Upcoming Writing Contests

The following is a list of upcoming writing contests. Be sure to carefully review any contest before entering. Pay close attention to the terms, rights, fees, prize money, judges and rules. You can also view a list of just the poetry contests and a list of writing contests for kids. You can also view a list of all the contests here.

We also recommend reading Alex Keegan's article about increasing your chances of winning writing contests.

Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition
This short fiction contest from Writer's Digest is for stories 1,500 words or less.
Deadline: November 24, 2024
Prizes: $3,000 first place plus publication

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest
The quarterly contest awards cash prizes of $1000, $750 and $500 are awarded every three months. It is open to original science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy up to 17,000 words in length.
Deadline: December 31, 2024
Prizes: $1,000 cash top prize