It’s the rainy time of year, and hopefully you have a lot of energy after the long winter. We know that the urge to stomp in puddles is nearly irresistible, but make sure to submit to these contests before you head outside!
FEATURED 2026 CRAFT Award for Excellence
Our sister prose journal wants your best work—stories and essays that explore craft and celebrate the art of prose—and they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is! Judged by the CRAFT editors, the winner of each genre will receive $1,000, online publication, a tablet, and a commemorative plaque. The maximum length for short fiction and creative nonfiction entries is 5,000 words, and the maximum length for flash fiction and flash creative nonfiction is 1,000 words. Do it!
Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: April 12
The Orison Prizes in Poetry and Fiction
Every year Orison Books accepts submissions of full-length poetry and fiction manuscripts between December and April, and this year’s window is closing fast! Fiction entries may be novellas, novels, or collections of short stories and flash fiction, but they must be a minimum of 30,000 words. Poetry entries may be between fifty and one hundred pages. Leila Chatti is judging poetry, Margot Livesey is judging fiction, and the winners of each genre receive $1,500, publication, and a standard royalties contract. Check it out!
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: April 1
Annual Editors’ Awards
In this threefold contest offered by The Florida Review, contestants can submit entries for fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Not only do the winners in each contest receive $1,000 and publication, but all entries are eligible for publication! Make sure to choose the correct category when you submit, and good luck! More details here.
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: April 15
New Ohio Review Contests
All three of the New Ohio Review’s contests are ending this month, so enter now if you want to receive one of the three $1,500 first-place prizes! Jeff VanderMeer is judging the fiction section, George Bilgere is judging the poetry section, and Sarah Viren is judging the nonfiction applicants. All of the winners and a selection of the runners up will be published! See more here.
Entry Fee: $22 Deadline: April 15
The 2026 Gulf Coast Prizes
Here is an opportunity for all writers, as Gulf Coast’s contest rewards authors in nonfiction, fiction, and poetry! Hala Alyan judges nonfiction, John Milas judges fiction, and Richard Siken judges poetry. The winner in each category receives $1,500, and two honorable mentions in each category also receive $250. Make sure you submit to the correct category! Details here.
Entry Fee: $26 Deadline: April 15
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
Named after the first director of the University of Pittsburgh Press, this prize is offered for a first full-length book of poems! Manuscripts should be between forty-eight and one hundred pages, and accompanied by a CV. The winner receives a $5,000 cash award as well as publication by the Pitt Poetry Series under its standard royalty contract. The winner will be announced in the fall, so get the process started now! Learn more here!
Entry Fee: $25 Deadline: April 30
Autumn House Press Nonfiction Prize
In this contest offered by Autumn House Press, contestants can submit manuscript entries for nonfiction. The final judge is Ira Sukrungruang. The winner receives publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book! They want to develop a rich and varied writing tradition! Find more details here.
Entry Fee: $35 Deadline: April 30
Supernatural Fiction Competition
The Ghost Story is looking for the finest work they can find that incorporates the uncanny, as long as it’s under 10,000 words! Stories don’t need to involve ghosts specifically, but they do need fresh perspectives and superb writing. The winner receives $1,500 and online publication. Submit here!
Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: April 30
by Kimberly Guerin