Writing Deadlines – 11 Competitions with Deadlines from August to November 2026 (Update #42)
Discover 11 writing competitions and prizes with deadlines from August to November 2026. Fiction, poetry, essays, and translation - prizes up to $10,000.
Hello Writers!
Welcome back to another edition of Writing Deadlines with your weekly roundup of the best writing competitions, prizes, and submission opportunities. Whether you've spent these warmer months quietly filling notebooks or you're only just now dusting off a manuscript that's been waiting for its moment, this week's roundup should give you plenty to aim for.
This week: 11 new opportunities | 31 July to 8 November 2026 | Prizes up to $10,000
This edition spans a wide range of genres and experience levels. There's a free-to-enter translation prize for Canadian citizens, a short story award with a century and a half of published tradition behind it, and even an award for writers who haven't yet published a word. Wherever you are in your writing journey, there should be something here worth your time.
Creative writing quote of the week:
You do an awful lot of bad writing in order to do any good writing. Incredibly bad. I think it would be very interesting to make a collection of some of the worst writing by good writers.
– William S. Burroughs
The Elegant Literature Award for New Writers
Deadline: 31 July 2026
This monthly short fiction prize is run by Elegant Literature, a digital magazine dedicated to supporting new and unpublished writers. The July 2026 theme is Terrible Twos, and entries must incorporate a match in some form. Entries must be between 500 and 2,000 words, in English, and all genres are welcome. The contest is open to new or unpublished authors worldwide, excluding residents of Quebec, Canada. Stories are judged on creativity, character, structure and flow, and quality of writing.
Entry fee: Free for Elegant Literature subscribers or $10
Top prize: $3,000, 10 cents per word, publication, and free enrolment in the New Novelist Accelerator programme
Find out more: https://www.elegantliterature.com/?aff=almondpress&p=2324
Gival Press Short Story Award
Deadline: 8 August 2026
This short fiction competition is presented by Gival Press, an independent literary publishing house founded in 1998 and based in Arlington, Virginia. Now in its 23rd year, the award invites a single, previously unpublished, stand-alone short story of 5,000 to 15,000 words, written in English or translated into English with the original author’s approval. The previous year’s winner serves as judge for the following year.
Entry fee: $25
Top prize: $1,000 and publication on the Gival Press website
Find out more: https://givalpress.submittable.com/submit
Grayson Books Poetry Contest
Deadline: 15 August 2026
The Grayson Books Poetry Contest is an annual full-length poetry manuscript competition from Grayson Books, an independent poetry press based in West Hartford, Connecticut. Manuscripts should be 50 to 90 pages of poetry. Simultaneous submissions are accepted if the press is notified promptly of any acceptance elsewhere.
Entry fee: $26
Top prize: $1,000, publication, and 10 copies of the finished book
Find out more: https://graysonbooks.com/pages/poetry-contests
John Glassco Translation Prize
Deadline: 21 August 2026
The John Glassco Translation Prize is an annual award presented by the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada (LTAC/ATTLC) to recognise an emerging literary translator’s first book-length translation. Now in its 42nd year, the prize is open only to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, for a first book-length translation issued by a recognised publishing house between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. The original text can be in any language, but the translation itself must be in French or English. The prize is presented in the fall, around the celebration of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translators.
Entry fee: Free 🆓
Top prize: CAD $1,500 and a one-year LTAC membership
Find out more: https://www.attlc-ltac.org/en/john-glassco-prize/
The St. Lawrence Book Award
Deadline: 31 August 2026
The St. Lawrence Book Award is an annual first-book prize from Black Lawrence Press, an independent literary publisher. It’s open to any writer who has not yet published a full-length manuscript in any genre, for an unpublished debut collection of poetry, short stories, or essays. Entries are read blind by senior Black Lawrence Press editors alongside a rotating panel of past St. Lawrence Book Award winners. Poetry manuscripts should run 45 to 95 pages, and prose manuscripts 120 to 280 pages.
Entry fee: $30
Top prize: $1,000, publication, and ten copies of the book
Find out more: https://blacklawrencepress.com/submissions-and-contests/the-st-lawrence-book-award/
Sundress Publications Full-Length Poetry Manuscript Reading Period
Deadline: 31 August 2026
Sundress Publications is an independent, volunteer-run poetry press running an open reading period for full-length poetry manuscripts, especially encouraging authors from marginalised and underrepresented communities. Manuscripts must be 48 to 80 single-spaced pages and cannot have previously appeared in any full-length collection, including a self-published one. Submissions are open only to authors who reside in the United States. At least two manuscripts will be selected for publication.
Entry fee: $15 per manuscript (waived for BIPOC writers)
Top prize: Publication contract, including 25 author copies (no cash prize)
Find out more: https://www.sundresspublications.com/submit
Young Lions Fiction Award
Deadline: 3 September 2026
The Young Lions Fiction Award is an annual literary prize presented by the New York Public Library, established in 2001 by Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Rick Moody, and Hannah McFarland. It recognises early-career American fiction writers aged 35 or younger. Eligible works are novels, graphic novels, or short story collections written for adults, published in the qualifying calendar year, by a US citizen. Entries are made by the author’s publisher only (authors cannot submit their own work).
Entry fee: Free 🆓
Top prize: $10,000
Find out more: https://www.nypl.org/about/awards/young-lions-fiction-award
Terrain.org 17th Annual Contest
Deadline: 7 September 2026
This award in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction is hosted by Terrain.org, an online literary journal publishing essays, poetry, fiction, and art since 1998. This year’s judges are Todd Boss (poetry), Lia Purpura (nonfiction), and Joe Wilkins (fiction). Entrants may submit up to three entries across genres, and the journal is especially interested in personal essays, lyric essays, memoir, and literary journalism.
Entry fee: $20
Top prize: $1,000 and publication on Terrain.org
Find out more: https://www.terrain.org/submit/contest-guidelines/
Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards
Deadline: 1 October 2026
This annual personal essay competition is hosted by Writer’s Digest magazine. Entries must be original personal essays of 2,000 words or fewer, written in English, and not previously published in print, digital, or online publications. Self-published blog or social media posts are allowed. Entrants must be 18 or older. Grand-prize winners from this or other Writer’s Digest competitions are ineligible for three years after winning.
Entry fee: $35
Top prize: $2,500 and publication in Writer’s Digest magazine
Find out more: https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/personal-essay-awards
Eyelands Book Awards
Deadline: 20 October 2026
The Eyelands Book Awards is an international book awards competition hosted by Strange Days Books, based in Greece, now in its 9th consecutive year. The competition is open to writers of any nationality, with manuscripts submitted in English, across twelve award categories. Both published and unpublished books are eligible. Multiple and simultaneous submissions are allowed. One euro from every submission is donated to the UN Refugee Agency in Greece.
Entry fee: €40 (early bird €30 until 20 September 2026)
Top prize: A five-day stay in Athens, or translation into Greek and publication by Strange Days Books
Find out more: https://eyelandsawards.com/
Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize
Deadline: 8 November 2026
This annual short story competition is hosted by Galley Beggar Press, an independent publisher based in Norwich, UK. It is open to both published and unpublished writers from anywhere in the world, writing original fiction in English of no longer than 6,000 words. Translated stories are accepted if clearly marked as such. Three shortlisted writers each receive £200 and see their stories printed in pocket-book format for distribution to UK libraries, charities, and literary organisations.
Entry fee: £11 (free entries available for low-earners)
Top prize: £3,000 and publication
Find out more: https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/prize
📖 Creative Writing Book of the Week
The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass
If your characters are doing all the right things on the page but somehow still feel flat, this is the book to reach for. Literary agent Donald Maass breaks down exactly how to get readers to feel what your characters feel, moving beyond stated emotion into the kind of inner tension and nuance that makes a story linger. It’s a practical, scene-by-scene guide for any writer looking to deepen their fiction from the inside out.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
🗓️ Where to find more deadlines, writing competitions, and submission opportunities?
There are currently 79 upcoming writing competitions listed in our online calendar. It’s worth bookmarking and checking for new events regularly.
If you’re on Facebook, join the Writing Competitions group for updates from fellow writers almost daily.
Browse my Writing Deadlines newsletter archive and subscribe.
That's a wrap on this week's roundup! With deadlines stretching from the end of July right through to November, there's no need to rush into a submission you're not ready for. But, there's also no excuse to let one of these quietly slip by. Whether you're polishing a debut poetry manuscript or gathering the courage to send off your very first short story, the important thing is simply to begin.
A few gentle reminders as you prepare your submissions:
Read the guidelines carefully. Word counts, eligibility requirements, and formatting details all matter!
Give yourself plenty of time to polish your work before the deadline arrives.
Don’t let fear of rejection hold you back. Every submission is a step forward, and every published writer has a drawer full of “not this time” letters.
Always do your own research before entering. Carefully read the terms and conditions for each event!
If you know a fellow writer who might benefit from these opportunities, please do pass this along. We’re all in this together, cheering each other on.
Happy writing!
Victoria
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🗓️ Know of any other interesting writing events?
Post a comment below, or send me a message via Substack. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to feature in the next edition of the newsletter.
🧠 Remember: Always do your own research and carefully read submission guidelines before sharing your work!
Just came here to say that I love this newsletter and appreciate the links to prizes so much. Keep it up and thank you!