Pick your favourites and start scheduling your entries, with over 500 competitions to enter – surely something for every writer!

MARCH

Forward Prizes for Poetry

Best Collection, Best First Collection, Best Single Poem, books must be submitted by publishers and single poems by magazine editors and competition administatrators Prizes: Best collection £10,000, best first collection £5,000, best single poem £1,000 Free entry Closing date: 5 March www.forwardartsfoundation. org

Globe Soup Science Fiction Competition

Unpublished science Fiction writing, up to 1,000 words Prizes: £1,000 and publication Entry fee: £5 Closing date: 6 March www.globesoup.net/competitions

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition

Short stories up to 2,500 words Prizes: £200, £100 and £75 Entry fee: £5 Closing date: 10 March http:// eveshamfestivalofwords.org

Nelligan Prize

Short stories, 2,500-12,500 words Prizes: $2,000 and publication Entry fee: $15 Closing date: TBC https://coloradoreview. colostate.edu/nelligan-prize/

Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize

Proposal for a book-length essay Prizes: £3,000 advance and publication, writing residency Free entry Closing date: 13 March https://fitzcarraldoeditions. com

Room Fiction Contest

Short stories, up to 3,500 words Prizes: Can$1,000, $250, $100 and possible publication Entry fee: $42 Closing date: 15 March https://roommagazine.com/

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

A novel in progress by an unpublished US writer Prizes: $10,000; $1,000 Entry fee: $30 Closing date: 15 March www.wilkes.edu/academics/graduate-programs/mastersprograms/creative-writingma-mfa/

Eludia Prize

Unpublished first novels by women over 40 Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $20 Closing date: 15 March https://hiddenriverarts. wordpress.com

Kraken Book Prize for Middle-Grade Fiction

Middle-grade books, 120- 350 pages Prizes: $750 and publication Entry fee: $25 Closing date: 15 March https://regalhousepublishing. com

BBC National Short Story Award

Short stories, up to 8,000 words Prizes: £15,000, 4x£600 Free entry Closing date: 13 March www.bbc.co.uk/nssa

Fowey Festival Short Story Competition

Short stories up to 1,500 words on a given theme Prizes: £250, £100 Entry fee: £10 Closing date: 5th March www.foweyfestival.com

Gordon Burn Prize

A published novel or work of non-fiction that challenges perceived ideas about genre Prizes: £5,000, retreat up to three months at Gordon Burn’s cottage Free entry Closing date: 17 March www.newwritingnorth.com

KSP Writers Centre Spooky stories Competition

Spooky short stories, up to 1,200 words, by Western

Australian residents or citizens Prizes: Aus$300, $150; $100, $50 for youths Entry fee: $10 Closing date: 18 March www.kspwriterscentre.com

Savage Writing Contest

Write a mystery within 48 hours Prizes: $20, $15, $10 Amazon cards Free entry Closing date: 20 March http://tclj.toasted-cheese. com/dead-of-winter/

Ginkgo Ecopoetry Prize Poems up to 54 lines on ecological themes Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000 Entry fee: £7, £4 for each subsequent entry Closing date: 25 March https://ginkgoprize.com

Retreat West Opening Lines Competition

Send us the opening lines of your novel Prizes: An editorial report on a full manuscriptEntry fee: £10 Closing date: 26 March www.retreatwest.co.uk

Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest One personal essay, no limit but usually around 2,000- 5,000 words, by a Canadian writer Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $40 Closing date: 28 March https://tnq.ca/contests/

White Review Short Story Prize

Short stories, 2,000-7,000 words, by emerging writers Prizes: £2,500 Entry fee: £15 Closing date: 29 March www.thewhitereview.org

Cleveland State University Poetry Center

Full-length poetry collections, over 48 pages, by poets who have had no, or one, collection published; essay collections, 100-300 pages Prizes: 3x$1,000 and publication Entry fee: $28 Closing date: TBC www.csupoetrycenter.com

Antivenom Poetry Award

A first or second poetry collection manuscript Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $30 Closing date: 31 March http://elixirpress.com/guidelines/antivenompoetry-award

Fourth Genre Steinberg Essay Prize

Creative non-fiction, up to 6,000 words Prizes: $1,000 Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 31March https://fourthgenre.byu.edu/steinberg/

Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

Short stories of any length Prizes: $1,000, $100, 3x$25, and publication Entry fee: $8 Closing date: 31 March, TBC www.gemini-magazine.com

Pinch Literary Awards

Short stories under 5,000 words; up to 3 poems, any length Prizes: $1,000 and publication in each category Entry fee: $20, $10 each extra Closing date: 31 March www.pinchjournal.com

Caterpillar International Poetry Prize

Poems for children aged 7-11 Prizes: 1,000, 500, 250 Euros Entry fee: €15 Closing date: 31 March www.thecaterpillarmagazine. com

Four Way Books Levis Prize in Poetry

Poetry collections, 48-100 pages Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $30 Closing date: 31 March https://fourwaybooks.com/site/guidelines/

Blue Mountain Novel Award

Unpublished novel of any length Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $20 Closing date: TBC https://hiddenriverarts. wordpress.com/

Indiana Review

Short stories, up to 6,000 words, or up to 3 poems Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $20 Closing date: 31 March https://indianareview.org/prizes

WriteTime competitions

Short stories up to 1,500 words by writers over 60 Prizes: £50, 2x£25; anthology publication Entry fee: £3, £5 for two Closing date: quarterly, 31 March, 30 June, 30 Sept, 31 Dec https://writetime.org/

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

Unpublished fiction manuscripts by first generation residents of their country. Prizes: $10,000 and publication Free entry Closing date: 31 March https://restlessbooks.org/prize-for-new-immigrantwriting

Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award

Between 15,000 and 20,000 words of a prose WIP by a first-time author Prizes: £10,000, runners-up £1,000 Free entry Closing date: 31 March www. deborahrogersfoundation.org

Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize

Poetry collections, longer than 48 pages Prizes: $1,500, 2 x$1,000; publication Entry fee: $30 Closing date: 31 March https://saturnaliabooks. com/

I am Writing Crime Entrants can submit the first 3500 words of any type of crime novel. Entries will be judged on their commercial appeal. Prizes: £100 plus 30 minutes consultation with Kate Nash, £50 & £25 plus 500 words of written feedback Entry fee: £11 Closing Date: 31 March www.iaminprint.co.uk

Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize

An unpublished collection of poems or short stories Prizes: $1,000 and publication

Entry fee: $27 Closing date: 31 March www.blacklawrence.com

Charles Brasch Young Writers Essay Competition Essays, up to 1,500, by New Zealand citizens aged 16-21 Prizes: $500 Free entry Closing date: 31 March www.otago.ac.nz/press/landfall/awards/ otago625789.html

Cinnamon Press Poetry Pamphlet Prize Short poetry collections of 15-25 poems up to 50 lines each Prizes: Publishing contract and 30 copies of the pamphlet for each of two poets Entry fee: £12 Closing date: 31 March www.cinnamonpress.com

Red Shed Open Poetry Competition

For poems up to 50 lines Prizes: £100, £50, £25 Wakefield postcode prize Entry fee: £3, £2 each subsequent Closing date: 31 March www.currockpress.com

Ploughshares Emerging Writer Contest

Fiction and non-fiction under 6,000 words; 3-5 pages of poetry Prizes: $2,000 in each category, plus publication Entry fee: $24 Closing date: 31 March www.pshares.org/submit

Rosemary Goodacre Competition

Short stories up to 1,500 words on the theme ‘friendship’ Prizes: £150, £100, £50 Entry fee: £7.50 Closing date: TBC www.elaineeverest.com/rosemary-goodacrecompetition

Fish Poetry Prize

For poems, up to 60 lines Prizes: First €1,000, 2nd a week in residence at Anam Cara Writers’ Retreat & 300 Euros, third €300 Entry fee: €14 Closing date: 31 March www.fishpublishing.com

Flash 500 Flash Fiction

Quarterly competition for flash fiction, up to 500 words Prizes: £300, £200 and £100 Entry fee: £5, £8 for two Closing date: 31 March, 30 June, 30 Sept, 31 Dec www.flash500.com

International Rubery Book Award

Independently published or self-published books Prizes: £2,000, £200 category winners Entry fee: £44

Closing date: 31 March www.ruberybookaward.com

Short Fiction Short Story Prize

Short stories up to 5,000 words Prizes: £500 plus publication, £250 Entry fee: £7 Closing date: TBC www.shortfictionjournal. co.uk

London Magazine Short Story Competition

Short stories, up to 4,000 words Prizes: £500, £300, £200 Entry fee: £10, £5 each extra Closing date: TBC www.thelondonmagazine. org

Chapter Novel Competition

First chapter and synopsis competition. 5,000 words Prizes: £500 + an appraisal Entry fee: £18 Closing date: 31 March http://fiction-factory.biz

I Am Writing Picture Books Competition 

Entrants are invited to submit up to two texts of no more than 600 words each – in prose or verse – that are perfect for sharing with children aged 3-6. Prizes: £200, a one-to-one Zoom editorial consultation with the Little Tiger Press editorial team to discuss the

winning submission plus a £50 book token,Written editorial feedback and £30 book token, written editorial feedback and £20 book token Closing Date: 31 March www.iaminprint.co.uk

I Am Writing Poetry Competition

Submit up to 3 poems around the theme of ‘Beginnings’ in up to 40 lines, excluding the title. Prizes: £100, £50, £25 Entry Fee: £11 Closing Date: 31 March www.iaminprint.co.uk

I Am Writing Romance Competition

Entrants can submit the first 3500 words of any type of Romance novel. Prizes: £100 plus 30 minute online consultation with Clare Coombes, £50 plus 20-minute online consultation with Clare Coombes, £25 plus 15-minute online consultation with Clare Coombes Entry Fee: £11 Closing Date: 31 March www.iaminprint.co.uk

I Am Writing Historical Competition

Entrants can submit the first 3500 words of any type of historical novel. Prize: £100 plus 30-minute online consultation with Clare Coombes, £50 plus

20-minute online consultation with Clare Coombes, £25 plus 15 minute online consultation with Clare Coombes Entry Fee: £11 Closing Date: 31 March www.iaminprint.co.uk

Caterpillar Story for Children Prize

Short stories up to 1,500 words for children aged 7-11 Prizes: €1,000 Entry fee: €15 Closing date: 31 March www.thecaterpillarmagazine. com

World Around Us

Chapbook Anthology Contest

Poems, no longer than 36 lines Prizes: Can$100, $75, $50, $25x2 Entry fee: $5, 3 for $10 Closing date: 31 March www. theontariopoetrysociety.ca

APRIL

GVCA New Deal Writing Competition

Short stories, up to 10,000 words, inspired by a painting, shown on the website Prizes: $200, $100, $50 Entry fee: $5 Closing date: 1 April http://gvartscouncil.org/writingcompetition/

Short Grain Contest

Poetry, max 100 lines, or fiction, max 2,500 words Prizes: Can$1,000, $750, $500 and publication, in each category Entry fee: $40, international $60 Closing date: 1 April www.grainmagazine.ca/

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Short stories up to 3,500 words Prizes: $1,500, 2x$500 Entry fee: $15 Closing date: 1 April https://shortstorycompetition. com/

Nimrod Literary Awards

Fiction up to 7,500 words or 3-10 pages of poetry, by US residents Prizes: $2,000, $1,000 in both categories, plus publication Entry fee: $20 Closing date: 1 April https://artsandsciences.utulsa. edu/nimrod/nimrod-literaryawards/

Killer Nashville Claymore Award

Unpublished manuscripts with elements of thriller, mystery, crime or suspense Prizes: $3,000 prize fund, plus publication Entry fee: $45 Closing date: 1 April https://killernashville.com/claymore/

Orison Books Poetry and Fiction Prizes

Novels, novellas or fiction collections of at least 30,000 words; poetry collections, 50-100 pages Prizes: $1,500 and publication in each category Entry fee: $25 Closing date: 1 April, annual https://orisonbooks.com

SPR Book Prizes

Books published on Amazon before entry, never available elsewhere Prizes: SPR reader review packages on Amazon Entry fee: $30 Closing date: TBC www.selfpublishingreview. com/spr-book-awards/

Cranked Anvil Prompt Competition

Stories inspired by set writing prompts, 700-1000 words. Prizes: £150, £75, £30 Entry fee: £5, £8 for, £10 for 3 Closing date: quarterly, 1 Apr, 1 Jul, 1 Oct www.crankedanvil.co.uk

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Highly enjoyable annual competition for humorous and spoof poetry, up to 250 lines Prizes: $2,000, $500, 10x$100 Free entry Closing date: 1 April www.winningwriters.com/wergle

Zone 3 Press Award

Poetry manuscripts this year, 48-80 pages Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $20 Closing date:TBC www.zone3press.com

Terry Tempest Williams Prize for Creative Non-Fiction

One piece of creative nonfiction, 500 - 1,000 words Prizes: $1000 and publication Entry fee: $23 Closing date: 1 April https:// northamericanreview.org

Furious fiction

500-word short stories, written in 55 hours Prizes: Aus$500 Free entry Closing date: 3 April, first Sunday of each month www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/

Retreat West Micro Fiction Competition

Fiction, 100 words exactly, to a prompt posted on the website at the start of each month Prizes: 30% of total entry fees received Entry fee: £5 Closing date: 8 April, monthly www.retreatwest.co.uk

Oberon Poetry Prize

Single poems, max 2 pages each; submit up to 3 Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $18 Closing date: 10 April, annually www.oberonpoetry.com

Willowdown Books Cunningham Short Story Competition

Short stories, 1,000-3,000 words Prizes: $100 Entry fee: $15 Closing date: 12 April www.willowdownbooks.com

Raymond Carver Short Story Prize

Annual competition for short stories, up to 10,000 words Prizes: $3,000 over 5 prizes Entry fee: $17 Closing date: Mid April www.carvezine.com/raymond-carver-contest/

Red Planet Prize

New TV series drama scripts Prizes: Script commission and masterclasses with awardwinning writers Closing date: TBC www.redplanetpictures. co.uk/the-red-planet-prize

Magpie Award for Poetry

Unpublished poems up to 100 lines Prizes: $500, 2x$50 Entry fee: $25, $10 each extra

Closing date: 15 April http://pulpliterature.com/

Green Stories Project: Superhero Competitions

Drawing on your own experiences of climate change Prizes: £500 Free entry Closing date: 15 April www.greenstories.org.uk

Gulf Coast Contests

Stories and essays, up to 25 pages, or up to 5 poems of no more than 10 pages Prizes: $1,500, 2x$250, in each category Entry fee: $23 Closing date: TBC www.gulfcoastmag.org

Agha Shahid Ali Prize

Poetry collections, 48-100 pages Prizes: $1,500 and publication Entry fee: $25 Closing date: 15 April www.uofupress.com/alipoetry-prize.php

Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize

Novels on the outdoors, nature and UK-based travel writing Prizes: £5,000 Free entry Closing date: 15 April http://wainwrightprize.com

53-word Story Contest

Stories of exactly 53 words, to a different prompt each month Prizes: Publication in Prime Number magazine; free book Free entry Closing date: 15 April, and 15th of each month thereafter www.press53.com/53wordstory-contest

Etel Adnan Poetry Prize

Poetry collections, 48-90 pages, by a writer of Arab heritage Prizes: $1,000 and publication Entry fee: $25 Closing date: 15 April www.uapress.com/prizes/