12.5.24

Hi there creative peeps! Always looking for opportunities for those who love being creative. Poets & Writers has just that for those that love words. They have contests for this month and some of them have free entry fees, isn’t that awesome?

Here is what they have for December. If you are interested, then you need to take advantage asap!

Credit Source: Poets & Writers

Friends of American Writers

Literature Awards

Cash Prize: $2,500

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/14/24

Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction

A prize of $2,500 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published during the current year that is set in the Midwest or by a writer who is a resident… read more

Story

Story Foundation Prize

Cash Prize: $1,500

Entry Fee: $25

Application Deadline: 12/15/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,500 and publication in Story is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 10,000 words with a $… read more

Narratively

Memoir Prize

Cash Prize: $3,000

Entry Fee: $20

Application Deadline: 12/19/24

Genre: Creative Nonfiction

A prize of $3,000 and publication in Narratively will be given annually for a short work of memoir written in the first person. Two runners-up prizes of $1,000 each… read more

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry

Canadian First Book Prize

Cash Prize: $7,349

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/20/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,349) is awarded for a debut poetry collection by a living Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada published during the… read more

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry

Griffin Poetry Prize

Cash Prize: $95,542

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/20/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $130,000 Canadian (approximately $95,542) is given annually for a poetry collection published during the current year and written in, or translated into, English…. read more

Center for Book Arts

Poetry Chapbook Contest

Cash Prize: $500

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 12/20/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $500 and letterpress publication by the Center for Book Arts is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner also receives 10 copies of their chapbook, an… read more

Codhill Press

Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 12/30/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000, publication by Codhill Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. James Sherwood will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 70… read more

Virginia Commonwealth University

Cabell First Novelist Award

Cash Prize: $5,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/30/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel published during the current year. The winner is also provided money for the cost of travel and lodging to attend the… read more

Boulevard

Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers

Cash Prize: $1,500

Entry Fee: $18

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,500 and publication in Boulevard is given annually for a short story by a writer who has not published a nationally distributed book. The editors will… read more

Ohio University Press

Hollis Summers Poetry Prize

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Ohio University Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Natalie Shapero will judge. Using only the online submission system,… read more

Baton Rouge Area Foundation

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

Cash Prize: $15,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $15,000 is given annually to an emerging African American writer for a book of fiction published in the current year. The winner is also provided money for the cost… read more

Press 53

Award for Short Fiction

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000, publication by Press 53, and 53 author copies is given annually for a story collection. Claire V. Foxx will judge. Submit a manuscript of 100 to 250 pages… read more

Before Columbus Foundation

American Book Awards

Cash Prize: $0

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Not Genre-Specific

Awards are given annually for books published in the United States during the current year to recognize “outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s… read more

Lascaux Review

Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $15

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Lascaux Review is given annually for a short story. Previously published and unpublished stories are eligible. The editors will… read more

LitMag

Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction

Cash Prize: $2,500

Entry Fee: $20

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $2,500 and publication in LitMag is given annually for a short story. The winner will also have their work reviewed by agents Lisa Bankoff (Bankoff… read more

Tampa Review

Danahy Fiction Prize

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $20

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tampa Review is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 500 to 5,000 words… read more

Black Caucus of the American Library Association

Literary Awards

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction

Four prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for a poetry collection, a debut novel, a book of fiction, and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) by African… read more

Action, Spectacle

Prose & Poetry Chapbook Contest

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $25

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Cross-Genre

A prize of $1,000, publication by Action, Spectacle, and 25 author copies will be given annually for a chapbook of poetry, prose, or hybrid-genre work. Using only the online… read more

American Library Association

W.Y. Boyd Literary Award

Cash Prize: $5,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a novel published in the current year that is set in a period when the United States was at war. Publishers or authors may submit seven… read more

Michigan Quarterly Review

Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction

Cash Prize: $2,000

Entry Fee: $25

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $2,000 and publication in Michigan Quarterly Review is given annually for a short story. Ghassan Zeineddine will judge. Using only the online submission… read more

Poetry Society of America

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $15

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Poetry Society of America website is given annually for poetry from a manuscript-in-progress. Using only the online submission system,… read more

Poetry Society of America

Four Quartets Prize

Cash Prize: $20,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $20,000 is given annually for a unified and complete sequence of poems published in the United States in a print or online journal, a chapbook, or a book during the… read more

Two Sylvias Press

Wilder Series Poetry Book Prize

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $24

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000, publication by Two Sylvias Press, and 20 author copies will be given annually for a poetry collection by a writer over 50 who identifies as female (including… read more

Alternating Current Press

Front Range Book Prize

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $18

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Cross-Genre

A prize of $1,000, publication by Alternating Current Press, and 25 author copies will be given annually for a poetry collection, story collection, essay collection, novel,… read more

Burnside Review Press

Book Contest

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $25

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000, publication by Burnside Review Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Ananda Lima will judge. Using only the online… read more

Baton Rouge Area Foundation

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

Cash Prize: $15,000

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $15,000 is given annually to an emerging African American writer for a book of fiction published in the current year. The winner is also provided money for the cost… read more

Press 53

Award for Short Fiction

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $30

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000, publication by Press 53, and 53 author copies is given annually for a story collection. Claire V. Foxx will judge. Submit a manuscript of 100 to 250 pages… read more

Before Columbus Foundation

American Book Awards

Cash Prize: $0

Entry Fee: $0

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Not Genre-Specific

Awards are given annually for books published in the United States during the current year to recognize “outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s… read more

Lascaux Review

Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction

Cash Prize: $1,000

Entry Fee: $15

Application Deadline: 12/31/24

Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Lascaux Review is given annually for a short story. Previously published and unpublished stories are eligible. The editors will… read more

That wraps up for 2024. I will make it my mission to post all of January 2025 in the next few weeks. There are many opportunities for writers, armature and veteran. I will post many more for next year. I promise you that.

For more on other opportunities, please go to www.pw.org.

Be safe, happy, healthy, and blessed!

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