Time to polish up those pieces you’ve been preparing throughout the spring. Here are ten opportunities for cash prizes and more in the month of July.
FEATURED! The Masters Review Short Story Award For New Writers
Welcoming all new and emerging writers! We’re awarding $2,000, publication, and agency review to the winning work of fiction 6,000 words or fewer. Second and third prizewinners will also earn publication and review, as well as $200 and $100, respectively. Find full details and submit to the Short Story Award here.
Submission fee: $20 Deadline: July 15
NANO Fiction Prize
Flash fiction writers, time to start slashing the word count! NANO Fiction is awarding $1,000 and publication to the best piece up to 300 words. This year’s contest will be judged by Kellie Wells. Submit up to three fiction pieces here.
Submission fee: $10 Deadline: July 1
Bellevue Literary Review Prize
From their website: “The BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body.” $1,000 and publication goes to the winning works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. $250 and publication goes to honorable mentions. Submit fiction and nonfiction between approximately 2,000 and 4,000 words, and up to three poems. Read more about the Bellevue Literary Prize here.
Submission fee: $20 Deadline: July 1
Fairy Tale Review Awards in Poetry and Prose
Kelly Link and Traci Brimhall are judging the Fairy Tale Review’s third annual contest, which awards $1,000 and publication to the winners. Send prose up to 6,000 words, and up to five poems. Read more about the Fairy Tale Review Awards here.
Submission fee: $10 Deadline: July 15
Gigantic Sequins Flash Fiction and Poetry Contest
Judged by Lucas de Lima and Annie Liontas. Awarding $100, publication, and Factory Hollow Press gifts to the winners. Submit up to three works of flash fiction (1,000 words or less) or three poems of any length per entry. Read more about submission guidelines and judges for the Gigantic Sequins contest here.
Submission fee: $5 Deadline: July 15
The Cincinnati Review Robert and Adele Schiff Awards in Poetry and Prose
The Cincinnati Review’s annual contest is awarding $1,000 and publication to the best poem and prose piece. Submit up to eight pages of poetry or forty pages of prose. The entry fee includes a one-year subscription! Full details here.
Submission fee: $20 Deadline: July 15
The Story Prize
The first-place award for this contest is a whopping $20,000, and runners-up will receive $5,000. Submit a collection of short fiction (at least two stories and/or novellas). From their website: “Eligible books must be first publication of the work in the United States during the calendar year, in either hardcover or paperback, and available for purchase by the general public. Collections must also include work previously unpublished in book form.” Full details on The Story Prize can be found here.
Submission fee: $75 Deadline: July 15
Portable Story Series
Portable Story Series marries short fiction and audio with their themed, four-times-a-year contests. The winning author receives $250 or 75% of the submission fee proceeds (whichever is greater), and their story is recorded with CDM Sound Studios. Portable makes a behind-the-scenes video about the process of recording the story, and the video and audio recording are posted on the website. The current theme is Time Travel. Stories must be between 2,000 and 4,000 words. Learn more here.
Submission fee: $10 Deadline: July 29
Narrative Spring 2016 Story Contest
Narrative winners and finalists have received a host of other honors and awards, including the Pushcart Prize. $2,500, $1,000, $500, and $100 go to first, second, third, and finalists, respectively. All submissions are also considered for Story of the Week and the $4,000 Narrative Prize. Read more about Narrative’s Spring Story Contest and submit here.
Submission fee: $24 Deadline: July 31
Crazyhorse’s Crazyshorts! Short-Short Fiction Contest
For the month of July, Crazyhorse is accepting submissions of 1-3 shorts up to 500 words each. First prize is $1,000 and publication. Entry fee includes a one-year subscription to the magazine. Submit here.
Submission fee: $15 Deadline: July 31
by Lauren Klepinger