The New Brunswick Writing Competition opens January 1, 2026

 

WFNB memoirs workshop in Petit Cap, New Brunswick this past September

This writing competition celebrates eight categories of unpublished writing in the genres of novel, short story, single poem, poetry manuscript, books for young people, and stories by teens, as well as unpublished short film script, and narrative non-fiction. The only requirement: You must be a New Brunswick resident to participate in our provincial competition. Or if you live outside of the province, you must be a member of the Writers Federation of New Brunswick.

Categories:

Short stories or poems written by adults for Children, Middle Grade or Young Adult Readers

• New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
• Up to 4,500 words
• First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Brian Henry

Fiction Manuscript

• Story collection, novella, or novel extract by a NB resident author or WFNB member
• 15,000 to 30,000 words
• Individual stories can be previously published, but a novella or novel extract must be unpublished
• First Prize $400, Second Prize $200, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Don Aker

Short Fiction

• Single story by a New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
• 2,000 to 4,000 words
• Prose only, please. Narrative poems are not admissible
• First Prize $250, Second Prize $150, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Rona Altrows

Poetry Manuscript 

• 48 to 96 pages by a New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
• Individual poems can be previously published, but the manuscript
  must be unpublished
• First Prize $350, Second Prize $200, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Neil Aitken

Single Poem

• Single poem by a New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
• Up to 100 lines
• First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Sharon Berg

Short story or poem written by New Brunswick teens, age 13 to 18

·         Entry is now free! New Brunswick resident students only

·         Email entries to info@wfnb.ca

·         Use the subject: "Sheree Fitch Prize"

·         Short story or poem written by teens age 13 to 18

·         Short story–up to 4,000 words; or poem–up to 100 lines

·         Only two submissions per person

·         First Prize $100, Second Prize $50, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Ann Birch

Nonfiction Prose Manuscript

• New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
• 1,500 to 3,000 words
• First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

2026 Judge: Bill Arnott

Short film scripts up to 15 minutes in length

PLEASE NOTE: By request of our major sponsors, this competition is now open only to New Brunswick resident authors. WFNB members living outside the province cannot participate.

• Unproduced or produced accepted. 
• First Prize $500 (sponsored by the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund and the NB Film Cooperative), Second prize $250 (Sponsored by the WFNB), third prize, 1 year WFNB membership (Sponsored by the WFNB)

2026 Judge: John Mundle

Full contest details here: https://wfnb.ca/Writing-Competition    

See more writing contests and other places to send your short work here (and scroll down).

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.