2022 Free Writing Contests for Beginner Writers to Win Up to $3,000
Ten poetry, essay, and fiction competitions with $0 entry fee. Budding authors and poets, what have you got to lose?
There’s a reason why I have been dormant on Medium for months — I’m writing my first collection of poems. Yes, I’m preparing for something big!
As I revealed in my last post, I started entering a lot of free (no submission fee) poetry competitions. I did it as a warm-up for my upcoming masterpiece. I read every rule and watched out for the deadlines. I have become a frequent visitor of Submittable! Each contest taught me a lesson or two and has inspired me to keep going.
So here I am now seriously at work on a chef-d’oeuvre.
But this is not where it ends. My next step is to invade other genres. I’m looking at essays, fiction, and nonfiction writing awards. I discovered that there are tons of opportunities in that arena as well.
Here are just ten of the challenging yet entertaining writing contests I have collected. Some deadlines are coming up very soon, so let’s start writing!
1. Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest
The Prime Number Magazine is published by Press 53, an independent publisher. They hold a contest every month and the contest is open to writers worldwide.
Prize: Publication in Prime Number Magazine and a Press 53 book
Deadline: Every 15th of the month
Genre: Short story
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://www.press53.com/53-word-story-winners
Website: https://www.press53.com/53word-story-contest
2. Waterston Desert Writing Prize
In honor of author and poet Ellen Waterston’s passion for the High Desert, this award is intended to support writers whose work explores a similar theme.
Prize: $3,000 and residency at PLAYA (Summer Lake, Oregon)
Deadline: May 1, 2022
Genre: Nonfiction (book-length)
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://highdesertmuseum.org/waterston-past-winners/
Website: https://thewaterstondesertwritingprize.submittable.com/submit
3. Reader’s Digest 100-Word-Story Competition
This is part of the 100th-year anniversary celebration of Reader’s Digest. There are three categories: writers below the age of 12, aged 12–18, and adults. Only UK-based, unpublished original works are considered. All entries must exactly be 100 words.
Prize: £1,000 (adult), £200 and £100 book voucher (children)
Deadline: May 1, 2022 (deadline is extended to May 20, 2022 for the children categories)
Genre: Short Story
Submission Fee: None
Website: https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/inspire/100-word-story-competition/100-word-story-competition-2022
4. Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors
This competition awards writers whose creativity depicts hope and justice for the climate crisis of today. The contest is open to writers worldwide who are 18 or older at the time of submission. Entries must be between 3,000 and 5,000 words.
Prize: $3,000 (First Place) and publication on Fix’s website. $2,000 (Second Place), $1,000 (Third Place) and nine $300 (Finalists)
Deadline: May 5, 2022
Genre: Fiction
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://grist.org/fix/series/imagine-2200-climate-fiction/
Website: https://grist.org/fix/climate-fiction-writing-contest-imagine-2200-prizes/
5. Creative Future Writers’ Award
Open only to UK writers who are over 18 and underrepresented. Poetry entries must have a maximum of 50 lines and fiction entries must not be more than 2,000 words.
Prize: £100 (platinum), £75 (gold), £50 (silver), £25 (bronze)
Deadline: May 22, 2022
Genre: Poetry and Fiction
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/winners/
Website: https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/how-to-enter/
6. The Irene Adler Prize
This award is open to female college students majoring in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized college or university in the U.S. or Canada. Entries must be in English and not more than 500 words. There are 3 prompts to choose from:
Which story from your life best illustrates why writing is important to you?
If you could embark on an adventure anywhere in the world, what would it be?
What is a mystery that you’d love to solve via your writing?— Lucas Aykroyd (Founder of the Irene Adler Prize)
Prize: $1,000
Deadline: May 30, 2022
Genre: Essay
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://www.lucasaykroyd.com/2021-irene-adler-prize
Website: https://www.lucasaykroyd.com/scholarships
7. Anansi Archive Writing Awards
The Anansi Archive is a writing community that supports beginner writers. The award is given every quarter and there is no specified theme. All entries must be original and unpublished.
Prize: £20 (first place), £10 (runner-up), and feature on the Anansi website
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Genre: Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short Fiction
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/winning-entries/
Website: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/competitions/
8. JASNA Student Essay Contest
The Jane Austen Society of North America’s annual competition was established to promote Jane Austen’s work to future generations. It is open to high school, college/university, and graduate students worldwide. For 2022, the prompt is Jane Austen’s first published novel, Sense and Sensibility.
Prize: Scholarships for $1000 (First), $500 (Second), $250 (Third) per division
Deadline: June 2, 2022
Genre: Essay
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://jasna.org/publications-2/essay-contest-winning-entries/
Website: https://jasna.org/programs/essay-contest/
9. Ocean Awareness Contest for Teens
Calling all writers aged 11–18. The Ocean Awareness Contest is held annually to encourage young students to learn more about environmental issues. For 2022, the prompt is “The funny thing about climate change”.
Prize for Senior Division: $1500 (Gold), $1000 (Silver), $500 (Bronze), $100 (Honorable Mention)
Prize for Junior Division: $1000 (Gold), $750 (Silver), $250 (Bronze), $50 (Honorable Mention)
Deadline: June 13, 2022
Genre: Creative writing, poetry & spoken word
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/winners-2021/
Website: https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/contest-overview/
10. New Voices Award
Awarded every year by Lee & Low Books. This contest welcomes writers of color and indigenous/native writers 18 years or older who reside in the US.
Prize: $2,000 (First Prize) and a standard publication contract. $1,000 (Honor Award).
Deadline: Aug 1, 2022
Genre: Children’s book (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry)
Submission Fee: None
Previous Winners: https://blog.leeandlow.com/2022/01/18/announcing-lee-low-books-2021-new-voices-award-winner-and-honor/
Website: https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-voices-award
Author’s Note: I’m not an affiliate of the mentioned awards and contests. The links are references and not endorsements.
