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.

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: September 30, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 cash top prize

Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize
The Missouri Review runs a contest for fiction, nonfiction and poetry called the Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize.
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Prizes: $5,000 prize in fiction, nonfiction and poetry

Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Competition
The 2025 Zoetrope short literary fiction contest will have three prizewinners. Entries must be 5,000 words or fewer.
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 first prize

John Steinbeck Award for Fiction
Reed magazine is running the John Steinbeck Award for Fiction. Submissions must be 5,000 words or fewer. Submit through Submittable.
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 prize

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
The contest seeks stories that possess a powerful sense of place. They can be fiction, nonfiction, poetry or essay. The length limit is from 800 to 5,000 words.
Deadline: October 15, 2025
Prizes: $1,500 prize.

Writer's Digest Poetry Awards
This is the 15th annual Writer's Digest Poetry Awards. Enter any poem 32 lines or less. There are cash prizes for first, second and third place.
Deadline: November 3, 2025
Prizes: $1,000 first prize plus publication

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 17, 2025
Prizes: $3,000 first place plus publication