Submitting to writing contests is a great way to gain credibility as a writer/author. There are lots of great contests and journals that are accepting submissions right now for many different types of work, including fiction, non-fiction, fan and flash fiction, essays, short stories, and poetry. Entering these types of contests can help you keep your writing and publishing momentum going. Below is a list that we put together to help you submit your work.
2014 Lucille Clifton Poetry Prize
Online/Postmark deadline: June 15, 2014
Backbone Press is accepting submissions for our annual Lucille Clifton Poetry Prize. The contest, held each spring, honors the prolific work of poet great Lucille Clifton. Widely celebrated for her unpretentious and unapologetic poems, Clifton’s unique free verse was free of punctuation, taut, and always recognizably her. When submitting think: humanness, struggle, adversity, resilience. Please see our website for guidelines: www.backbonepress.org/contest. Final Judge: Nikki Giovanni.
2014 New American Fiction Prize: Accepting Full-Length Manuscripts Now.
Online submission deadline: June 15, 2014
$1,000 award, book publication, and promotion support. All full-length fiction manuscripts accepted: a collection of stories and/or novella(s), or a novel. No length restrictions. Final judge is Nicole Louise Reid, editor/publisher of RopeWalk Press and winner of the Dana Award in Short Fiction and the Willamette Award in Short Fiction. Deadline: June 15, 2014. Entry fee: $22.50. To submit, please visit:www.NewAmericanPress.com/contests/current.php. We are no longer able to accept snail mail submissions.
1-year Anniversary Competition
Email submission deadline: June 15, 2014
The Jewish Literary Journal is holding an anniversary competition on the theme of “Creation/Building.” Entering is Free. There will be 1 winner each in Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction, with a $50 prize per winner to be paid through Amazon Payments. The submission period is April 15-June 15 and winners will be published in issue 13, publishing July 1st. All documents must be in .doc/.docx format and should be submitted to editors@jewishliteraryjournal.com. You must include your name, genre, and the words “1-year competition” in the subject line of your submission e-mail to be considered. For More information check out:jewishliteraryjournal.com!
Drunken Boat Poetry Book Contest
Online submission deadline: June 25, 2014
Drunken Boat is accepting submissions of poetry, hybrid poetry, and poetry in translation for our inaugural book contest, judged by Forrest Gander. Deadline: June 25. Prize: $500, publication, 20 copies, and a launch at AWP. Manuscripts should be between 30 and 120 pages. Details: drunkenboat.submittable.com/submit.
Flash Fiction Contest
Submission deadline: June 30, 2014
Literary Juice is hosting its second flash fiction contest, for stories 500 words or fewer. First prize winner will receive $200 (USD), plus publication of winning story on our website; runner-up will receive $50 (USD), plus publication online. Please, visit our website for submission guidelines. www.literaryjuice.com
Blue Lyra Review’s Living Earth Nonfiction & Longish Poem Contest
Submission deadline: June 30, 2014
The Living Earth Creative Nonfiction Prize, 5000 words. Looking for essays on any subject with a wide interpretation of ideas: people, planet, or nature, anything living on this earth. Judge: Sharman Apt Russell, author of Diary of a Citizen Scientist. $9/entry, $15 with anthology. Prize: $100 + print publication. Guidelines here: bluelyrareview.com/submissions/contests/.
The Blue Lyra Longish Poem Prize, 2-6 pages, one poem or strongly linked smaller poems. Judge: Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, author of Ghost Gear. All entries eligible for publication. $9/entry, $15 with anthology. Prize: $100 + print publication. We follow CLMP regulations. Submissions must go through Submittable. Link and guidelines here: bluelyrareview.com/submissions/contests/.
May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize
Online/Postmark submission deadline: June 30, 2014
Bauhan Publishing—May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize is accepting submissions (US Mail and submittable.com). $1,000 and book publication for a full-length poetry collection. Open to all poets. Entry fee $25. Judged exclusively by Gary Margolis, Middlebury, VT. Postmark/submission deadline: June 30. For guidelines: www.bauhanpublishing.com/contest.
Online submission deadline: July 1, 2014
Announcing The Missing Slate‘s inaugural cash prize fiction writing competition. We are looking for work that is original, thoughtful, well-articulated and creative, with characters we can care about. Entries must be no longer than 10,000 words, be previously unpublished, and not be selected as a winner, finalist or honorable mention in another competition. These can include novel excerpts. You can submit from anywhere in the world—anything that expands our world view is welcomed. Full contest details (including submissions guidelines can be found here): themissingslate.com/new-voices-writing-competition/. Prize: $150 (increases with each entry!)
Bellevue Literary Review Annual Prizes
Submission deadline: July 1, 2014
Bellevue Literary Review’s annual prizes recognize exceptional writing about health, healing, illness, the body, and the mind. $1,000 Goldenberg Prize for Fiction (Judge: Chang-rae Lee), $1,000 Felice Buckvar Prize for Nonfiction (Judge: Anne Fadiman), $1,000 Marica & Jan Vilcek Prize for Poetry (Judge: Major Jackson). Deadline July 1. Entry fee $20 ($30 includes subscription). Submit online: www.blreview.org.
Vallum Award for Poetry 2014
Email/Postmark deadline: July 15, 2014
1st Prize: $750, 2nd Prize: $250 + publication in Vallum 2014. Contest Judge: George Elliott Clarke. Vallum is accepting original and previously unpublished poetry submissions for the Vallum Award for Poetry 2014. Some of the best poets in the world have graced the pages of Vallum: Contemporary Poetry. Get your word on! Entry Fee: $25 CDN for Canadian residents, $25 USD for international entrants, which includes a free one-year subscription to Vallum. Entries accepted both by Paypal and by postal mail. For more information please visit:www.vallummag.com/contestnp.html
Blue Earth Review Flash Fiction Contest
Online submission deadline: August 1, 2014
Blue Earth Review Flash Fiction Contest!! You can submit up to 2 pieces of flash fiction that are 750 words or fewer for only $2.00! 1st-$500, 2nd-$250, 3rd-$100. Winners will be published in our Fall issue. We may also publish other admirable submissions. Winners will be notified after the contest has closed on August 1st. Please only enter once. Submit here:blueearthreview.submittable.com/submit/24696.
The Crazy-shorts! Contest
Online submission deadline: July 31, 2014
From July 1st to July 31st, Crazyhorse will accept entries for our annual short-short fiction contest. Submit three short-shorts of up to 500 words each through our website: crazyhorse.cofc.edu. 1st place will win $1,000 and publication; 3 runners-up will be announced. All entries will be considered by our editors for publication, and the $15 entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Crazyhorse.
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