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submitting a manuscript to a contest helps a writer in many ways. For one thing, he or she may win. For another, the contest provides a deadline and a grand feeling of accomplishment (sometimes interpreted as sheer terror) once the submission is mailed. Some contests are limited to published authors, but most are open to all. Below is a list of contests, as well as some fellowships, we recognize as legitimate and worthwhile, all with web addresses for further information. There are many others. Try Poets & Writers magazine (or on-line) for a complete, up-to-date listing.

WRITINGSITE.COM
THE ARTHUR EDELSTEIN PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
Short stories up to 6000 words
First Prize: $1000.00
Entry Fee: 10.00
Deadline: submissions only 10/1-10/31

NIMROD/HARDMAN LITERARY AWARDS
University of Tulsa
THE KATHERINE ANNE PORTER PRIZE FOR FICTION
First Prize: $2000.00 and publication
Second Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Deadline: April 30


UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS
PRAIRIE SCHOONER BOOK PRIZES
Book-length collection of short fiction
Prize: $3000.00 and publication by U. of Nebraska Press
Entry Fee: 25.00
Deadline: March 15


THE PINCH WRITING AWARDS
Prize of $1500 for a short story
Enry Fee: 25.00
Deadline: March 15



OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRIZE IN SHORT FICTION
Given annually for a collection of short fiction.
First Prize: $1500.00 and publication
Submissions accepted in January
Entry Fee: 20.00


RAGDALE
Situated on 50 acres of virgin prairie in Lake Forest, Illinois, residencies are available from a minimum of two weeks to a maximum of two months. Residents pay $25 per day, and some fee waivers are available. Application deadlines into the artists' residency program are January 15 and June 1 of each year.


THE WILLIAM FAULKNER - WILLIAM WISDOM
CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
Open to all writing in English for previously unpublished work in Novel, Novella, Novel-in-Progress, Short Story, Short Story by a High School Student.
Deadline: April 1
Entry Fee: 25.00-35.00

GLIMMER TRAIN
SHORT STORY AWARD FOR NEW WRITERS
Prefers on-line submission
Spring submission: 2/1/–3/31
Fall submission: 8/1–9/30
Reading fee: 15.00
First prize: $1200.00 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories
Second/Third prizes: $500/$300

VERY SHORT FICTION AWARD
Summer submission: 5/1–7/31
Winter submission: 11/1–1/31
Reading fee: 15.00
First Prize: $1200 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories
Second/Third prizes: $500/$300
Stories not to exceed 3000 words

FICTION OPEN
Summer submission: 5/1–7/15
Winter submission: 11/1–1/15
Reading fee: 20.00
First Prize: $2000 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories
Second/Third prize: $1,000/$600
Stories, no novels

FAMILY MATTERS
Spring submission: 4/1-4/30
Fall submission: 10/1-10-31
Reading fee: $15.00
First Prize: $1200 and publication
Second/Third prizes: $500/$300
Not to exceed 12,000 words



THE DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE
Open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals.
Cash award of $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract.
Winner announced in February of each year.
Submission: Manuscripts must be postmarked on or after May 1 and on or before June 30.

SARABANDE BOOKS
THE MARY MCCARTHY PRIZE IN SHORT FICTION
$2000.00 cash award and publication of a collection of short stories, novellas, or a short novel
Entry fee: 25.00
Submissions must be postmarked between 1/1 and 2/15


SHENANDOAH
GLASGOW PRIZE FOR EMERGING WRITERS
Creative non-fiction 2008; short story 2009
$2500.00 and publication
Reading fee: 22.00
Deadline for novel submissions: March


BELLINGHAM REVIEW
TOBIAS WOLFF AWARD FOR FICTION
Short story
First Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Deadline: Dec 1-March 15


THE IOWA REVIEW
THE IOWA AWARD
$1000.00 plus publication in December issue
Submission: During month of January
Up to 25 pages of prose
Entry fee: 15.00


CHICAGO TRIBUNE LITERARY PRIZES
NELSON ALGREN AWARD
Unpublished Short fiction written by an American
First Prize: $5000.00
Runners-up: $1500.00
No entry fee
Submit: 11/1-2/15


AWP AWARD SERIES
GRACE PALEY PRIZE IN SHORT FICTION
First Prize: $4000.00 and publication
Entry Fee: 25.00 and official AWP entry form

AWP NOVEL PRIZE
First Prize: $2000.00 and publication

Submit: 1/1 - 2/28 for both


ARTS AND LETTERS PRIZES
Short Story of no more than 25 pages
First Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submit: 1/1- 3/15


CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW LITERARY PRIZES
JACK DYER FICTION PRIZE
Short story up to 6000 words
First Prize: $1500.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: 2/1 - 4/1


EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PRESS
SPOKANE PRIZES
Book-length collection of short stories
First Prize: $1500.00 and publication by Eastern Washington University Press
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: By May 15


GULF COAST LITERARY PRIZES
Short story up to 25 pages
First Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Deadline: March 15


HIDDEN RIVER ARTS
WILLIAM VAN WERT FICTION AWARD
Unpublished short story or novel excerpt up to 25 pages
First Prize: $1000.00 and publication in the Hidden River Awards Anthology
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: 2/1 - 6/20


HUNGER MOUNTAIN
HOWARD FRANK MOSHER SHORT FICTION PRIZE
Short story up to 10,000 words
First Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Deadline: May 10


KNOXVILLE WRITERS’ GUILD
PETER TAYLOR PRIZE
Novels, published and unpublished
First Prize: $1000.00 and publication by U. of Tennessee Press
Entry Fee: 25.00
Submission: 2/1 - 4/30


THE LOFT LITERARY CENTER
Speakeasy Prize
First Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00 and entry form
Deadline: May

McKnight Artist Fellowships for Writers
Fellowship: $25,000


WRITECORNER PRESS
E.M. KOEPPEL SHORT FICTION AWARD
Short story
Prize: $1100.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: 10/1 - 4/30

BOULEVARD
SHORT FICTION AWARD FOR EMERGING WRITERS
Short story
Prize: $1500.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 15

CRAZYHORSE
Short story
Prize: $2000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 16

FISH SHORT STORY PRIZE
Short story
Prize: $3200.00 and publication
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: November 30

RUTH HINDMAN FOUNDATION
H.E. FRANCIS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 31

LITERAL LATTE
K. MARGARET GROSSMAN FICTION AWARD
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: January 15

LIVINGSTON PRESS
TARTT FICTION AWARD
Short story collection
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 31

MERIDIAN
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 20

NEW MILLENNIUM WRITINGS
Fiction and short-short fiction
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 17.00
Submission: November 17

NORTH CAROLINA WRITERS NETWORK
THOMAS WOLFE FICTION PRIZE
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: December 1

REED MAGAZINE
JOHN STEINBECK AWARD
Short story
Prize: $2000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: December 1

STANFORD UNIVERSITY
WALLACE STEGNER FELLOWSHIPS
Annual Fellowships
Value: $57000.00
Entry fee: 60.00
Submission: December 1

WRITER'S DIGEST
SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Short story
Prize: $3000.00
Entry fee: 12.00
Submission: December 1

MUNSTER LITERATURE CENTRE
SEAN O'FAOLAIN SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Short story
Prize: $1920.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: July 31

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS PRESS
KATHERINE ANNE PORTER PRIZE
Short fiction collection
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: August 29

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
RICHARD SULLIVAN PRIZE
Short story collection
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: September 1

BkMk PRESS
G.S. SHARAT CHANDRA PRIZE
Short story collection
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: January 16

CONVERSE COLLEGE
JULIA PETERKIN AWARD
Fiction
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: February 15

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA
CHARLES PICK WRITING FELLOWSHIP
Fiction
Six-month Fellowship, including $18,900 stipend
Entry fee: none
Submission: January 31

FISHTRAP FELLOWSHIPS
Fiction
Week-long Fellowship
Entry fee: none
Submission: February 6

IOWA REVIEW AWARDS
Fiction
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: January 31

JAMES JONES LITERARY SOCIETY
FIRST NOVEL FELLOWSHIP
Book length fiction
Prize: $10,000.00
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: March 1

THE LEDGE FICTION AWARD
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: February 28

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS
CONTEST FOR STUDY ABROAD IN EUROPE
Fiction
Valued at approximately $4000 each
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: January 31

PEN AMERICAN CENTER
PEN/ROBERT BINGHAM FELLOWSHIP
Writers with one published novel or story collection nominated by an editor or agent
Prize: $35,000.00
Entry fee: none
Submission: January 16

QUARTERLY WEST NOVELLA CONTEST
Novella
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: January 31 (biennially)

WRITERS AT WORK FELLOWSHIP COMPETITION
Short story or novel excerpt
Prize: $1500.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00 (unpublished author in that genre)
Submission: March 1

A ROOM OF HER OWN FOUNDATION
GIFT OF FREEDOM AWARD
Fiction
Prize: $50,000.00
Entry fee: 35.00
Submission: February 1

STADLER CENTER FOR POETRY
PHILIP ROTH RESIDENCE IN CREATIVE WRITING
Fiction
Prize: $4000.00 stipend and four-month residency
Entry fee: none
Submission: February 24

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
DEVIL'S KITCHEN READING AWARDS
Novel or short fiction collection
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: February 1

STARCHERONE BOOKS FICTION PRIZE
Novel or short fiction collection
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 30.00
Submission: January 31

SUMMER LITERARY SEMINARS
Short story or novel excerpt
Prize: $5000.00 to attend seminar abroad
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: February 28

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
FIRST NOVELIST AWARD
FIrst novel published in previous year
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: none (publishers and authors may submit)
Submission: January 31

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
PRAGUE SUMMER PROGRAM FELLOWSHIPS
Fiction writer who has published no more than one book
Prize: $3595.00 to attend Prague Summer Program
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: February 1

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
Writers working on first book of fiction
Prize: $25,000.00 stipend and one academic year residence
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: February 28


THE MISSOURI REVIEW
EDITOR'S PRIZE CONTEST
Fiction
Prize: $3000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By October 1

ANOTHER CHICAGO MAGAZINE
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 12.00
Submission: By May 1
For guidelines: sskolnik@csu.edu

COLORADO REVIEW
NELLIGAN PRIZE FOR SHORT FICTION
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: By March 15

DIAGRAM
INNOVATIVE FICTION CONTEST
Innovative short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 5.00
Submission: By March 26

ESPY FOUNDATION
Short story in alternating years
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By May 15

FUGUE
Short story in alternating years
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By April 1

LORIAN HEMINGWAY COMPETITION
Short story by unpublished writer
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 10.00 (15.00)
Submission: By May 1 (May 15)

THE JOURNAL
Short story
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: By May 1

SYCAMORE REVIEW
WABASH PRIZE FOR FICTION
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: By March 15

BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE
HACKNEY LITERARY AWARD
Completed unpublished novel
Prize: $5000.00
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: By September 30

BLACK WARRIOR REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 1

BOSTON REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By October 1

BREAD LOAF WRITERS' CONFERENCE
BAKELESS PRIZES
First novel or first short story collection
Publication and a fellowship
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: Between Sept 15 and Nov 1

CHUTAUQUA LITERARY JOURNAL
Short story
Prize: $1500.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By September 30


DANA AWARDS
Unpublished short story collection, novel, or novel-in-progress
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: By October 31

DEL SOL PRESS
ROBERT OLEN BUTLER FICTION PRIZE
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 16.00
Submission: By November 1

DOGWOOD
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: By October 15

GEORGETOWN REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 10.00
Submission: By November 15

GREENSBORO REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $500.00 and publication
Entry fee: none
Submission: By September 15

INDIANA REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 16

INKWELL
Short story
Prize: $1500.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 31

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
First collection of short fiction
Prize: Publication
Entry fee: none
Submission: By September 30

CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD FOUNDATION
Short story collection or novel by published writers
Prize: $3000.00
Entry fee: none
Submission: Between Sept 1 and Oct 1

KORE PRESS
Short story by a woman writer
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 31

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
JUNIPER PRIZE IN FICTION
Short story collection, novel, novella
Prize: $4000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By September 30

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
ITALO CALVINO PRIZE IN FABULIST FICTION
Short story, novel, or novella
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 25.00
Submission: By October 15

MISSISSIPPI REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 1

MISSOURI REVIEW
EDITORS' PRIZES
Short story
Prize: $3000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 20.00
Submission: By October 1

ROANOKE REVIEW
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By November 10

SOUTHERN INDIANA REVIEW
MARY C. MOHR SHORT FICTION AWARD
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 1

TAMPA REVIEW
DANAHY FICTION PRIZE
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By November 1

THIRD COAST
Short story
Prize: $1000.00 and publication
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 15

ZOETROPE: ALL-STORY
Short story
Prize: $1000.00
Entry fee: 15.00
Submission: By October 1

Also look in Novel & Short Story Writers Market for more listings. 
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