Each year’s Nine Dots Prize offers a $100,000 prize and Cambridge University Press book deal for the best response to a different question. This year’s question is: ‘What does it mean to be young in an ageing world?’ Entrants must respond in 3,000 words and provide an outline showing how they would expand it into a 25,000-40,000 word book. Closing date is 18 January 2021. Website: https://ninedotsprize.org
Café Writers Open Poetry Competition 2020, for original, unpublished poems in any style, up to forty lines, has £1,000, £300 and £200 prizes, with five £50 commended poets and £100 for the best poem by a Norfolk resident. This year’s judge is Helen Ivory. The entry fee is £4, £10 for three, £2 each extra. The closing date is 30 November. Website: www.cafewriters.co.uk
The quarterly Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition for 500-word stories closes on 30 November. Prizes each quarter are £100 and £25, with publication of both winning stories. Writers may enter up to two original, unpublished, stories, no longer than 500 words. The entry fee is £3, £5 for two. Website: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/flashcomp/