Writing Deadlines - 18 New Competitions and Submission Opportunities (Update #39)
Discover 18 writing competitions and submission opportunities with deadlines from June to October 2026. Fiction, poetry, journalism, book awards, and publication opportunities. Prizes up to $5,000.
Hello Writers!
I hope you’ve had a productive week. Whether that meant finishing a draft, editing an old favourite, or simply jotting down a few ideas that refused to stay quiet.
This week’s roundup brings together a varied collection of opportunities. There are substantial cash prizes for poets and fiction writers, publication calls for those looking to build their writing portfolio, a prestigious journalism fellowship, and several competitions aimed specifically at emerging authors. Better yet, there are plenty of free-to-enter opportunities alongside the paid contests.
This week: 18 opportunities | June to October deadlines | Prizes up to $5,000
As always, I hope you’ll discover at least one opportunity that’s a perfect fit for your work. Sometimes all it takes is one deadline to finally press “submit.”
Creative writing quote of the week:
Just know that everyone’s writing is terrible. Until it’s not. No one’s stuff is right immediately. You gotta work it. Refine it. Shape it. Spend time with it. It’s a relationship. Between you and what comes from you. Not easy. Gonna be terrible before it’s not. And that’s okay.
– Ava DuVernay
The Elegant Literature Award for New Writers
Deadline: 30 June 2026
The Elegant Literature Award is a monthly $3,000 cash award presented by Elegant Literature, a digital magazine, to new or unpublished writers from anywhere in the world. The award is part of the publication’s mission to help new talent launch their writing careers by providing financial support and publication opportunities.
This month’s contest invites entrants to explore After The Ashes, in any genre — fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime and more are all welcome. Minimum 500, maximum 2,000 words. Judges will choose the winner based on creativity, character, structure and flow, and quality of writing.
Entry fee: Free for Elegant+ members (membership costs $10)
Top prize: $3,000 USD and free enrolment in the New Novelist Accelerator
Find out more: https://www.elegantliterature.com/?aff=almondpress&p=2324
The Slate Roof Press 2026 Elyse Wolf Prize
Deadline: 30 June 2026
Based in Greenfield, MA, Slate Roof Press is a member-run, not-for-profit collaborative that has published the best new voices in poetry in art-quality chapbooks since 2004. This year’s contest is open to all poets in the United States writing in English, regardless of citizenship. Elyse Wolf Prize winners become active members of the press, making a three-year commitment and gaining hands-on publishing experience. A winning manuscript will be chosen via blind review.
Entry fee: $10
Top prize: $500
Find out more: https://www.slateroofpress.com/contest.html
Approach to the Meaning — Call for Submissions
Deadline: 1 August 2026
Still Point: Poetry & Culture is currently seeking submissions for the inaugural issue of its journal, Approach to the Meaning. The publication is looking for work that compels a lingering gaze and demonstrates the structural integrity of high-level craft. The organizer is seekng rigorous poetry across all forms, valuing precision and linguistic stakes; deep-dive poetry book reviews (750–1,500 words) of collections published within the last 18 months; and art and photography that showcases artists. Submissions should be previously unpublished.
Entry fee: Free 🆓
Top prize: Publication
Find out more: https://stillpointpoetry.squarespace.com/approach
Press 53 Award for Poetry
Deadline: 31 July 2026
The Press 53 Award for Poetry is awarded annually to an outstanding, unpublished collection of poems. This competition is open to any writer, regardless of publication history, who is 18 or older, provided the manuscript is written in English and the author lives in the United States or one of its territories.
Entry fee: $30
Top prize: $1,000, publication, and 53 copies of the published work
Find out more: https://www.press53.com/award-for-poetry/
Frontier Poetry Open
Deadline: 12 July 2026
The Frontier Poetry Open (or “the OPEN”) is the flagship annual poetry contest hosted by Frontier Poetry, designed to celebrate and elevate the poetry community by accepting submissions without thematic, aesthetic, or formal restrictions. The OPEN awards one exceptional poem that demonstrates impact, risk, experimentation, and craft excellence, regardless of theme or subject. Nine finalists will also receive $100 each, with publication. Submissions are open to all poets, regardless of publication history, writing primarily in English; unpublished poems only.
An additional feedback option costs $12 for high-level commentary from one of the editorial team’s readers.
Entry fee: $20
Top prize: $5,000
Find out more: https://www.frontierpoetry.com/2026-frontier-open/
Streetlight Magazine 2026 Poetry Contest
Deadline: 13 July 2026
The Streetlight Magazine 2026 Poetry Contest is hosted by Streetlight Magazine, an online non-profit publication. Entrants may submit up to three of their best, previously unpublished poems on any subject. Multiple submissions are fine. Winners will be chosen by Streetlight staff led by poetry editors Sharon Ackerman and Fred Wilbur. Winning submissions will be featured in the 2026 anthology.
Entry fee: $10 for up to three poems
Top prize: $175 and publication
Find out more: https://streetlightmag.com/2023-poetry-contest/
BPA Short Story Award
Deadline: 13 September 2026
The BPA Short Story Award is run by the Blue Pencil Agency, a UK-based editorial and literary agency, with the aim of discovering emerging short fiction writers who may go on to write novels. The competition is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors of fiction worldwide, writing in English, aged 16 or over, and accepts any genre except children’s fiction and non-fiction (YA is permitted with adult crossover appeal). Entrants submit a single, complete, original short story of up to 2,500 words. Multiple stories may be entered, but each must be submitted separately. BPA also offers a minimum of 20 free entries for UK-based writers on low incomes or from under-represented backgrounds, available on application.
Entry fee: £20
Top prize: £1,000 and agent introduction
Find out more: https://www.bluepencilagency.com/short-story-prize-2026
Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative Fellowship
Deadline: 20 August 2026
Since 2010, Moment magazine’s Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative (DPIJI) has supported journalists reporting on prejudice and hate around the world, in partnership with The Daniel Pearl Foundation. Each cycle, with the help of an advisory board of journalists selects one DPIJI Fellow to research and write a long-form investigative story exploring prejudice and hate. The fellow works closely with Moment editors and is published in the magazine. Open to journalists aged 22–38.
Entry fee: Free
Top prize: $5,000 grant ($2,500 upfront, $2,500 on completion)
Find out more: https://www.dpiji.org/
Bournemouth Writing Prize
Deadline: 15 August 2026
The Bournemouth Writing Prize is an annual, international competition for short stories and poetry, organised by the Bournemouth Writing Festival in partnership with Bournemouth University. It is open to writers worldwide, offering cash prizes, publishing opportunities, and festival exposure. Submit short stories up to 3,000 words; poetry up to 30 lines (up to three poems per entry). Stories may be literary or genre-based — crime, horror, science fiction, fantasy, historical, romance, children’s, and more. Finalists and the winner will be announced by 15 January 2027.
Entry fee: £10
Top prize: £500, publication, and festival invitation with tickets
Find out more: https://www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/2027-writing-competition
Niagara Falls Poetry Project 25th Anniversary Poetry Competition
Deadline: 15 August 2026
The Niagara Falls Poetry Project 25th Anniversary Poetry Competition is a juried contest celebrating the 25-year history of the Niagara Falls Poetry Project. It invites poets to submit any poetic form with a genuine connection to the theme of Niagara Falls — the waterfalls, the two cities, and the Niagara River. Any poetic form is accepted, maximum 100 lines; poems may be previously published. There’s also a separate $200 prize for the poem that best exemplifies the “Spirit of Niagara Falls.” Poems will be added to the website and published in an anthology of Niagara poetry.
Entry fee: $5
Top prize: $200 and publication
Find out more: https://niagarapoetry.ca/2026/04/09/rules/
Writer’s Digest 14th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards
Deadline: 14 August 2026 (early-bird deadline)
The Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-book Awards is the only Writer’s Digest competition dedicated exclusively to digital formats, spotlighting the best independently published e-books across eight popular genres: contemporary fiction, romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, young adult, narrative nonfiction, and prescriptive/informative nonfiction. The grand prize winner receives a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine and a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, alongside the cash prize. All entrants receive brief commentary from a competition reader.
Entry fee: $100 (first entry)
Top prize: $5,000, a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference
Find out more: https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/self-published-ebook-awards
New2theScene Summer Short Story Competition
Deadline: 6 September 2026
The New2theScene Summer Short Story Competition is a seasonal contest run by New2theScene, a literary platform dedicated to discovering emerging and unpublished authors, giving new writers exposure, feedback, and a pathway to publication. The theme is open — any genre or theme, up to 4,000 words.
Entry fee: £5 (membership required; one free entry included with £3/month membership)
Top prize: Publication, promotion, a podcast interview, and £50 in N2tS vouchers
Find out more: https://www.new2thescene.co.uk/competition-information/competition-1
Tennessee Williams Very Short Fiction Contest
Deadline: 15 October 2026
The Saints and Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival invites writers from all over the globe, at any stage of their career, to submit original, unpublished very short stories. Submissions across all genres are welcome, provided they feature LGBTQ+ content and touch upon the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” This year’s contest will be judged by author and Electric Literature Editor-in-Chief, Denne Michele Norris. Stories must be 1,250 words or less.
Entry fee: $10
Top prize: $500, a festival weekend pass, a public reading, and publication in the annual SAS Fiction anthology
Find out more: https://tennesseewilliams.net/contests/
Eyelands Book Awards
Deadline: 20 October 2026
The Eyelands Book Awards is the only international book competition based in Greece. Organised by the Greek literary magazine Eyelands and the publishing house Strange Days Books, it accepts book submissions written in English from authors all over the world, in both published and unpublished categories. Eligible submissions include poetry, novellas, short story collections, novels, children’s and YA books, historical fiction/memoir, and graphic novels. There’s no restriction on form or style. Free submissions are available for writers from countries affected by war, writers under 18, and writers from countries submitting for the first time. Prize winners will be announced 30 December 2026.
Entry fee: €40 (€30 early bird)
Top prize: A five-day stay in Athens; for unpublished books, translation into Greek and publication from Strange Days Books
Find out more: https://eyelandsawards.com/page/2/
Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition
Deadline: 30 September 2026
The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition is a global writing contest run by Creative Writing Ink, inviting original fiction up to 3,000 words. Open to writers worldwide writing in English, aged 16 or over. Any subject, theme, or genre. Entries must not have been previously published or placed in another competition. Writers may submit more than one story, with a separate entry fee for each.
Entry fee: £12
Top prize: £1,000, an online creative writing course with Creative Writing Ink, and online publication
Find out more: https://creativewritingink.co.uk/competitions/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2026/
‘Lines of Communication’ — SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition
Deadline: 30 September 2026
To mark 150 years since the first telephone call, made by Alexander Graham Bell, SaveAs Writers invites poetry or short story submissions on the theme ‘Lines of Communication’ — interpreted as widely as entrants wish, from communication in relationships and across the internet age, to communication between nations, cultures, or even humans and machines. Poems must not exceed 60 lines; prose must not exceed 3,500 words. Entrants must be over 16. Open internationally. Winners will be announced at an online awards evening on 5 December 2026.
Entry fee: £4 per poem, £5 per short story
Top prize: £200 (poetry)
Find out more: https://saveaswriters.co.uk/all-competitions/lines-of-communication-2026.html
Lantern Lighters Contest
Deadline: 1 September 2026
Lantern Lighters is a short story contest run by The Lantern and the Pen, a small press dedicated to fiction for children and young readers, designed as a supportive space for teen writers taking their first steps in submitting work. This year’s theme is “Belonging.” Accepted genres include contemporary, historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction, written for an upper Middle Grade/YA audience. Entrants may submit up to two stories each. Stories must not exceed 1,000 words.
Entry fee: Free 🆓
Top prize: A $50 Amazon gift card, the Lantern Lighters 2026 Award, editorial feedback, and publication
Find out more: https://thelanternandthepen.com/2026-writing-contest
The Folk Horror Short Story Contest
Deadline: 1 October 2026
The Folk Horror Short Story Contest is run by Briar Press NY, a small independent publisher seeking previously unpublished short stories in the folk-horror tradition, set in any time period, place, or culture — atmospheric, nature-driven, ritual-and-folktale-infused storytelling in the vein of The Wicker Man, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Lottery. Submissions must run 2,500–15,000 words, sent with a short cover letter. The winning story will be included in Briar Press NY‘s upcoming anthology These Rotted Things, released spring 2027.
Entry fee: Free 🆓
Top prize: Publication in Briar Press NY‘s anthology, with marketing support and 3 free author copies
Find out more: https://www.briarpressny.com/new-page-16
📖 Creative Writing Book of the Week
The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear by Ralph Keyes
Every writer knows the feeling: self-doubt, procrastination, fear of rejection, or the nagging voice insisting you’re simply not good enough. The Courage to Write explores the psychological barriers that stop so many writers from putting words on the page and sharing their work with the world. Drawing on interviews with successful authors and his own experience, the author offers thoughtful, reassuring advice that reminds us courage isn’t the absence of fear - it’s writing despite it. If you’ve been hesitating to start, finish, or submit your work, this is a book that might give you the push you need.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
📚 Looking for more reading recommendations? I’ve put together a list of the best books about creative writing and publishing over on my website — well worth a browse if you’re building your craft library.
✨Could your writing use a second pair of eyes?
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I am a ProWritingAid affiliate, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost to you.
🗓️ Where to find more writing opportunities?
There are 73 upcoming writing competitions listed in our online calendar.
Join the Writing Competitions Facebook group for updates almost daily.
Browse my Writing Deadlines newsletter archive and subscribe.
Here are some of my favourite websites that feature events for writers:
That’s all for this edition! Thanks for spending part of your week with me. I know there are countless places competing for your attention, so I genuinely appreciate you choosing to read this newsletter.
If you know another writer who’d enjoy receiving a carefully researched list of competitions and submission opportunities every week, I’d be incredibly grateful if you shared Writing Deadlines with them. Word of mouth has helped this newsletter grow more than anything else.
Stay tuned for the next edition of the newsletter. Until then, keep writing!
Victoria
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🗓️ 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!
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