CREATIVE WORLD AWARDS (CWA) INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONThe contests and awards listed in this section are arranged by subject. Nonfiction writers can turn immediately to nonfiction awards listed alphabetically by the name of the contest or award. The same is true for fiction writers, poets, playwrights and screenwriters, journalists, children’s writers, and translators. You’ll also find general book awards, fellowships offered by arts councils and foundations, and multiple category contests.
New contests and awards are announced in various writer’s publications nearly every day. However, many lose their funding or fold, and sponsoring magazines go out of business just as often. Contact names, entry fees, and deadlines have been highlighted and set in bold type for your convenience.
To make sure you have all the information you need about a particular contest, always send a SASE to the contact person in the listing before entering a contest or check their website. The listings in this section are brief, and many contests have lengthy, specific rules and requirements that we could not include in our limited space. Often a specific entry form must accompany your submission.
When you receive a set of guidelines, you’ll see some contests are not applicable to all writers. The writer’s age, previous publication, geographic location, and length of the work are common matters of eligibility. Read the requirements to ensure you don’t enter a contest for which you’re not qualified.
Winning a contest or award can launch a successful writing career. Take a professional approach by doing a little extra research. Find out who the previous winner of the award was by investing in a sample copy of the magazine in which the prize-winning article, poem, or short story appeared. Attend the staged reading of an award-winning play. Your extra effort will be to your advantage in competing with writers who simply submit blindly.
Weathervane Playhouse, 1301 Weathervane Lane, Akron OH 44313. (330)836-2626. E-mail: 10minuteplay@weathervaneplayhouse.com. Website: www.weathervaneplayhouse.com. Contact: Eileen Moushey. Annual 8x10 TheatreFest. Must be US citizen 18 years or older. All rights remain with writers. Maximum running time is 10 minutes. Less is fine. Each year there is a special prop that must be incorporated into that year’s plays. See website for details. All entries must be sent electronically, as attachments. Printed plays will not be considered. Guidelines available on website. The mission of the Weathervane Playhouse 8x10 TheatreFest is to promote the art of play writing, present new works, and introduce area audiences to the short play form. The competition will provide Weathervane with recognition for quality and innovative theatre. Deadline: May 15. Submission period begins December 1. Prize: Each of 8 finalists receive full productions of their plays during the Festival, held in mid-July. 1st Place: $350; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $150; 5 runners-up: $50 each. First round judges include individuals with experience in every area of stagecraft, including tech designers, actors, directors, stage managers, and playwrights.
1313 Vine St., Hollywood CA 90028-8107. (310)247-3010. E-mail: nicholl@oscars.org. Website: www.oscars.org/nicholl. An entrant’s total earnings for motion picture and television writing may not exceed $25,000 before the end of the competition. This limit applies to compensation for motion picture and television writing services as well as for the sale of (or sale of an option on) screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, books, treatments, stories, premises and any other source material. Members and employees of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and their immediate families are not eligible, nor are competition judges and their immediate families. Deadline: April 10. The first and quarterfinal rounds are judged by industry professionals who are not members of the Academy. The semifinal round is judged by Academy members drawn from across the spectrum of the motion picture industry. The finalist scripts are judged by the Academy Nicholl Committee.
Acclaim Scripts, 300 Central Ave, Suite 501, St. Petersburg FL 33701. E-mail: info@acclaimscripts.com. Website: www.acclaimscripts.com. Annual contest for TV and film scripts. Open to all writers worldwide. Work must be original material of the author(s). Must not be sold or optioned at time of submission. Multiple entries may be submitted (include separate entry form for each submission). Two categories for TV: comedy and drama. Deadline: February 7 (early); March 7 (regular); April 11 (late). Contests are ongoing and deadlines chance; visit website to check for updated deadlines. Prize: TV: Winner of each category receives $500. Film: 1st Place: $1,000. All winners and finalists may receive consideration by established production companies and agencies.
8837 Villa La Jolla Dr., #13131, La Jolla CA 92039. (858)454-9868. E-mail: info@accoladecompetition.org. Website: www.accoladecompetition.org. The Accolade Global Film Competition is unique in the industry. Attracting both powerhouse companies as well as talented new filmmakers it is an exceptional, truly international awards competition, not a traditional film festival—which allows filmmakers from around the world to enter their films in this prestigious competition. Currently in its 10th year, Accolade Global Film Competition is an avant-garde worldwide competition that strives to give talented directors, producers, actors, creative teams and new media creators the positive exposure they deserve. It discovers and honors the achievements of filmmakers who produce high quality shorts and new media. The Accolade promotes award winners through press releases to over 40,000 filmmakers, industry contacts and additional media/distribution outlets. We are currently creating a filmmaker representative program to assist with the distribution of award winning films. Submissions in other than English must be subtitled or include transcript. Multiple entries are allowed and each entry may be entered in multiple categories. Submit on DVD in NTSC or PAL format. Entries will not be returned. Deadline: March 7. Deadline changes, check website for up-to-date information. Prize: Awards include: Annual Humanitarian Award, Fast Focus Short Film Award, $4,800 Post-Production Award, and $1,500 Studio Award. See website for details on these awards. Also recognizes: Best of Show, Awards of Excellence, & Award of Merit. Best of Show honors are granted only if worthy productions are discovered. No more than 15% of entries are granted Awards of Excellence. Notable artistic and technical productions are recognized at the Award Of Merit award level. Judged by in-house staff.
Austin Film Festival, 1801 Salina St., Austin TX 78702. (512)478-4795. Fax: (512)478-6205. E-mail: screenplaydirector@austinfilmfestival.com; info@austinfilmfestival.com. Website: www.austinfilmfestival.com. Contact: Matt Dy, screenplay competition director. The Austin Film Festival, held annually in late October, is looking for quality screenplays and teleplays which will be read by industry professionals. AFF provides ‘Readers’ notes’ to all Second Rounders (top 10%) and higher for no charge. Two main categories: Drama Category and Comedy Category. Two optional Award Categories (additional entry of $20 per category); Latitude Productions Award and Dark Hero Studios Sci-Fi Award. Teleplay Competition: The teleplay competition is now open to pilots as well as spec scripts. Two main categories: Half-hour Sitcom and One-Hour Drama/Comedy. Deadline: Screenplay: April 30. Late Screenplay: May 31. Teleplay: April 30. Prize: $5,000 in Comedy and Drama; $2,500 for Sponsored Award and Sci-Fi Award.
Wichita State University, School of Performing Arts, 1845 Fairmount, Box 153, Wichita KS 67260. (316)978-3646. Fax: (316)978-3202. E-mail: bret.jones@wichita.edu. Contact: Bret Jones, director of theatre. The contest will be open to all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at any college or university in the United States. Please indicate school affiliation. All submissions must be original, unpublished and unproduced. Both full-length and one-act plays may be submitted. Full-length plays in 1 or more acts should be a minimum of 90 minutes playing time. Two or 3 short plays on related themes by the same author will be judged as 1 entry. The total playing time should be a minimum of 90 minutes. One-act plays should be a minimum of 30 minutes playing time to a maximum of 60 minutes playing time. Musicals should be a minimum of 90 minutes playing time and must include a CD of the accompanying music. Scripts should contain no more than 4-6 characters and setting must be suitable for an 85-seat Black box theatre. Eligible playwrights may submit up to 2 entries per contest year. One typewritten, bound copy should be submitted. Scripts must be typed and arranged in professional play script format. See information provided in The Dramatist’s Sourcebook or the following website (www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/artweb/playwriting/format.html) for instruction on use of professional format. Two title pages must be included: 1 bound and the other unbound. The unbound title page should display the author’s name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address if applicable. The bound title page should only display the name of the script; do not include any personal identifying information on the bound title page. Scripts may be submitted via e-mail. Submit in PDF format. Include all information requested for mail in scripts with electronic submission. Deadline: January 16. Prize: Production by the Wichita State University Theatre. Winner will be announced after March 15. No entry may be withdrawn after March 1. Judged by a panel of 3 or more selected from the school faculty. May also include up to 3 experienced, faculty approved WSU School of Performing Arts students.
P.O. Box 2635, Hollywood CA 90028. E-mail: info@bluecatscreenplay.com. Website: www.bluecatscreenplay.com/. Since 1998, the BlueCat Screenplay Competition has developed and discovered thousands of writers through our commitment to providing written feedback to all entrants and substantial cash awards to their best screenplays. Scripts must be between 75-125 pages. Deadline: November 15. Prize: Feature winner receives $15,000. Four finalists receive $2,500. Short screenplay winner receives $10,000. Three finalists receive $1,500. Every writer recevies a written script analysis of their screenplay.
TIPS A list of past winners and their coverage is available online.
Playwrights Project, 3675 Ruffin Rd., Suite 330, San Diego CA 92123-1870. (858)384-2970. Fax: (858)384-2974. E-mail: write@playwrightsproject.org. Website: www.playwrightsproject.org. Contact: Cecelia Kouma, executive director. Annual contest open to Californians under age 19. Annual contest. “Our organization and the contest is designed to nurture promising young writers. We hope to develop playwrights and audiences for live theater. We also teach playwriting.” Submissions are required to be unpublished and not produced professionally. Submissions made by the author. SASE for contest rules and entry form. Scripts must be a minimum of 10 standard typewritten pages; send 2 copies. Scripts will not be returned. If requested, entrants receive detailed evaluation letter. Guidelines available online. Deadline: June 1. Prize: Scripts will be produced in spring at a professional theatre in San Diego. Writers submitting scripts of 10 or more pages receive a detailed script evaluation letter upon request. Judged by professionals in the theater community, a committee of 5-7; changes somewhat each year.
CREATIVE WORLD AWARDS (CWA) INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING COMPETITION4712 Admiralty Way #268, Marina del Rey CA 90292. E-mail: info@creativeworldawards.com. Website: www.creativeworldawards.com. Contact: Marlene Neubauer/Heather Waters. CWA’s professionalism, industry innovation, and exclusive company list make this competition a leader in the industry. CWA offers the grand prize winner a production opportunity and has helped many past entrants get optioned and representation. CWA accepts all genres of features, shorts, and television. Check out the website for more details. All screenplays must be in English and in standard spec screenplay format. See website’s FAQ page for more detailed information. Deadline: See website. Prize: Over $30,000 in cash and prizes awarded in 10 categories.
Drury University, 900 N. Benton Ave., Springfield MO 65802-3344. E-mail: msokol@drury.edu. Contact: Mick Sokol. Offered in even-numbered years for unpublished and professionally unproduced plays. One play per playwright. Guidelines for SASE or by e-mail. Deadline: December 1. Prize: 1st Place: $300; Honorable Mention: $150.
The Essential Theatre, 1414 Foxhall Ln., #10, Atlanta GA 30316. (404) 212-0815. E-mail: pmhardy@aol.com. Website: www.essentialtheatre.com. Contact: Peter Hardy. Offered annually for unproduced, full-length plays by Georgia resident writers. No limitations as to style or subject matter. Submissions can be e-mailed in PDF or Word Documents, or sent by postal mail. See website for full guidelines. Deadline: April 23. Prize: $600 and full production.
Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., P.O. Box 4267, Englewood CO 80155. (303)779-4035. Fax: (303)779-4315. E-mail: editors@pioneerdrama.com. E-mail: submissions@pioneerdrama.com. Website: www.pioneerdrama.com. Contact: Lori Conary, submissions editor. Annual competition that encourages the development of quality theatrical material for educational, community and children’s theatre markets. Previously unpublished submissions only. Only considers mss with a running time between 20-90 minutes. Open to all writers not currently published by Pioneer Drama Service. Guidelines available online. No entry fee. Cover letter, SASE for return of ms, and proof of production or staged reading must accompany all submissions. Deadline: Ongoing contest; a winner is selected by June 1 each year from all submissions received the previous year. Prize: $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication. Judged by editors.
3101 Boardwalk, Tower Two, Suite 1405, Atlantic City NJ 08401. E-mail: info@gsff.org. Website: www.gsff.org. Contact: Diane Raver, executive director. This contest is designed to introduce audiences to the cinematic arts and assist in the revitalization of Asbury Park by filling a cultural void. Entered screenplays must not have been previously optioned, sold, or produced. All screenplays should be registered with the WGA and/or a Library of Congress copyright. Screenplays must be the original work of the writer. If based on another person’s life story, a statement attesting to the rights obtained must be attached. No adaptations of other written work will be accepted. Multiple entries are accepted. A separate entry form and fee must accompany each script. Screenplays containing multiple writers are also accepted. Include two cover pages with each screenplay. One that only contains the screenplay’s title. A second one that contains all contact information (name, address, phone, and email and Withoutabox tracking number). The writer’s name must not appear any where inside the body of the screenplay. All screenplays must abide by proper industry format. All screenplays must be in English, with numbered, plain-write pages. All screenplays MUST be uploaded as a PDF via withoutbox.com. No substitutions of new drafts, or corrected pages, for any screenplay, for any reason, will be accepted after the initial submission. Please enter the draft you are most confident about. No individual feedback or coverage will be made available pertaining to submitted screenplays. Deadline: November 1. Submissions are accepted beginning June 1 each year. Prize: The winner receives a live staged reading with a professional director and professional actors in a seated venue during the festival.
P.O. Box 148, Beverly Hills CA 90213. Website: www.beverlyhillstheatreguild.com. Contact: Candace Coster, competition coordinator. The Marilyn Hall Awards consist of 2 monetary prizes for plays suitable for grades 6-8 (middle school) or for plays suitable for grades 9-12 (high school). The 2 prizes will be awarded on the merits of the play scripts, which includes its suitability for the intended audience. The plays should be approximately 45-75 minutes in length. There is no production connected to any of the prizes, though a staged reading is optional at the discretion of the BHTG. Unpublished submissions only. Authors must be U.S. citizens or legal residents and must sign entry form personally. Deadline: The last day of February. Submission period begins January 15. Prize: 1st Prize: $700; 2nd Prize: $300.
P.O. Box 90775, Henrico VA 23273. (804)501-5138. Fax: (804)501-5284. E-mail: per22@co.henrico.va.us. Contact: Amy A. Perdue, theatre arts specialist. Offered annually for previously unpublished or unproduced plays or musicals to produce new dramatic works in one-act form. Scripts with small casts and simpler sets given preference. Controversial themes and excessive language should be avoided. Only one-act plays or musicals will be considered. The manuscript should be a one-act original (not an adaptation), unpublished, and unproduced, free of royalty and copyright restrictions. Scripts with smaller casts and simpler sets may be given preference. Controversial themes and excessive language should be avoided. Standard play script form should be used. All plays will be judged anonymously; therefore, there should be two title pages; the first must contain the play’s title and the author’s complete address and telephone number. The second title page must contain only the play’s title. The playwright must submit two excellent quality copies. Receipt of all scripts will be acknowledged by mail. Scripts will be returned if SASE is included. No scripts will be returned until after the winner is announced. The HTC does not assume responsibility for loss, damage or return of scripts. All reasonable care will be taken. Deadline: July 1. Prize: $300 prize. $200 to runner-up. Winning entries may be produced; DVD sent to author.
P.O. Box 940, Hudson NY 12534. (518)851-7244. E-mail: hrcshowcaseplaycontest@gmail.com. Website: www.hrc-showcasetheatre.com. Contact: Jesse Waldinger, chair. HRC Showcase Theatre invites submissions of full-length plays to its annual contest from new, aspiring, or established playwrights. Each submitted play should be previously unpublished, run no more than 90 minutes, require no more than 6 actors, and be suitable for presentated as a staged reading by Equity actors. Deadline: March 1. Prize: $500. Four runner-ups will receive $100 each.
Killer Nashville, P.O. Box 680759, Franklin TN 37068-0750. (615)599-4032. E-mail: awards@killernashville.com. Website: www.killernashville.com. Contact: Clay Stafford. Any fiction or nonfiction book-length work published for the first time in the previous calendar year, in which a crime drives the storyline, may be nominated by either the publisher or author of the book. Four copies of the work being nominated must be submitted with entry forms to be considered. Deadline: March 1. Entries will be evaluated by judges, who will choose five finalists from the following categories: Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Paperback, Best e-Book Original, Best Nonfiction, Best Juvenile, Best Young Adult, and Best Anthology. Winners chosen by the Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference attendees.
The Playwrights’ Center, 2301 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis MN 55406-1099. (612)332-7481. Fax: (612)332-6037. Website: www.pwcenter.org. Contact: Amanda Robbins-Butcher, artistic administrator. The Playwrights’ Center today serves more playwrights in more ways than any other organization in the country. Applications are screened for eligibility by the Playwrights’ Center and evaluated by an initial select panel of professional theater artists; finalists are then evaluated by a second panel of national theater artists. Selection is based on artistic excellence and professional achievement, and is guided by the Playwrights’ Center’s mission statement. The McKnight Advancement Fellowships recognize playwrights whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit and excellence in the field, and whose primary residence is in the state of Minnesota. Deadline: January 10. Prize: 2 fellowships of $25,000 each will be awarded. Additional funds of $2,500 can be used to support a play development workshop and other professional expenses.
2000 W. Wadley, Midland TX 79705. (432)682-2544. Fax: (432)682-6136. Website: www.mctmidland.org. The McLaren Memorial Comedy Play Writing Competition was established to honor long-time MCT volunteer Mike McLaren who loved a good comedy, whether he was on stage or in the front row. Open to students. Annual contest. Unpublished submissions only. Submissions made by author. Rights to winning material acquired or purchased. First right of production or refusal is acquired by MCT. The contest is open to any playwright, but the play submitted must be unpublished and never produced in a for-profit setting. One previous production in a nonprofit theatre is acceptable. “Readings” do not count as productions. Deadline: February 28. Prize: $400. Judged by the audience present at the McLaren festival when the staged readings are performed.
NATIONAL ONE-ACT PLAYWRITING COMPETITION (CANADA)Ottawa Little Theatre, 400 King Edward Ave., Ottawa ON K1N 7M7 Canada. (613)233-8948. Fax: (613)233-8027. Website: www.ottawalittletheatre.com. Contact: Lynn McGuigan, executive director. Encourages literary and dramatic talent in Canada. Guidelines available online. Deadline: October 15. Prize: 1st Place: $1,000; 2nd Place: $750; 3rd Place: $500; Sybil Cooke Award for a Play Written for Children or Young People: $500. All winning plays will receive a public reading in April, and the winning playwrights will have a one-on-one meeting with a resident dramaturg.
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, 938 Lafayette St., Suite 514, New Orleans LA 70113. (504)581-1144. E-mail: info@tennesseewilliams.net. Website: www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests. Contact: Paul J. Willis. Annual contest for an unpublished play. Plays should run no more than one hour in length. Unlimited entries per person. Production criteria include scripts requiring minimal technical support for a 100-seat theater. Cast of characters must be small. See website for additional guidelines and entry form. “The One-Act Play Competition is an opportunity for playwrights to see their work fully produced before a large audience during one of the largest literary festivals in the nation, and for the festival to showcase undiscovered talent.” Deadline: November 1. Prize: $1,500, staged read at the next festival, full production at the festival the following year, VIP All-Access Festival pass for two years ($1,000 value), and publication in Bayou. Judged by an anonymous expert panel.
The PAGE Awards Committee, 7510 Sunset Blvd., #610, Hollywood CA 90046-3408. E-mail: info@PAGEawards.com. Website: www.PAGEawards.com. Contact: Zoe Simmons, contest coordinator. Annual competition to discover the most talented new screenwriters from across the country and around the world. Each year, awards are presented to 31 screenwriters in 10 different genre categories: action/adventure, comedy, drama, family film, historical film, science fiction, thriller/horror, short film script, TV drama pilot, and TV comedy pilot. Guidelines and entry forms are online. The contest is open to all writers 18 years of age and older who have not previously earned more than $25,000 writing for film and/or television. Please visit contest website for a complete list of rules and regulations. Deadline: January 15 (early); February 15 (regular); March 15 (late); April 15 (last minute). Prize: Over $50,000 in cash and prizes, including a $25,000 grand prize, plus gold, silver, and bronze prizes in all 10 categories. Most importantly, the award-winning writers receive extensive publicity and industry exposure. Judging is done entirely by Hollywood professionals, including industry script readers, consultants, agents, managers, producers, and development executives.
7775 Sunset Blvd., Suite #200, Hollywood CA 90046. (310)801-5366. E-mail: info@scriptapalooza.com. Website: www.scriptapaloozatv.com. Biannual competition accepting entries in 4 categories: Reality shows, sitcoms, original pilots, and 1-hour dramas. There are more than 30producers, agents, and managers reading the winning scripts. Two past winners won Emmys because of Scriptapalooza and 1 past entrant now writes for Comedy Central. Winners announced February 15 and August 30. For contest results, visit website. Length: Standard television format whether 1 hour, 1-half hour, or pilot. Open to any writer 18 or older. Guidelines available on website. Accepts inquiries by e-mail or phone. Deadline: October 1 and April 15. Prize: 1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $200; 3rd Place: $100 (in each category); production company consideration.
TIPS Pilots should be fresh, new, and easy to visualize. Spec scripts should stay current with the shows, up-to-date story lines, characters, etc.
2900 Airport Ave., Unit F, Santa Monica CA 90405. (323)424-4243. E-mail: entry@scriptpipeline.com. Website: scriptpipeline.com. Contact: Matt Misetich, director of development. The Annual Script Pipeline Screenwriting Contest continues a long tradition of discovering up-and-coming creative talent and connecting them with top producers, agencies, and managers across both studio and independent markets. This process has proven enormously successful, with numerous screenwriting contest alumni worldwide finding elite representation and gaining crucial introductions to otherwise impossible-to-reach industry executives. This is an international competition open to all original feature film screenplays that have yet to be produced, optioned, or sold. Open to writers 18 years and older. All genres, styles, and formats accepted. Over 200 companies review the finalists, and numerous contest alumni have caught the attention of major agencies, including WME, Paradigm, and CAA. The result: $5 million in specs sold from Pipeline competition finalists and “Recommend” writers since 2003. Last season, close to 5,000 scripts were entered in the Screenwriting and TV Writing contests combined, making Script Pipeline one of the leading companies reviewing spec material. Early deadline: March 1. Regular deadline: May 1. Prize: $20,000 in cash for the winner and $1,000 in cash to the runner0up.
Jacksonville State University, Department of English, 700 Pelham Rd. N., Jacksonville AL 36265-1602. (256)782-5498. Fax: (256)782-5441. E-mail: smoersch@jsu.edu. E-mail: swhitton@jsu.edu. Website: www.jsu.edu/depart/english/southpla.htm. Contact: Sarah Moersch. Competition for playwrights native to or a resident of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, or West Virginia. Plays must deal with the Southern experience. Entries must be original, full-length plays. No musicals or adaptations will be accepted. The playwright may submit only one play. All entries must be typed, securely bound, and clearly identified. Synopsis of script must be included. No electronic entries accepted. Legal clearance of all materials not in the public domain will be the responsibility of the playwright. The Southern Playwrights Competition seeks to identify and encourage the best of Southern playwriting. Deadline: January 15. Prize: $1,000 and production of the play.
3200 Carlisle Blvd., NE Suite #114, Albuquerque NM 87110. (505)830-6034. E-mail: swwriters@juno.com. Website: www.southwestwriters.com. The SouthWest Writers Writing Contest encourages and honors excellence in writing. In addition to competing for cash prizes, contest entrants may receive an optional written critique of their entry from a qualified contest critiquer. Non-profit organization dedicated to helping members of all levels in their writing. Members enjoy perks such as networking with professional and aspiring writers; substantial discounts on mini-conferences, workshops, writing classes, and annual and quarterly SWW writing contest; monthly newsletter; two writing programs per month; critique groups, critique service (also for nonmembers); discounts at bookstores and other businesses; and website linking. Deadline: May 1 (up to May 15 with a late fee). Submissions begin February 1. Prize: A 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner will be judged in each of the categories. 1st place: $300; 2nd place: $200; 3rd place: $150. Judged by a panel; the top 10 in each category will be sent to appropriate editors or literary agents to determine the final top 3 places.
The Scriptwriters Network (SWN), P.O. Box 642806, Los Angeles CA 90064. E-mail: info@scriptwritersnetwork.org. E-mail: top@scriptwritersnetwork.org. Website: www.scriptwritersnetwork.org. Contact: Hoda Shoukry and Mark Litton, co-directors. The Television Outreach Program (TOP) is a Scriptwriters Network program to support undiscovered television writing talent. The program’s objective is to help writers improve their craft so that they may achieve their goals of obtaining representation, script development, mentoring and career counseling services, landing writing assignments, and/or selling their work.
Theatre Conspiracy, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Ft. Myers FL 33919. (239)936-3239. E-mail: info@theatreconspiracy.org. Website: theatreconspiracy.org. Contact: Bill Taylor, producing artistic director. Offered annually for full-length plays that are unproduced. Work submitted to the contest must be a full length play with 7 actors or less and have simple to moderate technical demands. Plays having up to three previous productions are welcome. No musicals. Deadline: March 30. Prize: $700 and full production. Judged by a panel of qualified theatre teachers, directors, and performers.
1800 Nelwood, Columbia MO 65202-1447. (573)874-5628. E-mail: bybetsy@yahoo.com. Website: www.cectheatre.org. Contact: Betsy Phillips, contest director. Annual contest that encourages playwrights to write quality plays for family audiences Previously unpublished submissions only. Submissions made by author. Play may be performed during the following season. All submissions will be read by at least 3 readers. Author will receive a written evaluation of the script. Guidelines available online. Send materials to: Betsy Phillips, Jackie White Memorial National Children’s Playwriting Contest, 309 Parkade Blvd., Columbia, MO 65202-1447. Deadline: June 1. Prize: $500 with production possible. Judging by current and past board members of CEC and by non-board members who direct plays at CEC.
Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204. 480-921-5770. E-mail: info@writenow.co. Website: www.writenow.co. The purpose of this biennial workshop is to encourage writers to create strikingly original scripts for young audiences. It provides a forum through which each playwright receives constructive criticism and the support of a development team consisting of a professional director and dramaturg. Finalists will spend approximately one week in workshop with their development team. At the end of the week, each play will be read as a part of the Write Now convening. Guidelines available online. Deadline: July 31.
Young Playwrights, Inc., P.O. Box 5134, New York NY 10185. (212)594-5440. Fax: (212)594-5441. E-mail: literary@youngplaywrights.org. Website: youngplaywrights.org. Contact: Literary Manager. The Young Playwrights Inc. Festival National Playwriting Competition is offered annually to identify talented American playwrights aged 18 or younger. Please include your address, phone number, email address, and date of birth on the title page. Open to US residents only. Deadline: January 2 (postmarked). Prize: Winners receive an invitation to New York City for the annual Young Playwrights, Inc. Writers Conference and a professionally staged reading of their play. Entrants retain all rights to their work.
Young Playwrights, Inc., Young Playwrights Inc. NYC, P.O. Box 5134, New York NY 10185. (212)594-5440. Fax: (212)684-4902. E-mail: literary@youngplaywrights.org. Website: www.youngplaywrights.org. Contact: Literary Manager. Offered annually for stage plays of any length (no musicals, screenplays, or adaptations) by NYC elementary, middle, and high school students only. Play must be submitted by students, not teachers. There are no restrictions on length, style, or subject, but collaborations of more than 3 writers will not be accepted. Screenplays and musicals are not eligible, nor are adaptations. Scripts should be typed and stapled, and pages must be numbered. Scripts must have a cover page with title of play, playwright’s name, home address (with apartment number and zip code), phone number, school, grade, and date of birth. Submit a copy of your play and keep the original; scripts will not be returned. Deadline: postmarked on or before March 2. Prize: Prize varies.
University of New Hampshire, Department of Theatre and Dance, PCAC, 30 Academic Way, Durham NH 03824. (603)862-3038. Fax: (603)862-0298. E-mail: mike.wood@unh.edu. Website: http://cola.unh.edu/theatre-dance/resource/zornio. Contact: Michael Wood. Offered every 4 years for unpublished well-written plays or musicals appropriate for young audiences with a maximum length of 60 minutes. May submit more than 1 play, but not more than 3. Honors the late Anna Zornio, an alumna of The University of New Hampshire, for dedication to and inspiration of playwriting for young people, K-12th grade. Deadline: March of 2017. Prize: $500.
A Room of Her Own Foundation, P.O. Box 778, Placitas NM 87043. E-mail: awards@aroho.org. Website: www.aroomofherownfoundation.org. Contact: Tracey Cravens-Gras, associate director. The publicly funded award provides very practical help—both materially and in professional guidance and moral support with mentors and advisory council—to assist women in making their creative contribution to the world. The Gift of Freedom competition will determine superior finalists from each of 3 genres: Creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Open to female residents of the US. Award application cycle dates are yet to be determined. Visit website at www.aroho.org for more information about the next application window. Deadline: November 2. Prize: One genre finalist will be awarded the $50,000 Gift of Freedom grant, distributed over 2 years in support of the completion of a particular creative project. The 2 remaining genre finalists will each receive a $5,000 prize.
ADVANCED ARTIST AWARDGovernment of Yukon, P.O. Box 2703, (L-3), Whitehorse YT Y1A 2C6 Canada. (867)667-8789. Fax: (867)393-6456. E-mail: artsfund@gov.yk.ca. Website: www.tc.gov.yk.ca/aaa.html. The Advanced Artist Award (AAA) assists individual Yukon visual, literary and performing artists practicing at a senior level with innovative projects, travel, or educational pursuits that contribute to their personal artistic development and to their community. The intended results and outcomes of the Advanced Artist Award are to encourage artistic creativity, to enable artists to develop their skills, and to improve the ability of artists to promote their works or talents. Guidelines and application available online. Deadlines: April 1 and October 1. Prize: Level A artists: up to $10,000; Level B artists: up to $5,000. Judged by peer assessment (made up of senior Yukon artists representing the various disciplines seen in applicants for that round).
Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main St., Exeter NH 03833. E-mail: teaching_opportunities@exeter.edu. Website: www.exeter.edu/bennettfellowship. Annual award for fellow and family to provide time and freedom from material considerations to a person seriously contemplating or pursuing a career as a writer. Applicants should have a manuscript in progress which they intend to complete during the fellowship period. Manuscript should be fiction, nonfiction, novel, short stories, or poetry. Duties: To be in residency at the Academy for the academic year; to make oneself available informally to students interested in writing. Committee favors writers who have not yet published a book with a major publisher. Deadline for application: November 30. A choice will be made, and all entrants notified in mid-April. Prize: Cash stipend (currently $14,933), room and board. Judged by committee of the English department.
Children’s Literature Association, 1301 W. 22nd Street, Suite 202, Oak Brook IL 60523. (630)571-4520. Fax: (708)876-5598. E-mail: info@childlitassn.org. Website: www.childlitassn.org. Contact: ChLA Grants Chair. Offered annually. Three types of grants are available: Faculty Research Grants, Beiter Graduate Student Research Grants, and Diversity Research Grant. The grants are awarded for proposals dealing with criticism or original scholarship with the expectation that the undertaking will lead to publication (or a conference presentation for student awards) and make a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature in the area of scholarship or criticism. Funds are not intended for work leading to the completion of a professional degree. Guidelines available online. Deadline: February 1. Prize: $500-1,500. Judged by the ChLA Grants Committee and Diversity Committee, respectively.
The Graduate School, The University of Texas at Austin, Attn: Dobie Paisano Program, 110 Inner Campus Drive Stop G0400, Austin TX 78712-0531. (512)232-3609. Fax: (512)471-7620. E-mail: gbarton@austin.utexas.edu. Website: www.utexas.edu/ogs/Paisano. Contact: Gwen Barton. Sponsored by the Graduate School at The University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Institute of Letters, the Dobie Paisano Fellowship Program provides solitude, time, and a comfortable place for Texas writers or writers who have written significantly about Texas through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, or other mediums. The Dobie Paisano Ranch is a very rural and rustic setting, and applicants should read the guidelines closely to insure their ability to reside in this secluded environment. At the time of the application, the applicant must meet one of the following requirements: (1) be a native Texan, (2) have resided in Texas at least three years at some time, or (3) have published significant work with a Texas subject. Those who meet requirement 1 or 2 do not have to meet the Texas subject matter restriction. Deadline: January 15. Prize: The Ralph A. Johnston memorial Fellowship is for a period of 4 months with a stipend of $6,250 per month. It is aimed at writers who have already demonstrated some publishing and critical success. The Jesse H. Jones Writing Fellowship is for a period of approximately 6 months with a stipend of $3,000 per month. It is aimed at, but not limited to, writers who are early in their careers.
TIPS “Three sets of each complete application must be submitted. Electronic submissions are not allowed. Guidelines and application forms are on the website (http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/Paisano/info.html) or may be requested by sending a SASE (3-ounce postage) to the above address, attention of ‘Dobie Paisano Fellowship Project.’”
American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury St., Worcester MA 01609-1634. (508)755-5221. Fax: (508)753-3311. Website: www.americanantiquarian.org. Contact: James David Moran. Annual fellowship for creative and performing artists, writers, filmmakers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-20th century American history. Application instructions available online. Website also lists potential fellowship projects. Deadline: October 5. Prize: The stipend will be $1,350 for fellows residing on campus (rent-free) in the society’s scholars’ housing, located next to the main library building. The stipend will be $1,850 for fellows residing off campus. Fellows will not be paid a travel allowance. Judged by AAS staff and outside reviewers.
TIPS “Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences.”
THE HODDER FELLOWSHIPLewis Center for the Arts, 185 Nassau St., Princeton NJ 08544. (609)258-6926. E-mail: ysabelg@princeton.edu. Website: arts.princeton.edu. Contact: Ysabel Gonzalez, fellowships assistant. The Hodder Fellowship will be given to writers of exceptional promise to pursue independent projects at Princeton University during the current academic year. Typically the fellows are poets, playwrights, novelists, creative nonfiction writers and translators who have published one highly acclaimed work and are undertaking a significant new project that might not be possible without the “studious leisure” afforded by the fellowship. Preference is given to applicants outside academia. Candidates for the Ph.D. are not eligible. Submit a resume, sample of previous work (10 pages maximum, not returnable), and a project proposal of 2-3 pages. Guidelines available on website. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable EEO and affirmative action regulations. Apply online. Deadline: October 1. Open to applications in July. Prize: $75,000 stipend.
University of Minnesota, 113 Anderson Library, 222 21st Ave. South, Minneapolis MN 55455. Website: http://www.lib.umn.edu/clrc/awards-grants-and-fellowships. Marilyn Hollinshead Visiting Scholars Fund for Travel to the Kerlan Collection is available for research study. Applicants may request up to $1,500. Send a letter with the proposed purpose and plan to use specific research materials (manuscripts and art), dates, and budget (including airfare and per diem). Travel and a written report on the project must be completed and submitted in the previous year. Deadline: January 30.
Ohio Arts Council, 30 E. Broad St., 33rd Floor, Columbus OH 43215-2613. (614)466-2613. E-mail: olgahelpdesk@oac.state.oh.us. Website: www.oac.state.oh.us. The Individual Excellence Awards program recognizes outstanding accomplishments by artists in a variety of disciplines. The awards give the artists who receive them the time and resources to experiment, explore and reflect as they develop their skills and advance their art form. They also provide affirmation and acknowledgment of the excellent work of Ohio artists. In odd-numbered years, applications will be accepted in: choreography, criticism, fiction/nonfiction, music composition, playwriting/screenplays, and poetry. In even-numbered years, applications will be accepted in: crafts, design arts/illustration, interdisciplinary/performance art, media arts, photography, and visual arts. Applicants must be an Ohio resident for 1 year prior to the deadline and cannot be a student enrolled in any degree- or certificate-granting program. Length: 20-30 pages fiction/nonfiction, 10-15 pages poetry, 30-50 pages criticism, 1 play or 2 short 1-act plays. Cover letter should include name, address, title of work. None of this information should appear on the actual manuscript. Writers may submit own work. Deadline: September 1. Prize: $5,000. Judged by 3-person panel of out-of-state panelists, anonymous review.
TIPS “Submit concise bodies of work or sections, not a sampling of styles.”
Minnesota State Arts Board, Park Square Court, Suite 200, 400 Sibley St., St. Paul MN 55101-1928. (651)215-1600 or (800)866-2787. Fax: (651)215-1602. E-mail: kathee.foran@arts.state.mn.us. Website: www.arts.state.mn.us. Contact: Kathee Foran, program officer. The Artist Initiative Grant Program is designed to support and assist professional Minnesota artists at various stages in their careers by encouraging artistic development, nurturing artistic creativity, and recognizing the contributions of individual artists to the creative environment of the state of Minnesota. Literary categories include prose, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting. Open to Minnesota residents. Prize: Grant amounts of $2,000-10,000
925 S.W. Washington, Portland OR 97205. (503)227-2583. E-mail: susan@literary-arts.org. Website: www.literary-arts.org. Contact: Susan Denning, director of programs and events. Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers initiate, develop or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama and young readers literature. Writers in the early stages of their career are encouraged to apply. The awards are merit-based. Guidelines available in February for SASE. Accepts inquiries by e-mail, phone. Oregon residents only. Recipients announced in January. Deadline: Last Friday in June. Prize: $2,500 minimum award, for approximately 10 writers and 2 publishers. Judged by out-of-state writers
Tennessee Arts Commission, 401 Charlotte Ave., Nashville TN 37243-0780. Fax: (615)741-8559. E-mail: lee.baird@state.tn.us. Website: tn.gov/arts. Contact: Lee Baird, director of literary programs. Awarded annually in recognition of professional Tennessee artists, i.e., individuals who have received financial compensation for their work as professional writers. Applicants must have a publication history other than vanity press. Three fellowships awarded annually to outstanding literary artists who live and work in Tennessee. Categories are in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Deadline: January 26. Prize: $5,000. Judged by an out-of-state adjudicator.
136 State St., Montpelier VT 05633-6001. (802)828-3293. Fax: (802)828-3363. E-mail: zeastes@vermontartscouncil.org. Website: www.vermontartscouncil.org. Contact: Sonia Rae, (802)828-4325 or by e-mail at srae@vermontartscouncil.org. Annual grants awarded once per year for specific projects. Creation Grants (awards of $3,000) for artists working in any medium including writers, visual artists and performing artists. Three-year Arts Partnership Grants of up to $7,000 and annual Project Grants of up to $3,000 for not-for-profit organizations (including writing programs and not-for-profit presses). Rolling grants are available in the following categories: Artist Development Grants of up to $1,000 providing professional development funds for individual artists and Technical Assistance Grants of up to $1,500 providing grants for organizational development to non-profit arts organizations. Open to Vermont residents only.
WritersWeekly.com, 5726 Cortez Rd. W., #349, Bradenton FL 34210. E-mail: writersweekly@writersweekly.com. Website: www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.php. Contact: Angela Hoy. Quarterly contest in which registered entrants receive a topic at start time (usually noon Central Time) and have 24 hours to write a story on that topic. All submissions must be returned via e-mail. Each contest is limited to 500 people. Upon entry, entrant will receive guidelines and details on competition, including submission process. Deadline: Quarterly—see website for dates. Prize: 1st Place: $300; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $200. There are also 20 honorable mentions and 60 door prizes (randomly drawn from all participants). The top 3 winners’ entries are posted on WritersWeekly.com (non-exclusive electronic rights only) and receive a Freelance Income Kit. Writers retain all rights to their work. See website for full details on prizes. Judged by Angela Hoy (publisher of WritersWeekly.com and Booklocker.com).
AEON AWARDAlbedo One/Aeon Press, Aeon Award, Albedo One, 2 Post Road, Lusk, Dublin Ireland. +353 1 8730177. E-mail: fraslaw@yahoo.co.uk. Website: www.albedo1.com. Contact: Frank Ludlow, event coordinator. Prestigious fiction writing competition for short stories in any speculative fiction genre, such as fantasy, science fiction, horror, or anything in-between or unclassifiable. Submit your story (which must be less than 10,000 words in length and previously unpublished) in the body of an e-mail with contact details and “Aeon Award Submission” as the subject. Deadline: November 30. Contest begins January 1. Prize: Grand Prize: €1,000; 2nd Prize: €200;, and 3rd Prize: €100. The top three stories are guaranteed publication in Albedo One. Judged by Ian Watson, Eileen Gunn, Todd McCaffrey, and Michael Carroll.
AHWA FLASH & SHORT STORY COMPETITIONAHWA (Australian Horror Writers Association), E-mail: ahwacomps@australianhorror.com; ahwa@australianhorror.com. E-mail: ctrost@hotmail.com. Website: www.australianhorror.com. Contact: David Carroll, competitions officer. Competition/award for short stories and flash fiction. There are 2 categories: short stories (1,001 to 5,000 words) and flash fiction (less than 1,000 words). Writers may submit to one or both categories, but entry is limited to 1 story per author per category. Please send submission as an attached rtf or doc. Mail submissions only accepted as a last resort. No previously published entries will be accepted—all tales must be an original work by the author. Stories can be as violent or as bloody as the storyline dictates, but those containing gratuitous sex or violence will not be considered. Please check entries for spelling and grammar mistakes and follow standard submission guidelines (eg, 12 point font, Ariel, Times New Roman, or Courier New, one and a half spacing between lines, with title and page number on each page). Looking for horror stories, tales that frighten, yarns that unsettle readers in their comfortable homes. All themes in this genre will be accepted, from the well-used (zombies, vampires, ghosts etc) to the highly original, so long as the story is professional and well written. Deadline: May 31. Prize: The authors of the winning Flash Fiction and Short Story entries will each receive paid publication in Midnight Echo, The Magazine of the AHWA and an engraved plaque.
1974 46th Ave., San Francisco CA 94116. E-mail: sheila.oconnor@juno.com. Award is to give short story writers more exposure. Contest offered biannually. Open to any writer. All kinds of fiction are considered. Especially looking for women’s pieces—romance, with a twist in the tale—but all will be considered. Results announced within 3 months of deadlines. Winners notified by mail if they include SASE. Accepts fiction and nonfiction up to 2,000 words. Entries are eligible for cash prizes, and all entries are eligible for worldwide syndication whether they win or not. For guidelines, send SASE, fax or e-mail. Published and unpublished stories are actively encouraged. Add a note of where and when previously published. Send double-spaced mss with your story/article title, byline, word count, and address on the first page above your article/story’s first paragraph (no need for separate cover page). There is no limit to the number of entries you may send. Deadline: June 30 and December 31. Prize: 1st Place: $300; 2nd Place: $100; 3rd Place: $50. Judged by a panel of independent judges.
12330 Ashton Mill Terrace, Glen Allen VA 23059. E-mail: sherwoodandersonfoundation@gmail.com. Website: www.sherwoodandersonfoundation.org. Contact: Anna McKean, foundation president. Contest is to honor, preserve and celebrate the memory and literary work of Sherwood Anderson, American realist for the first half of the 20th century. Annual award supports developing writers of short stories and novels. Entrants must have published at least one book of fiction or have had several short stories published in major literary and/or commercial publication. Self-published stories do not qualify. Send a detailed résumé that includes a bibliography of your publications. Include a cover letter that provides a history of your writing experience and your plans for writing projects. Also, submit 2 or 3 examples of what you consider to be your best work. Do not send manuscripts by e-mail. Only mss in English will be accepted. Open to any writer who meets the qualifications listed above. Accepts inquiries by e-mail. Mail your application to the above address. No mss or publications will be returned. Deadline: April 1. Prize: $20,000 grant award.
Mid-American Review, Mid-American Review, Dept. of English, Box WM, BGSU, Bowling Green OH 43403. (419)372-2725. Fax: (419)372-4642. E-mail: mar@bgsu.edu. Website: www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview. Contact: Abigail Cloud, editor-in-chief. Offered annually for unpublished mss (6,000 word limit). Contest is open to all writers not associated with a judge or Mid-American Review. Guidelines available online or for SASE. Deadline: November 1. Prize: $1,000, plus publication in the spring issue of Mid-American Review. Four Finalists: Notation, possible publication. Judged by editors and a well-known writer, i.e., Aimee Bender or Anthony Doerr.
Autumn House Press, 87 1⁄2 Westwood St., Pittsburgh PA 15211. E-mail: info@autumnhouse.org. Website: http://autumnhouse.org. Fiction submissions should be approximately 200-300 pages. All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels), or any combination of sub-genres, are eligible. All finalists will be considered for publication. Include SASE for results. Autumn House Press assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts. All entries must be clearly marked “Fiction Prize” on the outside envelope. Thirty dollar handling fee (check or money order) must be enclosed. Send manuscript and fee to: Autumn House Press: P.O. Box 60100, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. Deadline: June 30. Prize: Winners will receive book publication, $1,000 advance against royalties, and a $1,500 travel grant to participate in the Autumn House Master Authors Series in Pittsburgh. Final judge is Sharon Dilworth.
Austin Commmunity College, Department of Creative Writing, 1212 Rio Grande St., Austin TX 78701. (512)584-5045. E-mail: joconne@austincc.edu. Website: http://www.austincc.edu/crw/html/balconescenter.html. Contact: Joe O’Connell. Awarded to the best book of literary fiction published the previous year. Books of prose may be submitted by publisher or author. Send three copies. Deadline: January 31. Prize: $1,500, winner is flown to Austin for a campus reading.
The Baltimore Review, 6514 Maplewood Rd., Baltimore MD 21212. Website: www.baltimorereview.org. Contact: Barbara Westwood Diehl, senior editor. Each summer and winter issue includes a contest theme (see submissions guidelines for theme). Prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place among all categories—poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction. All entries are considered for publication. Open to all writers. Only unpublished work will be considered. Asks only for the right to publish the work for the first time. Deadline: May 31 and November 30. Prize: 1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $200; 3rd Place: $100. All entries are considered for publication. Judged by the editors of The Baltimore Review and a guest, final judge.
Bard College, P.O. Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson NY 12504-5000. (845)758-7087. E-mail: bfp@bard.edu. Website: www.bard.edu/bfp. Contact: Irene Zedlacher. The Bard Fiction Prize is awarded to a promising, emerging writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application. Cover letter should include name, address, phone, e-mail and name of publisher where book was previously published. Entries must be previously published. Open to U.S. citizens aged 39 and below. Guidelines available by SASE, fax, phone, e-mail, or on website. Results announced by October 15. Winners notified by phone. For contest results, e-mail, or visit website. The Bard Fiction Prize is intended to encourage and support young writers of fiction to pursue their creative goals and to provide an opportunity to work in a fertile and intellectual environment. Deadline: June 15. Prize: $30,000 and appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College for 1 semester.
Bellevue Literary Review, NYU Dept of Medicine, 550 First Ave., OBV-A612, New York NY 10016. (212)263-3973. E-mail: info@blreview.org; stacy@blreview.org. Website: www.blreview.org. Contact: Stacy Bodziak, managing editor. The BLR prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind and the body. Annual competition/award for short stories. Receives about 200-300 entries per category. Send credit card information or make checks payable to Bellevue Literary Review. Guidelines available in February. Accepts inquiries by e-mail, phone, mail. Submissions open in February. Results announced in December and made available to entrants with SASE, by e-mail, on website. Winners notified by mail, by e-mail. Entries should be unpublished. Anyone may enter contest. Length: No minimum; maximum of 5,000 words. Writers may submit own work. Deadline: July 1. Prize: $1,000 and publication in The Bellevue Literary Review. BLR editors select semi-finalists to be read by an independent judge who chooses the winner. Previous judges include Nathan Englander, Jane Smiley, Francine Prose, and Andre Dubus III.
Creative Writing Program, Binghamton University, Binghamton University, Department of English, General Literature, and Rhetoric, Library North Room 1149, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902-6000. (607)777-2713. E-mail: cwpro@binghamton.edu. Website: http://binghamton.edu/english/creative-writing/. Contact: Maria Mazziotti Gillan, director. Contest offered annually for a novel or collection of fiction published in previous year in a press run of 500 copies or more. Each book submitted must be accompanied by an application form. Publisher may submit more than 1 book for prize consideration. Send 3 copies of each book. Guidelines available on website. Author or publisher may submit. Deadline: March 1. Prize: $1,000. Judged by a professional writer not on Binghamton University faculty.
Boulevard Magazine, 6614 Clayton Rd., PMB #325, Richmond Heights MO 63117. (314)862-2643. Website: www.richardburgin.net/boulevard. Contact: Jessica Rogen, managing editor. Offered annually for unpublished short fiction to a writer who has not yet published a book of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction with a nationally distributed press. Holds first North American rights on anything not previously published. Open to any writer with no previous publication by a nationally known press. Guidelines for SASE or on website. Accepts works up to 8,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but previously accepted or published work is ineligible. Entries will be judged by the editors of Boulevard Magazine. Submit online or via postal mail. Deadline: December 31. Prize: $1,500, and publication in 1 of the next year’s issues.
THE CAINE PRIZE FOR AFRICAN WRITING51 Southwark St., London SE1 1RU United Kingdom. E-mail: info@caineprize.com. Website: www.caineprize.com. Contact: Lizzy Attree. Entries must have appeared for the first time in the 5 years prior to the closing date for submissions, which is January 31 each year. Publishers should submit 6 copies of the published original with a brief cover note (no pro forma application). “Please indicate nationality or passport held.” Submissions should be made by publishers only. Only one story per author will be considered in any one year. Only fiction work is eligible. Indicative length is between 3,000 and 10,000 words. See website for more details and rules. The Caine Prize is open to writers from anywhere in Africa for work published in English. Its focus is on the short story, reflecting the contemporary development of the African story-telling tradition. Deadline: January 31. Prize: £10,000.
English Department, University of Kansas, Lawrence KS 66045. (785)864-3380. Fax: (785)864-1159. E-mail: cmckit@ku.edu. Website: www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell.htm. Contact: Chris McKitterick. Honors the best science fiction novel of the year. Entries must be previously published. Open to any writer. Accepts inquiries by e-mail and fax. “Ordinarily publishers should submit work, but authors have done so when publishers would not. Send for list of jurors.” Results announced in July. For contest results, send SASE. Deadline: Check website. Prize: Campbell Award trophy. Winners receive an expense-paid trip to the university to receive their award. Their names are also engraved on a permanent trophy. Judged by a jury.
CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR FICTION6 West St. N., Suite 203, Orilla ON L3X 5B8 Canada. Website: www.canadianauthors.org. Contact: Anita Purcell, executive director. Award for full-length, English language literature for adults by a Canadian author. Deadline: January 15. Prize: $2,000 and a silver medal. Judging: Each year a trustee for each award appointed by the Canadian Authors Association selects up to 3 judges. Identities of the trustee and judges are confidential.
CANADIAN SHORT STORY COMPETITIONRed Tuque Books, Unit #6, 477 Martin St., Penticton BC V2A 5L2 Canada. (778)476-5750. Fax: (778)476-5750. E-mail: dave@redtuquebooks.ca. Website: www.redtuquebooks.ca. Contact: David Korinetz, contest director. Offered annually for unpublished works. Purpose of award is to promote Canada and Canadian publishing. Stories require a Canadian element. There are three ways to qualify. They can be written by a Canadian, written about Canadians, or take place somewhere in Canada. Deadline: December 31. Prize: 1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $150; 3rd Place: $100; and 10 prizes of $25 will be given to honorable mentions. All 13 winners will be published in an anthology. They will each receive a complimentary copy. Judged by Canadian authors in the fantasy/sci-fi/horror field. Acquires first print rights. Contest open to anyone.
New Letters, University of Missouri-Kansas City, New Letters Awards for Writers, UMKC, University House, 5101 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City MO 64110-2499. (816)235-1168. Fax: (816)235-2611. E-mail: newletters@umkc.edu. Website: www.newletters.org. Offered annually for the best short story to discover and reward new and upcoming writers. Buys first North American serial rights. Open to any writer. Short story should not exceed 8,000 words. Deadline: May 18. Prize: 1st Place: $1,500 and publication in a volume of New Letters. All entries will be given consideration for publication in future issues of New Letters.
Oregon Christian Writers, 1075 Willow Lake Road N., Keizer Oregon 97303. E-mail: cascade@oregonchristianwriters.org. Website: http://oregonchristianwriters.org/. Contact: Marilyn Rhoads and Julie McDonald Zander. The Cascade Awards are presented at the annual Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference (held at the Red Lion on the River in Portland, Oregon each August) attended by national editors, agents, and professional authors. The contest is open for both published and unpublished works in the following categories: contemporary fiction book, historical fiction book, speculative fiction book, nonfiction book, memoir book, young adult/middle grade fiction book, young adult/middle grade nonfiction book, children’s chapter book and picture book (fiction and nonfiction), poetry, devotional, article, column, story, or blog post. Two additional special Cascade Awards are presented each year, the Trailblazer Award to a writer who has distinguished him/herself in the field of Christian writing and a Writer of Promise Award for a writer who demonstrates unusual promise in the field of Christian writing. For a full list of categories, entry rules, and scoring elements, visit website. Guidelines and rules available on the website. Entry forms will be available on the first day for entry. Annual multi-genre competition to encourage both published and emerging writers in the field of Christian writing. Deadline: March 31. Submissions period begins February 14. Prize: Award certificate presented at the Cascade Awards ceremony during the Oregon Christian Writers Annual Summer Conference. Finalists are listed in the conference notebook and winners are listed online. Cascade Trophies are awarded to the recipients of the Trailblazer and Writer of Promise Awards. Judged by published authors, editors, librarians, and retail book store owners and employees. Final judging by editors, agents, and published authors from the Christian publishing industry.
Texas Institute of Letters, P.O. Box 609, Round Rock TX 78680. E-mail: tilsecretary@yahoo.com. Website: www.texasinstituteofletters.org. Offered annually for work published January 1-December 31 of previous year to recognize the best short story. The story submitted must have appeared in print for the first time to be eligible. Writers must have been born in Texas, must have lived in Texas for at least 2 consecutive years, or the subject matter of the work must be associated with Texas. See website for guidelines. See website for details and instructions on entering the competition. Deadline: January 10. Prize: $1,000.
BkMk Press, BkMk Press, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City MO 64110-2499. (816)235-2558. Fax: (816)235-2611. E-mail: bkmk@umkc.edu; newletters@umkc.edu. Website: www.newletters.org. Offered annually for the best book-length ms collection (unpublished) of short fiction in English by a living author. Translations are not eligible. Initial judging is done by a network of published writers. Final judging is done by a writer of national reputation. Guidelines for SASE, by e-mail, or on website. Short fiction collections should be approximately 125 pages minimum, 300 pages maximum, double spaced. Deadline: January 15. Prize: $1,000, plus book publication by BkMk Press.
PEGGY CHAPMAN-ANDREWS FIRST NOVEL AWARDP.O. Box 6910, Dorset DT6 9QB United Kingdom. E-mail: info@bridportprize.org.uk. Website: www.bridportprize.org.uk. Contact: Frances Everitt, administrator. Award to promote literary excellence and new writers. Enter first chapters of novel, up to 8,000 words (minimum 5,000 words) plus 300 word synopsis. Send SASE for entry form or enter online. Deadline: May 31. Prize: 1st Place: £1,000 plus mentoring & possible publication; Runner-Up: £500. Judged by The Literary Consultancy & A.M. Heath Literary Agents.
Truman State University Press, 100 East Normal Ave., Kirksville MO 63501-4221. Website: http://tsup.truman.edu. An annual award for the best unpublished short fiction on any theme up to 5,000 words in English. Mss must be double-spaced on standard paper and bound only with a clip. Electronic submissions are not allowed. Include 2 title pages: 1 with the ms title and the author’s contact information (name, address, phone, e-mail), and the other with only the ms title. (The author’s name must not appear on or within the ms.) Enclose a SASE for notification when your ms is received. Mss will not be returned. Current Truman State University faculty, staff, or students are not eligible to compete. Deadline: September 30. Prize: $500 and publication in The Chariton Review for the winner. Two or three finalists will also be published and receive $200 each. The final judge will be announced after the finalists have been selected in January.
Sponsored by Oak Tree Press, 140 E. Palmer St., Taylorville IL 62568. E-mail: publisher@oaktreebooks.com. E-mail: CT-ContestAdmin@oaktreebooks.com. Website: www.oaktreebooks.com. Contact: Billie Johnson, publisher. Open to novels and true stories that feature a law enforcement main character. Word count should range from 60,000-80,000 words. Text must be typed in a clean, readable word document and double-spaced. Ms cover page must list author e-mail address and estimated word count. Guidelines and entry forms are available for SASE or online. The goal of the CopTales Contest is to discover and publish new authors, or authors shifting to a new genre. This annual contest is open to writers who have not published in the mystery genre in the past three years, as well as completely unpublished authors. Deadline: September 1. Prize: Publishing contract, book published in trade paperback and e-book formats with a professionally designed, four-color cover. See website for details. Judged by a select panel of editors and professional crime writers.
University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa FL 33606. E-mail: utpress@ut.edu. Website: www.utpress.ut.edu. Annual award for the best previously unpublished short fiction. Deadline: November 30. Prize: $1,000, plus publication in The Tampa Review.
Oak Tree Press, 140 E. Palmer St., Taylorville IL 62568. (217)824-6500. E-mail: oaktreepub@aol.com. E-mail: DO-ContestAdmin@oaktreebooks.com. Website: www.oaktreebooks.com. Offered annually for an unpublished mystery manuscript (between 60,00-80,000 words) of any sort from police procedurals to amateur sleuth novels. Acquires first North American, audio and film rights to winning entry. Open to authors not published in the past 3 years. Deadline: September 1. Prize: Publishing Agreement, and launch of the title. Judged by a select panel of editors and professional mystery writers.
E-mail: editors@toasted-cheese.com. Website: www.toasted-cheese.com. Contact: Stephanie Lenz, editor. The contest is a winter-themed horror fiction contest with a new topic each year. Topic and word limit announced October 1. The topic is usually geared toward a supernatural theme. Entries must be unpublished. Accepts inquiries by e-mail. Cover letter should include name, address, e-mail, word count, and title. Word limit varies each year. Open to any writer. Guidelines available in October on website. Deadline: December 21. Results announced January 31. Winners notified by e-mail. List of winners on website. Prize: Amazon gift certificates and publication in Toasted Cheese. Also offers honorable mention. Judged by 2 Toasted Cheese editors who blind judge each contest. Each judge uses her own criteria to rate entries.
TIPS “Follow online submission guidelines.”
Crab Orchard Review, Department of English, Mail Code 4503, Faner Hall 2380, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1000 Faner Drive, Carbondale IL 62901. E-mail: jtribble@siu.edu. Website: www.craborchardreview.siu.edu. Contact: Jon C. Tribble, managing editor. Offered annually for unpublished short fiction. Crab Orchard Review acquires first North American serial rights to all submitted work. One winner and at least 2 finalists will be chosen. Entries must be unpublished. Length: 6,000 words maximum. Please note that no stories will be returned. Results announced by end of August. Guidelines available on website. Deadline: April 21. Submissions period begins February 21. Prize: $2,000, publication and 1-year subscription to Crab Orchard Review. Finalists are offered $500 and publication. Judged by editorial staff (pre-screening); winner chosen by genre editor.
TIPS “Carefully read directions for entering and follow them exactly. Send us your best work. Note that simultaneous submissions are accepted for this prize, but the winning entry must NOT be accepted elsewhere. No electronic submissions.”
Category in the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition, The Webhallow House, 1544 Sweetwood Dr., Broadmoor Village CA 94015-2029. E-mail: SoulKeats@gmail.com. Website: www.soulmakingcontest.us. Contact: Eileen Malone. Keep each story under 500 words. Three stories per entry. One story per page, typed, double-spaced, and unidentified. Deadline: November 30. Prize: 1st Place: $100; 2nd Place: $50; 3rd Place: $25.
TIPS “Send me your best stuff but more than that make my heart beat faster. Surprise me. Read great writing daily and WRITE. WRITE. WRITE. To be successful you need to do your best every day for a very long time.”
18207 Heaton Dr., Houston TX 77084. E-mail: emily.contest@whrwa.com. Website: www.whrwa.com. Annual award to promote publication of previously unpublished writers of romance. Open to any writer who has not published in a given category within the past 3 years. Send up to first 5,600 words and end on a hook. Contest is open to published and unpublished writers. Unpublished authors may enter in any category not contracted in (book-length) by the deadline. Published authors may enter in a category not published (book-length) in the past three years. (Book-length: 40,000+ words.) See website for specific details. The mission of The Emily is to professionally support writers and guide them toward a path to publication. Deadline: October 7. Submission period begins September 1. Prize: $100. Final judging done by an editor and an agent.
Boston Review, Short Story Contest, Boston Review, P.O. Box 425786, Cambridge MA 02142. (617)324-1360. Website: bostonreview.net. Stories should not exceed 5,000 words and must be previously unpublished. Mailed mss should be double-spaced and submitted with a cover note listing the author’s name, address, and phone number. No cover note is necessary for online submissions. Enter using online contest entry manager at website. Aura Estrada (1977-2007), was a promising young Mexican writer and student, and the wife of Francisco Goldman. This prize is meant to honor her memory by supporting other burgeoning writers. Deadline: October 1. Prize: $1,500 and publication in the July/August issue of Boston Review. Runners up may also be published.
818 Los Arboles Lane, Santa Fe NM 87501. Website: www.fablers.net. Contact: W.B. Scott. Monthly contest for previously unpublished writers to help develop amateur writers. Guidelines posted online. No entry fee. Open to any writer. Deadline: 14th of each month. Prize: $100. Judged by members of website.
THE FAR HORIZONS AWARD FOR SHORT FICTIONThe Malahat Review, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2 Canada. (250)721-8524. Fax: (250)472-5051. E-mail: malahat@uvic.ca. E-mail: horizons@uvic.ca. Website: www.malahatreview.ca. Contact: John Barton, editor. Submissions must be unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Submit 1 piece of short fiction, 3,500 words maximum; no restrictions on subject matter or aesthetic approach. Include separate page with author’s name, address, e-mail, and title; no identifying information on mss pages. E-mail submissions are accepted. Do not include SASE for results; mss will not be returned. Guidelines available on website. Winner and finalists contacted by e-mail. Open to “emerging short fiction writers from Canada, the US, and elsewhere” who have not yet published their fiction in a full-length book (48 pages or more). 2011 winner: Zoey Peterson; 2013 winner: Kerry-Lee Powell. Deadline: May 1 (odd-numbered years). Prize: $1,000 CAD, publication in fall issue of The Malahat Review (see separate listing in Magazines/Journals). Announced in fall on website, Facebook page, and in quarterly e-newsletter, Malahat Lite.
FAW CHRISTINA STEAD AWARDFellowship of Australian Writers, 6-8 Davies St., Brunswick VIC 3095 Australia. E-mail: secretary@writers.asn.au; treasurer@writers.asn.au. Website: www.writers.asn.au. Contact: Awards Co-ordinator. Annual award for a work of fiction published since November 30 the previous year by an Australian writer. Guidelines for SASE or online. Closing date: November 30. Opens on September 1. Prize: $500.
firstwriter.com, United Kingdom. Website: www.firstwriter.com. Contact: J. Paul Dyson, managing editor. Accepts short stories up to 3,000 words on any subject and in any style. Deadline: April 1. Prize: Totals about $300. Ten special commendations will also be awarded and all the winners will be published in firstwriter magazine and receive a $36 subscription voucher, allowing an annual subscription to be taken out for free. All submissions are automatically considered for publication in firstwriter magazine and may be published there online. Judged by firstwriter magazine editors.
FISH PUBLISHING FLASH FICTION COMPETITIONDurrus, Bantry, County Cork Ireland. E-mail: info@fishpublishing.com. Website: www.fishpublishing.com. Annual prize awarding flash fiction. Max length: 300 words. You may enter as many times as you wish. See website for details and rules. “This is an opportunity to attempt what is one of the most difficult and rewarding tasks—to create, in a tiny fragment, a completely resolved and compelling story in 300 words or less.” Deadline: February 28. Prize: First Prize: $1,200. The 10 published authors will receive 5 copies of the Anthology and will be invited to read at the launch during the West Cork Literary Festival in July.
FISH SHORT STORY PRIZEDurrus, Bantry Co. Cork Ireland. E-mail: info@fishpublishing.com. Website: www.fishpublishing.com. Annual worldwide competition to recognize the best short stories. Entries must not have been published before. Enter online or by post. See website for full details of competitions, and information on the Fish Editorial and Critique Services, and the Fish Online Writing Courses. Deadline: November 30. Prize: Overall prize fund: $6,000. 1st prize: $3,750. 2nd Prize: 1 week at Anam Cara Writers Retreat in West Cork and $350. 3rd Prize: $350. Closing date 30th November. The best 10 will be published in the Fish Anthology, launched in July at the West Cork Literary Festival. Winners announced March 17.
Sycamore Review, Department of English, 500 Oval Dr., Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907. E-mail: sycamore@purdue.edu; sycamorefiction@purdue.edu. Website: www.sycamorereview.com/contest/. Contact: Kara Krewer, editor-in-chief. Annual contest for unpublished flash fiction. For each submission, send a piece of flash fiction of no more than 500 words. Ms pages should be numbered and should include the title of the piece. See website for more guidelines. Submit via online submissions manager. Deadline: February 1. Submissions period begins January 1. Prize: $100, publication online, and publication on a flashcard to be distributed with Sycamore Review at AWP.
Ruth Hindman Foundation, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Department of English, Morton Hall Room 222, Huntsville AL 35899. Website: www.hefranciscompetition.com. Offered annually for unpublished work, not to exceed 5,000 words. Acquires first-time publication rights. Using the electronic submission system or by mail, submit a story of up to 5,000 words. If submitting by mail, include three copies of the story. Send an SASE or visit the website for complete guidelines. Deadline: January 15. Prize: $2,000, publication as an Amazon Kindle Single, an announcement in Poets and Writers, and publication on the website. Judged by a panel of nationally recognized, award-winning authors, directors of creative writing programs, and editors of literary journals.
The Ghost Story, P.O. Box 601, Union ME 04862. E-mail: editor@theghoststory.com. Website: www.theghoststory.com. Contact: Paul Guernsey. Biannual contest for unpublished fiction. “Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but submissions may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism. What we’re looking for is fine writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises in the field of supernatural fiction.” Guidelines available online. Length: 1,000-10,000 words. Deadline: April 30 and September 30. Prize: $1,000 and publication in The Ghost Story. A second writer will receive an Honorable Mention that includes publication and $100. Judged by the editors of The Ghost Story.
Gival Press, LLC, P.O. Box 3812, Arlington VA 22203. (703)351-0079. E-mail: givalpress@yahoo.com. Website: www.givalpress.com. Contact: Robert L. Giron. Offered annually for a previously unpublished original novel (not a translation). Guidelines by phone, on website, via e-mail, or by mail with SASE. Results announced late fall of same year. Winners notified by phone. Results made available to entrants with SASE, by e-mail, on website. Open to any author who writes original work in English. Length: 30,000-100,000 words. Cover letter should include name, address, phone, e-mail, word count, novel title; include a short bio and short synopsis. Only the title and word count should appear on the actual ms. Writers may submit own work. Purpose is to award the best literary novel. Deadline: May 30. Prize: $3,000, plus publication of book with a standard contract and author’s copies. Final judge is announced after winner is chosen. Entries read anonymously.
TIPS “Review the types of mss Gival Press has published. We stress literary works.”
Gival Press, P.O. Box 3812, Arlington VA 22203. (703)351-0079. E-mail: givalpress@yahoo.com. Website: www.givalpress.com. Contact: Robert L. Giron, publisher. Annual literary, short story contest. Entries must be unpublished. Open to anyone who writes original short stories, which are not a chapter of a novel, in English. Receives about 100-150 entries per category. Guidelines available online, via e-mail, or by mail. Results announced in the fall of the same year. Winners notified by phone. Results available with SASE, by e-mail, and on website. Length: 5,000-15,000 words. Include name, address, phone, e-mail, word count, title on cover letter; include short bio. Only the title and word count should be found on ms. Writers may submit their own ficiton. Recognizes the best literary short story. Deadline: August 8. Prize: $1,000 and publication on website. Judged anonymously.
Glimmer Train, 4763 SW Maplewood Rd., P.O. Box 80430, Portland OR 97280. (503)221-0836. Fax: (503)221-0837. E-mail: eds@glimmertrain.org. Website: www.glimmertrain.org. Contact: Susan Burmeister-Brown. This contest is now held twice a year, during the months of May and September. Winners are contacted 2 months after the close of each contest, and results officially announced one week later. Submit online at www.glimmertrain.org. The word count for this contest generaly ranges from 1,500 to 5,000 words, though up 12,000 words is fine. See complete guidelines online. Deadline: May 31 and September 30. Prize: 1st Place: $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue; 2nd Place: $500 and consideration for publication; 3rd Place: $300 and consideration for publication.
TIPS “We are looking for stories about families of all configurations. It’s fine to draw heavily on real life experiences, but the work must read like fiction and all stories accepted for publication will be presented as fiction.”
Glimmer Train, Inc., Glimmer Train Press, Inc., 4763 SW Maplewood Rd., P.O. Box 80430, Portland OR 97280. (503)221-0836. Fax: (503)221-0837. E-mail: eds@glimmertrain.org. Website: www.glimmertrain.org. Contact: Linda Swanson-Davies. Submissions to this category generally range from 2,000-8,000 words, but up to 20,000 is fine. Held twice a year. Submit online at www.glimmertrain.org. Winners will be called 2 months after the close of the contest. Deadline: June 30 and December 31. Prize: 1st Place $2,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue; 2nd Place $1,000 and consideration for publication; 3rd Place: $600 and consideration for publication.
Glimmer Train Press, Inc., 4763 SW Maplewood Rd., P.O. Box 80430, Portland OR 97280. (503)221-0836. Fax: (503)221-0837. E-mail: eds@glimmertrain.org. Website: www.glimmertrain.org. Contact: Linda Swanson-Davies. Offered for any writer whose fiction hasn’t appeared in a nationally distributed print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Submissions to this category generally range from 1,500-6,000 words, but up to 12,000 is fine. Held quarterly. Submit online at www.glimmertrain.org. Winners will be called 2 months after the close of the contest. Deadline: February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30. Prize: 1st Place: $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue; 2nd Place: $500 and consideration for publication; 3rd Place: $300 and consideration for publication.
TIPS “This contest is now held quarterly. In a recent edition of Best American Short Stories, of the top ‘100 Distinguished Short Stories,’ 10 appeared in Glimmer Train Stories, more than any other publication in the country, including The New Yorker. Of those 10, 3 were those authors’ first stories accepted for publication.”
Glimmer Train Press, Inc., 4763 SW Maplewood Rd., P.O. Box 80430, Portland OR 97280. (503)221-0836. Fax: (503)221-0837. E-mail: eds@glimmertrain.org. Website: www.glimmertrain.org. Contact: Susan Burmeister-Brown. Offered to encourage the art of the very short story. Word count: 3,000 maximum. Held quarterly. Submit online at www.glimmertrain.org. Results announced 2 months after the close of the contest. Deadline: January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31. Prize: 1st Place: $1,500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue; 2nd Place: $500 and consideration for publication; 3rd Place: $300 and consideration for publication.
TIPS “There is no minimum word count, though it is rare for a piece under 500 words to read as a full story.”
Best New Writing, P.O. Box 11, Titusville NJ 08530. Fax: (609)968-1718. E-mail: submissions@bestnewwriting.com. Website: http://www.bestnewwriting.com/BNWgover.html. Contact: Christopher Klim, senior editor. The Gover Prize, named after groundbreaking author Robert Gover, awards an annual prize and publication in Best New Writing for the best short fiction and creative nonfiction. Open to all writers. Submissions must be previously unpublished. Guidelines available on website. Entries limited to 500 words or less. Deadline: September 15-January 10. Prize: $250 grand prize; publication in Best New Writing for finalists (approximately 12), holds 6-month world exclusive rights. Judged by Best New Writing editorial staff.
LYNDALL HADOW/DONALD STUART SHORT STORY COMPETITIONFellowship of Australian Writers (WA), P.O. Box 6180, Swanbourne WA 6910 Australia. (61)(8)9384-4771. Fax: (61)(8)9384-4854. E-mail: fellowshipaustralianwriterswa@gmail.com. Website: www.fawwa.org. Annual contest for unpublished short stories (maximum 3,000 words). Reserves the right to publish entries in a FAWWA publication or on website. Guidelines online or for SASE. Deadline: June 1. Submissions period begins April 1. Prize: 1st Place: $400; 2nd Place; $100; Highly Commended: $50.
Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley, WHFF Contest, Southeast Missouri State University Press, One University Plaza, MS 2650, Cape Girardeau MO 63701. E-mail: sswartwout@semo.edu. Website: www6.semo.edu. Contact: Susan Swartwout, publisher. Annual competition for flash fiction, held by Southeast Missouri State University Press. Work must not be previously published. Send maximum of 500 words, double-spaced, with no identifying name on the pages, and a separate cover sheet with story title, author’s name, address, and phone number. Send SASE for notification of results; all manuscripts will be recycled. Entries should be sent via postal mail. Deadline: October 1. Prize: $500 and publication in Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley. Semi-finalists will be chosen by a regional team of published writers. The final manuscript will be chosen by Susan Swartwout, publisher of the Southeast Missouri State University Press.
University of Pittsburgh Press, 7500 Thomas Blvd., Pittsburgh PA 15260. (412)383-2492. Fax: (412)383-2466. Website: www.upress.pitt.edu. Offered annually to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of 3 short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. Does not return mss. Deadline: Submit May 1- June 30 only. Prize: $15,000. Judged by anonymous nationally known writers such as Robert Penn Warren, Joyce Carol Oates, and Margaret Atwood.
Hemingway Days Festival, P.O. Box 993, Key West FL 33041. E-mail: shortstorykeywest@hushmail.com. Website: www.shortstorycompetition.com. Contact: Eva Eliot, editorial assistant. Offered annually for unpublished short stories up to 3,500 words. Guidelines available via mail, e-mail, or online. Accepts inquiries by SASE, e-mail, or visit website. Entries must be unpublished. Open to all writers whose work has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more. Looking for excellence, pure and simple—no genre restrictions, no theme restrictions. We seek a writer’s voice that cannot be ignored. All entrants will receive a letter from Lorian Hemingway and a list of winners, via mail or e-mail, by October 1. Results announced at the end of July during Hemingway Days festival. Winners notified by phone prior to announcement. Award to encourage literary excellence and the efforts of writers whose voices have yet to be heard. Deadline: May 15. Prize: 1st Place: $1,500, plus publication of his or her winning story in Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts; 2nd-3rd Place: $500; honorable mentions will also be awarded. Judged by a panel of writers, editors, and literary scholars selected by author Lorian Hemingway. (Lorian Hemingway is the competition’s final judge.)
Wordharvest, 1063 Willow Way, Santa Fe NM 87507. (505)471-1565. E-mail: wordharvest@wordharvest.com. Website: www.wordharvest.com. Contact: Anne Hillerman and Jean Schaumberg, co-organizers. Awarded annually, and sponsored by St. Martin’s Press, for the best first mystery set in the Southwest. Murder or another serious crime or crimes must be at the heart of the story, with the emphasis on the solution rather than the details of the crime. Multiple entries accepted. Accepts inquiries by e-mail, phone. Entries should be unpublished; self-published work is generally accepted. Length: no less than 220 type written pages, or approximately 60,000 words. Cover letter should include name, address, phone, e-mail, list of publishing credits. Please include SASE for response. Writers may submit their own work. Entries should be mailed to St. Martin’s Press: St. Martin’s Minotaur/THWC Competition, St. Martin’s Minotaur, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010. Honors the contributions made by Tony Hillerman to the art and craft of the mystery. Deadline: June 1. Prize: $10,000 advance and publication by St. Martin’s Press. Nominees will be selected by judges chosen by the editorial staff of St. Martin’s Press, with the assistance of independent judges selected by organizers of the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference (Wordharvest), and the winner will be chosen by St. Martin’s editors.
c/o Winning Writers, 351 Pleasant St., PMB 222, Northampton MA 01060-3961. (866)946-9748. Fax: (413)280-0539. E-mail: adam@winningwriters.com. Website: www.winningwriters.com. Contact: Adam Cohen, President. Now in its 23rd year. Open to all writers. Submit any type of short story, essay or other work of prose. Both published and unpublished works are welcome. In the case of published work, the contestant must own the online publication rights. Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. Nonexclusive rights to publish submissions online, in e-mail newsletters, in e-books, and in press releases. See website for guidelines and to submit your poem. Prefers inquiries by e-mail. Length: 6,000 words max per entry. Writers may submit own work. Winners notifed by e-mail. Results made available to entrants on website. Deadline: April 30. Prize: Two 1st prizes of $1,000 will be awarded, plus 10 honorable mentions of $100 each. Judged by Arthur Powers.
P.O. Box 1630, Los Angeles CA 90078. (323)466-3310. Fax: (323)466-6474. E-mail: contests@authorservicesinc.com. Website: www.writersofthefuture.com. Contact: Joni Labaqui, contest director. Foremost competition for new and amateur writers of unpublished science fiction or fantasy short stories or novelettes. Offered to find, reward and publicize new speculative fiction writers so they may more easily attain professional writing careers. Open to writers who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, more than 1 novelette, or more than 3 short stories. Entries must be unpublished. Limit 1 entry per quarter. Open to any writer. Results announced quarterly in e-newsletter. Winners notified by phone. Contest has 4 quarters. There shall be 3 cash prizes in each quarter. In addition, at the end of the year, the 4 first-place, quarterly winners will have their entries rejudged, and a grand prize winner shall be determined. Eligible entries are previously unpublished short stories or novelettes (under 17,000 words) of science fiction or fantasy. Guidelines for SASE or on website. Accepts inquiries by fax, e-mail, phone. Mss: White paper, black ink; double-spaced; typed; each page appropriately numbered with title, no author name. Include cover page with author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address (if available), as well as estimated word count and the title of the work. Online submissions are accepted. Hard copy submissions will not be returned. Deadline: December 31, March 31, June 30, September 30. Prize: Prize (awards quarterly): 1st Place: $1,000; 2nd Place: $750; and 3rd Place: $500. Annual grand prize: $5,000. Judged by Dave Wolverton (initial judge), then by a panel of 4 professional authors.
Ballantine Hall 465, Indiana University, 1020 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington IN 47405-7103. (812)855-3439. Fax: (812)855-4253. E-mail: inreview@indiana.edu. Website: http://indianareview.org. Contact: Katie Moulton, editor. Contest for fiction in any style and on any subject. Open to any writer. Mss will not be returned. No works forthcoming elsewhere, are eligible. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but in the event of entrant withdrawal, contest fee will not be refunded. Maximum length: 8,000 words. Deadline: October 31. Submission period begins September 1. Prize: $1,000, publication in the Indiana Review and contributor’s copies. Judged by guest judges.
TIPS “We look for a command of language and structure, as well as a facility with compelling and unusual subject matter. It’s a good idea to obtain copies of issues featuring past winners to get a more concrete idea of what we are looking for.”
2408 W. 8th, Amarillo TX 79106. E-mail: contest@critiquemynovel.com. Website: http://critiquemynovel.com/ink_insights_2015. Contact: Catherine York, contest/award director. This contest is for new and seasoned writers who need to gauge their work in addition to competing for prizes. The focus is on the feedback writers are given for their work, as well as competin for prizes and a guaranteed read with feedback from several literary agents. Three categories: Novels (new writers), Novels (ready to publish), and nonfiction. Send the first 10,000 words of your manuscript (unpublished, self-published, or published through a vanity/independent press). Include a cover sheet that contains the following information: novel title, genre, word count of full ms, e-mail address. Do not put name on submission. See website for full details and guidelines. Deadline: March 1-April 30 (regular entry), May 1-June 30 (late entry). Prize: Prizes vary depending on category. Every novel receives personal feedback from 4 judges. Judges listed on website, including the agents who will be helping choose the top winners this year.
INTERNATIONAL 3-DAY NOVEL CONTEST210-111 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC V6B 1H4 Canada. E-mail: info@3daynovel.com. Website: www.3daynovel.com. Contact: Brittany Huddart, managing editor. “Can you produce a masterwork of fiction in three short days? The 3-Day Novel Contest is your chance to find out. Each Labour Day weekend, fueled by adrenaline and the desire for literary nirvana, hundreds of writers step up to the challenge. It’s a thrill, a grind, a 72-hour kick in the pants and an awesome creative experience. How many crazed plotlines, coffee-stained pages, pangs of doubt and moments of genius will next year’s contest bring forth? And what will you think up under pressure?” Entrants write in whatever setting they wish, in whatever genre they wish, anywhere in the world. Entrants may start writing as of midnight on Friday night, and must stop by midnight on Monday night. Then they print entry and mail it in to the contest for judging. Deadline: Friday before Labor Day weekend. Prize: 1st place receives publication; 2nd place receives $500; 3rd place receives $100.
Iowa Writers’ Workshop, 507 N. Clinton St., 102 Dey House, Iowa City IA 52242-1000. Website: www.uiowapress.org. Contact: James McCoy, director. Annual award to give exposure to promising writers who have not yet published a book of prose. Open to any writer. Current University of Iowa students are not eligible. No application forms are necessary. Announcement of winners made early in year following competition. Winners notified by phone. No application forms are necessary. Do not send original ms. Include SASE for return of ms. Entries must be unpublished, but stories previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion. The ms must be a collection of short stories of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages. Deadline: September 30. Submission period begins August 1. Prize: Publication by University of Iowa Press Judged by senior Iowa Writers’ Workshop members who screen mss; published fiction author of note makes final selections.
Jerry Jazz Musician, 2207 NE Broadway, Portland OR 97232. E-mail: jm@jerryjazz.com. Website: www.jerryjazzmusician.com. Three times a year, Jerry Jazz Musician awards a writer who submits the best original, previously unpublished work of approximately 1,000-5,000 words. The winner will be announced via a mailing of the Jerry Jazz newsletter. Publishers, artists, musicians, and interested readers are among those who subscribe to the newsletter. Additionally, the work will be published on the home page of Jerry Jazz Musician and featured there for at least 4 weeks. The Jerry Jazz Musician reader tends to have interests in music, history, literature, art, film, and theater—particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-20th century America. Guidelines available online. Deadline: September, January, and May. See website for specific dates. Prize: $100. Judged by the editors of Jerry Jazz Musician.
P.O. Box 609, Round Rock TX 78680. E-mail: tilsecretary@yahoo.com. Website: http://texasinstituteofletters.org. Offered annually by Texas Institute of Letters for work published January 1-December 31 of year before award is given to recognize the writer of the best book of fiction entered in the competition. Writers must have been born in Texas, have lived in the state for at least 2 consecutive years at some time, or the subject matter of the work should be associated with the state. See website for details and information on submitting. Deadline: January 10. Prize: $6,000.
Wilkes University, Creative Writing Department, Wilkes University, 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre PA 18766. (570)408-4547. Fax: (570)408-3333. E-mail: jamesjonesfirstnovel@wilkes.edu. Website: www.wilkes.edu/. Offered annually for unpublished novels and novellas (must be works-in-progress). This competition is open to all American writers who have not previously published novels. Submit a 2-page (maximum) outline of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. The ms must be typed and double-spaced; outline may be single-spaced. Entrants submitting via snail mail should include their name, address, telephone number and e-mail address (if available) on the title page, but nowhere else on the manuscript. For those entrants submitting online, name, address, telephone number and e-mail address should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Pages should be numbered. The award is intended to honor the spirit of unblinking honesty, determination, and insight into modern culture exemplified by the late James Jones. Deadline: March 15. Submission period begins October 1. Prize: $10,000; 2 runners-up get $1,000 honorarium.
P.O. Box 140310, Gainesville FL 32614-0310. Website: www.writecorner.com. Contact: Mary Sue Koeppel, editor. Annual awards for unpublished fiction in any style and any theme. Maximum length: 3,000 words. Stories must be unpublished. Send 2 title pages: One with title only and one with title, name, address, phone, e-mail, short bio. Place no other identification of the author on the ms that will be used in the judging. Guidelines available for SASE or on website. Accepts inquiries by e-mail and phone. Winning stories published on website. Winners notified by mail, phone in July (or earlier). For results, send SASE or see website. Deadline: April 30. Submission period begins October 1. Prize: 1st Place: $1,100. Editors’ Choice: $100 each. $500 scholarship, in addition, if winner is a student. Judged by award-winning fiction writers.
Prairie Schooner, 123 Andrews Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE 68588-0334. (402)472-0911. Fax: (402)472-9771. E-mail: prairieschooner@unl.edu. Website: www.prairieschooner.unl.edu. Offered annually for the best short story published in Prairie Schooner in the previous year. Only work published in Prairie Schooner in the previous year is considered. Work is nominated by editorial staff. Results announced in the Spring issue. Winners notified by mail in February or March. Prize: $1,000. Judged by editorial staff of Praire Schooner.
Michigan Quarterly Review, 0576 Rackham Bldg., 915 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor MI 48109-1070. (734)764-9265. E-mail: mqr@umich.edu. Website: www.michiganquarterlyreview.com. Contact: Vicki Lawrence, managing editor. This annual prize is awarded by the Michigan Quarterly Review editorial board to the author of the best short story published in MQR that year. The prize is sponsored by University of Michigan alumnus and fiction writer Leonard S. Bernstein, a trustee of the Lawrence Foundation of New York. Approximately 20 short stories are published in MQR each year. Guidelines available under submission guidelines on website. Prize: $1,000. Judged by editorial board.
Literal Latté, 200 E. 10th St., Suite 240, New York NY 10003. (212)260-5532. E-mail: litlatte@aol.com. Website: www.literal-latte.com. Contact: Edward Estlin, contributing editor. Award to provide talented writers with 3 essential tools for continued success: money, publication, and recognition. Offered annually for unpublished fiction (maximum 10,000 words). Guidelines online. Open to any writer. Winners notified by phone. Winners announced in April. All winners published in Literal Latté. Deadline: January 15. Prize: 1st Place: $1,000 and publication in Literal Latté; 2nd Place: $300; 3rd Place: $200; also up to 7 honorable mentions.
Literal Latté, 200 E. 10th St., Suite 240, New York NY 10003. (212)260-5532. E-mail: litlatte@aol.com. Website: www.literal-latte.com. Contact: Jenine Gordon Bockman, editor. Annual contest. Send unpublished shorts. 2,000 words max. All styles welcome. Name, address, phone number, email address (optional) on cover page only. Include SASE or email address for reply. All entries considered for publication. Deadline: June 30. Prize: $500. Judged by the editors.
The Writers’ Workshop of Asheville, NC, Literary Fiction Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Rd., Asheville NC 28805. Website: www.twwoa.org. Submit a short story or chapter of a novel of 5,000 words or less. Multiple entries are accepted. All work must be unpublished. Pages should be paper clipped, with your name, address, phone and title of work on a cover sheet. Double-space and use 12-point font. Deadline: November 30. Prize: 1st Place: Your choice of a 2 night stay at the Mountain Muse B&B in Asheville, 3 free online workshops, or 50pages line-edited and revised by editorial staff; 2nd Place: 2 free workshops or 35pages line-edited; 3rd Place: 1 free workshop or 25 pages line-edited; 10 Honorable Mentions.
Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition, The Webhallow House, 1544 Sweetwood Dr., Broadmoor Village CA 94015. E-mail: SoulKeats@mail.com. Website: www.soulmakingcontest.us. Contact: Eileen Malone. Open annually to any writer. One story/entry, up to 5,000 words. All prose works must be typed, page numbered, and double-spaced. Identify only with 3x5 card. Deadline: November 30. Prize: Cash prizes.
THE MALAHAT REVIEW NOVELLA PRIZEThe Malahat Review, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2 Canada. (250)721-8524. E-mail: malahat@uvic.ca. E-mail: novella@uvic.ca. Website: malahatreview.ca. Contact: John Barton, editor. Held in alternate years with the Long Poem Prize. Submit novellas between 10,000 and 20,000 words in length. Include separate page with author’s name, address, e-mail, and novella title; no identifying information on mss. pages. E-mail submissions are now accepted. Do not include SASE for results; mss will not be returned. Guidelines available on website. Winner and finalists contacted by e-mail. Offered to promote unpublished novellas. Obtains first world rights. After publication rights revert to the author. Open to any writer. Deadline: February 1 (even years). Prize: $1,500 CAD and one year’s subscription. Winner published in summer issue of The Malahat Review and announced on website, Facebook page, and in quarterly e-newsletter, Malahat Lite.
Sarabande Books, 2234 Dundee Rd., Suite 200, Louisville KY 40205. (502)458-4028. Fax: (502)458-4065. E-mail: info@sarabandebooks.org. Website: www.sarabandebooks.org. Contact: Kirby Gann, managing editor. Annual competition to honor a collection of short stories, novellas, or a short novel. All mss should be between 150 and 250 pages. All finalists considered for publicaiton. Guidelines available online. Deadline: February 15. Submission period begins January 1. Prize: $2,000 and publication (standard royalty contract).
MARJORIE GRABER MCINNIS SHORT STORY AWARDACT Writers Centre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Ainslie Ave., Braddon ACT 2612 Australia. (61)(2)6262-9191. Fax: (61)(2)6262-9191. E-mail: admin@actwriters.org.au. Website: www.actwriters.org.au. Open theme for a short story with 1,500-3,000 words. Guidelines available on website. Open only to unpublished emerging writers residing within the ACT or region. Deadline: September 25. Submissions period begins in early September. Prize: $600 and publication. Five runners-up receive book prizes. All winners may be published in the ACT Writers Centre newsletter and on the ACT Writers Centre website.
Memphis Magazine, co-sponsored by booksellers of Laurelwood and Burke’s Book Store, Fiction Contest, c/o Memphis magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis TN 38101. (901)521-9000, ext. 451. Fax: (901)521-0129. E-mail: sadler@memphismagazine.com. Website: www.memphismagazine.com. Contact: Marilyn Sadler. Annual award for authors of short fiction living within 150 miles of Memphis. Each story should be between 3,000 and 4,500 words long. See website for guidelines and rules. Deadline: February 15. Prize: $1,000 grand prize, along with being published in the annual Cultural Issue; two honorable-mention awards of $500 each will be given if the quality of entries warrants.
Southwest Review, P.O. Box 750374, Dallas TX 75275-0374. (214)768-1037. Fax: (214)768-1408. E-mail: swr@smu.edu. Website: www.smu.edu/southwestreview. Contact: Jennifer Cranfill, senior editor. Annual award given to a writer who has not published a first book of fiction, either a novel or collection of stories. All contest entrants will receive a copy of the issue in which the winning piece appears. Submissions must be no longer than 8,000 words. Work should be printed without the author’s name. Name and address should appear only on the cover letter. Submissions will not be returned. Deadline: May 1 (postmarked). Prize: $1,000 and publication in the Southwest Review.
TIPS “A cover letter with name, address, and other relevant information may accompany the piece which must be printed without any identifying information. Get guidelines for SASE or online.”
1011 Washington Ave. S., Suite 300, Minneapolis MN 55415. (612)332-3192. Fax: (612)215-2550. E-mail: editor@milkweed.org. Website: www.milkweed.org. Contact: Patrick Thoman, editor and program manager. Annual award for unpublished works. Mss should be one of the following: a novel, a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a combination of short stories and one or more novellas. Mss should be of high literary quality and between 150-400 pages in length. Work previously published as a book in the US is not eligible, but individual stories or novellas previously published in magazines or anthologies are eligible. Guidelines available online. Deadline: Rolling submissions. Check website for details of when they’re accepting mss. Prize: Publication by Milkweed Editions and a cash advance of $5,000 against royalties, agreed upon in the contractual arrangement negotiated at the time of acceptance. Judged by the editors.
Milkweed Editions, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Suite 300, Minneapolis MN 55415. (612)332-3192. Fax: (612)215-2550. E-mail: editor@milkweed.org. Website: www.milkweed.org. Milkweed Editions will award the Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature to the best mss for young readers that Milkweed accepts for publication during the calendar year by a writer not previously published by Milkweed. All mss for young readers submitted for publication by Milkweed are automatically entered into the competition. Seeking full-length fiction between 90-200 pages. Does not consider picture books or poetry collections for young readers. Recognizes an outstanding literary novel for readers ages 8-13 and encourage writers to turn their attention to readers in this age group. Prize: $10,000 cash prize in addition to a publishing contract negotiated at the time of acceptance. Judged by the editors of Milkweed Editions.
Cutbank Literary Magazine, CutBank, University of Montana, English Dept., LA 133, Missoula MT 59812. E-mail: editor.cutbank@gmail.com. Website: www.cutbankonline.org. Contact: Allison Linville, editor-in-chief. The Montana Prize in Fiction seeks to highlight work that showcases an authentic voice, a boldness of form, and a rejection of functional fixedness. Accepts online submissions only. Send a single work, no more than 35 pages. Guidelines available online. Deadline: January 15. Submissions period begins November 1. Prize: $500 and featured in the magazine. Judged by a guest judge each year.
Vermont College, 36 College St., Montpelier VT 05602. (802)828-8517. E-mail: hungermtn@vcfa.edu. Website: www.hungermtn.org. Contact: Miciah Bay Gault, editor. The Howard Frank Mosher Short Fiction Prize is an annual contest for short fiction. Enter one original, unpublished story under 10,000 words. Do not put name or address on the story; entries are judged blind. Accepts submissions online or via postal mail. Deadline: June 30. Prize: One first place winner receives $1,000 and publication. Two honorable mentions receive $100 each, and are considered for publication.
The National Writers Association, 10940 S. Parker Rd. #508, Parker CO 80134. (303)841-0246. E-mail: natlwritersassn@hotmail.com. Website: www.nationalwriters.com. Contact: Sandy Whelchel, director. Open to any genre or category. Contest begins December 1. Open to any writer. Entries must be unpublished. Length: 20,000-100,000 words. Contest forms are available on the NWA website or an attachment will be sent upon request via e-mail or with an SASE. Annual contest to help develop creative skills, to recognize and reward outstanding ability, and to increase the opportunity for the marketing and subsequent publication of novel mss. Deadline: April 1. Prize: 1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $150. Judged by editors and agents.
10940 S. Parker Rd., #508, Parker CO 80134. (303)841-0246. E-mail: natlwritersassn@hotmail.com. Website: www.nationalwriters.com. Opens April 1. Any genre of short story manuscript may be entered. All entries must be postmarked by July 1. Only unpublished works may be submitted. All manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, in the English language. Maximum length is 5,000 words. Those unsure of proper manuscript format should request Research Report #35. The entry must be accompanied by an entry form (photocopies are acceptable) and return SASE if you wish the material and rating sheets returned. Submissions will be destroyed, otherwise. Receipt of entry will not be acknowledged without a return postcard. Author’s name and address must appear on the first page. Entries remain the property of the author and may be submitted during the contest as long as they are not published before the final notification of winners. Final prizes will be awarded in June. The purpose of the National Writers Assn. Short Story Contest is to encourage the development of creative skills, recognize and reward outstanding ability in the area of short story writing. Prize: 1st Prize: $250; 2nd Prize: $100; 3rd Prize: $50; 4th-10th places will receive a book. 1st-3rd place winners may be asked to grant one-time rights for publication in Authorship magazine. Honorable Mentions receive a certificate. Judging will be based on originality, marketability, research, and reader interest. Copies of the judges evaluation sheets will be sent to entrants furnishing an SASE with their entry.
Colorado Review/Center for Literary Publishing, 9105 Campus Delivery, Dept. of English, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins CO 80523-9105. (970)491-5449. E-mail: creview@colostate.edu. Website: http://nelliganprize.colostate.edu. Contact: Stephanie G’Schwind, editor. Annual competition/award for short stories. Receives approximately 900 stories. All entries are read blind by Colorado Review’s editorial staff. 10-15 entries are selected to be sent on to a final judge. Stories must be unpublished and under 50 pages. “The Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction was established in memory of Liza Nelligan, a writer, editor, and friend of many in Colorado State University’s English Department, where she received her master’s degree in literature in 1992. By giving an award to the author of an outstanding short story each year, we hope to honor Liza Nelligan’s life, her passion for writing, and her love of fiction.” Deadline: March 14. Prize: $2,000 and publication of story in Colorado Review.
The University of Georgia Press, Main Library, 3rd Floor, 320 S. Jackson St., Athens GA 30602. (706)369-6130. Fax: (706)369-6131. Website: www.ugapress.org. This competition welcomes short story or novella collections. Stories may have been published singly, but should not have appeared in a book-length collection of the author’s own work. Length: 40,000-75,000 words. Accepts electronic submissions via website. Accepts multiple submissions, and simultaneous submissions, if identified. Title, author’s name, and contact information should appear on a top cover sheet only. Include a table of contents. All submissions and announcement of winners and finalists will be confirmed via e-mail. Deadline: April 1-May 31. Prize: 2 winners receive $1,000 and book contracts from the University of Georgia Press.
SEAN O’FAOLAIN SHORT STORY COMPETITIONThe Munster Literature Centre, Frank O’Connor House, 84 Douglas Street, Cork Ireland. +353-0214319255. E-mail: munsterlit@eircom.net. Website: www.munsterlit.ie. Contact: Patrick Cotter, artistic director. Entries should be unpublished. Anyone may enter contest. Length: 3,000 words max. Cover letter should include name, address, phone, e-mail, word count, novel/story title. Purpose is to reward writers of outstanding short stories. Deadline: July 31. Prize: 1st prize €1500 (approx US $2,200); 2nd prize €500 (approx $730). Four runners-up prizes of €100 (approx $146). All six stories to be published in Southword Literary Journal. First-Prize Winner offered week’s residency in Anam Cara Artist’s Retreat in Ireland.