First Chapter Contest
We’re looking for first chapters that grab our attention and leave us wanting more. Your chapter should set the stage for the story to come, … Read More “First Chapter Contest”
Fiction
The Virginia Prize of Fiction
A biennial competition to find and promote new women fiction writers from around the world. Open for submissions in 2023. The competition is run every … Read More “The Virginia Prize of Fiction”
Queer Writers of America
Queer Writers of America is a writing contest by and for queer middle and high school students. To counter the censorship of LGBTQ+ content in … Read More “Queer Writers of America”
Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction
A writing competition with a twist. Entrants will be given two writing prompts and one “anti-prompt” and will have 60 hours to write and submit … Read More “Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction”
75 Words Flash Fiction
Write a story on any topic. Write about anything! But there is a catch. Share your story with only 75 words. Can you share a … Read More “75 Words Flash Fiction”
45 Days Fiction Writing Challenge on ‘Friendship’
Zorba Books is inviting all the writers to write a fictional story on friendship. Its a free contest, no charges will be taken from the … Read More “45 Days Fiction Writing Challenge on ‘Friendship’”
The Moth Short Story Prize 2023
Judged by Ottessa Moshfegh, The Moth Short Story Prize is open to anyone over 16, as long as their story is previously unpublished. The word … Read More “The Moth Short Story Prize 2023”
The Synopsis Skirmish
According to literary agent Sarah Davies, a good query submission can be described in terms of concept and craft. In other words, you want to … Read More “The Synopsis Skirmish”
F(r)iction Spring Writing Contest
In our writing contests, we seek writing that reflects a similar mission to our journal, F(r)iction: work that actively pushes the boundaries of traditional publishing, … Read More “F(r)iction Spring Writing Contest”
BWR 2023 Short Story Award
We are seeking never-published short stories of 2,000 words or fewer on the theme: Holiday Tales. We define holiday stories as those that involve any … Read More “BWR 2023 Short Story Award”
Featured Posts
Opportunities for Writers: February 2023 Calls for Submissions
February 2023 Calls for Submissions These are the writing opportunities and contests that caught our eye and are published in the February issue of The … Read More “Opportunities for Writers: February 2023 Calls for Submissions”
Consistency across your YA series
The key to writing a great YA series (or MG series) is knowing your characters and plotlines inside and out – while giving yourself the flexibility to modify things when needed. Here are four things to live by when writing a series, based on tips from middle grade and young adult authors who have been there. Read More “Consistency across your YA series”
25 Sensory Writing Prompts to Improve Detail & Description
By most accounts, there are more than five senses. Some experts say there are seven, some as many as 20. But narrowing in on at least the five classical senses can lend a much-needed “sense” of detail to your writing. Here are five prompts for each of those five classic senses. Read More “25 Sensory Writing Prompts to Improve Detail & Description”