These are awards for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journalism, and playwriting. They are, very loosely, divided geographically. — S. Kalekar
INTERNATIONAL CALLS
The African Poetry Book Fund: Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry
It is for poets born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African, and who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published (includes self-published books if they were sold online, in stores, or at readings. Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a similar collection of other writers’ work remain eligible). Manuscripts must be at least 50 pages long. Only poems written in English can be considered, but they accept poems in translation too. If the winning work is translated, a percentage of the prize money is awarded to the translator. Apart from a cash prize, the winner also gets publication from the University of Nebraska Press.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Open for: African poets, for a debut poetry book (see guidelines)
Details here and here.
(See all the African Poetry Book Fund contests here.)
Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest
This is an annual contest, they want flash fiction or narrative poetry about weird Christmas. There are three prompts the writers can choose to write on: stocking stuffer (any weird Christmas story), weird cards (use a weird Christmas card the editor has posted, as a prompt), and weird Christmas specials (“Weird Unreal Cultural Celebration” – Create a new holiday. But it also has to be from a new culture), – see guidelines for details. Writers can send multiple entries. Stories have to be up to 350 words.
Value: $50 prize for a winner in each prompt, and $35 for every honorable mention (10-12)
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Nieman Fellowships
These are fellowships at Harvard for both US-based and international journalists. “All applicants for academic-year Nieman Fellowships, including freelancers, must be working journalists with at least five years of full-time media experience.”
Value: $85,000 over a nine-month fellowship and other expenses, see the FAQ here
Deadline: 1 December 2024 for international journalists, and 31 January 2025 for U.S. journalists
Details here.
(There are also the Nieman Visiting Fellowships for short-term research projects designed to advance journalism.)
One Teen Story Contest
This is a fiction contest for writers ages 13-19 by One Story Magazine; there are three categories divided age-wise for this contest; 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19. “We are interested in great short stories of any genre about the teen experience—literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. What’s in a great short story? Interesting teen characters, strong writing, and a beginning, middle, and end.” Stories have to be 2,000-4,500 words.
Value: $500 for each category
Deadline: 2 December 2024
Details here and here.
J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards
These awards are given for non-fiction works in progress which deal with a topic of American political or social concern, to aid their completion. Writers must already have a contract with a US-based publisher. One of the application requirements is 50-75 pages from the work in progress. There is no fee for the work-in-progress award. The prizes are run by Columbia Journalism School – they also have other awards, which charge entry fees.
Value: $25,000
Deadline: 5 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
International Women’s Media Foundation: Kim Wall Memorial Fund
This grant is for women or nonbinary journalists with one or more years of professional experience working in news media from anywhere in the world. “The IWMF’s Kim Wall Memorial Fund will provide $5,000 grants to journalists whose work embodies the spirit of Kim’s reporting. The grant will fund women or non-binary reporters covering subculture, broadly defined, and what Kim liked to call “the undercurrents of rebellion.”
Value: $5,000 each
Deadline: 8 December 2024
Open for: Women and nonbinary journalists
Details here and here.
(See more of IWMF’s programs/grants/awards here and their Submittable here.)
The sine qua non prizes for prose and poetry
For their inaugural issue, the sine qua non is sponsoring two creative writing competitions: for creative prose (send up to 15 pages) and poetry (send up to 5 poems / 10 pages). “We are interested in prose and poetry that addresses any topic in a way that exhibits your unique perspective. We want to read about characters and places humming with life and situations that challenge our conceptions of the world or deepen our investment in it. We want to read pieces whose forms guide and enliven their content or upend our understandings of what forms can do. How you write affects what you write and vice versa. Surprise, unsettle, and amaze us. If you aren’t sure what to write about, remember that this is an inaugural issue, so consider some of the following suggestions: beginnings, newness, fresh starts.” They have a submission quota, so may close earlier than the deadline. Submission is via a form on their website.
Value: $500 each for poetry and prose, and $250 for runners-up
Deadline: 15 December 2024, or until filled
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Eggtooth Editions Chapbook Contest
They want a chapbook in any genre (see their post here), of 15-50 pages. The prize accepts submissions from “anyone writing in the English language who has not previously published a full-length book (defined as a solely authored work of more than 50 pages, self-publishing included) . Works may be jointly authored by multiple writers or artists…. Translations are not eligible for this prize, nor are previously published or self-published books, though individual parts of a manuscript may have been previously published or produced.” Please note, they will only accept up to 100 fee-free submissions, so presumably those may close earlier than the deadline. The winner also gets 20 copies of the chapbook.
Value: $250
Deadline: 15 December 2024, or until filled
Open for: Unpublished writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
This is an international contest for crime novel manuscripts, for writers who have never been the author of any published novel in any genre and are uncontracted. The writing should be no less than approximately 60,000 words. Authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work. Minotaur is an imprint of Macmillan.
Value: $10,000 advance against royalties
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Open for: Unpublished writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
The London Society – Dreams for London
This is an international themed contest about London. “Tell us why you love this city. Write a Love Letter to London…. Entries are to be around the theme of “Dreams for London”. What are your passions, hopes and dreams for this incredible city? Just let your imagination run wild. It can be reportage, an historical essay, a ‘think piece’, a spot of futurology, a work of fiction, a poem. We are open to all forms and styles.” Entries can be up to 500 words, and poems can be up to 40 lines. There are 4 categories: Aged 11 and under; 12-18 year olds; Open – all other entrants; and Poetry. They also accept certain previously published works (see guidelines).
Value: £500, £250, and £100 each for Open and Poetry categories; £500, and 4 runners up prizes of £150 each for 11 and under, and 12-18 categories
Deadline: 20 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Porter House Review 2024-2025 Editor’s Prize
Porter House Review is an online literary journal produced in conjunction with Texas State University’s MFA program in Creative Writing. They have announced their 2024 – 2025 Editor’s Prizes in Poetry (submit up to 5 poems), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words), and Fiction (up to 8,000 words). While there is a $10 submission fee for the prize, during the week of December 22nd through December 28th, this submission fee will be waived. They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully. Also, “All submitted works will be considered for publication. Porter House Review is dedicated to paying all of our featured writers a competitive rate for accepted works.”
Value: $750 each for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry
Fee-free reading period: 22-28 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.
Poetry Society of America: The Four Quartets Prize
This is for a unified and complete sequence of poems published in the US in a print or online journal, chapbook, or book in 2024. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were published in 2024 and that brought together, they form a complete sequence. The minimum requirement is 14 pages of published poems unified by subject, form, and style. Entire books composed of a unified sequence, however long, are also welcome.Submissions will have to be mailed. Self-published work is not eligible. They have other awards also, though these have an entry fee, or do not have an application process.
Value: $1,000 for three finalists, an additional $20,000 for the winner
Deadline: 31 December 2024 (postmark date)
Open for: Unspecified
Details here (download the entry form).
Lilith Magazine Fiction Contest
This magazine publishes work of interest to Jewish women. They like work with both feminist and Jewish content. Submit fiction up to 3,000 words.
Value: $300
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
The Caribbean Writer Prizes
Their website says, “The Caribbean Writer (TCW) has issued a call for submissions for Volume 39 under the 2025 theme: Possibilities: Beyond Tradition, Inside of Courage.
Contributors may submit works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora. The Caribbean should be central to the work, or the work should reflect a Caribbean heritage, experience or perspective.” Submissions are also eligible for various prizes (there is no separate application process): The Canute A. Brodhurst Prize of $600 for best short fiction; The Daily News Prize of $500 awarded to a resident of the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands; The Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize of $500 for a new or emerging writer; The Cecile deJongh Literary Prize of $500 for a Caribbean author whose work best expresses the spirit of the Caribbean; The Vincent Cooper Literary Prize of $300 awarded to a Caribbean author for exemplary writing in Caribbean Nation Language.
Value: $300-600
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
Meridians: The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award
Meridians is a literary magazine affiliated with Smiths College. This award is for short works – poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and play scripts. “The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award celebrates an author whose work embodies the lyrically powerful and historically engaged nature of Dr. Alexander’s writing. We aim for this award to highlight different forms of knowledge production that emerge from the artistic, political, and cultural advocacy undertaken by women of color nationally, transnationally, and globally. Works engaging with feminism, race, and transnationalism will be prioritized. Translated works and manuscripts in languages other than English are encouraged as well.” Apart from a cash prize, the award also offers a reading and retreat at Smith College, and publication in Meridians.
Value: $500
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Defenestration.net Lengthy Poem Contest
They are reading entries for a lengthy poem, of at least 120 lines and up to chapbook-length (see guidelines). It is best to divide it into parts or sections, though this is not a strict requirement. Poem cycles will be considered. Please note, the shortlisted poems will be posted on the website, which will be followed by fan voting.
Value: $300
Deadline: 1 January 2025
Open for: All writers
Details here
table//FEAST Literary Magazine: The Fifty & Up Writer Awards
This contest is fee-free and only open to writers aged fifty and up. There will be one winner for poetry (send up to 2 pages), fiction, and creative non-fiction (prose of 500-2,000 words). Each winner will receive $50 plus a dollar per year if beyond the fifty years mark.
Value: $50 (see guidelines)
Deadline: 1 January 2025
Open for: Those ages 50 and up
Details here. (They have other contests too, which have submission fees.)
San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program
This awards writers of any age and background a $15,000 fellowship to finish a significant writing project. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. A writing sample is part of the application. Fellows are expected to give one public reading from their work and will be required to reside within the counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, adjacent counties of the California central coast or central valley during most of the academic year.
Value: Up to 6 fellowships of $15,000 each
Deadline: 5 January 2025
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here
(And, A Public Space has writing and editorial fellowships, both of which will be announced in December – see here.)
San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program
This awards writers of any age and background a $15,000 fellowship to finish a significant writing project. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. Please note, “Award recipients will be required to reside within the counties of the San Francisco Bay Area or adjacent counties of the California central coast or central valley during most of the fellowship period.”
Value: Up to 6 fellowships of $15,000 each
Deadline: 5 January 2025
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here
Shepton Snowdrops: Treasures of Nature
Their website says, “The Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Project is a not for profit Community Interest Company run entirely by volunteers. We run and support the annual Snowdrop Festival each February and plant snowdrop bulbs each autumn across the town.” They’re also open for a poetry contest. There is an entry fee for over-18s, and poets under 18 years can send one poem, on the ‘Treasures of Nature’ theme, of up to 30 lines, for free. Your entry should have a unique title and your initials in the filename.
Value: £50-100 for under-18s
Deadline: 6 January 2025
Open for: Free for under-18s
Details here.
The Leon Levy Centre for Biography: Biography Fellowships
These are four resident fellowships at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City, to nonfiction writers working on biographies. preference in the award of fellowships is given to those who have not yet published a biography or received fellowships for the writing of a biography. They also welcome applications from published and accomplished writers who are undertaking their first biography. The Leon Levy Center for Biography does not award fellowships for memoirs, essays, plays, films, or fiction. One of the application requirements is a sample of the proposed biography, a maximum of 2,500 words. (Also see the Sloan Fellowship, given annually to a writer working on a biography of a figure in the field of science or technology.)
Value: $72,000, residency
Deadline: 6 January 2025
Open for: Writers working on biographies
Details here and here.
(Also keep a lookout for A Public Space Editorial and Writing Fellowships, both of which will open in December.)
The 2025 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting
This prize, for an hour-long play, is split across four categories. They are:
— The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting – £20,000
— The Judges Award – £10,000
(Both the above prizes are open to playwrights in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, British Overseas Territory, or to those having a British Forces Post Office address)
— The Bruntwood Prize International Award – £10,000 (open to international playwrights who can apply through Bruntwood’s partner theatres in Australia, US, and Canada – see guidelines)
— The North West Original New Voice Award and Residency – £10,000 + an additional £10,000 fund dedicated to their professional development at the Royal Exchange Theatre during a bespoke one-year residency, for an emerging playwright (see guidelines) based in the North West of England.
Value: £10,000-£20,000
Deadline: 9 January 2024
Open for: See above
Details here and here.
The Joan Shorenstein Fellowship
This is a fellowship from Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. “The mission of the Joan Shorenstein Fellowship is to advance research in the field of media, politics and public policy; facilitate a dialogue among journalists, scholars, policymakers and students; provide an opportunity for reflection; … The primary focus for a Fellow is to research, write and publish a paper on a media/politics topic.” Also, “Past fellows include journalists from local, national and international TV, radio, print, and digital media; media and civic technology innovators; nonfiction authors; political advisors and policymakers; leading academic scholars in fields such as media research and political science; and policy analysts. Successful former fellows have come from a variety of backgrounds and career stages.” And, “Fellows work independently, with the support of center staff, on the project and/or research agenda agreed to between the fellow and the center. The exact nature of a fellow’s work varies depending on interests, goals, desired impact, and capacity. Fellows who are in-residence and doing significant research work are expected to make the fellowship their full-time commitment during their term. Shorter term fellowships or hybrid arrangements are possible, and may be proposed. “ Also, “Stipends and other financial and material assistance for fellows are dependent on need, and scope of a fellow’s work and contribution to the center. You may indicate in the application whether you would require financial assistance to do your proposed project or fellowship activities. Stipend funds are limited and not guaranteed.” Applicants must be a working journalist with a minimum of ten years of full-time experience (see guidelines), politician, scholar or policymaker currently or recently active in the field. They are now accepting fellowship applications for the Spring 2025 term, Fall 2025 term, and the full 2025-2026 academic year. Application is via a form on the website.
Value: Unspecified
Deadline: Open now
Open for: Non-fiction authors and journalists
Details here.
(A couple of contests with later deadlines are:
— Discoveries 2025: It is for UK- and Ireland-based unpublished and unrepresented women writers, for a novel-in-progress (adult fiction) – send the first 10,000 words and a synopsis. This prize is run by The Women’s Prize Trust, Audible, Curtis Brown Literary Agency, and Curtis Brown Creative writing school. Apart from a cash prize, the winner also gets literary representation. There are also non-cash prizes for shortlisted and longlisted writers (see T&C). The prize is £5,000, and the deadline is 13 January 2025. Details here and here.
— Patrick Henry Fellowship: This fellowship is from the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. It is for those working on American history and/or legacy. The residential fellowship supports work on the subject by both scholars and non-academics in many genres. Applicants should have a significant project currently in progress — a book, film, oral history archive, podcast series, museum exhibition, or similar work. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the U.S. founding era and/or the nation’s founding ideas. The fellowship pays $45,000, health benefits, book allowance, faculty privileges, and residency; the deadline is 15 January 2025. Details here.
— Harbor Editions Prizes: They are running two prizes – the Laureate Prize for Poetry, for which they accept fee-free submissions from BIPOC writers and previous finalists for poetry manuscripts, the prize is $500 and publication; they also have the Harbor Review Editor Prize, which is for a micro poetry chapbook manuscript, and for which, also, submissions for BIPOC writers and previous finalists are free, and prize is $200; entries for other poets have a submission fee; the deadline for both prizes is 31st January 2025, details are in their Submittable; please be sure to submit in the correct category.)
FOR WRITERS IN US/CANADA
(Also see The Caribbean Writer Prizes, the Leon Levy Centre for Biography: Biography Fellowships, the Steinbeck Fellows Program, the Poetry Society of America: The Four Quartets Prize,thePatrick Henry Fellowship and the 2025 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in the international section.)
The New York Times Newsroom Fellowship Program
Their website says, “It is a yearlong program for up-and-coming journalists that replaced our newsroom’s summer internships in 2019. We believe the fellowship provides superior training, offers greater benefits for participants and our newsroom, and establishes relationships that will pay off for years to come. … The program is designed for journalists with some experience who are early in their careers, including recent college graduates.” Applicants must be eligible to work in the US. The position will be at their New York office, unless otherwise stated (see guidelines). Apart from a reporting fellowship, they have other fellowships too; see here.
Value: Approximately $82,000 (see here)
Deadline: 2 December 2024
Open for: Early-career journalists eligible to work in the US
Details here, here, and here.
RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers
This is for Canadian writers who have published work in literary magazines, but not in book form. For this cycle, writers should submit up to 10 pages of either unpublished short fiction, creative non-fiction, or 5-10 pages of poetry. A self-published book or chapbook will not disqualify you.
Value: CAD10,000 for winners in each category; CAD2,500 for finalists
Deadline: 16 December 2024
Open for: Canadian writers (see guidelines)
Details here (overview), here (poetry), here (short fiction), and here (creative non-fiction)
The Lyric Magazine: College Poetry Contest
This is a contest open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Poems must be original and unpublished, 39 lines or less, written in English in traditional forms, preferably with regular scansion and rhyme. Students can send up to three poems.
Value: $500, $200, $100
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Undergraduates in an American or Canadian college or university
Details here.
Jack Hazard Fellowship
Their website says, “Jack Hazard Fellows are fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir writers who teach full time in an accredited high school in the United States. We provide a $5,000 award that enables these creative writers who teach to focus on their writing for a summer.”
Value: $5,000
Deadline: 3 January 2025
Open for: Those teaching full time at an accredited school in the US (see guidelines)
Details here, here, and here.
FOR WRITERS IN UK/IRELAND
(Also see Shepton Snowdrops: Treasures of Nature, the 2025 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting,and Discoveries 2025, in the international section above.)
Jane Martin Poetry Prize
This poetry prize, for young UK poets, is affiliated with Girton College, University of Cambridge. Entrants must be resident in the UK and between the ages of 18 and 30 on Thursday 27 February 2025.
Value: £1,000, £500
Deadline: 9 December 2024
Open for: Young UK poets (see guidelines)
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
