These are contests, awards, and bursaries/fellowships for writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays, and graphic narratives. Prizes range from $50 to $50,000. – S. Kalekar
Pentabus
Rural Theatre Company Writer in Residence Bursary
Their
guidelines say that this bursary is to “support a professional playwright in
the early stage of their career, providing the opportunity for the recipient to
spend up to a year at Pentabus’ base in South Shropshire. During their time
with Pentabus, the recipient will be given the opportunity to write at least
one new full length play or piece of theatre, whilst learning more about how a
professional theatre company works.” Application materials include a full
length play, ideally that has had a professional reading or production.
Value: £10,000
Deadline: 1 May 2019
Open for: Unspecified
Details here
Remastered Words Contest
This organization creates audio
dramatizations of short story submissions and an audio recording. Submit a
story of up to 5,000 words in any fantasy sub-genre.
Value: £75, £50, £25, and royalties
Deadline: 1 May 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
The Dallas Institute of
Humanities and Culture: Hiett Prize in the Humanities
This prize is aimed at identifying candidates in the
early stages of their careers devoted to the humanities and whose work shows
extraordinary promise to have a significant impact on contemporary culture.
Applications include a Narrative
Profile of Accomplishments and Published Work, and a
plan for Future Scholarship and/or Project in the
Humanities. Applicants
must be active and continuing in their work. Age and length of experience are
not necessarily limiting factors. Past
winners have included writers of columns, non-fiction, poetry and memoir, and
journalists.
Value: $50,000
Deadline: 3 May 2019
Open for: Those resident in the US
Details here
James Laughlin
Award
This is for a second full-length poetry
manuscript by a US poet, contracted by a publisher. Manuscripts have to be
48-100 pages long. Translations and new editions of previously
published books are not eligible.
Value: $5,000
Deadline: 15 May 2019 (postmarked)
Open for: US poets
Details here
Bacopa
Literary Review Writing Contest
They have prizes in fiction (250-2,500 words), non-fiction
(up to 2,500 words), poetry (up to three poems), haiku, and mixed genre (up to
750 words).
Value: $300 in each genre
Deadline: 17 May 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
This is for undiscovered BAME writers and illustrators. Entrants must be of black, Asian or minority ethnic background and UK- or Ireland-based. For writers, they want a maximum of 5,000 words of text (no minimum word count). Entries must be text or artwork for children (ie 1-18 years).
Value: £500 each for a writer and an illustrator, and mentorship
Deadline: 20 May 2019
Open for: UK BAME writers
Details here
Wilbur & Niso
Smith Foundation: Author of Tomorrow Award
This is designed to find the adventure writers of the future.
Writers must enter a piece of short fiction (1,500-5,000 words; up to 500 words
for writers aged 11 and under). The work must fall within what can be defined
as adventure writing (see guidelines).
Value: £1,000 for category 1 (16-20 years); £100 +
other prizes for category 2 (12-15 years); £100 for category 3 (age 11 and
under)
Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open for: Writers aged 21 and under
Details here
The Black Orchid Novella Award
They want novellas (15,000-20,000
words) that confirm to the tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series. They
should focus on the deductive skills of the sleuth. Their guidelines also say,
“We need to stress that a novella is not a
padded short story. A novella needs to be as tight and fast-paced as a short
story or a novel. Authors need to ensure that the story they want to tell is
properly sized for whatever format they choose.” They are not looking for derivatives of the Nero Wolfe series, or
the milieu. They accept mailed submissions only.
Value: $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
Deadline: 31 May 2019 (postmarked)
Open for: All writers
Details here and here
Online Writing Tips Short Fiction Prize
For this short story contest,
writers need to send in a short story, on any topic, of 1,000-4,000 words.
Value: £100, £50, £25
Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
For this fiction contest, while the
story should appeal to the audience of this magazine, all themes will be
considered. Their readers have interests in music, social history, literature,
politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of
mid-twentieth century America. Ideally, stories should not exceed 3,000 words,
but those up to 5,000 words will be considered.
Value: $100
Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
SFK Press Novel Contest
They want fiction manuscripts by
“fearless authors”, and they publish stories with a “Southern accent”. They
specially welcome work by underrepresented writers.
Value: $1,500 Advance against royalties
Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction
They want short stories (up to
5,000 words) that illuminate the role of the law and/of lawyers in modern
society. This contest is for US citizens or legal permanent residents.
Value: $3,000
Deadline: 1 June 2019
Open for: US writers
Details here
The Stony Brook Short
Fiction Prize
This prize is for short fiction of up to 7,500 words. It
is for undergraduates enrolled full time in US
and Canadian universities and colleges for the academic year 2018-19. This prize
has traditionally encouraged submissions from students with an Asian
background, but they urge all students to enter.
Value: $1,000, scholarship to the Southampton Writers Conference
Deadline: 1 June 2019
Open for: Undergraduate students from the US and Canada
Details here
The
Furious Gazelle Spring Writing Contest
This literary magazine wants submissions on the theme of ‘Fury’
for its contest. Their guidelines say, “Interpret
that theme however strictly or loosely you’d like. Is there a subject that
fills you with rage? A short story filled with fiery passion? A Nick Fury
fanfic you’ve been slaving away on? We want to see the best of your best.
We accept all
genres of writing, and up to five pieces, totaling 5,000 words or under, from a
single entrant.”
Value: $50
Deadline: 1 June 2019
Open for: All writers
Details here
Writing
For Peace
This is an international contest for young writers (ages
13-19) to expand their empathy skills by
researching an unfamiliar culture and writing from the point-of-view of a
character within that new world, while exploring social, political, and
environmental pressures, and universal themes. They accept fiction,
non-fiction, and poetry submissions. For fiction, submit an original
unpublished short story of 800-1000 words in the voice of a character from
another country or culture; for poetry, submit one poem in the voice of a
character from another country or culture; for non-fiction, write an 800-1000
word essay about a social, political, environmental, or familial challenge
faced by individuals within a cultural group, or a personal experience with
another culture.
Value: $50, $25, $10 each in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry
Deadline: 1 June 2019
Open for: All writers aged 13-19
Details here
Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest
For this year’s contest,
students are required to draw on Adam Smith’s 1776 book, ‘An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of
Nations’, construct an essay that takes Smith’s thoughts and
extrapolates them to a current or recent episode in history, or a current
Canadian policy issue (see guidelines). The contest is for high school,
undergraduate, and graduate students studying in Canada and Canadian students
studying abroad. Essays can have more than one author and should be 1,000-1,500
words.
Value: CAD1,500, CAD1,000, CAD500 each
in high school, undergraduate, and graduate categories
Deadline: 1 June 2019
Open for: Canadian students
Details here
and here
Creative Future Literary Awards
This is
for underrepresented (see guidelines) UK writers of both poetry and short
stories on the theme of ‘Home’ – the theme can be explored explicitly or
implicitly. Poems can be up to 300 words and fiction, up to 2,000 words. The competition is open
to writers who have not previously published a book/stand-alone publication via
an established press/publisher (excluding self-published or as part of an
anthology).
Value:
£100, £75, £50, £25 each for poetry and prose, as well as
non-cash prizes
Deadline: 2 June 2019
Open for: UK writers
Details here
The Bruntwood Prize for
Playwriting
This is for anyone residing in the UK or Ireland or British
Overseas Territory or with a British Forces Post Office address, and some
playwrights from other countries. They want a play script of 1 hour or above.
Their guidelines also say, “An International Award
of £8,000 – open to international playwrights invited to anonymously apply via
our named international partners: The BANFF Centre in Canada; Belvoir Theatre
and Melbourne Theatre Company in Australia; Berkeley Rep and Playwrights
Horizons in the USA. We are afraid that no other international submissions can
be considered at this time.”
Value: First prize £16,000, Judges’ Award of £8,000, Original New Voice Award of
£8,000, an International Award of £8,000
Deadline: 5 June 2019
Open for: UK playwrights; some international playwrights (see guidelines)
Details here
The Vilcek Prizes for
Creative Promise in Literature
These are for US-based (see guidelines) writers who have
demonstrated outstanding achievement early in their careers. Writers should be
under 38 years of age, born outside the US, and have published a book. The
application requirements include a CV, essay questions, and writing sample of
up to 20 pages – which can be from all forms of fiction, non-fiction, and
poetry, including novels, novellas, short stories, graphic novels, memoir,
history, book-length journalism, creative non-fiction, graphic non-fiction, and
more.
Value: $50,000 each for three writers
Deadline: 10 June 2019
Open for: US writers
Details here
Bracken
Bower Prize
The Financial Times and McKinsey & Company
have recently announced that they are open for the Bracken Bower Prize. This is
an international award for young writers, for the proposal of a business book.
There are no restrictions on gender and nationality but authors must be below
35 years of age on 30 November 2019. The proposal should take the form of an
essay or article, of up to 5,000 words, that conveys the argument, scope, and
style of a proposed full-length business book and includes the description of
the structure of the proposed work. The award is intended to fuel further
research leading to publication of a full-length work.
Value: £15,000
Deadline: 31 September 2019
Open for: All writers under 35
Details here and here
This competition is to win a two-book publishing contract for a novel to be published as a paperback book under the Avon Books UK imprint by HarperCollins. It is for UK-based writers; submit a synopsis and a crime novel manuscript. There is no prize money or advance. Royalties will be paid under a contract.
Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open for: UK writers
Details here
