Writing opportunities – January 2021
We’ve brought together January’s best writing competitions, contests and opportunities open to writers of short stories, novels, nonfiction and poetry.
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.
The Prism Prize for Climate Literature
Organised by Homebound Publications, the new, Prism Prize for Climate Literature aims to promote fiction, poetry, and nonfiction in this emerging genre. The competition is open to writers based in the US and UK. Manuscripts may be up to 75,000 words.
- Prize – $1,000 and publication.
- Deadline– 8th January.
- Entry fee – Free entry.
- Full details – Visit the Homebound Publications submissions website.
DISQUIET Prize
The DISQUIET Prize is open to submissions of fiction, poetry and nonfiction. Submissions are open internationally and can include one short story or novel excerpt of up to 25 pages; one piece of nonfiction of up to 25 pages or poetry of up to ten pages.
- Prize – Circumstances permitting, one grand prize winner will receive a full fellowship for the 2021 DISQUIET International Program in Lisbon, Portugal. Three category winners will also be published in Granta (fiction), Ninth Letter (nonfiction) or The Common (poetry).
- Deadline – 15th January.
- Entry fee – $15.
- Full details – Visit the DISQUIET website.
Magma Poetry Competition
The Magma Poetry competition has two categories, one for poems of up to 10 lines and a second for poems of between 11 and 50 lines. It is open internationally.
- Prize – First prize: £1,000 / Second prize: £300 / Third prize: £150.
- Deadline – 15th January.
- Entry fee – £5.
- Full details – Visit the Magma Poetry website.
Colorado Prize for Poetry
The international Colorado Prize for Poetry, run by the Colorado State University, is open for submissions of poetry manuscripts of between 48 and 100 pages. The manuscript may include poems that have been published but the manuscript itself must be unpublished.
- Prize – $2,000 and publication.
- Deadline – 14th January.
- Entry fee – $28.
- Full details – Visit the Colorado State University website.
Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition
Enter stories of up to 1,500 words into Writer’s Digest’s latest short story competition.
- Prize – First prize: $3,000, publication and trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference / Second prize: $1,500 and publication / Third prize: $500 and publication.
- Deadline – 15th January.
- Entry fee – $30.
- Full details – Visit the Writer’s Digest website.
The Nine Dots Prize
The Nine Dots Prize awards creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues. Within 3,000 words, entrants need to respond to the question: ‘What does it mean to be young in an ageing world?’. If you win the prize, with the support of an editorial team, you will need to develop your entry into a book of between 25,000 and 40,000 words.
- Prize – £100,000.
- Deadline – 18th January.
- Entry fee – Free entry.
- Full details – Visit The Nine Dots Prize website.
The Iowa Review Awards
Submissions of poetry, fiction and nonfiction are welcomed into the Iowa Review Awards. All manuscripts, whether selected as finalists or not, are considered for publication.
- Prize – Winners: $1,500 and publication / Runners-up: $750 and publication.
- Deadline – 31st January.
- Entry fee – $20.
- Full details – Visit the Iowa Review website.
Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize
Write a piece about your life in up to 4,000 words and enter it into the Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize. The competition is open to writers of any nationality.
- Prize – First prize: €1,000 / Second Prize: Writing course and €200 / Third Prize: €200 / The best 10 memoirs will be published.
- Deadline – 31st January.
- Entry fee – €18.
- Full details – Visit the Fish Publishing website.
The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition
The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition welcomes unpublished poems on any subject, in any form or style of up to 40 lines.
- Prize – First prize: £1,000 / Second prize: £300 / Third prize: £100.
- Deadline – 31st January.
- Entry fee – £5.
- Full details – Visit the Kent and Sussex Poetry website.
Masters Review Winter Short Story Award
The Masters Review Winter Short Story Award is open internationally to emerging writers. Submit stories of up to 7,000 words.
- Prize – First prize: $3,000, publication and review by literary agents / Second prize: $300, publication and review / Third prize: $200, publication and review.
- Deadline – 31st January.
- Entry fee – $20.
- Full details – Visit the Masters Review website.
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