The holidays are fast approaching! Before hunkering down with family and friends to gorge on turkey and mashed potatoes, give thanks for these twelve enticing contests.
FEATURED! The Masters Review Fall Fiction Contest
Our very own Fall Fiction Contest, judged by the estimable Brian Evenson, closes in the middle of the month. So go ahead and send us your best fiction under 7000 words. The winning story receives $2000, publication, and a note from Brian Evenson himself. Second and third place stories earn $200 and $100, respectively, correspondence from the judge, and publication. Peep the deets.
Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: November 15
FEATURED! The Frontier Open
The Frontier Open will award a $5000 prize and publication to one winning poem. The contest is open to all poets, established and emerging alike. Ten finalists will also receive $100 each and publication with Frontier Poetry. For more details about this amazing opportunity for poets, click here.
Entry Fee: $20, for up to four poems Deadline: November 30
The Briar Cliff Review Writing Contest
This is The Briar Cliff Review’s annual contest for fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Winners in each of the three categories will earn $1000 and publication in the next issue of The Briar Cliff Review. Fiction and nonfiction submissions should be no more than 5000 words; poets can submit up to three poems per entry. To submit, go here.
Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: November 1
Mid-American Review – Sherwood Anderson Fiction Prize & James Wright Poetry Prize
First prize for each contest is $1000 plus publication. Finalists also receive notation and possible publication. There is a 6000-word limit for fiction and you can submit up to three poems. Final judges to still be announced, but last year’s judges were Charles Yu and Jeannine Hall Gailey. For complete guidelines and to enter, go here.
Entry Fee: $10 Deadline: November 15
Pleiades Press – The Robert C. Jones Short Prose Book Contest & The Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize for Poetry
Pleiades Press is holding two great contests that close this month. Dinty Moore is judging the short prose contest, which is open to collections of fiction and nonfiction: “short stories, flash fiction, lyric essays, and anything else you can think of.” The winning manuscript receives $2000, publication by Pleiades Press, and national distribution through LSU Press. Marcus Wicker is judging the poetry contest. The winning poetry manuscript receives a $2000 prize and $1000 to help pay for a book tour, plus publication by Pleaides press, and national distribution through LSU Press. And get this: the winning poet will have the opportunity to launch his or her book tour from the University of Central Missouri, where Pleaides is located. For complete details on both contests, go here.
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: November 15
Ruminate: VanderMey Nonfiction Prize
This is a wonderful opportunity for authors of creative nonfiction. Ruminate’s prize offers $1500 and publication for an essay or short memoir of 5500 words or fewer. All applicants receive a copy of the prize issue. The finalist judge is Camille Dungy! Ruminate recommends that you read a copy of the magazine to get a sense of its style before submitting (a good tip for all contests and submissions!). Enter now here.
Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: November 15
Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition
Writer’s Digest is looking for short shorts of 1500 words or less. The first-place winner receives $3000, publication, and a trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference in the Big Apple! The second-place winner receives $1500 and publication. For entry forms and more information, go here.
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: November 15
Literary Death Match – 250-Word Bookmark Contest
The second Bookmark Contest from Literary Death Match will be judged by none other than Roxane Gay, who chose the stories for our latest Masters Review Anthology. Stories must be 250 or fewer. First prize is $1000 and two runners-up will receive $100 apiece. Plus, finalists will get invites to read at LDM events. Of course, best of all: the winning entry will be printed on LDM bookmarks. How cool is that? Submit here.
Entry Fee: $15; $20 for a double entry Deadline: November 20
César Egido Serrano Foundation: International Flash Fiction Competition
Holy cow! The winner of this competition will receive $20,000 and a paid trip to attend an award ceremony in Madrid. Entries must be no longer than 100 words and can be written in English, Spanish, Hebrew, or Arabic. There are also three “consolation” prizes of $1000 each and a paid trip to the award ceremony in Madrid. The winners will be published in an anthology. And it’s FREE to enter, so go here now!
Entry Fee: FREE Deadline: November 23
The Hudson Review – Unsolicited Manuscript Review, Fiction
The Hudson Review is accepting unsolicited fiction manuscripts through the end of November! 10,000 word maximum for high-quality, literary work. And get this: there is no submission fee. So, go for it. Check it out here.
Entry Fee: FREE Deadline: November 30
Narrative Fall Story Contest
This contest is open to fiction and nonfiction alike: short stories, short short stories, essays, or excerpts from longer works. The first-place winner receives $2500 and publication in Narrative; second place is $1000 and publication; third place is $500 plus publication. Not too shabby. The word limit is 15,000. Entries will also automatically be considered for the $4000 Narrative prize and publication. To enter, go here.
Entry Fee: $26 Deadline: November 30
Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival: Fiction Contest
This is an awesome contest, judged by Jennifer Haigh. It has a prize of $1500, domestic airfare, accommodations in the French Quarter, and a VIP Pass to (and invitation to read at!) the New Orleans Literary Festival in March of 2018. Oh, and it includes publication in Louisiana Literature. Nine lucky finalists will receive a panel pass to the Festival and will be listed on the website. Be sure to check out the details for their one-act play, poetry, and very short fiction contests as well. For complete contests rules and to submit, go here.
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: November 30