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Writers' Contests
~ PLEASE NOTE: Closing dates are subject to confirmation annually ~
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We welcome all information on competitions open to writers.
Award
(Origin) | Criteria | Closing Date | Contact Details/Information website | Restrictions |
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Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
(USA) | Fiction and non-Fiction books published in English in preceding calendar year, anywhere in world.
| September 1 - December 31 annually | www.anisfield-wolf.org
"...to recognize works addressing issues of racism and diversity" | Plays and screenplays and self-published works not eligible. Work of poetry is eligible. |
Caine Prize
(African) | A short story by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere, of approx 3,000-10,000 words.
| 31st January annually | www.caineprize.com
| Published work. Submissions by publishers only. |
Commonwealth Short Story Competition
(Commonwealth) | Original unpublished short stories: < 600 words, in English
| Around 9th May annually | www.cba.org.uk
"...to showcase the rich diversity of the Commonwealth and to support rising literary talents" | All Commonwealth citizens eligible. No age limit. Amateur and professional writers eligible. |
Commonwealth Writers Prize
(Commonwealth) | Best Book and Best First Book of the year. Prose fiction only. Submitted by publishers.
| Around 15th November/31st December annually, dependant on publication date | www.commonwealthfoundation.com
"...increasing appreciation of different cultures and building understanding between cultures" | Only Commonwealth citizens eligible. Original. English (not translated). |
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
(USA) | Original unpublished short stories: < 3000 words. Online/self-published work considered.
| Around 15th May annually | www.shortstorycompetition.com
| US and international writers eligible. No age limit. Emerging writers eligible. Postal entries only. |
Man Booker Prize
(UK) | Rewards best full-length novel of the year. Submitted by publishers. Must not be self-published.
| Entry forms end March,
Books end June, annually | www.themanbookerprize.com
The Booker Prize Story | Citizens of the Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland eligible. Original. English (not translated). |
Noma Award for Publishing in Africa
(UK/Japan) | Outstanding new book. Open to African writers and scholars whose work is published in Africa. Submitted by publishers.
| 31st March annually | www.nomaaward.org
About the Award
"...to promote writing and publishing in Africa and give a voice to the continent from within" | 3 categories: scholarly/academic, children's books , literature/creative writing. All languages of Africa, both local and European, eligible. Original. No translations.
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Olive Schreiner Prize
(Southern Africa) | To honour new talent. Conferred for excellence in prose, poetry and drama; one of these categories each year. | Around 31st May annually | Email:
englishacademy@
societies.wits.ac.za
| Entries invited from publishers or authors. Southern African Writers published in Southern Africa. |
Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction
(UK) | Best full-length novel in English by a woman writer of any age or nationality. Published in UK within year before 31st March of current year. Publishers to submit. | 31st March annually | www.orangeprize.co.uk
"...judges looking for works of excellence, originality and accessibility" | UK residency or citizenship not required. Translations, short story collections and novellas (< 30 000 words) not eligible.
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Orange Broadband Prize for New Writers
(UK) | Best first work of fiction in English by a woman writer of any age or nationality. Published in UK within year before 31st March of current year. Publishers to submit. | 31st March annually | www.orangeprize.co.uk
"...emphasis on potential and emerging talent" | UK residency or citizenship not required. Short story collections and novellas (< 30 000 words) eligible.
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PEN Beyond Margins Award
(USA) | Book-length writings by authors of color, published in USA during current calendar year. Publishers and agents may submit. | September 1 - December 31 annually | www.pen.org
"...racial and ethnic diversity within the literary and publishing communities" | U.S. residency or citizenship not required. Works of fiction, literary nonfiction, biography/memoir and works of literary character preferred.
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PEN / STUDZINSKI Literary Award
(South Africa) | Original unpublished short stories: 2500 - 5000 words, in English | Tuesday, 30th September 2008 | www.sapen.co.za
| Citizens of African and Southern African Development Community (SADC*) countries. |
Poetry Society's national Poetry Competition
(England, World) | Established and budding poets, in English | 31st October 2008 | www.poetrysociety.org.uk
| Open to anyone 17 yrs and over. Original, unpublished work. 40 lines max. Entry fee. |
POWA Women’s Writing Competition 2008
(South Africa) | Poetry, short stories, and personal essays from women and girl children. 2008 Theme: "Journeys to Recovery". | 22nd August 2008 | www.powa.co.za
POWA: People Opposing Women Abuse | South Africans. Original, unpublished work. No age limit. 11 Official languages. |
Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize
(UK, Commonwealth, Ireland) | Any full-length work of fiction or nonfiction, or volume of poetry, which evokes the spirit of a place. | 15th December 2008 | www.rslit.org
The Royal Society of Literature | Must be published in the UK between the required dates. In English. Books may be entered only by
UK publishers. |
SA Literary Awards
(South Africa)
The wRite Assoc. & Department of Arts and Culture | '...to pay tribute to SA writers who have distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature' | 15th September 2009 | Email:
raks@
writeassociates.co.za
Tel: +27(0)11 326 4664 or +27(0)11 326 1402 | SA Writers. Publishers nominate books. SA Official languages only. 4 categories. |
Sunday Times Fiction Award
(South Africa) | '...a work of rare imagination and style, evocative, textured and a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark in contemporary fiction’ | 20th November 2009 | www.thetimes.co.za
/SpecialReports/BookAwards2008 | SA Writers. In English. Publishers nominate books. |
Sunday Times Alan Paton Award
(South Africa) | The illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power; compassion; elegance of writing; and intellectual and moral integrity. | 20th November 2009 | www.thetimes.co.za
/SpecialReports/BookAwards2008 | SA Writers. Non Fiction. In English. Publishers nominate books. |
University of Johannesburg Prizes
(South Africa) | Prize for the best creative work & Prize for the best creative debut work. Genre-less, simply focussing on the best writing in the given language | end July 2008 (English)
end April 2009 (Afrikaans)
| www.uj.ac.za
www.book.co.za | SA Writers. Afrikaans & English. Published in previous calendar year. Publishers nominate books. |
Writers' Digest
International Self-Published Book Award
(USA) | Fiction,
non fiction, genre,
children picture, reference,
autobio, young adult, poetry | around 1st May annually | www.writersdigest.com
/competitions | English - self-published work only. Open to non-US residents. |
Writers' Digest
Annual Writing Competition
(USA) | Inspirational,
Memoirs, Magazine,
Genre Short Story
Literary Short Story
Rhyming Poetry
Non-rhyming Poetry
Stage Play
Television/Movie Script
Children's/Young Adult Fiction | around May 15, annually | www.writersdigest.com
/competitions | English - unpublished & unproduced work only. Open to non-US residents. |
Writers' Digest
Popular Fiction Award
(USA) | Popular fiction | around November 01, annually | www.writersdigest.com
/competitions | English - unpublished & unproduced work only. Open to non-US residents. |
Writers' Digest
Poetry Awards
(USA) | Poetry | around December 20, annually | www.writersdigest.com
/competitions | English - unpublished & unproduced work only. Open to non-US residents. |
Writers' Digest
Short Short Story Competition
(USA) | Short short story | around December 03, annually | www.writersdigest.com
/competitions | English - unpublished & unproduced work only. Open to non-US residents. |
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††† death is the backing on the mirror †††
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