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.

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