Writing competitions and opportunities – December 2020
We’ve brought together December’s best writing competitions, contests and opportunities. As we’re heading into the festive season, this month’s list is small but includes great competitions for writers of short stories, poetry and nonfiction.
All the writing opportunities listed should be open to writers across the UK and most are open internationally too. We share details of prizes, requirements, eligibility, entry fees (some have free entry) and deadlines to help you choose the right ones for you.
Breakwater Fiction Contest
The Breakwater Review is seeking submissions of prose between 1,000 and 4,000 words that breathe freshness to the form. Entries must be previously unpublished. The judge is Porochista Khakpour, author of four critically-acclaimed books.
- Prize – $1,000 and publication.
- Deadline – 1st December.
- Entry fee – $10.
- Full details – Visit the Breakwater Review website.
Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award
The international, Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award is one of the largest awards for a single short story and is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the excellence of contemporary short fiction.
This competition is open to any author from around the world who has been published in the UK or Ireland. Stories may be up to 6,000 words.
- Prize – £30,000.
- Deadline – 4th December.
- Entry fee – FREE entry.
- Full details – Visit the Short Story Award website.
Mslexia Women’s Poetry Competition
Mslexia’s prestigious poetry competition welcomes poems of any length, in any style, on any subject. This year’s judge is poet and editor of five literary anthologies, Karen McCarthy Woolf. The competition is open to women of any nationality from any country.
- Prizes – First prize: £2,000, one-to-one feedback session with acclaimed poet, Malika Booker and a writing retreat / Second prize: £500 / Third prize: £250 / Runners-up: £25 / All winners and runners-up will be published in Mslexia.
- Deadline – 7th December.
- Entry fee – £10 for up to 3 poems.
- Full details – Visit the Mslexia website.
Mslexia is also running a pamphlet competition with the opportunity to win £250 and publication by Seren here.
The Writer Short Story Contest
Submit short stories of up to 2,000 words into The Writer’s latest fiction competition. Stories can cover any theme, subject or genre.
- Prize – First prize: $1,000 / Second prize: $500 / Third prize: $250 / All winners will also be published.
- Deadline – 8th December.
- Entry fee – $25.
- Full details – Visit The Writer website.
The Danahy Fiction Prize
The Tampa Review is inviting stories that are between 500 and 5,000 words into the Danahy Fiction Prize. All entries will be considered for publication.
- Prizes – $1,000 and publication.
- Deadline – 31st December.
- Entry fee – $20 (includes a one-year subscription to the Tampa Review)
- Full details – Visit the Tampa Review website.
The Moth Poetry Prize
The Moth Poetry Prize is one of the largest prizes in the world for a single unpublished poem. It has been extended this year to include more prizes for highly-commended poems. There is no line limit, and the poems can be on any subject. This year’s judge is prize-winning poet and author, Nick Laird.
- Prizes – First prize: €6,000 / 3 runners-up: €1,000 / 8 highly commended: €250.
- Deadline – 31st December.
- Entry fee – €15.
- Full details – Visit The Moth website.
The New York Times: Modern Love Stories
Modern Love is a weekly column in The New York Times, book, podcast and television show about relationships, feelings, betrayals and revelations.
The New York Times is seeking unpublished true stories and essays about contemporary relationships. Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma you have faced. Submissions should be between 1,500 and 1,700 words.
- Deadline – 31st December.
- Submission fee – FREE.
- Full details – Visit The New York Times website.
That’s it for this month but do join us on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter below to make sure you don’t miss out on new opportunities.
Our weekly, inspirational newsletter comes out every Monday, helping you to get each week started with a creative boost.
If you are running a great competition or are creating a wonderful opportunity for writers in the near future, do get in touch with us here. We publish the best every month on Lightbox Originals and promote even more on social media.
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