Contests and Markets for short fiction, memoir, and poetry

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The Malahat Review has four annual contests and it accepts regular submissions year-round. They want poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction, mostly by Canadian writers, and reviews of Canadian books of the best writing from abroad.

Submissions always open. Guidelines here.

The contests:

Open Season Awards has three categories: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The winner in each category receives a $2,000 prize and publication in the spring 2023 issue. Entry fee $35 (for Canadian entries).

Deadline: November 1, 2022. Guidelines here.

Long Poem Prize / Novella Prize – these contests are offered every other year, with Long Poem entries accepted in odd-numbered years; Novella entries accepted in even years.

Deadline early February, 2023. Guidelines for Long Poem Prize will be posted in November here. Guidelines for 2024 Novella Prize will be posted in about a year here.

Far Horizons Award for Poetry / Short Fiction: As a complement to the Novella and Long Poem prizes, the Far Horizons Awards are short-form contests, with the Far Horizons Award for Short Fiction given during odd years and the Far Horizons Award for Poetry in even. Only open to writers who have yet to publish in book form for the genre in question. Winning entries appear in the Autumn issue.

Next deadline for Short Fiction Award early May, 2023; guidelines will be posted in mid-February here. Next deadline for Far Horizons Poetry Award early May 2023; guidelines will be posted in mid-February here.

Constance Rooke Creative Nonfiction Prize: To nurture The Malahat Review’s newest genre, the Constance Rooke Creative Nonfiction Prize was established in 2007. The winning entry appears in the Winter issue.

Next deadline: Early August 5, 2023. Guidelines will be posted in mid-May 2023 here.

Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest

A prize of $1,000 will be given twice annually for a 100-word work of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or a mix of everything. 100 words maximum. $10 US entry.

Deadline: November 30, 2022. Guidelines here.

 

LitMag is calling for entries for two contests: 

The Anton Chekhov Award for flash fiction. Prize: $1,250 US and publication. The winner will also have their work reviewed by agents from the Bent Agency, Brandt & Hochman, Folio Literary Management, InkWell Management, Sobel Weber Associates, and Triangle House Literary. Entries must be 500 to 1,500 words. $16 entry fee. All entries are considered for publication.

Deadline November 30, 2023. Full guidelines here.

The Virginia Woolf Award for short fiction. First Prize: $2,500 US plus publication plus agency review by Nat Sobel of Sobel Weber Associates, Lisa Bankoff of Bankoff Collaborative, Erin Harris and Sonali Chanchani of Folio Literary Management, Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency, David Forrer of Inkwell Management, Monika Woods of Triangle House, and Emily Forland of Brandt & Hochman. Entry fee $20

Deadline: December 31, 2022. Full guidelines here.

LitMag is also open for submissions of short fiction (up to 15,000 words for print; under 4,000 words for online), poetry (up to 5 poems at a time), and nonfiction (up to 15,000 words for print; under 4,000 words for online) for both their print magazine and for publication online. They charge $4 for submissions.

Their reading periods run Sept 1 – Nov 30 and Feb 1 – May 31. Full guidelines here.

  

Fish Publishing is calling for submissions to its annual Short Story Contest. Prize €3,000 (approximately $4,040 Canadian). The top ten stories will be published in the annual Fish Publishing anthology. Maximum 5,000 words. The winner will also be invited to attend a five-day short story workshop and read at the West Cork Literary Festival in July 2023. 

Entry fee by mail €22 (approximately $29 Canadian) or €20 (approximately $27 Canadian) using the online submission system. Second and third prize: €300 (about $400 Canadian).

Deadline: November 30, 2022. Full guidelines here.

Fish Publishing also has a Short Memoir Prize – deadline January 31, 2023, guidelines here;  a Flash Fiction Prize – deadline February 28, 2023, guidelines here, and a Poetry Prize – deadline March 31, 2023, guidelines here.

 

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