Every year, if you’re a writer, there’s a chance you’re looking to enter writing contests. You may have a novel or short story that you think has the potential to win, or at least place, and so you get your short or long fiction ready to submit. Good for you. As a writer, established or not, these contests are often important to establishing your name, and/or possibly providing you with the camaraderie or uninterrupted time to get your writing done without the distractions of your kids, your daily responsibilities, the job you hate. It’s December 11th. 2024 is just around the corner.
Here are some opportunities for you to think about as the new year approaches. So, get your manuscripts ready, put aside the entry/reading fees dollars, and shoot your shot. Good luck!
The 2024 DISQUIET Prize will open for submissions on September 1, 2023.
Deadline: January 5, 2024
Entries are accepted in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each category will be published in Granta.com (fiction), NinthLetter.com (non-fiction) or The Common (poetry).
One grand prize winner will receive a full scholarship, accommodations, and travel stipend to attend the tenth annual DISQUIET International Literary Program in Lisbon (June 23-July 5, 2024).
Genre winners will receive a tuition waiver for DISQUIET 2024 in addition to publication.
Winners who are unable to attend the progam in Lisbon may elect to receive a $1000 cash prize in lieu of the tuition waiver.
The complete guidelines for the 2024 contest are here
Mississippi Review Annual Contest
The annual contest awards prizes of $1,000 in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Winners and finalists will make up next summer's print issue of the national literary magazine Mississippi Review. Contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and nonfiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems totaling ten pages or less. Please attach as one document. There is no limit on the number of entries you may submit. Online entry fee is $16 per entry. Each entrant will receive a copy of the prize issue. All submissions will be read anonymously.
The complete guidelines are here
Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest
The 2024 Book Pipeline Unpublished contest seeks unpublished manuscripts across 10 categories of fiction and nonfiction:
Literary | Mystery / Horror / Thriller
Romance | Sci-Fi & Fantasy
General Fiction | Young Adult | Middle Grade
Picture Books | Nonfiction & Memoir
Comics & Graphic Novels
Select publishers and agents get first look at the top selection for each category, including CAA, HarperCollins, and Verve Publishing.
The complete guidelines are here
Adventures in YA Publishing Contest
Regular Contests and Workshops open to young adult, middle grade, and new adult writers. 1st Five Pages workshops run every month, and the contests are annual. Receive constructive feedback. Submissions are sent during specific time windows to be read by agents. Many contestants are asked to submit full manuscripts.
The complete guidelines are here
Amazon Literary Contests
Kindle Direct Publishing runs writing competitions across multiple languages throughout the year.
To enter a contest, your book needs to be published on KDP, comply with the content guidelines, and meet the contest criteria listed in the terms and conditions and frequently asked questions found on the contest page. Contest submissions can take up to 5 days to be completed and reflected in the contest landing page.
Below is a list of competitions supported by KDP and categorized by language of entry. Click a contest name to learn more about its entry period, rules, and prizes.
The complete guidelines are here
A Woman’s Write
Enter the Annual AWW International [Unpublished] Novel Contest. All submissions receive a timely, thorough, thoughtful critique. Winners receive money, certificates and notification on our site. Submit only the first 50 pages for the competition.
The complete guidelines here
The Bath Novel Award 2024
The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for unagented emerging novelists.
Established in Bath, England in 2013, recipients include Abi Daré for the manuscript of THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE, current James Bond author Kim Sherwood for TESTAMENT and AP Firdaus for REMEMBER MR SHARMA.
The complete guidelines here
2024 International Book Awards
Over our 15-year history, thousands of self-published and indie authors have leveraged the promotional power of their International Book Award to increase online recognition, enhance their title’s credibility, and garner more attention in the crowded book buying marketplace.
The complete guidelines here
The Caledonia Novel Award
Welcome to the Caledonia Novel Award! Now in our 10th year, we are an Edinburgh-based, international writing competition for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA. We are passionate about discovering and promoting new writers, and have enjoyed many successes over the years, including Elizabeth Macneal’s best-selling The Doll Factory and Sue Divin’s Guard Your Heart, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Yoto Carnegie Medal.
The complete guidelines here
The 2024 American Fiction Awards
The 7th Annual American Fiction Awards (AFA) are a specialty book awards program focused on honoring excellence in FICTION.
Complete guidelines here
Good luck!