Contests

As you already know, The Writer encourages all of our readers to practice their craft and put their stories in front of the eyes of as many people as possible. Writing contests have always been a vital part of the writing world, giving writers the chance to have their work reviewed by editors and possibly published. Literary journals, universities and even The Writer regularly host writing competitions, helping authors gain exposure and hone their craft.

Choose your inspiration, submit before the deadline, and, as always, keep writing.

Our current writing contest

Our 2019 essay contest is now live. Grand prize is $1,000, though every essay we receive will be considered for paid publication in our magazine.

Enter our essay contest now >>

Need to brush up on your skills before entering the contests below?

Here’s our collection of previously published essays about writing.

Read the winning entry from last year’s essay contest.

For short story contests, here are a few of our favorite fiction writing articles:

• Win big with writing contests
• Editors’ tips for getting your short stories published
• How to write a captivating short story
• Creating fully developed fictional characters (that are not secretly you)

You can also read our past writing contest winners or take inspiration from our huge collection of writing prompts.