- 8 Pre-Publishing Steps to Self-Publish Your Book
- 7 Essential Elements of a Book Cover Design
- A Step-By-Step Guide to Self-Publishing
- Book Cover Design: An Introduction
- What is a Book Copyright Page?
- How to Copyright Your Book?
- Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing: Which is Better?
- How Much Does Self-Publishing Cost?
- 7 Essential Elements of a Book Cover Design
- What Makes Typesetting a Pre-Publishing Essential for Every Author?
- 4 Online Publishing Platforms To Boost Your Readership
- A Step-By-Step Guide to Self-Publishing
- How to Market Your Book Effectively
- How to Choose The Best Book Editor for Your Novel
- Hiring A Book Editor? | Quick Questions to Help Choose Better
- What to Expect From An Expert Book Editor
- The Complete Guide to ISBN: What It Is and How You Can Get One
- What is Developmental Editing? A Self-Editing Checklist
- A Guide to Book Editing and Proofreading
- Book Cover Design: An Introduction
- Typesetting: An Introduction
- Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing: Which is Better?
- How Much Does Self-Publishing Cost?
- How Does Book Editing and Proofreading Work?
- How to Hire a Book Editor in 5 Practical Steps
- Self-Publishing Options for Writers
- How To Create A Stellar Plot Outline
- The Art of Storytelling Using The Hero’s Journey
- Short stories: Do’s and don’ts
- Five Key Elements of a Short Story
- How to Write a Powerful Plot in 12 Steps
- Types of Characters in Fiction
- Research for Fiction Writers: What You Should Know While Crafting Stories
- How to write your Protagonist
- How to Write Unforgettable Antagonists
- A Blog Sized Compendium of Worldbuilding for Fiction
- On Being Tense About Tense: What Verb Tense To Write Your Novel In
- How to Create Conflict in Your Story
- How to Punctuate Dialogue in Fiction
- Character Talk: The Foil and The Stock
- How to Write a Novel in the Past Tense?
- On Being Tense about Tense: Present Tense Narratives in Novels
- The Ultimate Guide to Dialogue Writing
- How to Create Depth in Characters
- Starting Your Book With a Bang: Ways to Catch Readers’ Attention
- How To Craft a Murder Mystery Story
- How To Write Better Letters In Your Novel
- 5 Screenplay Editing Tips for a Top-Notch Script
Reviews
4.5 out of 5 on Google reviews and 4.6 out of 5 on Reviews.co.uk.
I was happy to receive both a tracked and a clean version of the edited document.
I will happily recommend PaperTrue to my friends, and I will myself come back on a later occasion.
Amazing service and a welcoming chat on the website! I love the detailed comments and feedback on the tracked document :) They really did a good job at making my debut novel a lot better while still keeping my style of writing!
Much love from Denmark <3
Still have questions? Leave a comment
Make The Most Of Our Services
Checklist: Dissertation Proposal
Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!
Examples: Edited Papers
Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!
Academic
Editing and Proofreading for Disserations, Theses, Research Papers, Essays, Journal Articles
view more
Writing Contests Happening in 2022
Jun 01, 2022
7
min read
- Tags: Fiction Writing, Novel, Short Story
Writing competitions are vital for any poets and writers who want to be successful. But it’s important to know which poetry competitions, short story contests, and nonfiction contests are worth the effort. So we took a deep dive into the web, looking for the writing contests in 2022 that are both exciting and dependable.
Suffice to say, you won’t find any sham contests in this list!
Writing Contests in 2022
We love bringing you useful information that can help you along in your writing career. In fact, as your editors and proofreaders, we consider it our duty! So, we have brought you only the best poetry competitions and the most exciting nonfiction contests.
Whether you’re a poet or a writer, the themes and challenges you’ll find here are sure to make your writing juices flow!
Along with the usual poetry competitions, short story contests, and nonfiction contests, we have a mixed contest category. These contests are open to both poets and writers, accepting entries in multiple genres.
If you can’t find entries for the last few months of the year, don’t worry! We’ll keep adding to this list as new competitions are declared and more writing contests in 2022 go live. So, make sure to keep an eye out on this page.
Without further ado, let’s begin our list of the writing contests in 2022.
June 2022
The month of June features a wealth of short story competitions and a few interesting flash fiction contests, but not many poetry competitions. Although, we’ve found some exciting mixed contests for poets and writers, so let’s begin with the list.
Poetry Competitions
1. Canterbury Festival’s Poet of the Year 2022
The poetry contest is a part of the Canterbury Festival. 35 poems will be chosen from the entries to be included in the annual Poet of the Year anthology.
Word limit: 60 lines
Prizes: £200, £100, £50
Entry fee: £5 per poem
Closing date: 03 June 2022
2. Poetry London Prize 2022
Romalyn Ante will judge the top 500 entries submitted for this poetry competition. The entries will be sifted by the editors of Poetry London before reaching the judge’s desk.
Word limit: 80 lines
Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000
Entry fee: £8 per poem
Closing date: 30 June 2022
Flash fiction writing competitions
3. Drabblextravaganza 2022
The drabble contest, organized by Sleek City Press, allows you to submit up to three entries. Fee waivers will be considered for writers in difficult circumstances.
Word limit: 100
Prizes: Ten prizes of $250
Entry fee: $8
Closing date: 05 June 2022
4. Bath Flash Fiction Award
The contest invites entries from unpublished writers who haven’t won any writing competitions. 50 selected entries will be offered publication!
Word limit: 300
Prizes: £1000, £300, £100, two prizes of £30
Entry fee: £9
Closing date: 05 June 2022
5. The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction
The flash fiction contest welcomes both published and unpublished stories, and true stories are welcome if written in a narrative form. There is a word limit for individual stories, but each entry may consist of three such stories.
Word limit: 1,000 words
Prizes: $1000, $100 for the finalists
Entry fee: $15
Closing date: 30 June 2022
Short story contests
6. BlackInk New Writing Competition
The short story contest invites creative writers from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora to submit their entries. Two winning short stories will be published in BlackInk magazine for Black History Month in October 2022.
Word limit: 2,000
Prizes: Two prizes of £500
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 06 June 2022
7. Baby Boomers Plus 2022
The short story contest is open to people born before 1966 and invites entries on any theme or subject. The top 15 stories will be published by Living Springs Publishers.
Word count: 900–4000
Prizes: $500, $200, $100
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 15 June 2022
8. The Moth Short Story Prize 2022
Sarah Hall will judge this short story contest. Along with the cash reward, the second prize includes a writing retreat at Circle of Misse. Exciting, right!
Word limit: 4,000 words
Prizes: €3,000, €250 (with a writing retreat), €1000
Entry fee: €15
Closing date: 30 June 2022
9. The Henshaw Short Story Competition
The short story contest is organized by the Henshaw Press. If this is your first time participating in a contest, make sure to go through their Story Presentation Page!
Word limit: 2,000
Prizes: £200, £100, £50
Entry fee: £6; £14 for a critique
Closing date: 30 June 2022
10. The Lindisfarne Prize for Crime Fiction
The author L. J. Ross has organized this short story contest through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing. The contest invites entries celebrating the North East of England.
Word limit: 10,000
Prizes: £2500 and others
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 30 June 2022
Nonfiction contests
11. International Amy MacRae Award for Memoir
The creative nonfiction contest celebrates Amy’s life and her legacy of improving the lives of women with ovarian cancer. It invites original, unpublished memoirs or personal essays.
Word count: 2,000
Prizes: $1000, plus $1000 towards a writing retreat in France
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 21 June 2022
12. International Essay Contest for Young People
The GOI Peace Foundation has organized this annual essay contest “in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world’s youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development.”
Word limit: 700
Prizes: $840, $420, and others
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 15 June 2022
Book writing contests
13. The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition
The book writing contest invites novels written by adults for children between the ages of 7–18. The prizes come with an offer of representation by this year’s agent judge, Louise Lamont.
Word limit: 30,000–80,000 words
Prizes: £10,000 and £7,500 as advance against royalties
Entry fee: £20
Closing date: 01 June 2022
14. 42 Miles Press Poetry Award
The poetry book writing contest is organized “in an effort to bring urgent and original voices to the poetry reading public.” The winner will be invited to give a reading at Indiana University.
Word limit: 48–120 pages
Prize: $1,000 plus publication and 50 author copies
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 15 June 2022
15. Drue Heinz Literature Prize
The book writing award is open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas. The entry may be a collection of short stories or novellas.
Word limit: 150–300 pages
Prize: $15,000 and publication
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 30 June 2022
16. North Street Book Prize
The book writing competition invites self-published poets and writers to submit their manuscripts. It accepts entries in a variety of genres, so be sure to check out their website!
Word limit: 200,000
Prizes: $8,000, $1,000, $250
Entry fee: $70
Closing date: 30 June 2022
Mixed contests: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction contests
17. Write By the Sea Festival Contests
The contests are organized by the Write By the Sea Festival and offer free tickets to the festival for category winners. Poets and writers are allowed to submit entries in all three categories.
Genres: Short story, flash fiction, poetry
Word limit: 3,000 for short story, 700 for flash fiction, 40 lines for poetry
Prizes: €1,000, two prizes of €500
Entry fee: €10 per entry; €25 for three entries
Closing date: 03 June 2022
18. Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
The contest invites entries in multiple categories by poets and writers who have not yet published a book-length work. Along with the winners, fifteen shortlistees will be offered publication and writing workshops.
Genres: Fiction, poetry, and life writing
Word limit: 3,000 words
Prizes: £1,000 per category
Entry fee: £10 for one entry; £16 for double entry
Closing date: 30 June 2022
19. Boston Review 2022 Writing Contests
Boston Review has organized the Annual Poetry Contest and the Aura Estrada Short Story Contest with a shared theme and deadline. The contest offers subsidized and free entries to poets and writers from third world countries or with low income.
Theme: Speculation
Genres: Short story and poetry
Word limit: 5,000 for short story; 10 pages for poetry
Prizes: $1,000 per category and publication
Entry fee: $20
Closing date: 30 June 2022
July 2022
July has a heathy mix of short story contests, poetry competitions and book writing contests for poets and writers. Aside from the usual poetry, fiction, and nonfiction contests, we’ve also found a script writing contest this month!
Short fiction contests
1. Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
The contest is open to previously unpublished short fiction on Jewish content. The organizers are looking for stories related to Judaism, and Jewish culture and history.
Word limit: Up to 5,000 words
Prizes: $1,000
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 01 July 2022
2. HG Wells Short Story Competition 2022
The contest was established to encourage creative writing among young people. All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology!
Theme: Mask
Word limit: 1,500–5,000 words
Prizes: £500
Entry fee: £10
Closing date: 11 July 2022
3. Short Story Competition: Clean vs Green
This short story competition aims to help readers understand how misinformation about bacteria can end up killing our bodies’ good bacteria through overuse of harsh cleaning products.
Word limit: 1,000–3,000
Prize: £500
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 21 July 2022
4. 2022 Dillydoun Flash Fiction Prize
The Dillydoun Review will consider all entries for publication, while winning entries and honorable mentions will be published in the anthology.
Word limit: 1,000
Prizes: $2,000, $1,000, $500, honorable mentions of $50
Entry fee: $18
Closing date: 31 July 2022
5. Seán O’Faoláin International Short Story Competition
The short story contest invites writers to submit stories on any subject in any style. The top prize includes publication in Southword, residency at Anam Cara Retreat, and featured reading at the Cork International Short Story Festival.
Word limit: 3,000
Prizes: €2,000, €500, €250
Entry fee: €19
Closing date: 31 July 2022
Poetry competitions
6. McLellan Poetry Competition
The McLellan Poetry Prize is awarded by the Arran Theater and Arts Trust as part of the annual McLellan Arts Festival. Poets may submit multiple poems, but each additional entry has a £5 fee.
Word limit: 80 lines
Prizes: £1300, £400, £150, five prizes of £50
Entry fee: £6
Closing date: 10 July 2022
7. Rattle Poetry Prize
The poetry competition invites poets to send an entry comprising up to four poems. Aside from the top prize, a Readers’ Choice Award will be given to one of the ten finalists.
Word limit: None
Prizes: $15,000, $5,000, ten prizes of $500
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 15 July 2022
8. 2022 Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Poetry Contest
The Comstock Review has organized this poetry competition. Poets may send their entries via post or online, with different fee structures. Honorable mentions receive a year’s subscription to the magazine.
Word limit: 40 lines
Prizes: $1,000, $250, $100
Entry fee: $25 for 5 poems
Closing date: 15 July 2022
9. Anthology Poetry Award
The poetry competition was established to encourage the writing and publishing of good poetry. The winning entry will be published in the next issue of Anthology.
Theme: Dreams
Word limit: 40 lines
Prize: €500
Entry fee: €10; €15 for an extended deadline of 31 October 2022
Closing date: 31 July 2022
10. Winchester Poetry Prize
The poetry competition is organized by the Winchester Poetry Festival. It offers free entries for poets on low incomes. Jo Bell is the judge for 2022.
Word limit: 40 lines
Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250
Entry fee: £5; £4 for subsequent poems
Closing date: 31 July 2022
Book writing contests
11. Saudi Historical Novel Award
This novel writing competition accepts entries in the historical fiction genre. Entries must “have been written at least fifty years after the events described.”
Word limit: 60,000–150,000
Prizes: £10,000, two runners up of £3,000 and £2,000
Entry fee: £10
Closing date: 01 July 2022
12. Page One Prize
The writing contest invites novel writers to submit the first page of a novel in progress. Make sure to send the first page of your first chapter, not prologue or introduction.
Word limit: None
Prizes: $1,000, $500, $250
Entry fee: $20
Closing date: 15 July 2022
13. W&A Working-Class Writers’ Prize
Working-class writers can submit a piece of writing from a longer unpublished work. The top prize includes two mentoring sessions with the judge Jessica Andrews!
Word limit: 2,000
Prize: £200
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 18 July 2022
14. 2022 Black Voices in Children’s Literature
The book writing contest invites black writers of children’s literature to send entries that are culturally relevant. The winning manuscript will be considered for publication by Free Spirit.
Word limit: 50–800 words
Prizes: $1,000, $500, $250, and others
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 24 July 2022
Mixed: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction contests
15. Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition
This writing competition invites poets and writers to submit entries in any genre and form. The catch is, they provide you with the opening and closing lines, taken from popular works of literature.
Genres: Fiction and poetry
Word limit: 2,000
Prize: $500
Entry fee: $10
Closing date: 11 July 2022
16. Hastings Book Festival 2022 Competitions
The Hastings Book Festival contest invites poets and writers to send their manuscripts. Prizes will be presented in person at the closing ceremony of the book festival.
Genres: Fiction and poetry
Word limit: 2,500 words for short story, 40 lines for poetry
Prize: Two prizes of £250
Entry fee: £7.50
Closing date: 31 July 2022
17. 2022 National Poetry and Short Story Contest
The writing contest invites Canadian poets and writers to submit their entries online. It is organized by Polar Express Publishing.
Genres: Short story and poetry
Word limit: 750 words for short story, 48 lines for poetry
Prize: $500, $250, $100
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 31 July 2022
Script writing contest
18. Scriptation Showcase
This script competition showcases the winning and shortlisted entries to Hollywood directors, showrunners, and producers. You can opt for feedback on your writing at the time of submitting your entry.
Word limit: 150 pages
Prizes: $1,000, $500, and others
Entry fee: $59
Closing date: 24 July 2022
August 2022
1. Free Verse Poetry Contest
This poetry contest is a small one, but it is legitimate. It invites poems written in the free verse, and allows only one entry per person.
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 22 August 2022
2. Haiku Poetry Contest
This is one of the few global poetry competitions specially designed for haikus. Let’s see what you can create with only seventeen syllables!
Word limit: 17 syllables
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 26 August 2022
3. Take a Photo Poetry Contest
This interesting contest asks you to submit a photo with your poem. Go out for a walk, click a picture, and write a poem on it! Interesting, right?
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 31 August 2022
4. Creative Writing Award 2022
The mixed competition invites poems and short stories with no restriction of theme. Prizes include agent consultation, a free online poetry course, and a selection of vintage books!
Genres: Poetry and fiction
Word limit: 40 lines for poetry; 2,000 words for fiction
Prizes: £2,500 per category
Entry fee: £12 for poetry & £18 for short fiction
Closing date: 31 August 2022
5. Flash Fiction Competition
This flash fiction contest has been organized to celebrate Pigeon Review‘s one year anniversary. They accept previously published work, as long as the writer has full rights to it.
Theme: Leap of faith
Word limit: 1,000
Prizes: $100, $75, $50
Entry fee: $5
Closing date: 31 August 2022
September 2022
1. The Face Project
Each day, the organizer uploads an oil portrait. You have to write a story on this image and send it as your submission. This unique contest allows you to submit up to 28 stories!
Word count: 1,000 words
Prize: Feature in a unique art publication
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 04 September 2022
2. 20 Syllable Poem Contest
This poetry contest invites you to create powerful poems in 20 syllables. Do you think you’re up for the challenge?
Word limit: 20 syllables
Prizes: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 10 September 2022
3. Tales By Moonlight Novella Competition
The novella writing contest invites entries written in the genre of fantasy with magic as theme. The winner will be determined by audience voting!
Theme: Magic
Word limit: 15,000–20,000
Prize: $1000
Entry: Free
Closing date: 15 September 2022
4. Miller Williams Poetry Series and Prize
Organized by the University of Arkansas Press, this prize is awarded to the best book of poetry. The organizers are looking for poems that “vivify and disturb.”
Word limit: 60–90 pages
Prize: $5,000
Entry fee: $28
Closing date: 30 September 2022
October 2022
1. Novel Opening & Synopsis Award
The novel writing contest invites you to submit one chapter of your novel with a synopsis. Your novel need not be completed or published to qualify for the award.
Word limit: 3,000 words; an additional 750 words for synopsis
Prizes: £500, £200
Entry fee: £10
Closing date: 31 October 2022
We hope this list of writing contests in 2022 got you excited to write some poems, stories, or essays, and win some prizes.
If you happen to win any of these contests, be sure to inform your editors! In case you don’t win any, remember that it’s not the prizes that are important, but the writing practice you’ll get out of this experience.
For now, dear poets and writers, good luck!
Hello!
Is it possible to have a flash fiction competition added to this list? If so, can you please add Pigeon Review’s contest here?
Hi Nathaniel!
The flash fiction contest has been added. Thanks for reaching out to us!
Love the article. A great set of contests!
Great job on the list, I can see you’ve curated the best contests for us. Especially love the poetry contest entries…