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 contest: 2019 Fall Short Story Contest

Submit your best fictional work in 2,000 words or less to our annual fall short story contest and you could win $1,000 and publication in our magazine! Any genre is fair game as long as it’s a work of fiction – no essays, memoir chapters, or poetry, please. 

Deadline: December 2nd, 2019

Grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine

Other prizes: $500 and publication on our website (second place); $250 and publication on our website (third place)

Submit today for your chance to win!

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

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.