Writing Competitions
and Events
If you are looking to take your writing to the next level, then entering a writing competition often provides that extra impetus to refine your work.
This is by no means a full list of competitions. Some writing competitions require an entry fee. Others don’t. This seems to be the norm these days and there are credible competitions that require an entry fee. Always check that you are comfortable with sending money to the organizers if this is the case.
Please contact the competition organizers directly if you have any queries. SA Writers College cannot be held responsible for the conduct of any third party competitions or events.
The Basics of Creative Writing Course
Competitions and Events
Eyelands Book Awards 2025
Deadline: 20 October 2025
More details here
FFF Competition Thirty
Deadline: 23 October 2025
More details here
The Whispering Wisdom Poetry Prize
Deadline: 31 October 2025
More details here
The Bedford Writing Competition
Deadline: 31 October 2025
More details here
The Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition
Deadline: 31 October 2025
More details here
Happiful Mental Health Magazine 2025 Poetry Prize Competition
Deadline: 14 November 2025
More details here
Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest
Deadline: 30 November 2025
More details here
Inkspot Publishing’s Inaugural Short Story Competition
Deadline: 30 November 2025
More details here
WOW! Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest
Deadline: 30 November 2025
More details here
Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition
Deadline: 30 November 2025
More details here
Bardsy 2025 Fall First Chapter Anthology Contest
Deadline: 12 December 2025
More details here
InterAct Stroke Support’s Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition
Deadline: 21 December 2025
More details here
Farnham Literary Festival | Farnham’s First Five Pages
Deadline: 31 December 2025
More details here
Fiction Factory First Chapter of a Novel + Synopsis
Deadline: 31 January 2026
More details here
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Deadline: 12 February 2026
More details here
The Next Generation Short Story Awards
Deadline: 26 February 2026
More details here
Regular Entries
Tortive Lit has a monthly 101 word creative writing competition. The prize is dictated by the number of people who enter. Each entry is £1.50. More information at www.tortivelit.com/flashfiction101
The Future Scholar Foundation run monthly short story competitions.
Deadline: 28th of each month
More details here
Andromeda Magazine Monthly Short Story Competition
More details here
The Plaza Prizes run many writing competitions throughout the year. The purpose is to discover, publish and promote talented new writers. You can see their upcoming competitions here.
Northern Life Writing Competition run regular writing competitions.
More details here
Anthology run many competitions throughout the year. Check their competitions here.
The Letter Review runs regular competitions throughout the year. Genres include Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and Unpublished Books. Details here.
Almond Press runs a writing competition event calendar that is updated on a daily basis
Inkitt maintains an excellent website documenting lots of international writing competitions
Details here>
Storyhouse | Contests for previously unpublished writers
Details here>
Cranked Anvil Prompt Competition
DEADLINES: 10am GMT on 1 April; 1 July; 1 October
Details here>
Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition
DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: January; April; July; October.
Details here>
Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition
DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: February; May; August; November
Details here>