Creative Writing Contests
Creative writing contests with big cash prizes like the ones below can provide a real step up for writers. My own career was jumpstarted by a contest, after I submitted a sample of
my unpublished novel to the
Chapters/Robertson Davies contest for unpublished novelists. I’ll never forget the thrill of excitement I felt when they contacted me and said that I was one of six
hundred writers invited to submit the entire novel.
I decided right then that if my novel went any further in the contest, I’d use that honour to find an agent, and I began my research. When the shortlist of five novels
was announced, and mine was on the list, I contacted the agent I had chosen, and she signed me and had a publisher interested within two weeks. I was giddy with
excitement. If I won the contest, I’d be published with McClelland and Stewart and receive an advance on royalties. If I went no further than the shortlist,
I’d be published with HarperCollins and receive a larger advance on royalties.
I never won the contest, but I won a career all the same. So seek out creative writing contests and send your best work, as winning means publication and often payment.
I'll include creative writing contests and their deadlines here as I become aware of them, so send in your entries, and good luck!
Current Fiction Writing Contests
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010: So to Speak Short Fiction Competition Prize: $500
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010: Arts & Letters Fiction Competition Prize: $1000
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010: Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction Prize: $1000
DEADLINE MARCH 16, 2010: Prairie Schooner Manuscript Contest Prize: $3000 plus publication with University of Nebraska Press
DEADLINE MARCH 20, 2010: International Fish Flash Fiction Contest Prize: €1000
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Bristol Short Story Prize Prize: £500
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Dark Tales Short Story Competition Prize: £200
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Glimmer Train Fiction Open Award Prize: $2000
DEADLINE March 31, 2010: Exeter Writers' Short Story Competition Prize: £200
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Narrative Short Story Contest Prize: $4000
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest Prize: $3000
DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2010: Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition Prize: $1000
DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2010: First Writer Short Story Contest Prize: £200
DEADLINE APRIL 14, 2010: Biscuit International Short Story Contest Prize: £1500
DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010: Writer Advice Fifth Annual Flash Prose Contest Prize: $150
DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010 2010: John Gardner Memorial Prize for Fiction Prize: $500
DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010: Canadian Writer's Journal Semi-Annual Short Fiction Contest Prize: $150
DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010: Nimrod Literary Awards: The Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Fiction Prize: $2000
DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010: Cooldog Short Story Prize Prize: £500
DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010: Momaya Short Story Competition Prize: £110
DEADLINE MAY 15, 2009: subTerrain Lush Triumphant Literary Awards Prize: $750
DEADLINE MAY 18, 2010: New Letters Alexander Patterson Cappon Prize for Fiction Prize: $1500
DEADLINE MAY 31, 2010: Simon Fraser University 1st Book Competition Prize: Publication by Anvil Press (Contest open to Canadians only)
DEADLINE May 31, 2010: Frome Festival Short Story Competition Prize: £300
DEADLINE June 10, 2010: EarlyWorks Press Flash Fiction Contest Prize: £75
DEADLINE JUNE 15, 2010: Room Magazine's Annual Fiction Contest Prize: $500
DEADLINE JUNE 30, 2010: Bridport Short Story Prize Prize: £5000
DEADLINE JUNE 30, 2010: Bridport Flash Fiction Prize Prize: £1000
DEADLINE JULY 31, 2010: Aversion Horror and Speculative Fiction Contest Prize: £100
DEADLINE AUGUST 1, 2010: John Kenneth Galbraith Literary Award Prize: $2000
DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30, 2010: Longworth Editors Short Story Competition Prize: £5000
DEADLINE OCTOBER 1, 2010: Aura Estrada Short Story Contest Prize: $1500
DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1, 2010: The Malahat Review Open Season Awards Prize: $1000
DEADLINE NOVEMBER 30, 2010: Literary Soul Making Contest Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel Excerpts Prize: $100 in each category
Creative Non-Fiction Writing Contests
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010: Arts & Letters Non-fiction Competition Prize: $1000
DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010: Annie Dillard Award for Creative Non-fiction Prize: $1000
DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010: Narrative Non-fiction Contest Prize: $4000
DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010: Event Creative non-fiction contest Prize: $1500
DEADLINE JUNE 15, 2010: Room Magazine's Annual Non-Fiction Contest Prize: $500
DEADLINE AUGUST 1, 2010: Malahat Review Creative Non-Fiction Prize Prize: $1000
DEADLINE OCTOBER 15, 2010: So to Speak Non-fiction Competition Prize: $500
CLICK HERE to submit information about Creative Writing Contests
Return from the Creative Writing Contests page to the Home page
Nominee 2008 IMPAC Dublin International Literary Award
Praise for Madame Zee
Precise and elegant, with a measured tone that beautifully balances the often bizarre subject matter. ~ Montreal Gazette
Winner 2001 Commonwealth Prize for best first book Canada/Carribbean region
Praise for Burning Ground
... lyrical, sensual and erotic, written with a confidence often lacking in first books. ~ Toronto Star