Blog Entry Contest Deadline: Sept. 30, 2009

Quark Expeditions
Blog Your Way to Antarctica Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 9/30/09 at noon EDT but early entries may benefit since the winner is selected by viewer voting

Eligible Entry: a blog post of 300 words or less

Open to: 21 years old or older

Entry Fee: None

Prize: $20,000 Expedition for 2 to Antarctica

Sonnet Contest Deadline: Nov. 15, 2009

University of Evansville Press
Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/15/09

Eligible Entry: original, unpublished sonnet

Open to: No restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: $3 per sonnet

Prize: $1,000 and publication in the Srping 2010 in the Measure

Playwriting Contest Deadline: Dec. 31, 2009

Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland
Dorothy Silver Playwriting Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 12/31/09

Eligible Entry: unproduced, original play about the Jewish experience

Open to: No restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: No entry fee mentioned

Prize: $500 at time of announcement of the winner, $500 for travel expenses and costs during production

1,001 Awesome Words Contest Deadline: Sept. 30, 2009

PANK Magazine
1,001 Awesome Words Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 09/30/09

Eligible Entry: "any form or formlessness" 1,001 words or less, must be unpublished

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: $15 for one entry; $25 for two entries

Prize: 1st Place: $750 and publication in PANK 4
2nd Place: $500 and publication in PANK 4
3rd Place: $250 and publication in PANK 4
Prize amounts are predicted and may vary from these predictions based on the prize pool.
Each entrant receives a copy of PANK 4.

Collection of Short Stories Competition Deadline: Sept. 30, 2009

University of Iowa
Short Ficiton Award

Submission Period: Deadline: 09/30/09

Eligible Entry: a collection of short stories, minimum of 150 pages

Open to: writers who have not published a volume of prose fiction, current University of Iowa students are not eligible

Entry Fee: none

Prize: publication and standard publication contract

Fiction, Essay, & Poetry Contest Deadline: Oct. 01, 2009

The Missouri Review
Editor's Prize

Submission Period: Deadline: 10/01/09

Eligible Entry: entries must be previously unpublished, no more than 25 pages long for fiction and essay categories, 10 page limit for poetry contest

Open to: No restrictions indicated.

Entry Fee: $20

Prize: $5,000 for each category

All entrants receive a subscription to The Missouri Review.

Short Fiction Contest Deadline: Aug. 31, 2009

Truman State University
The Chariton Review Short Fiction Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 08/31/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished short fiction up to 5,000 words

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: $20

Prize: $1,000 and publication in The Chariton Review

Playwriting Contest Deadline: Oct. 15, 2009

Northern Michigan University
Forest Roberts Theatre Playwriting Award

Submission Period: Deadline: 10/15/09

Eligible Entry: previously unproduced, unpublished full-length plays, no musicals or one-act plays

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: None mentioned in the submission instructions or rules.

Prize: $2,000, production of the play, transportation and accomodations to serve as artist-in-residence for the week of play production, transportation and accomodations to participate in a summer workshop

NaNoWriMo!

National Novel Writing Month
NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is November. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a short novel of 50,000 words during the month of November. While it may seem early to think about a challenge so far in advance, a little preparation beforehand can prevent blocks and false starts. Participants can not write any part of the 50,000 words before November 1st. However, participants may do character studies or outlines to prepare for NaNoWriMo. During NaNoWriMo, writers may become stuck which can impede their progress and ultimately make them feel like giving up or reduce the amount of actual writing time they have left. A chapter outline or at least a detailed idea of the storyline can be extremely beneficial!

Horror Story Contest Deadline: Sept. 17, 2009

Fanstory.com
Horror or Thriller Story Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 09/17/09

Eligible Entry: horror or thriller story with 7,000 words or less

Open to: members of the website. Membership for writers is $2.80/month according to the membership information on the website at the time of this blog entry. Membership fee includes a subscription to their ezine (online magazine).

Entry Fee: free to website members

Prize: 1st prize: $100 pre-paid VISA card
2nd prize: 25 member dollars
3rd prize: 10 member dollars

I'm not a member of this website. They seem to have several short story and poetry contests. You'll have to be the judge of whether you think the website is worth the membership fee.

Ongoing Prize for Children's Literature

Milkweed
Milkweed Prize for Children's Literature

Submission Period: ongoing

Eligible Entry: manuscript for children ages 8 - 13, no picture books or collections of stories, must not have been published in book form in the U.S.

Open to: anyone not previously published by Milkweed

Entry Fee: none

Prize: publication and $10,000 advance on royalties

Ongoing Fiction Prize for $5K Advance on Royalties

Milkweed
Milkweed National Fiction Prize

Submission Period: ongoing

Eligible Entry: manuscript for a novel, collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a combination of short stories and one or more novellas previously unpublished in book form in the U.S.

Open to: anyone

Entry Fee: none

Prize: publication and a $5,000 advance on royalties

Fiction Contest Deadline: Sept. 08, 2009

The Bear Deluxe Magazine
Doug Fir Fiction Award



Submission Period: Deadline: 09/08/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished short story, 5,000 words or less, must be related to the natural world or evironmental issues

Open to: English writers not affiliated with The Bear Deluxe magazine, Orlo, or friends or students of the judge

Entry Fee: $15

Prize: $1,000 and publication in The Bear Deluxe magazine

Creative Nonfiction Contest Deadline: Nov. 30, 2009

The National League of American Pen Women, Inc
Katheryn Krotzer Laborde Creative Nonfiction Prize

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/30/09

Eligible Entry: 3,000 words or less

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: $5

Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $100
2ND PRIZE: $50
3RD PRIZE: $25

Nonfiction Contests Deadline: Aug. 31, 2009

The Preservation Foundation
General Nonfiction and Travel Nonfiction Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 08/31/09

Eligible Entry: creative nonfiction, 1,500 - 5,000 words stories, may enter up to 3 stories

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: No entry fee for the 1st story, $10 for each additional story

Prize: 1st Prize: $100

Short Story & Poetry Contest Deadline: Sept. 15, 2009

The Greesnboro Review
Robert Watson Literary Prizes

Submission Period: Deadline 09/15/09

Eligible Entry: an unpublished poem or short story 7,500 words or less

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: None

Prize: $500 and publication in The Greensboro Review

Short Story Prize Deadline Nov. 30, 2009

National League of American Pen Women & Mary Mackey
Mary Mackey Short Story Prize

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/30/09

Eligible Entry: short story up to 5,000 words

Open to:

Entry Fee: $5

Prize: 1st Prize: $100
2nd prize: $50
3rd prize: $25

Short Story Contest Deadline: Sept. 01, 2009

Brian Agincourt Massey
InnermoonLit Short Story Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 09/01/09

Eligible Entry: short story under 500 words

Open to: writers over the age of 18

Entry Fee: None

Prize: 1st prize: $100
2nd prize: $50
3rd prize: $25

Australian Short Story Contest - Deadline Sept. 25, 2009

ACT Writers Centre
Majorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

Submission Period: Deadline: 09/25/09

Eligible Entry: short story 1,500-3,000 words

Open to: Australian writers who reside in the ACT or region (which covers the shires of Young, Harden, Gundagai, Tumut, Boorowa, Yass Valley, Upper Lachlan, Goulburn, Mulwaree, Wingecarribee, Palerang, Greater Queanbeyan, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla, Bega Valley, Bombala, Cooma Monaro, and Snowy River).

Entry Fee: $5/ members, $7.50/nonmembers

Prize: $600 and publication

Canadian Prose Competition - Nov. 03, 2009

The Writers' Union of Canada
Short Prose Competition for Developing Writers

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/03/09

Eligible Entry: nonfiction or fiction, unpublished, up to 2,500 words

Open to: Canadian writers who have not published a book.

Entry Fee: $25

Prize: $2,500

3-Day Novel Writing Contest Registration Deadline: 09/04/09

3-Day Novel Writing Contest

Submission Period: Deadline for registration: 09/04/09

Eligible Entry: a novel written between 12:01 a.m., on Saturday, September 5, and must stop by 11:59 on Monday, September 7

Open to: anyone. collaboration with one other author is allowed

Entry Fee: $50

Prize: publication

The entry fee for this novel contest is steep, but many people love to participate in this contest. Apparently, some people even organize writing retreats for this contest.

Short Story and Poetry Contest Deadline: Oct. 01, 2009

University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Review Prize

Submission Period: Deadline: 10/01/09

Eligible Entry: short story 1,000-5,000 or 3 poems that total 10 pages or less

Open to: writers in English except current or former employees and students

Entry Fee: $15

Prize: $1,000 and publication in the Mississippi Review

Novel and Short Fiction Awards Deadline: Oct. 31, 2009

Dana Awards
Novel, Short Fiction, & Poetry Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 10/31/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished short stories 10,000 words or less, 5 poems, or first 50 pages of a novel

Open to: No entries from children under 16

Entry Fee: $15 for poems and short stories and $25 for novel

Prize: $1,000 per category

Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Fiction Contest Deadline: Nov. 01, 2009

The Briar Cliff Review
Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/01/09

Eligible Entry: Short stories and creative nonfiction of 6,000 words or less

Open to: No restrictions indicated.

Entry Fee: $20

Prize: First Prize: $1,000 for each category

All entrants receive a copy of The Briar Cliff Review magazine issue that includes the winning entries.

Short Story Contest Deadline Nov. 02, 2009

Writer's Digest
Short Story Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/02/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished short story of 4,000 words or less; Short stories for the short story contest can be romance, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and suspense categories.

Open to: no restrictions indicated

Entry Fee: $15

Prize: Grand Prize: $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.
1st Prize for each category: $500 and $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Short Story Contest Deadline: Aug. 31, 2009

Glimmer Train
Short Story Award for New Writers

Submission Period: Deadline: 08/31/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished story under 12,000 words

Open to: writers who have not published fiction in a publication with a circulation over 5,000

Entry Fee: $15

Prize: 1st place: $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue.
2nd place: $500
3rd place:$300

Ten Minute Play Contest Deadline: Nov. 01, 2009

Actors Theatre of Louisville
National Ten Minute Play Contest

Submission Period: Deadline: 11/01/09

Eligible Entry: script for a play less than ten minutes long, script must be 10 pages or less

Open to: citizens or permanent residents of the US

Entry Fee: No entrance fee mentioned in the contest guidelines.

Prize: $1,000

Short Story Contest Deadline Oct. 15, 2009

Open City Magazine
RRofihe Trophy

Submission Period: Deadline: 10/15/09

Eligible Entry: unpublished short story up to 5,000 words

Open to: authors not previously published in Open City

Entry Fee: $10

Prize: $500, trophy, and publication in Open City

Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry Contest Deadline: Nov. 01, 2009

Middlebury College
Bakeless Literary Prizes

Submission Period: Sept. 15- Nov. 01, 2009

Eligible Entry: 50 pages of poetry, 150-450 pages for short story collections or novels, or 150-300 pages of creative non-fiction; all entries must be unpublished and in English

Open to: new, English-speaking authors

Entry Fee: $10

Prize: publication by Graywolf Press and a fellowship to attend the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference