Here are 34 contests, awards, and residencies for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, as well as for playwrights and journalists. Prizes range from $100 to $50,000, and none charge an entry fee. They are, very loosely, divided by geography. – S. Kalekar
PRIZES OPEN FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS
Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
They want a short story, of up to 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. They want to see Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, adventure. They do not want stories that show technology or space travel as evil or bad, galactic empires, paranormal elements, UFO abductions, zombie stories, thinly veiled copies of previous winners, non-standalone novel excerpts, or screenplays.
Value: 8c/word, and various non-cash awards
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.
New America National Fellows Program
This international program brings on thinkers—journalists, scholars, filmmakers, and public policy analysts—whose work enhances the public conversation about the most pressing issues of our day. Fellows advance ideas through research, reporting, analysis, and storytelling. The organizers look for projects that are original and ambitious, with viable plans for their implementation. Their goal is to find bold, impactful thinkers and to fund them for a year; long enough to make progress on a book, develop a series of articles, produce a documentary, or work on another project that is accessible. Fellows have to attend two cohort gatherings throughout the fellowship year. There are no residency or nationality requirements, though fellows need to be involved in the New America community.
Value: Generally $15,000-30,000
Deadline: 1 February 2021 (letters of reference are due 5 February)
Open for: All journalists, scholars, filmmakers and public policy analysts
Details here.
Narrative ‘Tell Me a Story’ High School Contest
They want poetry on the ‘Escape’ theme by high school students (ages 15-18) all over the world – see guidelines for suggestions on what the theme can entail. Poems must be 10 to 50 lines long, and submitted by the student’s English teacher.
Value: $500, $200, $100; $50 for four finalists
Deadline: 4 February 2021
Open for: High school students
Details here.
Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship in Creative Writing
For this cycle, there is one fellowship each, open to writers of non-fiction and fiction, completing their first book. It provides a stipend and office space. Each fellow teaches a creative writing workshop at Colgate University each semester and gives a public reading of his or her work. Those who have completed MFA, MA or PhD in creative writing and working on their first book are encouraged to apply.
Value: $42,745, travel expenses, health and life insurance; residency at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York
Deadline: 15 February 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
University of Pittsburgh: The 2021 Center for African American Poetry and Poetics Book Prize
This is for a poetry manuscript, of 48-168 pages. The prize will be awarded to a first or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation.Value: $3,000
Deadline: 15 February 2021
Open for: Writers of African descent
Details here.
NYU Journalism: Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award
This is for promising early-career non-fiction writers to research and write an article that tells the truth about a human condition.
(They also usually have the Reporting Award, which has been suspended for 2021.)
Deadline: 15 February 2021 for proposals
Value: Up to $12,500
Open for: All journalists, early career non-fiction writers
Details here and here.
The Puchi Award
This is an award for a book manuscript. Their guidelines say, “The competition is open to books in any genre or form: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, novels, comics, picture books, essays, cookbooks, geography books, combinations of the above or any other type imaginable. We’re looking for one-of-a-kind book, or even a whole new kind of book.” Works may be written in any language, although a provisional translation into English of at least two pages must also be submitted. Writers can send as many works as they wish, as well as collaborative works (see FAQ).
Value: €8,000 advance
Deadline: 18 February 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest
This is a short fiction contest run by the Little Tokyo Historical Society in Los Angeles. Stories must take place in Little Tokyo, and can be set in the past, present, or future. Stories can be in Japanese (5,000 ji or fewer) or English (up to 2,500 words). There are three categories: Youth (under 18s), Japanese, and English.
Value: $500 in each category
Deadline: 28 February 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center: Writer in Residence
The residency includes lodging at a loft apartment in Piggott, Arkansas. The writer-in-residence will also have the opportunity to work in the studio where Ernest Hemingway worked on ‘A Farewell to Arms’. The writer is expected to serve as mentor for a week-long retreat for writers at the educational center. Candidates with an MA or MFA in a relevant field are preferred.
Value: $1,000, residency
Deadline: 28 February 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Lunch Ticket: Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction
This award is for a creative non-fiction piece of up to 5,000 words on any subject. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $250
Reading period: February 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Lunch Ticket: The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts
Translators and authors of multilingual texts are encouraged to submit their work for The Gabo Prize. Writers should indicate whether the translation falls under poetry or prose, and include the original work along with your translation. Original, bilingual work qualifies for the Gabo Prize. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $200
Reading period: February 2021
Open for: All translators
Details here.
The Fountain Essay Contest
They want an essay on the topic ‘My COVID-19 Story: Reflections on Life and Human Existence During the Pandemic’. See guidelines for details on the theme. Ideal length is 1,500-2,500 words. Read the FAQ carefully, any of the entries may be published, whether or not they win the prize.
Value: $1,000, $500, $300; two prizes of $150 each
Deadline: 1 March 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Deep Wild: 2021 Student Poetry Contest
This is a contest for students currently enrolled in undergraduate studies. Send a poem of up to 70 lines that is backcountry infused and inspired.
Value: $100 each for three poets, publication
Deadline: 1 March 2021
Open for: Undergraduate students
Details here.
FOR WRITERS IN US AND CANADA
Roth Residence in Creative Writing
This residency is offered by Bucknell University, and provides writing time of up to four months. It is open for writers of fiction or creative non-fiction working on a first or second book. There are two residencies, in fall and spring semesters. Some record of publication is desirable.
Value: $5,000 and residency
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: US writers
Details here.
National High School Poetry Contest at Gannon University
This is a poetry contest for US high school students and can be on any topic and in any form. Students may enter up to two poems.
Value: A monetary award, and publication
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: US high school students in grades 9 through 12
Details here.
Fund for Investigative Journalism Grants
Their regular grants are for articles by US journalists that break new ground and expose wrongdoing – such as corruption, malfeasance, or abuse of power – in the public and private sectors. FIJ encourages proposals written for ethnic media as well as those submitted by journalists of color. Also see guidelines for foreign story proposals and book proposals, for these grants.
Value: Up to $10,000
Deadline: 8 February 2021
Open for: US journalists and writers
Details here.
They also have the Coronavirus Rolling Grant for U.S. Freelancers (for freelance journalists), and an Emergency Rolling Grant for U.S. Journalists Covering Policing – grants can be up to $10,000; both have rolling deadlines.
PEN America Writing for Justice Fellowships
They will commission six writers, emerging or established, to create written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass incarceration and catalyze public debate. This is open-genre, and proposed writing projects may include—but are not limited to—fictional stories; works of literary or long-form journalism; theatrical scripts; memoirs; poetry collections; or multimedia projects. Emphasis will be placed on proposed projects that show strong promise for publication. Writers must be based in the US for the duration of the fellowship. Applicants must be available to participate actively in all dimensions of Fellowship programming, including mandatory gatherings and public programs.
Value: $5,000-8,000 each; costs for mandatory gatherings and public programs are additionally covered
Deadline: 15 February 2021
Open for: US writers
Details here.
Milkweed Editions: The Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry
This contest, previously called the Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry, is a manuscript contest for poets in the upper Midwest – Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. Poets should send a poetry manuscript, of 48 or more pages.
Value: $10,000
Deadline: 15 February 2021
Open for: Upper Midwest poets in the US
Details here.
Academy of American Poets: Ambroggio Prize
They want a book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. Poets may translate their own work or collaborate with a translator who may or may not be a poet; the poet and translator must share the prize. Manuscripts must be between 48 and 100 pages. Established in 2017, the Ambroggio Prize is the only annual award of its kind in the United States that honors American poets whose first language is Spanish.
Value: $1,000, publication
Deadline: 15 February 2021
Open for: US poets (see guidelines)
Details here.
West Chester University: Six contests
They run seven contests, six of which are free to enter.
— Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for poems composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Sonnet Award: This is a new contest for undergraduate poets in the US. Submissions may be a combination of poems submitted to the Iris N. Spencer Award, Sonnet Award, Villanelle Award, the Myong Cha Son Haiku Award, or the Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Limit of three poems per contest. The prize is $1,000.
— The Villanelle Award: This new contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university, for villanelles. Submissions may be a combination of poems submitted to the Iris N. Spencer Award, Sonnet Award, Villanelle Award, the Myong Cha Son Haiku Award, or the Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Limit of three poems per contest. The prize is $1,000.
— Myong Cha Son Haiku Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for unpublished, original haiku. The prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Rhina P. Espaillat Award: This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for original poems written in Spanish, and translations of English poems to Spanish. The prize is $500.
— The Wil Mills Award: This is open to poets who have published chap books but have no full-linked collections. The prize is $200.
Deadline: 15 February 2021 for all West Chester University contests
Open for: Most of these are open for undergraduates in the US; for the Wil Mills award, residency is unspecified
Details here (scroll down) for all the West Chester University poetry awards; click on each contest name for details.
RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers
This is for Canadian writers under age 35 who have published work in literary magazines, but not in book form. For this cycle, writers should submit 5-10 pages of either unpublished short fiction or unpublished poetry.
Value: CAD10,000; CAD2,500 for finalists
Deadline: 22 February 2021
Open for: Canadian writers
Details here.
Creative Capital Award
This award is for artists in various disciplines. It is “designed to assist artists who are working at the vanguard of their fields, or who have ideas to propel their artistic practices forward”, according to their guidelines. The award application portal will accept submissions in February. They also accept proposals from collaborators. They have extensive guidelines.
Value: $50,000, and an additional set of services worth over $50,000
Application period: 1 February-1 March 2021
Open for: US artists
Details here.
Changes: The Bergman Prize
This is for US-based poets – a cash prize and publication to the author of a first or second collection of poetry. Manuscripts should be 48-80 pages. This is the inaugural year for the prize. The contest is run by Changes, a nonprofit publisher established in 2020.
Value: $10,000
Deadline: 1 March 2021
Open for: US poets who have published no more than one book of poetry
Details here.
US-Japan Creative Artists Exchange Fellowships
This grant offers artists, including writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, as well as playwrights and librettists, the opportunity to work in Japan. They invite leading contemporary and traditional artists from the US to apply for a unique collaborative artistic fellowship designed to highlight US-Japan artistic partnerships. Applicants must be professional creative artists (see guidelines for details about writers’ publishing requirements) working in their field. Proficiency in Japanese language is not required. Their guidelines say, “Artists should have compelling reasons for their residency in Japan, and they should conduct preliminary research to identify contacts there. The Commission encourages artists to consider collaboration with Japanese colleagues, as appropriate for the artistic field, and artists are free to interact with artists anywhere in the country.”
Value: $20,000 for three months; up to $2,500 to cover round-trip airfare
Deadline: 1 March for cover sheet, and 29 March 2021 for narrative application and work samples
Open for: US Citizens or permanent residents
Details here.
The Waterman Fund Essay Contest
The contest is for emerging US and Canadian writers. Their guidelines say, “2020 was an unusual year. A once-in-a-century global pandemic has affected almost all aspects of how we live our lives, forcing us to change how we relate to the world and to one another. In this historical moment, in what ways has your connection to nature changed–and in what ways has it remained the same?” Essays should be 2,000 to 3,000 words.
Value: $1,500; $500
Deadline: 2 March 2021
Open for: US and Canadian writers
Details here and here.
FOR WRITERS IN UK AND IRELAND
Society of Authors’ Grants for Works-in-Progress
This is for British authors of fiction, non-fiction or poetry who are contracted, or who are published and working on a project that is likely to have interest from a British publisher. There are two rounds of funding annually; the next deadline is in July.
Value: Unspecified
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: British writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
The Authors’ Foundation: K. Blundell Trust Award
This is a work-in-progress award for young British writers of fiction or non-fiction. The work must contribute to the greater understanding of existing social and economic organisation.
Value: Up to £6,000
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: British writers under 40 who have had at least one book published (see guidelines)
Details here (scroll down).
Spread the Word Life Writing Prize
This is for emerging writers in the UK, who have not published a full-length work (though those with previously self-published work can enter), and who are unagented. The writing, up to 5,000 words, should be ‘true to life’, which reflects someone’s own life journey or experiences and is not fiction. This can be a stand-alone piece or the beginning extract of a larger piece of writing. Graphic novel style entries are welcome. The writing doesn’t have to be entirely prose, it can contain poetry. Entries by the top 12 writers will be published in a booklet.
Value: £1,500, £500 each for two shortlisted writers, and other prizes
Deadline: 1 February 2021
Open for: UK writers
Details here.
The Papatango New Writing Prize
This is for residents of the UK and Ireland. Send an original play script which has a minimum running time of 25-50 minutes, or a script of 25-50 pages. They have made changes to the prize, which usually also includes production, due to COVID-19 (see the contest page for details).
Value: £2,000 to three writers, audio production
Deadline: 7 February 2021
Open for: UK and Ireland writers
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of 182 Short Fiction Publishers. She can be reached here.
