2012 Short Story Contests and Awards for Writers

Nov 18, 2011
Margi Desmond

Many writing competitions award cash prizes and publication. - Photo by Argenberg

A list of writing competitions held throughout the year that offer publication, cash and recognition to short story authors of all experience levels.

Writing competitions hosted by educational institutions, literary groups and other organizations allow writers of all experience and background an opportunity for publication, income and recognition without having agent representation. Conducting research to find these opportunities can be time-consuming; therefore, the following list is provided to streamline efforts in selecting the appropriate competition. It is important to conduct further research as some competitions have geographical, length and subject specific criteria. Many competitions require reading and/or entry fees so it’s important to verify guidelines prior to entry to ensure the fee isn’t wasted via disqualification.

Short Story Contests & Awards: January Deadlines

AKC Gazette Annual Fiction Contest - $500, $250 and $100 for top three entries; January 31 deadline
Kay Cattarulla Award for Best Short Story - $750 award; January 31 deadline
G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction - $1,000 plus book publication; January 15 deadline
Danuta Gleed Literary Award for First Book of Short Fiction - $10,000 first place and $500 for two runners-up; January 31 deadline
Just Desserts Short-Short Fiction Contest - $1,000 and publication; January 31 deadline
Literal Latte Fiction Award - $1,000 and publication first place, $300 second place, $200 third place and $200 for seven honorable mentions; January 15 deadline
Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction - $2,000 and publication; January 1 – February 15 deadline
The Ohio State University Prize in Short Fiction - $1,500 and publication; January 31 deadline
Ohioana Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant - $1,000 award; January 31 deadline
Prism International Annual Short Fiction Contest - $1,000 to $2,000 and publication first place, $200 to $300 for three runners-up; January 29 deadline
Steven Turner Award for Best First Work of Fiction - $1,000 award; January 3 deadline
Writers’ Journal Annual Fiction Contest - $500, $200 and $100 and publication for first three entries; January 30 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: February Deadlines

The Malahat Review Novella Prize - $1,500 CAD and one year’s subscription; February 1 deadline
Random House, Inc. Creative Writing Competition - $500 to $10,000 awards; February 11 deadline
Wow! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest – first place $300 and $25 Amazon gift card, publication and blog interview; February 28 deadline

Short Story Contests: March Deadlines

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest - $3,000, $1,000, $400 and $250 for first through fourth place and publication on website; March 31 deadline
L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest - $5,000 grand prize, $1,000, $750, $500 for first through third place; March 31 deadline
James Jones First Novel Fellowship - $10,000 grand prize and $500 two runners-up; March 1 deadline
Frank O’Connor Award for Short Fiction - $500 award; March 31 deadline
Harold U. Ribalow Prize - $3,000 award; March 1 deadline
World’s Best Short Story Fiction Contest - $500 and publication; March 15 deadline
Writer’s Journal Annual Horror/Ghost Contest - $250, $100 and $50 for first through third place; March 30 deadline
Writers-Editors Network Annual International Writing Competition - $100, $75 and $50 for first through third place; March 15 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: April Deadlines

Canadian Writer’s Journal Short Fiction Contest - $50-$150 and publication; April 30 deadline
Jack Dyer Fiction Prize - $2,000, publication and subscription to Crab Orchard Review; April 30 deadline
Firstwriter.com International Short Story Contest - $300, publication and $36 subscription voucher; April 1 deadline
Serena McDonald Kennedy Award - $1,000 and publication; April 30 deadline
Oncewritten.com Fiction Contest - $100 award; April 30 deadline
Paterson Fiction Prize - $1,000 award; April 1 deadline
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction - $2,000 and publication first place, $1,000 and publication for second place; April 30 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: May Deadlines

American Short Story Contest - $500 and $250 plus publication for first and second place winners; May 1 deadline
Annual Hidden Talents Short Story Contest - $500, $250, $150 and $100 for first through fourth place; May 31 deadline
The Alexander Patterson Cappon Fiction Award - $1,500 and publication; May 18 deadline
The Crucible Poetry and Fiction Competition - $150 and publication first place, $100 and publication second place; May 2 deadline
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition - $1,500 first place, $500 for second and third place; May 15 deadline
David Raffelock Award for Publishing Excellence – publicity tour including airfare award; May 15 deadline
Elizabeth Simpson Smith Fiction Award - $500 and publication; May 31 deadline
The Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction - $1,000 and publication; May 31 deadline
Spokane Prize for Short Fiction - $3,000 and publication; May 15 deadline
Writer’s Digest Writing Competition – Grand prize is $3,000 and trip to NYC to meet with agents/editors; May 2 deadline
Writers’ Journal Annual Short Story Contest - $350, $125 and $75 for first through third place; May 30 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: June Deadlines

The Art of Music Annual Writing Contest – Cash, medal, certificate and publication award; June 30 deadline
Cape Fear Crime Festival Short Story Contest - $100, $75 and $50 for first through third place and publication; June 1 deadline
Indiana Review ½ K Contest - $1,000 award; June 1 deadline
New Millennium Writing Awards - $1,000 award; June 17 deadline
WCDR Short Fiction Contest – 25%, 15% and 10% of entry fees awarded to first through third place; June 1 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: July Deadlines

National Writers Association Short Story Contest - $200, $100 and $50 for first through third place; July 1 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: August Deadlines

AIM Magazine Short Story Contest - $100 award; August 15 deadline
Annual Gival Press Short Story Award - $1,000 and publication on website; August 8 deadline
Tony Hillerman Mystery Short Story Contest - $1,000, publication and tickets to award ceremony; August 15 deadline
Oncewritten.com in the Midnight Hour Halloween Contest - $500 first place, $100 runners-up; August 31 deadline
The Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize - $25,000 and $2,500 to four finalists; August 1 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: September Deadlines

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest - $5,000 grand prize, $1,000, $750, $500 for first through third place; September 30 deadline
The Innermoonlit Award for Best Short-Short Story - $100, $50 and $25 for first through third place; September 1 deadline
Lawrence House Centre for the Arts Short Story Contest - $250, $150 $100 for first through third place; September 30 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: October Deadlines

Sherwood Anderson Short Fiction Award - $1,000 and publication; October 1 deadline
Dana Awards in the Novel, Short Fiction, Essay and Poetry - $1,000 award; October 31 deadline
Inkwell Short Fiction Contest - $1,500 award; October 30 deadline
Pen/Faulkner Awards for Fiction - $15,000 grand prize; $5,000 for four finalists; October 31 deadline
Rofihe Trophy - $500, trophy and publication; October 15 deadline
Zoetrope Short Fiction Contest - $1,000, $500 and $250 for first through third place; October 1 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: November Deadlines

The Briar Cliff Review Fiction, Poetry and Creative Nonfiction Competition - $1,000 and publication; November 1 deadline
William F. Deek Malice Domestic Grants for Unpublished Writers - $1,500, convention registration and hotel accommodations for two nights; November 15 deadline
Barry Hannah Prize for Fiction - $500 and publication; November 15 deadline
Imperial Odyssey Short Story Competition – Professional payment ($0.05 per word) and publication; November 30 deadline
The Mary Mackey Short Story Prize - $100, $50 and $25 for first through third place; November 30 deadline
Wow! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest – first place $300 and $25 Amazon gift card, publication and blog interview; November 30 deadline

Short Story Contests & Awards: December Deadlines

Atlantic Writing Competition for Unpublished Manuscripts - $150, $75 and $50 for first through third place; December 7 deadline
The Baltimore Review Fiction Contest - $500 and publication, $250 and $100 for first through third place; December 1 deadline
Boulevard Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers - $1,500 and publication; December 31 deadline
Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards – medals and cash prizes awarded; December 31 deadline.
David Dornstein Memorial Creative Writing Contest for Young Adult Writers - $700, $200 and $100 for first through third place; December 31 deadline
H.E. Francis Short Story Award - $1,000 award; December 31 deadline
Ernest Hemingway Foundation Pen Award for First Fiction - $8,000 award; December 9 deadline
The Long Story Contest, International - $1,000 and publication; December 15 deadline
Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize - $15,000 award; December 7 deadline
Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction - $5,000 award; December 31 deadline
Thoroughbred Times Fiction Contest - $600, $300 and $200 plus publication for first through third place; December 31 deadline
Writer’s Digest Short Story Writing Competition – Grand prize is $3,000 and trip to NYC to meet with agents/editors; December 1 deadline