Writing Contests 2026: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, and More!

February 2026

Poetry Contests 2026

WB Yeats Society of NY Poetry Prize

The all-volunteer, nonprofit WB Yeats Society of NY has conducted this annual competition since 1991. People of any age from anywhere in the world may enter with unpublished poems of up to 60 lines on any topic. The 2026 judge is Joseph O. Legaspi, a Fulbright scholar and author of three poetry collections.
Word count: Up to 60 lines per poem
Prizes: First prize $1,000, second prize $500, plus honorable mentions; winners receive commemorative plaques and a two-year membership
Entry fee: $15 for first poem, $12 for each additional poem
Closing date: February 15, 2026

Furious Flower Poetry Prize

The Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University, the nation’s first academic center devoted to Black poetry, offers this annual prize for emerging poets. The 2026 judge is Major Jackson, author of six books of poetry, including Razzle Dazzle: New & Selected Poems. Poets with no more than one published book are eligible.
Word count: Up to 3 poems, not exceeding 6 total pages
Prizes: Winner: $1,500; Honorable mention: $750; both invited to read at the Poetry Prize Reading in September 2026; publication in Obsidian
Entry fee: $20
Closing date: February 15, 2026

Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry

This prestigious prize is awarded annually to one full-length poetry manuscript, selected by guest judge Adrian Matejka, author of The Big Smoke (finalist for the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize). The prize offers publication, a cash award, and an introduction by the judge.
Word count: Minimum 48 pages
Prizes: $2,000, publication by Sarabande Books, standard royalty contract, and introduction by guest judge
Entry fee: $34
Closing date: February 15, 2026

Winter Wonderland Poetry Contest (Young Writers)

Write a poem in any style and capture the essence of winter! This contest from Young Writers invites students to explore the season through poetry, whether it’s waiting for snow, cozy moments by the fire, or anticipating the holidays. Poems can be written or typed with no line or word limit.
Word count: No line or word limit
Prizes: Participating schools receive a free copy of the book; the favorite poet wins a $50 e-gift card; all entrants receive a bookmark; published poets receive certificates of merit
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 27, 2026

The Cardinal Poetry Prize (Wesleyan University Press)

Conceived by poet John Murillo, this unique prize targets serious poets aged 40 or older who have taken their time developing their craft. Authors must not have published a poetry book or not have published a new original collection within the last 10 years. The 2026 judge is Robert Pinsky, former three-term U.S. Poet Laureate.
Word count: 48–64 pages
Prizes: $1,000 and publication by Wesleyan University Press
Entry fee: $25 (fee waivers available for financial hardship)
Closing date: February 28, 2026

Short story writing contests 2026

Winter Short Story Award for New Writers

The Masters Review’s Short Story Award for New Writers is a bi-annual contest that recognizes the best fiction and creative nonfiction from today’s emerging writers. This award has launched numerous careers. Past winners include Nana Nkweti, Nick Fuller Googins, and Sanjena Sathian, several of whom earned representation from partnered agents.
Word count: Up to 6,000 words (fiction or creative nonfiction)
Prizes: First place: $3,000 + publication + agency review; Second place: $300 + publication + agency review; Third place: $200 + publication + agency review
Entry fee: $20
Closing date: February 1, 2026

Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2026

Authors Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist, along with Stringybark Publishing, sponsor this flagship Australian short story award. This is an open-themed award, though your short story must have a link to Australia. The story must be written for an audience aged 16 and above.
Word count: 1,500 words or fewer
Prizes: First Prize: A$500 + publication + e-book + paperback + choice of two Stringybark anthologies (Value $565); Second Prize: A$300 + publication + e-book + paperback + choice of two anthologies (Value $365); Third Prize: A$150 + same package (Value $220); Fourth Prize: A$50 + same package (Value $120); Highly Commended: Publication + e-book (up to 30 stories)
Entry fee: A$15 for one story, A$28 for two stories, A$39 for three stories (maximum)
Closing date: February 1, 2026

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award is a unique contest focused on science fiction stories about manned space exploration. Co-sponsored by Baen Books and the National Space Society, the contest honors the memory of Jim Baen and celebrates the role of science fiction in inspiring real-world scientific advancement. The contest seeks near-future stories (50-60 years out) about moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, and the challenges of human space exploration.
Word count: 8,000 words max.
Prizes: Publication on Baen Books website, payment at professional rates ($0.08/word), engraved award, free entry to the 2026 International Space Development Conference, and a year’s membership in the National Space Society
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 1, 2026

Next Generation Short Story Awards

A not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories worldwide. This contest offers 30+ categories, cash prizes, gold medals for all winners, and inclusion in a published anthology. Grand Prize Winners are invited to attend the prestigious NGIBA awards gala reception.
Word count: Max. 5,000 words
Prizes: 1st Place Grand Prize: $500 + gold medal + trophy + anthology publication + gala invitation; 2nd Place: $300 + gold medal + anthology + gala invitation; 3rd Place: $200 + gold medal + anthology + gala invitation
Entry fee: $25 for the first category, $20 for each additional category
Closing date: February 26, 2026

Long Winter Night Writing Contest (Gotham Writers)

Gotham Writers Workshop presents this seasonal contest celebrating winter-themed writing. Whether your story captures the quiet beauty of a snowy evening or the cozy warmth of gathering indoors, this contest welcomes creative explorations of the winter season.
Word count: Max. 50 words
Prizes: Free Gotham class of their choosing, excluding any premium classes (Zoetrope Fiction, Business Writing, Level III)
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 28, 2026

Essay Contests 2026

Global Essay Competition (St. Gallen Symposium)

Compete in this prestigious global essay competition and qualify for participation as a Leader of Tomorrow at the St. Gallen Symposium. The top 100 essayists qualify for an expenses-paid participation at the 55th St. Gallen Symposium (5-7 May 2026) in Switzerland, with travel, board, and lodging covered. The topic is Disruption in Tech + Politics + Demography: What happens when they collide?
Word count: Max. 2,100 words (excluding abstract, bibliography, and footnotes)
Prizes: Total prize money of CHF 20,000 split among the three winners; top 100 essayists receive expenses-paid participation at the St. Gallen Symposium
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 1, 2026

Calibre Essay Prize

Australian Book Review welcomes entries in the 2026 Calibre Essay Prize, one of the world’s leading prizes for a new non-fiction essay. The contest is open to all essayists writing in English. ABR seeks essays of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject and welcomes essays of all kinds: personal or political, literary or speculative, traditional or experimental.
Word count: 2,000–5,000 words
Prizes: Total prize money of $10,000 (AUD)
Entry fee: $20 (current ABR subscribers), $30 (non-subscribers; includes four-month digital access to ABR); entry + subscription bundles available
Closing date: February 3, 2026

Leland Essay Contest

The Leland Essay Contest was established by Bruce H. Leland to recognize the best writers in the Western Writing Program. Winning essays are published in the print and online issues of Western Voices and used as readings in many composition courses. All winners (including honorable mentions) will be recognized and receive a certificate at the English Department Awards Night in April.
Word count: No limit
Prizes: First place: $150; Second place: $100; Third place: $50; all winners receive certificates
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 13, 2026

Write the World Competitions

Write the World hosts regular writing competitions for young writers aged 13-19 from around the globe. Their competitions span various genres, including essays, poetry, flash fiction, and more, with expert feedback from published writers and educators. Competitions feature peer review opportunities and recognition for outstanding work.
Word count: 400-1000 words
Prizes: First place: $100. Runner-Up and Best Peer Review will each receive $50.
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 23, 2026

Book Writing Contests 2026

Brick Road Poetry Book Contest

The mission of Brick Road Poetry Press is to publish and promote poetry that entertains, amuses, edifies, and surprises a wide audience of appreciative readers. Their preference is for poetry geared toward dramatizing the human experience in language rich with sensory image and metaphor, recognizing that poetry can be both familiar as the perspiration of daily labor and as outrageous as a carnival sideshow. The contest uses blind reading to judge submissions without knowing who wrote the manuscript.
Word count: 50–100 pages of poetry (excluding cover page, contents, acknowledgments, etc.)
Prizes: First place winner receives a $1,000 cash prize, a publication contract with Brick Road Poetry Press in both print and ebook formats, and 25 copies of the printed book
Entry fee: $30
Closing date: February 1, 2026

IndieReader Discovery Awards

IndieReader’s Discovery Awards recognize excellence in independent and self-published books across multiple categories. The awards provide indie authors with professional reviews, exposure to industry professionals, and recognition for outstanding work. The “IndieReader Discovery Awards” are open to books that are self-published, hybrid, and small-press published

Books have to have a valid ISBN or ASIN number.
Word count: No limit
Prizes: First place: $500, 2nd and 3rd place: $250 cash prize with professional IndieReader review, First-look consideration with Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management, and a book-to-film consideration for the winners.
Entry fee: $150 per title, which includes the main category. $50 fee for each additional category
Closing date: February 11, 2026

BCALA Self-Publishing Literary Awards

The Black Caucus of ALA (BCALA) honors the best self-published ebooks by African American authors in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. All the eBooks submitted to the contest must be written by an African American author born in the U.S. The awards will be presented at the American Library Association conference in Chicago, IL, in June 2026.
Word count: No limit
Prizes: $2,500.00, formal recognition at the American Library Association conference, and a BCALA Literary Award Seal
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 28, 2026

Mixed Writing Contests 2026

Geminga Contest (Sunspot Lit)

With Geminga, Sunspot Lit honors the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category. This contest accepts fiction, nonfiction, micropoetry, graphic novels, and visual art. Winners and finalists are published in the quarterly digital edition and the annual fall print edition.
Word count: 100 words for fiction and nonfiction; 140 characters for micropoetry; 4 pages for graphic novels; visual art no larger than 25 inches square
Prizes: $100 cash and publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists
Entry fee: $5
Closing date: February 1, 2026

Mini Moon Writing Contest

Tadpole Press hosts this monthly micro-writing contest celebrating the power of brevity. Write a piece of 10 words or less (including any title) with no theme restrictions. Deadlines fall on every full moon, with winners announced one week after each Community Write-In. Tips from the judges are available at Community Write-Ins.
Word count: 10 words or fewer (including title)
Prizes: $50 USD to the top winner
Entry fee: $5
Closing date: February 1, 2026

3-Minute Arts Writing Competition

Could you write a story, a play, or a song that lasts 3 minutes? This competition seeks original plays, stories, and songs that last approximately 3 minutes and are suitable for performance to a family audience at Mini Arts Festival in Glaisdale. Judges look for that spark of creativity as well as technical ability to construct well-made work that engages an audience’s attention. Drama entries need to be simple to stage and ideally contain action and visual interest.
Word count: Approximately 3 minutes performance length
Prizes: Cash prizes and performance at Mini Arts Festival 2026
Entry fee: £6.00 for a first entry in that category, and £3.00 for any subsequent entry in the same category
Closing date: February 15, 2026

Voices of Mixed Heritage (Kinsman Quarterly)

Submit essays, fiction, or poetry exploring themes of multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain. Kinsman Quarterly seeks heartfelt reflections on living between worlds. Winners receive cash prizes and publication in Kinsman’s upcoming anthology.
Word count: Between 300 and 2,000 words (creative writing), up to 10 pages (poetry)
Prizes: Up to $500 in cash prizes and publication in an anthology
Entry fee: Free
Closing date: February 28, 2026