Free Writing Contests And Resources For Finding More

NOTE: This post was originally published in May 2018. I updated the contest deadlines and reworked parts of the post for clarity February 2020. I also updated links so they lead to the most current book editions.

Finding opportunities to get your writing published can feel very daunting, so I want to share some literary contests that can help you get your words in front of an audience. I’ve had eight poems published in literary journals, and I’m slowly working on getting more of my writing out into the world. I’ll also share tips I’ve discovered and resources I’ve found helpful in my search for writing contests.

Literary journals are a great way to get published. Some exist solely online, others are print, and many have a blend of both. They often accept poetry, short fiction, short nonfiction, artwork, and photography. If you want to get published and you’ve never explored literary journals, now is a great time to dive in.

I’ve compiled a short list of literary journal contests that are free to enter. The prize money for these contests is pretty modest, but its a great start. The contests with large cash prizes often charge a submission fee, and I wanted to create a post with only free opportunities. The resources at the end of this post will help you find more contests, whether they be free or pay-to-play.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a portion of sales, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase. All recommendations are my own. Thank you for supporting my blog through your purchase! 

Many of these journals have other general submission deadlines and/or other contests, so be sure to explore their websites.

Please note that my listing a contest/journal here doesn’t mean I endorse their view, etc. You may find language, ideas, opinion, themes, etc. that you disagree with in the world of literary journals. But I hope you’ll venture into it because there is beautiful and inspiring writing to discover.

Also, while I’ve tried to make sure that all the information I’ve shared about these contests is correct and up-to-date, sometimes journals change submission deadlines or other requirements, and I am not responsible for these changes. Please be sure to go to the literary journal websites for all the details.

I wish you all the best on your publishing journey!

Writing Contests By Month

Literary Journal: Toasted Cheese
Contest: A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest
New summer-related theme announced each year.
Due: Open April 1 – June 21 annually
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: Dependant on number of entries. $35-$50 Amazon gift card for 1st place, $10-$15 Amazon gift card for 2nd place, $0-10 for 3rd place
For more info about this contest: http://tclj.toasted-cheese.com/a-midsummer-tale/
They also offer two other short story contests: http://tclj.toasted-cheese.com/contest-guidelines/

Literary Journal: The Virginia Quarterly Review
Contest: General submissions
Due: July 1-31 annually
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: Not technically a prize, but online content is generally paid at $100-$200, depending upon genre and length. Various other payments for print publication.
For more info: http://www.vqronline.org/about-vqr/submissions

Literary Journal: descant
Contest: All fiction and poetry submissions are considered for four prizes: http://descant.tcu.edu/awards/
Due: Months other than April, May, June, July, or August annually
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: $250-$500
For more info: http://descant.tcu.edu/submit/

Writing Contests Open Year Round

Literary Journal: Blue Mountain Arts
Contest: Biannual Poetry Card Contest
For poems inspired by a “special person or occasion”
Due: June 30 and December 31 annually (Submissions accepted year-round)
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: $350 for 1st prize, $200 for 2nd prize, $100 for 3rd prize
For more info: http://www.sps.com/poetry/

Literary Journal: Frontier Poetry
Contest: New Voices poetry category
Due: Open year round
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: Not technically a prize, they pay $50 per published poem, up to $150
For more info: (and other contests) https://www.frontierpoetry.com/submit/
For more info about awards: https://www.frontierpoetry.com/poetry-awards/

Literary Journal: Ekphrasis
Contest: Ekphrasis Prize for Poetry
Due: Open year round
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: $500. All submissions are considered for the prize.
For more info: http://www.ekphrasisjournal.com/submission_guidelines
and http://www.ekphrasisjournal.com/ekphrasis_prize

Literary Journal: Rattle
Contest: Ekphrastic Challenge
New contest every month, inspired by a new piece of art each month.
Due: Last day of each month
Entry Fee: FREE
Prize: $50
For more info: http://www.rattle.com/ekphrastic/

Resources For Finding More Contests

Writer’s Market Books

Writer’s Market 2020: This book is known as the go-to guide for writers looking to get their writing to readers. I bought my first copy in 2017, and it has been immensely helpful. And I’ve only started mining its depths of information; I’ve really only explored the sections on contests and awards for fiction and poetry.  There are sections to help you find book publishers, literary agents, magazines, trade journals, and tips for getting your work out there. New editions published each year offer the most up-to-date information.

There are different editions available that are more specialized too: Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2020 and Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market 2020, among other editions. 

You may be able to find copies of Writer’s Market books at your library.

Newsletters

Winning Writers Newsletter is a fantastic free resource for finding contests. In each months’ enewsletter, they provide a list of contests that are free to enter. Sign up here. (They also offer a helpful list of contests and services to avoid.)

Funds for Writers Newsletter is another free resource with loads of useful information about contests as well as tips on getting published. Sign up here.

Most literary journals I’ve come across require you to submit through Submittable. (It’s free to sign up and easy to use. Now would be a good time to set up your account so you can start submitting right away!) They offer a free weekly enewsletter full of opportunities for writers. You can sign up here. The list includes some free contests, but most require a submission fee, usually ranging on average from $5-$20. 

Libraries and Schools

Some libraries offer writing contests—the library where I worked had a haiku contest for adults, and a literary magazine just for high school students. (I had so much fun serving as a “pre-judge” for the magazine several years!)

Your public library may also have digital or print versions of literary journals that you can check out to research for contests.

If you’re a student, be sure to check with your school or college about writing contests. College literary journals are a great way to get your writing published. That’s how I was first published!

More Journals

The literary journal Ascent lists numerous literary journals where you can discover opportunities to submit your work:  I’ve checked out some of these and plan to explore this list more. You can also submit to Ascent here. The details are sparse on their website, but it appears they accept submissions for free and do not offer payment for authors. 

One Last Tip

Finally, here’s a tip I discovered when trying to find contests: If you find a poem in a literary journal that really strikes you or feels similar to your style, be sure to read the author’s bio. They will often list other journals where they have been published. Check out those publications—they just might be a good fit for your work.

What contests are you most interested in? What tips would you add to this list?
I’d love to hear about your favorite literary journals in the comments!

PS Here are my tips for setting writing goals for the year.

Love reading as much as you love writing? Here are my mini book reviews and other reading posts.