All the top writing contests.

2026 HG Wells Short Story Competition

Deadline: 7 July 2026

The competition is open to anyone. This year's theme is ''The Cheat''. Your story can be set anywhere, feature any characters, and be written in any style. There are two categories: • Authors 21 years of age and under with a prize of £1,000. Entry is free. • Authors aged 22 years and above with a prize of £500 (entry £10 or £5 with student id).

Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2026

Deadline: 19 April 2026

The competition is open to anyone over the age of 18. Submissions must be previously unpublished works of fiction of up to 2000 words and must be in English. The entry fee is €20 for the first submission. • First Prize: 2,000 € and a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation • Runner-up Prizes (2): 1,000 €

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2026

Deadline: 31 March 2026

The prize is for unpublished poems written by an adult for children aged 7–11. The entry fee is €16 per poem. • 1st prize: €1,000 • 2nd prize: €500 • 3rd prize: €250

The 2026 Yeovil Literary Prize

Deadline: 31 May 2026

The Yeovil Literary Prize is open to anyone over the age of 16. There are five categories: • Novel (1st prize: £1350) • Short Story (1st prize: £625)• Poetry (1st prize: £625)• Children's and Young Adult Novel (1st prize: £625) • Writing Without Restrictions (1st prize: £275). Entry fees: from £8 to £18.50.

AWP Award Series 2026

Deadline: Check Website

The competition is open to all authors writing original works in English for adult readers. There are four prizes: • Donald Hall Prize for Poetry: $5,500 • Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction: $5,500 • Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction : $2,500 • James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel: $5,500 Entry fees: $30 for nonmembers and $20 for AWP members

The Bridport Prize 2026

Deadline: 31 May 2026

The competition is open to writers of any nationality, aged 16 years old and over. The competition has four categories: • Poetry (1st prize: £5,000); • Short story (1st prize: £5,000); • Flash fiction (1st prize: £1,000); • Novel (1st prize: £1,500). Entry fees: from £12 to £26.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest 2025/2026

Deadline: 1 May 2026

You may submit stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each. For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. The entry fee is $25. The winning story and the winning essay will each receive $3,500. Ten honorable mentions will receive $500 each.

2026 Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Deadline: 1 April 2026

You may submit one humor poem written in English, up to 250 lines in length. The competition is free to enter. • 1st prize: $2,000 • 2nd prize: $500 • 3rd Prize: $250 • 10 honorable mentions, $100 each