The Malahat Review Far Horizons Award for Poetry
Genre: Poetry, Short Fiction
Entry Fee: Early Bird rate of $15 CAD and regular rate of $25 CAD for each first entry from Canada, and $15 CAD for each additional entry
Deadline: May 1, 2024
Prize: $1,250 CAD and publication in the magazine’s fall 2024 issue
Description: The Malahat Review invites emerging short-story writers to enter the Far Horizons Award for Short Fiction. Eligible authors have yet to publish their fiction in book form (a book is defined to have a length of 48 pages or more). Publication in literary magazines is acceptable. The contest is open to Canadian and international writers anywhere in the world. All entries are judged anonymously, and the winning story will be published in the magazine’s fall 2024 issue. The story must not exceed 3,500 words. There are no restrictions on subject matter or aesthetic approach. The Far Horizons Awards are short-form contests, with the Far Horizons Award for Short Fiction given during odd years and the Far Horizons Award for Poetry in even years.
Details: http://www.malahatreview.ca/contests/contests_info.html
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Genre: Fiction, Essay
Entry Fee: $22 USD per entry
Deadline: May 1, 2024
Prize: First prize of $3,000 USD in each category; ten honorable mention prizes of $200 USD each; top 12 entries will be published online
Description: For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. Submit published or unpublished work.
Details: https://winningwriters.com/our-contests/tom-howard-john-h-reid-fiction-essay-contest
Royal Society of Literature (RSL) Writers Awards
Genre: Substantial Works of Outstanding Literary Merit
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 3, 2024, at 5:00 pm BST
Prize: 12 writers will be appointed 2024 RSL International Writers
Description: The RSL was founded in 1820, as a UK charity for the advancement of literature. The RSL International Writers programme 2024 is open to recommendations. Anyone, anywhere, can recommend a writer. Please submit your recommendations and share how to recommend with colleagues and your networks. To be eligible, the writers you recommend must not be resident in, or citizens of, the UK; and have published two substantial works of outstanding literary merit (where works are translated into English, or originally written in English). Guided by your recommendations, the panel of RSL Fellows will select the next 12 writers to be appointed RSL International Writers in 2024.
Details: https://rsliterature.org/rsl-international-writers/
The Betty Award Spring Contest
Genre: Short Story (Ages 8 – 12)
Entry Fee: $20 USD
Deadline: May 4, 2024
Prize: First prize of $300 USD; second prize of $200 USD; third prize of $100 USD
Description: Winning entries will be published on the Betty Awards website. Maximum story length is 1,000 words. Entries must be the original unpublished work of the child entering the contest.
Details: http://www.thebettyaward.com/
Montreal International Poetry Prize
Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: $20 CAD per first entry submitted by May 1, 2024; $25 CAD per first entry submitted by May 15, 2024; $17 per each additional entry
Deadline: Early bird deadline of May 1, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET; final deadline of May 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET
Prize: $20,000
Description: The Montreal Prize awards one prize of $20,000 CAD to a poet for a single poem of 40 or fewer lines. A jury of internationally reputed poets and critics selects a shortlist of approximately 60 poems, from which a judge chooses one winner. The shortlist is published in The Montreal Poetry Prize Anthology. The prize is run by the Department of English at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Details: https://www.montrealpoetryprize.com/
Montreal Fiction Prize
Genre: Fiction
Entry Fee: $15 CAD
Deadline: May 19, 2024
Prize: First prize of $2,000 CAD and publication in Yolk Magazine’s issue 4.1; second and third prize of $500 CAD and publication in print or digital issue
Description: Judged by:Souvankham Thammavongsa. Yolk welcomes entries to the inaugural Montreal Fiction Prize, a Canadian award for original short stories written in English. The contest is open to all Canadian writers. Seeking original short stories up to 4,000 words on any subject and in any style. The shortlist will be announced the first week of July, and the winners the following week.
Details: https://www.yolkliterary.ca/montreal-fiction-prize
RBC PEN Canada 2024 New Voices Award
Genre: Short Story, Creative Nonfiction, Journalism, Poetry
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 19, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET
Prize: $3,000 CAD and mentorship from a Canadian author
Description: This annual award supports and celebrates emerging talent in Canadian literature. Unpublished writers are encouraged to submit short stories, creative nonfiction, journalism, and poetry. The shortlisted submissions will be judged by a distinguished jury of Canadian writers. The competition is open to writers over the age of 17 whose work has not yet been published. Prose entries must be between 2,000 – 4,000 words. Poetry entries may take the form of individual poems, a sequence, or one long poem of no more than 2,500 words in total. Please send all submissions to submissions@pencanada.ca.
Details: https://pencanada.ca/news/now-accepting-submissions-for-the-rbc-pen-canada-2024-new-voices-award/
Austin Film Festival Playwrighting Competition
Genre: Playwrighting
Entry Fee: $30 USD
Deadline: May 24, 2024
Prize: Second Rounders, Semifinalists, and Finalists get larger discounts and have the opportunity to attend exclusive panels, intimate roundtable discussions, script reading workshops, and are afforded special access to industry professionals; all entrants receive free “Reader Comments” Austin Film Festival registration discounts regardless of placement
Description: For over twenty-seven years, Austin Film Festival has been catapulting writers into life-changing careers. With one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers, AFF consistently yanks newcomers from the isolation of their desks and ushers them into the bustling world of film and television. Whether your dream is to sign a contract, land an agent, learn from an industry icon, or take home the coveted Bronze Typewriter Award, it’s simple: you can’t win if you don’t enter.
Details: https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/screenplay-and-teleplay-submissions-2/submit-screenplay-and-teleplay/
Austin Film Festival Screenplay & Teleplay Competition
Genre: Screenplay, Teleplay
Entry Fee: Feature screenplay fee is $80 USD and short screenplay or teleplay fee is $65 USD
Deadline: May 24, 2024
Prize: Second Rounders, Semifinalists, and Finalists get larger discounts and have the opportunity to attend exclusive panels, intimate roundtable discussions, script reading workshops, and are afforded special access to industry professionals; all entrants receive free “Reader Comments” Austin Film Festival registration discounts regardless of placement
Description: For over twenty-seven years, Austin Film Festival has been catapulting writers into life-changing careers. With one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers, AFF consistently yanks newcomers from the isolation of their desks and ushers them into the bustling world of film and television. Whether your dream is to sign a contract, land an agent, learn from an industry icon, or take home the coveted Bronze Typewriter Award, it’s simple: you can’t win if you don’t enter.
Details: https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/screenplay-and-teleplay-submissions-2/submit-screenplay-and-teleplay/
Peter Hinchcliffe Short Fiction Award
Genre: Short Story
Entry Fee: $40 per short story CAD (includes one-year subscription to The New Quarterly)
Deadline: May 28, 2024
Prize: $1,000 CAD; all entries will be considered for publication in The New Quarterly ($250 CAD paid upon publication)
Description: This contest honors distinguished St. Jerome’s University lecturer, Peter Hinchcliffe, who was instrumental in founding The New Quarterly and who served for many years as co-editor. While there is no word limit to short fiction entries, most fall within the range of 2,000 – 5,000 words.
Details: https://tnq.ca/peter-hinchcliffe-award/
Irene Adler Scholarship Prize
Genre: Essay (see guidelines for essay topics)
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 30, 2024
Prize: $1,000 USD scholarship to pursue a career in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada
Description: This prize is to award a $1,000 USD scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada, based on an essay competition.
Details: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lucasaykroyd.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F01%2F2024IreneAdlerPrizeCompetitionGuidelinesandEntryForm.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK
bpNichol Chapbook Award 2024
Genre: Chapbook
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: First prize of $4,000 CAD to the author, with the publisher receiving $500 CAD
Description: The bpNichol Chapbook Award recognizes excellence in Canadian poetry in English published in chapbook form within Canada. The prize is awarded to a poetry chapbook judged to be the best submitted. Awarded continuously since 1986, the bpNichol Chapbook Award is currently administered by the Meet the Presses collective. Chapbooks should be not less than 10 pages and not more than 48 pages. The chapbooks must have been published between January 1st and December 31st of the previous year (2023), and the poet(s) must be Canadian. Interested authors or publishers should submit three copies of eligible chapbooks. Translations into English from other languages are eligible, as long as the translator is Canadian or a permanent resident of Canada. Chapbooks by two or more poets who are Canadian or permanent residents of Canada are also eligible.
Details: https://meetthepresses.wordpress.com/
Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition
Genre: Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel
Entry Fee: £10 per poetry submission, £12 per short story submission, £9 per flash fiction submission, and £20 per novel submission
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: Poetry first prize of £5,000; Short story first prize of £5,000; Flash fiction first prize of £1,000; Novel first prize of £1,500
Description: The prize worth writing for! Prestigious writing competition with £20K prize fund in Poetry, Short Story and Flash Fiction (international entries), with a First Novel Award for British writers at home and overseas, and a Young Writer Award for ages 16 to 25.
Details: https://bridportprize.org.uk/
Canadian Jewish Literary Awards
Genre: Books in English, French or Yiddish, on a Jewish theme or topic
Entry Fee: $50 CAD
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: Cash prizes and public recognition
Description: The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards invites you to submit any books in English, French or Yiddish, on a Jewish theme or topic. The Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of the winning authors with significant cash prizes and public recognition. This award is for books published between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
Details: https://cjlawards.ca/
Flannery O’Connor Short Fiction Award
Genre: Fiction
Entry Fee: $30 USD per entry
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: $1,000 USD and publication by the University of Georgia Press under a standard book contract (winner has ten days to accept the award and ten days to sign the contract once it’s received)
Description: The award recognizes outstanding collections of short fiction. Collections may include long stories or novellas (est. length of a novella is 50-150 pages). However, novels or single novellas will not be considered.
Details: https://georgiapress.submittable.com/submit
Indie Author Project 7th Annual Contest
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers, Romance, SciFi/Fantasy, Historical Fiction, General/Contemporary Fiction, Memoir, Young Adult
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: First prize of $5,000, audiobook production, and ongoing marketing and promotional opportunities; one winner and two honorable mentions from each genre win $2,500 and $500 respectively, inclusion in Library Journal’s “Best of Books” December issue, honors at the Indie Author Project Awards Reception at ALA, opportunities to promote their book(s) at public libraries, and opportunities to earn royalties through the IAP Select Commercial Collections (ePUB format required for eligibility)
Description: More than a writing competition, the IAP contests are an opportunity for libraries to recognize two growing trends in publishing: digital and indie.
Details: https://indieauthorproject.com/indie-author-project-unveils-new-contest-format-2024/
Page Turner Writing Award 2024
Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: Various author tool prizes
Description: There are five award categories, and you can enter up to five submissions across the different award categories. The Writing Award is for unpublished, completed manuscripts, the Young Writer Award is for writers aged between 18 and 25, the Writing Mentorship Award is for uncompleted manuscripts, the Screenplay Award is for scriptwriters with a completed screenplay, and the Book Award is for authors with a published book. All Awards accept fiction and non-fiction in all genres. Entrants from anywhere in the world can enter.
Details: https://pageturnerawards.com/enter-in-two-steps
SCWES Book Award for BC Authors 2024
Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry
Entry Fee: $50 CAD per book, $20 CAD per poetry book under 120 pages or $50 over 120 pages, and $15 for any genre if author is under the age of 18
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: Winners receive one-year membership in SCWES plus other prizes; see website for full prize listings
Description: Established in 2023 to recognize excellence in both British Columbian traditional and self-publishing, the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society Book Awards offers prizes in three genres: fiction, non-fiction and poetry in traditional and independent categories. There will be three finalists in each category, with the winners announced at the Annual Sunshine Coast Art & Words Festival. Each entry receives comments from a judge on their submission, including areas of excellence and areas for improvement. Books must be published between January1, 2022, and May 31, 2024.
Details: https://www.scwes.ca/contests
The Darling Axe The Synopsis Skirmish
Genre: Synopsis
Entry Fee: $5 CAD; optional feedback for $20 CAD
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Prize: First prize of $700 CAD; second prize of $200 CAD; third prize of $100 CAD; all three finalists will be published on the Chopping Blog and receive complimentary access to a Darling Axe self-paced course
Description: A writing contest for querying authors. According to literary agent Sarah Davies, a good query submission can be described in terms of concept and craft. In other words, you want to convey an original idea or fresh take and demonstrate a mastery of narrative structure. These elements are both important in your pitch, but even more so in your synopsis. So lay out your story’s chain of consequence, and demonstrate character, context, and conflict—with style but without gimmick. And may the best plot summary win!
Details: https://darlingaxe.com/pages/our-editors
CANSCAIP’s Writing for Children Competition 2024
Genre: Picture Book, Chapter Book, Middle Grade, and Young Adult
Entry Fee: Non-members pay $40 CAD for one entry, $60 CAD for two entries, or $90 CAD for three entries; CANSCAIP Friends pay $30 CAD for one entry, $50 CAD for two entries, or $75 CAD for three entries
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: First prize of $500 CAD in each of the four categories; two finalists in each of the four categories; CANSCAIP sends the winners and finalists to Annick Press, Kids Can Press, and Scholastic Canada for their publication consideration
Description: CANSCAIP’s annual Writing for Children Competition is now open for entries by unpublished writers. A unique benefit of entering the Competition is that all entries receive written evaluations. Many writers enter every year, with previously submitted entries or with new stories. The maximum length for an entry is 1,500 words.
Details: https://www.canscaip.org/Writing-for-Children-Competition-2022
CBC Poetry Prize
Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: $25 CAD per entry
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: Grand prize of $6,000 CAD from the Canada Council for the Arts, the opportunity to attend a 10-day writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and publication on CBC Books; four finalist prizes of $1,000 CAD and publication on CBC Books
Description: Entries can be a single poem or a collection of poems up to 600 words. Entries must be unpublished.
Details: https://www.cbc.ca/books/literaryprizes/cbc-poetry-prize-1.4090929
James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Awards
Genre: Creative Fiction and Nonfiction (Ages 12 – 18)
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: Up to six prizes of $2,500 CAD each
Description: This award recognizes up to six Indigenous students for their creative writing talent. The three geographic categories are fly-in community, on reserve and off reserve (do not live in a fly-in community or on a reserve). A junior student (12 years old and younger) and a senior student (13 to 18 years old) is chosen from each geographic category. You must submit a creative writing piece that is completely original (a short story, poem, essay, play or song), self-identify as an Indigenous person, attend a school in Ontario and be a resident of Ontario. The awards are presented at a ceremony at Queen’s Park.
Details: https://www.ontario.ca/page/honours-and-awards-arts-and-literature
december Magazine’s Curt Johnson Prose Award
Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction
Entry Fee: $20 USD (includes the awards issue of december magazine)
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: First prize of $1,500 USD and publication in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue; honorable mention prize of $500 USD and publication in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue; all finalists will be listed in the awards issue of december magazine
Description: Maximum of 8,000 words for fiction and non-fiction. Name and address on cover letter only.
Details: https://decembermag.org/2022-curt-johnson-prose-awards/
Banister Annual Poetry Anthology Contest for Residents of Ontario (CAA Niagara Branch)
Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: $15 CAD for up to three poems and $4 CAD for each additional poem
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: First prize of $300 CAD; second prize of $200 CAD; third prize of $100 CAD; all winners will be published in the Annual Banister Poetry Anthology
Description: The Niagara Branch of the Canadian Authors Association is holding its Annual Poetry Anthology contest for residents of Ontario. Number of entries is unlimited, but no more than four poems from one poet will be included in the anthology. Entries must be in English, unpublished, not under consideration elsewhere, and no more than two pages in length.
Details: https://canauthorsniagara.org/poetry-contest/
The Lush Triumphant – subTerrain’s Annual Literary Awards
Genre: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
Entry Fee: $30 CAD per entry plus $5 CAD for every additional entry in any category
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: First prize of $1,000 CAD in each of the 3 genre categories and publication in the Winter issue; runner-up prizes of publication in the spring issue of the following year
Description: subTerrain is hosting their Annual Lush Triumphant Literary Awards, aiming to spotlight works in Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction. All entries must be previously unpublished material and not under consideration in any other contest or competition. Fiction submissions have a maximum of 3,000 words with no specific theme limitations, poetry submissions must be a suite of 5 related poems with a maximum of 15 pages, and creative nonfiction submissions must be based on fact, adorned with fiction, and have a maximum of 4,000 words.
Details: https://subterrain.ca/about/103/lush-2014-awards-open+for+entries
Vancouver Writers Fest 2024 Youth Writing Contest
Genre: Short Story (B.C. students in grades 5 – 7 and 8 – 12)
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: Elementary category – first prize of $100 CAD, publication in Books & Ideas Newsletter, and social media shout-out; second prize of $50 CAD and publication in Books & Ideas Newsletter / High school category – first prize of $200 CAD, publication in Books & Ideas Newsletter, and social media shout-out; second prize of $100 CAD and publication in Books & Ideas Newsletter
Description: The elementary school youth writing contest is open to all writers in grades 5-7 who are attending a school or being taught in a home-school environment in British Columbia. The high school youth writing contest is open to all writers in grades 8-12 who are attending a school or being taught in a home-school environment in British Columbia. Entries will be accepted for previously unpublished short stories and personal essays with a 1,000 word limit for elementary school student submissions and 1,500 word limit for high-school student submissions.
Details: https://writersfest.bc.ca/youth/youth-writing-contest
Writing District Prize 2024
Genre: Short Story
Entry Fee: $15 USD
Deadline: 2024 contest details to be announced
Prize: First prize of $1000 and publication on The Writing District website; two runner-up prizes of $100 each
Description: 3000 words maximum. Open theme/subject/genre. US contest that is open internationally. Results will be announced on July 31.
Details: https://thewritingdistrict.com/contests/