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 My own career was jumpstarted by a contest, after I submitted a sample of my unpublished novel to the Chapters/Robertson Davies contest for unpublished novelists.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

1. DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010:
   So to Speak Short Fiction Competition Prize: $500
   
   
2. DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010:
   Arts & LettersFiction Competition Prize: $1000
   
   
3. DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010:
   Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction Prize: $1000
   
   
4. DEADLINE MARCH 16, 2010:
   Prairie Schooner Manuscript Contest Prize: $3000 plus publication with University of Nebraska Press
   
   
5. DEADLINE MARCH 20, 2010:
   International Fish Flash Fiction Contest Prize: €1000
   
   
6. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
   Bristol Short Story Prize Prize: £500
   
   
7. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
   Dark Tales Short Story Competition Prize: £200
   
   
8. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
   Glimmer Train Fiction Open Award Prize: $2000
   
   
9. DEADLINE March 31, 2010:
   Exeter Writers' Short Story Competition Prize: £200
   
   
10. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
    NarrativeShort Story Contest Prize: $4000
    
    
11. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
    Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest Prize: $3000
    
    
12. DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2010:
    Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition Prize: $1000
    
    
13. DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2010:
    First Writer Short Story Contest Prize: £200
    
    
14. DEADLINE APRIL 14, 2010:
    Biscuit International Short Story Contest Prize: £1500
    
    
15. DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010:
    Writer Advice Fifth Annual Flash Prose Contest Prize: $150
    
    
16. DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010 2010:
    John Gardner Memorial Prize for Fiction Prize: $500
    
    
17. DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010:
    Canadian Writer's Journal Semi-Annual Short Fiction Contest Prize: $150
    
    
18. DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010:
    Nimrod Literary Awards: The Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Fiction Prize: $2000
    
    
19. DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010:
    Cooldog Short Story Prize Prize: £500
    
    
20. DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2010:
    Momaya Short Story Competition Prize: £110
    
    
21. DEADLINE MAY 15, 2009:
    subTerrain Lush Triumphant Literary Awards Prize: $750
    
    
22. DEADLINE MAY 18, 2010:
    New Letters Alexander Patterson Cappon Prize for Fiction Prize: $1500
    
    
23. DEADLINE MAY 31, 2010:
    Simon Fraser University 1st Book Competition Prize: Publication by Anvil Press (Contest open to Canadians only)
    
    
24. DEADLINE May 31, 2010:
    Frome Festival Short Story Competition Prize: £300
    
    
25. DEADLINE June 10, 2010:
    EarlyWorks Press Flash Fiction Contest Prize: £75
    
    
26. DEADLINE JUNE 15, 2010:
    Room Magazine's Annual Fiction Contest Prize: $500
    
    
27. DEADLINE JUNE 30, 2010:
    Bridport Short Story Prize Prize: £5000
    
    
28. DEADLINE JUNE 30, 2010:
    Bridport Flash Fiction Prize Prize: £1000
    
    
29. DEADLINE JULY 31, 2010:
    Aversion Horror and Speculative Fiction Contest Prize: £100
    
    
30. DEADLINE AUGUST 1, 2010:
    John Kenneth Galbraith Literary Award Prize: $2000
    
    
31. DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30, 2010:
    Longworth Editors Short Story Competition Prize: £5000
    
    
32. DEADLINE OCTOBER 1, 2010:
    Aura Estrada Short Story Contest Prize: $1500
    
    
33. DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1, 2010:
    The Malahat Review Open Season Awards Prize: $1000
    
    
34. DEADLINE NOVEMBER 30, 2010:
    Literary Soul Making Contest Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel Excerpts Prize: $100 in each category
    
    

Creative Non-Fiction Writing Contests

1. DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010:
   Arts & LettersNon-fiction Competition Prize: $1000
   
   
2. DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2010:
   Annie Dillard Award for Creative Non-fiction Prize: $1000
   
   
3. DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2010:
   NarrativeNon-fiction Contest Prize: $4000
   
   
4. DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2010:
   Event Creative non-fiction contest Prize: $1500
   
   
5. DEADLINE JUNE 15, 2010:
   Room Magazine's Annual Non-Fiction Contest Prize: $500
   
   
6. DEADLINE AUGUST 1, 2010:
   Malahat Review Creative Non-Fiction Prize Prize: $1000
   
   
7. DEADLINE OCTOBER 15, 2010:
   So to Speak Non-fiction Competition Prize: $500