Writing Deadlines - 14 Newly Discovered Writing Contests in 2026 (Update #27)
Discover 14 writing competitions with deadlines February-June 2026. Poetry, fiction, short stories. Prizes up to £3,000. Free and international opportunities.
Hello Writers!
Welcome to another edition of Writing Deadlines. Whether you're wrapping up the winter months with pen in hand or already dreaming of spring submissions, I'm back to share some wonderful opportunities that have recently crossed my desk.
This week: 14 new opportunities | February to June | Prizes up to £3,000
This week’s roundup spans a beautiful range of genres and formats—from tales inspired by Kipling to contemplative poetry that explores joy, from 750-word flash fiction to full-length poetry manuscripts. So pour yourself your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and explore what 2026 has in store for your creative journey. Your next published piece (or your first) could be just one submission away.
Quote of the week:
A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.
– G.K. Chesterton
Wild Worship - The Elegant Literature Award for New Writers
Deadline: 28 February 2026
The Elegant Literature Prize is a $3,000 cash award presented monthly by Elegant Literature, a digital magazine, to a new, unpublished writer. This month’s theme is “Wild Worship,” inviting writers to explore this concept through any genre—fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime, and more. Stories must include the prompt word “mark” (or marks, marked, etc.) and be between 500 and 2,000 words. The competition is open internationally to new or unpublished authors who meet Elegant Literature’s eligibility criteria.
Prize: $3,000 USD and free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator
Find out more: https://www.elegantliterature.com/?aff=almondpress&p=2324
The Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Map Literary is pleased to announce that the 2026 Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award is now open for submissions. Named after their late colleague, this award honors beautiful, original writing through publication as a print chapbook accompanied by digital versions. This year, the award focuses on prose—fiction or creative nonfiction. The organizer seeks new, original work, though individual pieces that have been previously published elsewhere may be included. The manuscript should be about 50 pages long (15,000-20,000 words). Guest judge Faye Wikner will select the winner.
Prize: $1,000 honorarium and 25 copies of the print chapbook
Find out more: https://mapliterary.squarespace.com/rachel-wetzsteon-chapbook-award
Cardinal Poetry Prize
Deadline: 28 February 2026
The Cardinal Poetry Prize 2026 is organized by Wesleyan University Press in collaboration with The Fine Arts Work Center. This prize was conceived by poet John Murillo as a unique opportunity for serious poets who have taken their time and decided not to rush publication. Entrants must submit one poetry manuscript of 48-64 pages written in English. The competition is open to poets aged 40 or older by December 31, 2026, who have not published a poetry book or have not published a new original poetry collection within the last 10 years. Guest judge Robert Pinsky will select the winner following an initial screening process.
Top prize: $1,000 cash prize, a week-long Summer Project Residency at The Fine Arts Work Center, and publication by Wesleyan University Press
Find out more: https://www.weslpress.org/the-cardinal-poetry-prize/
The Snowbound Chapbook Prize
Deadline: 28 February 2026
The Snowbound Chapbook Award is open to anyone writing in the English language, whether living in the United States or abroad. Translations are not eligible for this prize, nor are previously self-published books. The prize is organized by Tupelo Press and judged by Richie Hofmann. Entrants must submit a previously unpublished, chapbook-length poetry manuscript with a table of contents. Chapbook manuscripts should number between 20 and 36 pages, though there is no mandatory page count. Individual poems in a contest manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, journals, anthologies, or chapbooks, but the work as a whole must be unpublished.
Top prize: $1,000, publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution
Find out more: https://tupelopress.org/snowbound-chapbook-award
North Carolina State Poetry Contest
Deadline: 2 March 2026
The annual NC State Poetry Contest is a free literary competition open to all North Carolina residents (including out-of-state and international students who are enrolled in North Carolina universities). It remains one of the largest free-to-enter poetry contests in the South. This year’s guest judge is award-winning poet Megan Pinto. Contestants may submit up to three poems of any genre or length. Entries may not have been previously published anywhere, in print or online (including personal blogs/websites).
Top prize: $500
Find out more: https://english.chass.ncsu.edu/research-and-engagement/creative-writing/poetry-contest/
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize
Deadline: 6 March 2026
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. The prize will be judged by Simon Rich. Entrants must submit original, unpublished short fiction of 750 words or less written in English. Stories can be on any theme. The competition is open internationally to writers of all ages and nationalities. The winning work will be performed by an actor at Symphony Space in spring 2026 and published on Electric Literature.
Top prize: $1,000 and a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers
Find out more: https://www.symphonyspace.org/selected-shorts/the-stella-kupferberg-memorial-short-story-prize
Prairie Schooner Raz/Shumaker Book Prize in Fiction and Poetry
Deadline: 15 March 2026
The Prairie Schooner Raz/Shumaker Book Prize Series welcomes manuscripts from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English. Both unpublished and published writers are welcome to submit manuscripts. The organizer will not consider manuscripts that have previously been published anywhere in the world, which includes self-publication. The organizer prefers that fiction manuscripts be at least 150 pages long and poetry manuscripts at least 50 pages long. For fiction, novels are not considered; the organizer will consider manuscripts comprised either entirely of short stories or one novella along with short stories.
Top prize: $3,000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press
Find out more: https://prairieschooner.unl.edu/book-prize-guidelines/
Inception
Deadline: 31 March 2026
The Inception Contest is an international writing and arts prize organized by Sunspot Lit that celebrates the power of beginnings by inviting creators to submit the very best opening of a work, whether in prose, poetry, graphic narrative, or visual art. Submissions must be original and previously unpublished. For prose entries the limit is 250 words, and for poetry it’s 25 lines; titles are not included in word or line counts. Graphic novel or comic submissions should include the first page only (with a maximum of 250 words), and visual art entries should be the first piece in a series. There is no theme restriction—the competition is about the strength of the opening itself.
Top prize: $100 cash and publication for the winner. Publication opportunities for finalists and runners-up.
Find out more: https://sunspotlit.com/contests
The North American Review Short Story Prize
Deadline: 1 April 2026
The North American Review is reviving the journal Short Story and launching The Short Story Prize. The first annual issue will be published in October. All finalists will be published. The organizer is open not only to literary stories, but also westerns, rom-coms, thrillers, horror stories, crime stories, sci-fi stories, tales, yarns, and other narrative modes, forms, and genres. Work previously published online or in print is ineligible for submission.
Top prize: $1,000. Finalists: $100 (upon publication).
Find out more: https://northamericanreview.org/short-story-prize
The Pitch Mag Young Sports Journalist Competition
Deadline: 8 April 2026
The Pitch Mag Young Sports Journalist Competition is organized by Pitch Magazine, a UK-based sports publication that showcases writing on sport, culture and current issues. This annual competition invites aspiring young journalists aged 14-21 to tackle topical sports-related questions with well-argued articles. Entrants must write an article in English of 700-800 words, answering one of the age-group questions set by the organizers on topics such as mental health in sport, sports betting, sports-washing, rule-bending and other relevant issues. Entries are judged anonymously by a panel of established sports writers and journalists. Some winners in older categories may also be offered work experience opportunities at Pitch HQ.
Top prize: £50 cash prize and publication in Pitch Magazine (plus possible work experience)
Find out more: https://www.pitch-mag.co.uk/young-sports-journalist-competition
The John McGivering Writing Prize
Deadline: 1 May 2026
The John McGivering Writing Prize is organized by The Kipling Society, a UK literary society dedicated to preserving and promoting the work and legacy of Rudyard Kipling. This annual competition invites writers to submit original short stories exploring the supernatural, with entries tied—directly or obliquely—to Kipling’s life or writings, echoing the uncanny elements found in his work. Submissions must be original, unpublished short stories in English with a maximum length of 2,500 words (excluding the title). Stories should engage with supernatural themes and reflect a meaningful connection to Kipling’s oeuvre or biography. Anonymous judging rules require manuscripts to be submitted without author names, with identifying details supplied separately. A separate Younger Writers category (aged 12-17) is also offered with a prize of £75 for the winner and £25 for the runner-up.
Top prize: £350. Winning and shortlisted stories may be published in the Kipling Society Journal and featured on the society’s website.
Find out more: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/news/the-supernatural-2026-writing-prize.htm
The Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize
Deadline: 1 May 2026
The prize is organized by The Alpine Fellowship, a UK-based arts and literary foundation that supports interdisciplinary creative work. This annual prize invites poets to respond to the 2026 theme—Joy—with original, unpublished work that captures the theme’s depth and resonance. Entrants must submit one poem of up to 500 words written in English. The competition is international and open to writers aged 18 or over. Winners and runners-up gain recognition from the Alpine Fellowship community and may be invited to the foundation’s annual symposium celebrating writing, arts, and humanities.
Top prize: £3,000
Find out more: https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize
The Whispering Wisdom Poetry Competition
Deadline: 31 May 2026
This poetry competition is organized by Whispering Wisdom, a UK-based reflective literary initiative that celebrates contemplative, heartfelt poetry that connects readers with compassion, depth, and insight. The 2026 competition calls for original, previously unpublished poems in English. Poets of all backgrounds and experience levels may submit work and entries are judged anonymously by an experienced panel including founders and guest poets.
Top prize: £100. Winners and a selection of shortlisted poems will also be published on the Whispering Wisdom website and social media.
Find out more: https://www.whisperingwisdom.co.uk/competitions
Wells Festival of Literature’s International Creative Writing Competitions
Deadline: 30 June 2026 (opens 1 April)
The event is organized by the Wells Festival of Literature, an annual literary festival in Wells, Somerset, England that celebrates writing across genres with cash prizes, publication visibility, and public readings. These competitions welcome writers and poets from around the world, offering four competition categories: Open Poetry, Short Story, Book for Children, and Young Poets. Each category is judged independently by experienced writers or industry professionals, and winners are celebrated at a prize-giving ceremony and poetry reading held during the festival.
Top prize: £1,000
Find out more: https://wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk/competitions/
🗓️ Find more opportunities:
We currently have 93 event deadlines listed on our website.
Join our Facebook group for updates almost daily.
Browse our weekly newsletter archive and subscribe.
📖 Creative Writing Book of the Week
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Looking for inspiration between submissions? Part memoir, part masterclass, this title is packed with honest advice about the writing life that will encourage you to keep going, even when the rejections pile up. King’s wisdom on craft and persistence is exactly what every writer needs to hear. It’s one of my favourite books about the writing process.
Explore other great books about creative writing and publishing on our website: The Best Books on Writing: Essential Guides for Creative Writers
That’s all for this week! I hope you’ve found at least one opportunity that’s reminded you of that story, poem, or essay that’s been waiting patiently for its moment in the world.
A few friendly reminders as you prepare your submissions:
Always do your own research before entering. Carefully read the terms and conditions for each event to ensure it’s the right fit for you and your work.
Read the guidelines carefully. Word counts, formatting requirements, eligibility criteria—they all matter, and following them shows respect for the organizers and increases your chances of being considered.
Give yourself time to polish. Rushing a submission rarely serves your work well. If a deadline is too tight, there will be other opportunities.
Don’t let fear of rejection hold you back. Every published author has a collection of rejection letters. Each submission is practice, each entry is progress, and you never know which one will be the breakthrough.
Keep writing, keep submitting, and keep believing in the power of your words. Your voice matters, and the world needs your stories.
See you next week!
Victoria
☕ Support my work: If you find these updates useful, you can show your support by subscribing or donating a coffee. No pressure, but a hot cup really does help put these together on rainy weekend mornings!
🗓️ Know of any other interesting writing events?
Consider submitting it to our curated calendar through this submission form. You can also post a comment below, or send me a message via Substack. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to feature in next week’s edition of the newsletter.
🧠 Remember: Always do your own research and carefully read submission guidelines before sharing your work!
We'd be honored to have you add this to your list of writing contests.
Writer Advice seeks flash fiction (750 words or less). Draw us in. Open our eyes. Dazzle, delight, and entice us. Winners receive cash prizes and are published. Low fee for solid feedback. Deadline: 06/02/26. Details, tiered fees, and cash prizes: https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/.
Thanks!