A List of Writing Contests in 2022 | Exciting Prizes!

• Nov 09, 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 it 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 December, don’t worry! We’ll add those 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 writing contests in 2022. 

September 2022

The month of September has a good mix of short story competitions, poetry contests, book writing competitions, and nonfiction contests. While we couldn’t find an essay contest for you this month, there are several mixed competitions that feature the nonfiction category.

Short story contests 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 limit: 1,000

Prize: Feature in a unique art publication

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 04 September 2022

2. Women’s Fiction Competition 2022 – Short Story 

The short story contest is organized by Mslexia. All shortlisted stories will appear in an ebook anthology while the four finalists will be published in the December 2022 edition of Mslexia.

Word limit: 3,000

Prizes: £3,000, three prizes of £100

Entry fee: £12

Closing date: 19 September 2022

3. The Booksie 2022 Short Story Competition

This short story contest is organized by Booksie, an online writing platform. The organizers are looking for stories to make them “laugh, cry and see the world in a slightly different way.”

Word limit: 5,000

Prizes: $500, two prizes of $100

Entry fee: $5.99

Closing date: 24 September 2022

4. Henshaw Short Story Competitions

The short story contest is organized by the Henshaw Press. For a fee of £14, you can get critiques from the competition judges after the results have been announced.

Word limit: 2,000

Prizes: £200, £100, £50

Entry fee: £6

Closing date: 30 September 2022

5. Writer Contest – Writers of the Future 

This is the most influential story contest in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. It has three quarterly winners and one yearly winner, who receives a grand prize of an additional $5,000.

Word limit: 17,000

Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 30 September 2022

Poetry contests 2022

6. 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 

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $9

Closing date: 10 September 2022

7. One Page Poetry Contest – 2022 

This poetry contest invites poets to submit a single page of poetry. Aside from this, there are no regulations of genre, style, or theme on the entries.

Word limit: None

Prize: $2,000, $1,000, $500

Entry fee: $95

Closing date: 20 September 2022

8. Troubadour International Poetry Prize 2022 

The poetry competition will be judged by Joshua Bennet and Victoria Kennefick. Winners will read their entries alongside judges at the prize-night celebrations!

Word limit: 45 lines

Prizes: £2,000, £1,000, £500 

Entry fee: £5

Closing date: 26 September 2022 

9. Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

The poetry contest awards one top prize for a poem in any style or genre and another for a poem with rhyme. Soma Mei Sheng Frazier and Michal Jones will judge the contest.

Word limit: 250 lines

Prizes: Two prizes of $3,000 and ten prizes of $200

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 30 September 2022

10. Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry

This poetry contest is sponsored by the Dennis Myner Trust. Entry is free, but limited to one entry per person. Katrina Naomi and Penelope Shuttle are the judges.

Word limit: 41 lines

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £300

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 30 September 2022

Book writing competitions 2022

11. 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

12. New Memoir Award 

This memoir writing competition asks you to send a 300 word overview of your memoir along with the entry. As you’re longlisted and shortlisted, you’ll be asked to submit more words.

Word limit: 5,000–8,000

Prizes: £1,500, £750, three prizes of £150

Entry fee: £24

Closing date: 30 September 2022

13. 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

14. The XJ Kennedy Poetry Prize 

Texas Review Press has organized this poetry competition every year since 1998. It awards one poet with a publishing contract, a $10,000 advance against royalties, and 20 copies of the book. 

Word limit: 50–100 pages

Prize: $10,000 

Entry fee: $28

Closing date: 30 September 2022

Mixed: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction contests

15. Wild Atlantic Writing Awards 

This flash fiction and nonfiction contest will be held in two separate categories. The top ten stories in each category will be published on the Ireland Writing Retreat website with the writers’ permission.

Genres: Flash fiction and creative nonfiction

Theme: Beauty

Word limit: 500

Prizes: €500 and a coupon of €1,000 per category

Entry fee: €10

Closing date: 09 September 2022

16. The Moth Nature Writing Prize 

This competition invites poets and writers to submit entries in the genre of nature writing. The winning entry will be published in the winter issue of The Moth.

Genres: Not specified

Word limit: 4,000

Prize: €1,000

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 15 September 2022

17. Olga Sinclair Prize 2022 

This writing competition invites poets and writers to submit their entries with no limitations of genre or style. They usually set a theme for their contest, but have decided against it this year.

Genres: Not specified

Word limit: 2,000

Prizes: £500, £250, £100

Entry fee: £9

Closing date: 30 September 2022

18. Dreamers Flash Fiction and Nonfiction Contest 

This flash fiction and nonfiction competition is organized by Dreamers. The winning story will be published in the December 2022 issue of the magazine.

Genres: Flash fiction and nonfiction

Word limit: 300–1,000

Prizes: $150 CAD

Entry fee: $15 CAD

Closing date: 30 September 2022

October 2022

While the month of October is dominated by flash fiction and short story contests, it also features a decent number of poetry competitions. After a thorough search, we have also found a nonfiction contest for this month!

Short fiction competitions 2022

1. SAS Fiction Contest 2022-2023

Organized under the Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival, the short story contest welcomes queer stories. Top ten finalists will be published in an anthology, for which there will be a book release party.

Theme: Saints and sinners

Word limit: 3,000–7,000

Prizes: $500, two prizes of $100

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 01 October 2022

2. TWFest Fiction Contest 2022-2023 

The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival has organized this short story competition. It is open to only unpublished authors, so writers who have self-published are not eligible.

Word limit: 7,000

Prize: $1,500

Entry fee: $25

Closing date: 02 October 2022

3. Bath Flash Fiction Award 

This flash fiction competition is currently open for its July to October round. 50 longlisted entries will be offered publication and the published writers will receive a free print copy of the anthology.

Word limit: 300

Prizes: £1000, £300, £100, two  prizes of £30

Entry fee: £25

Closing date: 15 October 2022

4. Creative Writing Contests – Calvino Prize 

The fiction writing contest is organized by the Creative Writing Program at the University of Louisville. You may submit up to 25 pages of any piece of fiction.

Word limit: 25 pages

Prizes: $2000, $300

Entry fee: $25

Closing date: 15 October 2022

5. The Raven Short Story Contest 

The short story contest is organized by Pulp Literature and the winning entry will be published in the Spring 2022 issue of the magazine. The contest has an early bird entry fee of $15, so hurry up!

Word limit: 2,500

Prize: $300

Entry fee: $20

Early bird deadline: 15 September 2022

Closing date: 15 October 2022

6. TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest 2022-2023 

The flash fiction writing contest is open to writers who haven’t published a book of short fiction yet. The winning entry will be published in New Orleans Review Archive Features.

Word limit: 1,000

Prizes: $500

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 16 October 2022

7. The GBP Short Story Prize 2022/23

The Galley Beggar Press has organized this short story competition for both published and unpublished writers. Shortlisted entries receive £200 while the longlisted one receive gift vouchers.

Word limit: 6,000

Prizes: £2500, some prizes of £200, and others

Entry fee: £10

Closing date: 16 October 2022

8. Letter Review Prize for Short Stories 

Letter Review has organized this short story competition to provide an opportunity for fiction writers. All longlisted and shortlisted writers have a chance to get published with Letter Review.

Word limit: 400–3,000

Prizes: $600, $250, $150

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 31 October 2022

9. Fiction Factory Short Story Competition 

The short story contest welcomes entries on any theme. The winning entry will be published on the website and published in an anthology at a later date.

Word limit: 3,000

Prize: £500

Entry fee: £7

Closing date: 31 October 2022

10. The Larry Brown Short Story Award

Pithead Chapel has organized this short story contest. Five finalists will be published in the January 2023 issue of the magazine. Don’t forget to attach a cover letter with your entry!

Word limit: 4,000

Prizes: $500, $50, $50

Entry free: $10 

Closing date: 31 October 2022

Poetry competitions 2022

11. Martha Richardson Poetry Prize 2022

Ballarat Writers has organized this poetry contest to celebrate the poet Martha Richardson. I will publish the winning entry on their website in December 2022. 

Theme: Inflate

Word limit: 40 lines

Prizes: AUS $1,000, AUS $400, AUS $100

Entry fee: AUS $20 per poem

Closing date: 01 October 2022

12. 2023 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

This is one of Australia’s most respected poetry contests. It awards single-authored poems in memory of the late Australian poet Peter Porter.

Word limit: 70 lines

Prizes: $6,000 AUD, four prizes of $1,000 AUD

Entry fee: $25 

Closing date: 03 October 2022

13. SAS POETRY Contest 2022-2023

The poetry contest invites LGBTQ+ poets around the world to submit their entries. One entry may consist of up to 2–4 poems. Top finalists will be published in a poetry chapbook.

Theme: Family

Word limit: 400 lines

Prizes: $500, two prizes of $100

Entry fee: $20 

Closing date: 15 October 2022

14. TWFest Poetry Contest 2022-2023 

The poetry competition invites entries with up to 2–4 poems. It is open to poets who haven’t published a book of poetry. Writers who have published in other genres are eligible to enter.

Word limit: 400 lines

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $15 

Closing date: 16 October 2022

15. Anthology Poetry Award 2022 

Organized by Anthology, the poetry competition awards a top poem with the cash prize and publication. The organizers advise you to go through earlier issues to learn about the type of material they publish. 

Theme: Dreams

Word limit: 40 lines

Prize: €500

Entry fee: €15 

Closing date: 31 October 2022

16. National Poetry Competition 

One of the world’s most prestigious contests, it runs alongside the Peggy Poole Award, which will award one poet from North West of England, mentorship from a judge of this competition.

Word limit: 40 lines

Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000, £200

Entry fee: £7

Closing date: 31 October 2022

17. Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award 

Red Hen Press has organized this competition, awarding an unpublished book of poetry with a cash prize and publication. The winner also receives a four-week residency at PLAYA residency.

Word limit: 48–96 pages

Prize: $3,000

Entry fee: $25

Closing date: 31 October 2022

Nonfiction contests

18. 2022 Nonfiction Contest

The contest is organized by EVENT magazine. The organizers urge writers to explore the form of creative nonfiction. Entry to the contest comes with a one-year subscription of the magazine.

Word limit: 5,000

Prizes: $1,500, $1,000, $500

Entry fee: $34.95

Closing date: 15 October 2022

19. Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Contest

WOW! Women on Writing has organized this essay writing contest. You may opt for a critique from the judges by paying a fee of $25. The entries are limited to 300, so don’t waste any time!

Word limit: 200–1,000

Prizes: $500, $300, $200

Entry free: $12 

Closing date: 31 October 2022

Book writing contests

20. Grindstone 2022 Novel Prize

Send the first 5,000 words of a manuscript longer than 50,000 words in length, targeted to adults or young adults. All longlisted works will be forwarded to top agencies in the UK.

Word limit: 5,000

Prizes: £1,000, £500, four prizes of £125

Entry fee: £16

Closing date: 01 October 2022

21. The Megaphone Prize 

This writing competition invites debut writers of color to send their short story collections. It also allows 25 fee waivers for writers with low income. Award-winning writer Deesha Philyaw is the judge.

Word limit: 35,000–80,000

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 15 October 2022

22. 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

Mixed: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction contests

23. Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize  

This writing competition is organized by The Missouri Review. The organizers invite poets and writers to submit entries in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. 

Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Word limit: 8,500

Prizes: Three prizes of $5,000

Entry fee: $25

Closing date: 01 October 2022

24. 2022 Short Story and Poetry Competition 

The competition invites poets and writers to send their entries in two categories. Both categories feature three contests, which increases your chances of winning! The contest also has a lower fee for full-time students.

Genres: Short story and poetry

Word limit: 3,000 and 40 lines

Prizes: £1000, £200, £100 per category

Entry fee: £7.5 per story/poem

Closing date: 01 October 2022

25. She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing 

She Writes Press has organized this writing contest to recognize two BIPOC women writers with publication packages and a 500 book print run. The contest also welcomes trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer people.

Genres: Fiction and nonfiction

Word limit: 50 pages

Prizes: Publication packages

Entry: Free! 

Closing date: 15 October 2022

26. SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2022 

The writing contest invites poets and writers to submit entries that display a link to any mythology. The contest celebrates the centenary of the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses.

Genres: Fiction and poetry

Theme: Myth

Word limit: 3,500 for short story; 60 lines for poetry

Prizes: £200, £100, and £50 for both categories

Entry free: £3 for poetry; £4 for story 

Closing date: 31 October 2022

27. The Bedford Competition 

The writing competition is open to all international poets and writers over 17 years of age. The organizers donate the proceeds from the contest to charities that support literary and literacy skills.

Genres: Fiction and poetry

Word limit: 3,000 for short story; 40 lines for poetry

Prizes: £1,000, £300, and £200 for both categories

Entry free: £7.5 for poetry or story 

Closing date: 31 October 2022

November 2022

We’ve found some interesting contests for you in November, including a travel writing contest and a six-word contest! We managed to jot down two nonfiction contests this time around, and they’re both in the genres of creative nonfiction.

Flash fiction contests 2022

1. The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 

The grand prize winner of this flash fiction writing competition will be automatically nominated for several other influential prizes. You may submit entries in other languages as long as it’s accompanied by an English translation!

Word limit: 1,000

Prizes: $2,500, $1,000, $500, multiple prizes of $100

Entry free: $12 / $14

Closing date: 02 October / 15 November 2022

2. Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition 

The writing competition is organized by Fiction Factory and welcomes entries in all genres except children’s and young adult literature. 

Word limit: 1,000

Prizes: £300

Entry fee: £5

Closing date: 30 November 2022

3. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2022 

The organizers of this flash fiction competition invite you to submit works of fiction of any genre, style, or theme. All entrants can submit up to three entries.

Word limit: 300 

Prizes: £700, £200, £100

Entry fee: £6

Closing date: 30 November 2022

4. Flash Fiction Competition 

This quarterly flash fiction contest will start accepting entries on the 1st of September. All longlisted entries stand a chance to be published in the contest anthology!

Word limit: 180–360 

Prizes: £1,200, £600, £300, £150

Entry fee: £7

Starting date: 01 September 2022

Closing date: 30 November 2022

Short story contests

5. Western Writing Contest

FanStory has organized this short story competition for stories with Old West themes. The contest has a limit of one entry per writer, and all writers receive feedback on their submission. 

Word limit: 2,000–5,000

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 29 November 2022

6. ServiceScape Short Story Award 2022 

ServiceScape has organized this short story competition to help new writers reach bigger audiences. All genres and themes are welcome, and the winning story will be published on their blog.

Word limit: 5,000

Prize: $1,000

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 29 November 2022

7. Fish Short Story Prize 

This year, Sarah Hall will judge the esteemed short story competition. Ten winners will be published in the Fish Anthology 2023. The top two winners also get additional prizes!

Word limit: 5,000

Prizes: €3,000, €300, €300, seven prizes of €200, and more

Entry free: €20

Closing date: 30 November 2022

Poetry contests 2022

8. Brick Road Poetry Book Contest 

This poetry contest is open to book length poetry manuscripts. The winning entry receives a publishing contract, and other finalists will also be considered for publication. 

Word limit: 50–100 pages

Prizes: $1,000 and 25 copies of the book

Entry free: $30

Closing date: 01 November 2022

6. Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry 2022 

The poetry competition by Reed Magazine “celebrates the wonderful diversity of forms, styles, and levels of diction available to the contemporary poet.” You may submit up to five poems in one entry.

Word limit: None 

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 02 November 2022

8. Sonnet Poetry Contest 

This poetry contest invites poets to submit sonnets in iambic pentameter, the way Shakespeare wrote it! The organizers have provided detailed instructions on the kind of sonnet they accept, so make sure to go through those!

Word limit: 14 lines 

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 06 November 2022 

9. Cafe Writers Poetry Competition 

Cafe Writers has organized this poetry contest and it will be judged by Jennifer Wong this year. The contest offers a fee concession for UK poets with a household income of less than £16,000.

Word limit: 40 lines

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200, £100, five prizes of £50

Entry free: £4 per poem

Closing date: 14 November 2022

10. Lune Poetry Contest 

This poetry competition has been organized by FanStory. Lune is known as the American Haiku and is written in three lines. All poets receive feedback on their submission.

Word limit: 13 syllables 

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 16 November 2022

11. Minute Poetry Contest 

A minute poem has three four-line stanzas that follow a “8,4,4,4” syllable structure. So the poem is twelve lines in total, written in strict iambic meter. Are you ready to take on the challenge?

Word limit: 60 syllables 

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 22 November 2022

12. Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition 

Munster Literature Centre has organized this poetry contest, to be judged by Suji Kwock Kim. The top prize comes with a featured reading at Cork International Poetry Festival and all finalists will be published in Southword.

Word limit: 40 lines

Prizes: €2,000, €500, €250, ten prizes of €50

Entry free: €7 per poem

Closing date: 30 November 2022

Nonfiction contests

13. Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction 2022 

The nonfiction contest invites writers to submit stand-alone essays of creative nonfiction. It is organized by Reed Magazine and accepts only unpublished work.

Word limit: 5,000 

Prize: $1,333

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 12 November 2022

14. True Story Contest 

The nonfiction contest is organized by FanStory. The organizers ask you to submit a true story that will “allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts.”

Word limit: 5,000 

Prize: $100

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 12 November 2022

Book writing competitions

15. The Caledonia Novel Award

The novel writing contest invites you to send the first 20 pages of your manuscript along with a synopsis of 200 words. They have some sponsored entries for writers with low income.

Word limit: 20 pages

Prize: £1,500

Entry fee: £25

Closing date: 01 November 2022

16. Bath Children’s Novel Award 

Leading literary agents in the genre of children’s fiction judge this contest in search of “potential rather than perfection”. Junior Judges, aged up to seventeen years old, will select the shortlisted entries!

Word limit: 5,000

Prize: £3,000

Entry fee: £29

Closing date: 30 November 2022

17. Quill Prose Award 

This competition awards queer people’s writing in the genre of fiction or nonfiction. The organizers seek to “work against the negative politics of labeling while honoring and empowering authors who identify as queer.”

 Word limit: 25,000

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 30 November 2022

18. Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Competition 

This mystery novel competition invites writers to send published manuscripts that revolve around murder or other serious crimes. This is a great opportunity for self-published writers!

Word limit: 65,000

Prize: $10,000

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 30 November 2022

Mixed: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction contests

19. Six Word Wonder Contest 2022

This eccentric contest invites poets and writers to compose anything in under six words: a poem, a story, a memoir, or even a joke! It allows you to send up to six entries at once, so why not take the chance?

Word limit: 06

Prize: £100

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 30 November 2022

20. Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest 

The writing competition is organized by Tadpole Press. Write a hundred words without the constraints of genre or theme, and see where you end up! 

Word limit: 100

Prize: $1,000 and others

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 30 November 2022

December 2022

We’ll keep adding to this list as the year passes and more contests go live with a December deadline. For now, these are our entries for this month, and poetry contests outnumber all others!

Short fiction contests

1. 7 Day Story Writing Challenges 

The short story contest runs every seven days, and those registered are assigned a genre and a secret theme. Writers who register don’t need to re-register for a new cycle of the contest.

Word limit: 2,000

Prize: £500 

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 31 December 2022

2. Flash Fiction Competition 

Flash 500 organizes this flash competition as a quarterly open-themed contest. The competition “truly reflects the skill required to encapsulate an entire story in just 500 words.”

Word limit: 500

Prizes: £300, £200, £100

Entry fee: £5

Closing date: 31 December 2022

Poetry competitions

3. Four Line Poem Contest

The organizers of this poetry competition want you to write a four line poem with this syllable structure: 1, 5, 5, 9. All poets receive feedback on their submission. Think you’re up for the challenge?

Word limit: 20 syllables

Prize: $100 

Entry fee: $10

Closing date: 22 December 2022

4. The Moth Poetry Prize 

This is one of the biggest poetry contests awarding a single unpublished poem. Nobel Prize-winning poet Louise Glück is the judge this year. The winner will be announced at a special award ceremony at Poetry Ireland in Dublin.

Word limit: None

Prize: €6,000 

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 31 December 2022 

5. Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Contest

This is the 41st bi-annual poetry contest Blue Mountain Arts has organized. Poets are invited to send both rhyming or non-rhyming poems, but the organizers have a preference for non-rhyming poetry.

Word limit: None

Prizes: $350, $200, $100 

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 31 December 2022

6. The Poetry.com Contest 

The platform organizes monthly poetry competitions where all participants vote for the winning entry. Every month, the organizers offer five free entries for poets who can’t pay the entry fee.

Word limit: 75 lines

Prizes: $500, $300, $200

Entry fee: $25

Closing date: 31 December 2022 

7. 2023 Poetry Competition 

The Society of Classical Poets has organized this poetry contest, inviting poets to submit their entries with a meter. The organizers encourage rhyme and other traditional techniques, but they’re not required.

Word limit: 108 lines

Prizes: $2,000

Entry free: $20

Closing date: 31 December 2022

Nonfiction contest

8. Free Writing Competition – My Writing Journey 

This essay writing contest invites you to submit entries on the given theme. The winning entry will be published on The Writers College blog and newsletter. Send the essay in the body of your email, and not as an attachment!

Theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received

Word limit: 600

Prizes: $200

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 31 December 2022

Book writing contests

9. Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize 

The writing competition invites novels that engage with green solutions and raise awareness about “the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy”. Send three chapters from your novel with a synopsis.

Word limit: 4,000–10,000

Prizes: £1000, £500

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 01 December 2022

10. Chimera Fantasy Awards

This fantasy book writing competition is in its inaugural year, inviting unpublished and self-published writers to submit the first 20,000 words of their manuscripts along with a synopsis. The 12 shortlisted entries will be published on their website!

Word limit: 20,000

Prizes: £2500, £1200, £600

Entry fee: £6

Closing date: 01 December 2022

11. First Crime Novel Competition  

The novel writing contest is open to writers who haven’t yet published a book, but self-published authors are eligible to enter! Just make sure the manuscript you’re submitting hasn’t been self-published.

Word limit: 40,000–66,000

Prize: $10,000

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 16 December 2022

Mixed contest

12. 2023 Work Anthology 

Unleash Press has organized this writing contest, inviting poets and writers to submit entries about “the job you loved… The job you loathed… The job that told you about yourself.”

Genres: Essay, fiction, drama, poetry

Theme: Work

Word limit: 5,000

Prize: $150

Entry free: $10

Closing date: 31 December 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!

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