Updated List: Check out these ten magazines and contests with deadlines this month.
Your New Year’s resolutions are still fresh, and hopefully they are mostly related to writing. Dare I suggest that you make “one contest a month” part of your routine? We’ll make it easy and point out that there is a good amount of freebies in January’s contests.
Yemassee Writing Prizes – Featuring $1750 in prizes in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Entrants qualify for discounted subscription. Guest judges include: Aimee Bender, Nikky Finney, and Paul Bogard. More details here. Entry Fees vary by category. Due: January 15
PRISM – This short fiction contest awards $2000 (Canadian) and cash prizes to second and third place for short stories up to 6,000 words. Entry Fee for US residents: $40 Due: January 23
Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize – A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a short story. The winning story is considered for publication in Thomas Wolfe Review. Submit two copies of a story of up to 12 pages. Visit the website for complete guidelines. Entry Fee: $25 ($15 for NCWN members) Due: January 30
Chicago Tribune – The Nelson Algren Literary Awards are open to anyone in the United States. Entries must be less than 8000 words. Winners will receive cash prizes ($3500 for 1st place, $1000 for the other four finalists) and publications in the Tribune’s Printers Row Journal. NO ENTRY FEE. Due: January 31
Winter Anthology – A prize of $1,000 and publication in Winter Anthology is given annually for a group of poems, a single story or essay, or a full-length novel, novella, or collection of poetry, short stories, or essays. Srikanth Reddy will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a group of poems, a single story or essay, or a full-length manuscript of up to 50 pages. More details here. Entry Fee: $10 Due: January 31.
Glimmer Train Press – Three times a year, Glimmer Train admits stories without requiring a reading fee. There is no theme here besides FREE! NO ENTRY FEE. Due: January 31
Highlights – Yeah, you heard me. But please keep reading: Highlights has a fiction contest for adult writers. The catch is that the stories must be kid-friendly. And below 750 words. Tricky parameters, so let’s see whatcha got. NO ENTRY FEE. Due: January 31
Crazyhorse – Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry applicants, Crazyhorse is holding its annual contest. 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. Details here. Entry Fee: $20 for all categories Due: January 31
Albert Camus Award for Short Fiction – Created by Red Savina Review to champion writers whose short fiction explores and challenges the notion of human being in the twenty-first century. First prize $300; Second $100; Third $50; One Honorable mention plus publication in RSR’s in Spring Issue Online. Entry Fee: $15. Due: February 1
American Short Fiction – This month the highly revered literary magazine American Short Fiction holds a contest for best piece of flash fiction under 1000 words. First prize $500; Second $250. Submit here. Entry Fee: $15 Due: February 1