Contests and Lit Mags With Deadlines This Month – January

2016 kicks off a new year of writing, submitting, and publishing. Here is our list of contests, literary magazines, and publications with new submissions and deadlines in January. We hope it inspires a year of stories.

The Fairy Tale Review – As huge fans of the strange, surreal, and the magical, we’re happy to report that The Fairy Tale Review is now accepting submissions for The Translucent Issue. The issue will have no particular theme—simply send them your best work. Mainstream, experimental, fabulist, and realist are all welcome. Submit here. Entry Fee: None

The Masters Review – $5000 awarded! We’re so pleased to announce that submissions to our anthology, The Masters Review Volume V with stories selected by Amy Hempel opens this month. Emerging writers are invited to submit fiction and essays under 7000 words for consideration. Winners earn cash prizes and publication in the book, which is distributed nationally and mailed to an exclusive list of editors and agents. One of our favorite projects each year, submissions for the anthology remain open through the spring. More details here. Entry Fee: $20

Ploughshares – The venerable Ploughshares closes its doors to submissions until June on January 15th, so get your stories polished up and submitted before the middle of the month! Submit here. Entry Fee: None Deadline: Jan 15

Literal Latte K. Margaret Grossman Fiction Award – $1000 and publication will be awarded to the winning story. Submit a piece up to 10,000 words by January 15 to be considered. Contest details can be found here.  Entry Fee: $10 Deadline: Jan 15

Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize – $1000 is awarded annually by the North Carolina Writers’ Network for a short story up to 3000 words. The winner is considered for publication in the Thomas Wolfe Review. Winners are announced in April. Visit the website for complete guidelines. Entry Fee: $25 ($15 for NCWN members) Deadline: Jan 30

New Millennium Writings – $4000 in awards will be given in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, short fiction, and poetry. For longer work, writers can submit up to 6000 words. For short fiction, please send stories no longer than 1000 words. Full guidelines and information can be found here. Entry Fee: $20 (includes a copy of the anthology) Deadline: Jan 31

Crazyhorse Prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry – Every January, Crazyhorse hosts an excellent contest acknowledging fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Submitters have the entire month of January to submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication. Check out submission guidelines and guest judges here. Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: Jan 31

Iowa Review Awards – Kelly Link is judging fiction! Eula Biss in creative nonfiction! And Brenda Shaughnessy in poetry! A powerhouse lineup. Submit up to 10 pages of poetry or up to 25 pages of prose by the end of the month. $1500 to the winners in each category. All entries are considered for publication. Details here. Entry Fee: $20 Deadline: Jan 31

Center For Fiction Emerging Writers Fellowship – We love this fellowship! Our friends in New York offer fellowships of $5,000 to emerging writers, membership to the Center for Fiction in New York City, and access to writing space is given annually to fiction writers living in New York City who have not yet published a book of fiction. Winners will also have the opportunity to meet with editors and agents who represent new writers. To see the full guidelines click here. Entry Fee: None Deadline: Jan 31

American Short(er) Fiction Prize – One of our favorite writers, Amelia Gray, is judging this flash fiction contest. Submit up to 1000 words for a chance at $1000 and publication. Submit here. Entry Fee: $17 for up to three entries. Deadline: Feb 1