2024 CBC Short Story Prize

Genre: Fiction
Entry Fee: $25
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Prize: First prize of $6,000, story published on CBC Books and the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; four finalists will each receive $1,000 and have their story published on CBC Books
Description: Open to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada. You can submit original, unpublished fiction that is up to 2,500 words. There is no minimum word requirement.
Details: http://www.cbc.ca/books/literaryprizes/cbc-short-story-prize-1.4090935

 

John G. Diefenbaker Award

Genre: Research
Entry Fee: None (By Nomination)
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Prize: Up to $95,000
Description: The John G. Diefenbaker Award enables distinguished German scholars in the social sciences or humanities to conduct research in Canada. This award was created in 1991 in memory of former Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker. It is the counterpart to the Konrad Adenauer Award, which the Government of Germany established in 1988 for scholars from Canada. Both awards are designed to encourage exchange between the university communities of Canada and Germany.
Details: https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/prizes/john-g-diefenbaker-award?_ga=2.34472041.938782519.1661781763-1643128591.1656434608

 

F(r)iction Writing Contests

Genre: Short Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Speculative fiction
Entry Fee: $10 – $15 USD
Deadline: November 1, 2022
Prize: Short story first prize of $1,000; poetry first prize of $300; flash fiction first prize of $300; additional prizes include professional edits with a member of the F(r)iction senior editorial team and publication either online or in print.
Description: F(r)iction is seeking writing that pushes boundaries and challenges readers to think differently. F(r)iction likes work that features complex characters and strong narratives, and plays with genre, setting, voice, you name it. Short stories word limit is 1,001 – 7,500 words, flash fiction word limit is up to 1,000 words per piece, poetry word limit is up to three pages per poem, and creative nonfiction word limit is up to 6,500 words.
Details: https://frictionlit.org/contests/

 

Writing Battle Short Story Autumn Battle

Genre: Short Story
Entry Fee: $25 USD
Deadline: November 1, 2022 – 5 Days to write up to 2,000 Words
Prize: The winner of each of four categories split the cash pool prize of $5,000 and receive publication and feedback
Description: Everyone is guaranteed feedback by four or more peer writers. This is an international competition. Receive and re-draw prompts, which are locked-in after 72 hours. You have 5 days to finish writing with a 2,000-word limit.
Details: https://www.writingbattle.com/

 

The Foster Poetry Prize

Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: $26 for first entry and $16 for each subsequent entries (includes a one-year subscription to CV2)
Deadline: Early Bird deadline of October 15, 2022; final deadline of November 1, 2022
Prize: $1,000 and publication in CV2; three honourable mention cash prizes
Description: Formerly known as the Young Buck Poetry Prize. Participating writers must not yet have published a full-length book of poetry. Open to Canadian and International poets. Your entry may consist of 1-3 poems, and is not to exceed 80 lines total.
Details: http://www.https://contemporaryverse2.ca/foster-poetry-prize/.ca/en/contests/young-buck-poetry-prize

 

The Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence

Genre: Fiction, Poetry
Entry Fee: $20 USD
Deadline: November 5, 2022
Prize: In each of the two categories, fiction and poetry – first prize of $1,000 USD; second prize of $200 USD
Description: Renamed from The Thomas Morton Memorial Prize in Literary Excellence, The Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence serves to honor the memory of Austin Clarke (1934-2016). For short story contest submissions, please include a word count. No works over 7,500 words or under 1,000 will be accepted or read. Each submission to the poetry contest can include up to 4 poems, or up to 4 pages (whichever comes first). Multiple entries in either genre are welcome.
Details: https://puritan-magazine.submittable.com/submit

 

The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest

Genre: Novel Excerpts
Entry Fee: $20 USD
Deadline: November 12, 2023
Prize: First prize of $3,000, publication, and consultation with an agent; second prize of $300, publication, and agent feedback; third prize of $200, publication, and agent feedback
Description: The Masters Review hosts an annual Novel Excerpt Contest each fall. The contest is looking for excerpts that show off a sense of style, with a clear grasp on craft: narrative, character, and plot. Choose wisely! Your excerpt can come from any point in your completed or in-progress novels, but a synopsis should not be required for understanding the excerpt. Excerpts must be from previously unpublished novels; if your novel has been self-published, it is ineligible for this contest. As always, there are no limitations on genre, though primary interest is in literary fiction.
Details:https://mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-contest/

 

Polar Expressions Publishing 2022 National Student Poetry Contest

Genre: Poetry (Students in Grades Kindergarten – 12)
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: November 21, 2022
Prize: First prize of $300; second prize of $200; third prize of $100
Description: Annual contests held by Polar Expressions Publishing and open to Canadian residents and citizens of all ages. Poems must be 48 lines or less.
Details: http://www.polarexpressions.ca/StudentContests.html

 

Anthology Travel Writing Competition

Genre: Travel Writing
Entry Fee: Very Early Bird rate of €10, Early Bird rate of €12, and regular rate of €15
Deadline: Very Early Bird deadline of March 31, 2024; Early Bird deadline of July 31, 2024; final deadline of November 30, 2024
Prize: €500 cash prize and publication in a future issue of Anthology
Description: Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and to provide a platform for publication. Open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. Looking for an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. Open to both new and established writers. Articles submitted must not exceed 1,000 words.
Details: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/travel-writing-competition/

 

Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest

Genre: Flash Fiction
Entry Fee: $15 USD per entry
Deadline: November 30, 2023
Prize: First prize of $2,000 USD; second prize of writing coaching package valued at $450 USD; third prize of developmental or diversity editing package valued at $250 USD
Description: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. 100 words or less per entry. You may submit as many entries as you’d like.
Details: www.tadpolepress.com/100-word-writing-contest

 

Quill (Queer) Prose Award

Genre: Prose
Entry Fee: $10 USD
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prize: $1,000 USD plus publication of awarded manuscript by Red Hen Press
Description: Founded in 2015 by Tobi Harper of Red Hen Press, Quill seeks to publish quality literature by queer writers. The Quill Prose Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose with a minimum of 150 pages, by a queer writer.
Details: https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/59201/quill-queer-prose-award#

 

Prairie Fire and McNally Robinson Booksellers Poetry Contest

Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: $32 for up to three poems per entry (includes a one-year subscription to Prairie Fire)
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prize: First prize of $750, an invitation to THIN AIR produced by the Winnipeg International Writers’ Festival in-person or virtually (this invitation is dependent on funding); second prize of $350; third prize of $150
Description: Up to 3 poems per entry, with a total maximum of 150 lines per entry. Winning entries are published in Prairie Fire.
Details: https://www.prairiefire.ca/contests/

 

Prairie Fire and McNally Robinson Booksellers Short Fiction Contest

Genre: Short Fiction
Entry Fee: $32 per story (includes a one-year subscription to Prairie Fire)
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prize: First prize of $750, an invitation to THIN AIR produced by the Winnipeg International Writers’ Festival in-person or virtually (this invitation is dependent on funding); second prize of $350; third prize of $150
Description: Maximum of 5,000 words. Winning entries are published in Prairie Fire.
Details: https://www.prairiefire.ca/contests/

 

Prairie Fire and McNally Robinson Booksellers Creative Nonfiction Contest

Genre: Essay
Entry Fee: $32 per essay (includes a one-year subscription to Prairie Fire)
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prize: First prize of $750, an invitation to THIN AIR produced by the Winnipeg International Writers’ Festival in-person or virtually (this invitation is dependent on funding); second prize of $350; third prize of $150
Description: Maximum of 5,000 words. Winning entries are published in Prairie Fire.
Details: https://www.prairiefire.ca/contests/

 

The Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition

Genre: Poetry
Entry Fee: €7 per poem or €30 for a batch of five
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Prize: First prize of €2,000, a one-week residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, and hotel accommodation and board at the Cork International Poetry Festival in March, 2021; second prize of €500; third prize of €250; ten runner-up prizes of €50; all winners receive publication in Southword
Description: The competition is open to original, unpublished poems in the English language of 40 lines or fewer. The poem can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.
Details: http://munsterlit.ie/Gregory%20ODonoghue%20International%20Poetry%20Competition.html

 

ScreenCraft Cinematic Book 2021 Competition

Genre: Book Manuscripts with cinematic adaptation potential and a Graphic Novel category
Entry Fee: $49.50 USD for early deadline, $69.50 for regular deadline, and $79.50 for final deadline
Deadline: Early deadline is September 30, 2022; regular deadline is October 31, 2022; final deadline is November 30, 2022
Prize: Grand prize of $1,000 USD, entry to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program, personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary managers, complimentary badge for the 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit, and a lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro; second prize of $500 USD, entry to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program, 50% off 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit, and a lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro; the top quarterfinalists will receive special mention on the announcement website
Description: This unique literary competition seeks book manuscripts with cinematic adaptation potential. Books must be a minimum of 10,000 words and a maximum of 150,000 words. The jury is looking for books (published or not published) especially suited for adaptation to film or TV. This year’s jury specializes in evaluating books for Hollywood.
Details: https://screencraft.org/book/

 

ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story 2021 Competition

Genre: Short Stories with cinematic adaptation potential
Entry Fee: $49.50 USD for early deadline, $69.50 for regular deadline, and $79.50 for final deadline
Deadline: Early deadline is September 30, 2022; regular deadline is October 31, 2022; final deadline is November 30, 2022
Prize: Grand prize of $1,000 USD, entry to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program, personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary managers, complimentary badge for the 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit, and a lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro; second prize of $500 USD, entry to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program, 50% off 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit, and a lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro; the top quarterfinalists will receive special mention on the announcement website
Description: This unique literary competition seeks short stories (not scripts) with cinematic adaptation potential. All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible, although any writer who has earned more than $50,000 USD from professional writing services for film or TV in the preceding year is not. Short stories or novellas longer than 20,000 words will not be eligible.
Details: https://screencraft.org/shortstory/

 

Canadian Authors Association National Capital Writing Contest

Genre: Short Story, Poetry
Entry Fee: $15 per short story; $5 per poem
Deadline: Inactive contest in 2022
Prize: First prize of $300; second prize of $200; third prize of $100
Description: Open to all Canadian citizens or landed immigrants living in Canada. For the 2020 contest, the branch will publish a 20/20 anthology, which will include the top 10 stories and the top 10 poems (authors will retain all rights).
Details: http://canadianauthors.org/nationalcapitalregion/contests/; Sherrill Wark at ncwc-ncr@canadianauthors.org