a list of 15 or more fiction titles per year may submit up to 2 book-length novels; publishers with a list of 14 fiction titles or fewer may submit 1 book-length novel. Publishers must complete online entry form and send both a print-ready PDF file and 6 hard copies for each submitted title. It is the UK's most prestigious annual book award for fiction written by a woman. Formerly known as the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, it is now simply the Women's Prize for Fiction. | ||||||
| Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize | 08/31/25 | Published Poetry Book | Active | $2,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline August 31. Recommended free contest from Utica University awards $2,000 for a poetry collection, at least 48 pages long, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the deadline year by an upstate New York author. Winner must agree to attend award ceremony at Utica University, give a reading, and meet with students in a master class. Entries may be submitted by author or publisher. Send 2 copies plus entry form and CV listing creative and scholarly accomplishments. | ||||||
| Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction | 08/31/25 | Creative Nonfiction Memoir Scholarly Essay | Active | $500.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline August 31 (must be received by this date). Neutral free contest from Dappled Things: A Quarterly of Ideas, Art, & Faith awards prizes up to $500 for nonfiction (essays, memoirs) from a Catholic perspective. No separate application process; winners selected from essays published in the preceding four issues of the journal. Early submission is strongly encouraged. Must submit by the end of August to be considered for this year's prize. Enter online. Award is named for Jacques Maritain, an influential 20th century Thomist philosopher and Catholic convert. | ||||||
| Kindle Storyteller Award | 08/31/25 | Poetry Manuscript Prose Manuscript | Active | £20,000.00 | Recommended | |
Deadline August 31 (must be received by this date; don't enter before May 1). Recommended free contest from Amazon UK awards top prize of 20,000 pounds for previously unpublished English-language books, minimum 24 pages when in paperback format, in any genre, by authors aged 18+. To qualify, entries must be enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select program online and made available for sale both as an e-book and in print exclusively through Amazon during the entry period. Winner will also receive a marketing campaign to support the winning book on Amazon.co.uk. | ||||||
| Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers | 08/31/25 | Creative Nonfiction | Active | $200.00 | Neutral | |
Deadlines April 30, June 30, August 31, October 31 (must be received by these dates). Neutral free contest gives prizes up to $200 and web publication for essays, 1,000-5,000 words, by unpublished writers, defined as those whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $250 in any single year. Nonfiction categories are General, Biographical, Travel, and Animal. April 30 deadline is for entries in the Animal Nonfiction category; June 30 deadline is for entries in the General Nonfiction category; August 31 deadline is for entries in the Biographical Nonfiction category; and October 31 deadline is for entries in the Travel Nonfiction category. The Preservation Foundation is a Tennessee-based nonprofit with the goal of preserving the extraordinary stories of ordinary people. "Since our object is to preserve these stories for future generations, not to put them up one year and take them down the next, all contest entries will be posted on our website and must remain on the site for as long as the Preservation Foundation exists." Submit up to 2 entries in each of the 4 nonfiction categories via email. | ||||||
| Short Story Substack's Monthly Contest | 08/31/25 | Short Fiction | Active | $100.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline January 31 (must be received by this date), subsequent deadlines on the last day of each month. Neutral free contest for short fiction gives a monthly prize of $100 plus 50% of the site's subscription revenue for that month, and publication in their monthly Substack newsletter that is archived on the website. Entries may be published or unpublished, as long as you have the reprint rights. Send one story, 6-10,000 words, by email to shortstorystack@gmail.com as an MS Word or Google Doc file. | ||||||
| Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing | 08/31/25 | Short Fiction | Active | £100.00 | Neutral | |
Deadline August 31 (must be received by this date). Neutral free contest gives online publication and top prize of 100 pounds for a short story, maximum 1,500 words, on a theme that changes annually, by a writer age 16+. For 2025, the theme is "Secrets", and the sponsor seeks entries that are "show the emotional weight and human impact of secrets" as well as "uncover the hidden truths, untold histories, private thoughts, and concealed moments that shape lives". No simultaneous submissions. Limit one story per author. Stories must not have been previously published, broadcast, or awarded a prize. Enter by email. Prize is named after contest sponsor and British author, Val Wood. | ||||||
