Writing competitions are vital for any new writer who wants to be successful. But it’s important to know which poetry competitions, short story contests, and nonfiction contests are worth the effort. So we took a deep dive into the web, looking for writing contests in 2022 that are both exciting and dependable.
Suffice to say, you won’t find any sham contests in this list!
Writing Contests in 2022
We love bringing you useful information that can help you along in your writing career. In fact, as your editors and proofreaders, we consider it our duty! So, we have brought you only the best poetry competitions and the most exciting nonfiction contests.
Whether you’re a poet or a writer, the themes and challenges you’ll find here are sure to make your writing juices flow!
Along with the usual poetry competitions, short story contests, and nonfiction contests, we have a mixed contest category. These contests are open to both poets and writers, accepting entries in multiple genres.
If you can’t find entries for the last few months of the year, don’t worry! We’ll keep adding to this list as new competitions are declared and more writing contests in 2022 go live. So, make sure to keep an eye out on this page.
Without further ado, let’s begin our list of the writing contests in 2022.
March
Poetry competitions in March 2022
1. Nature & Place Poetry Competition 2022
Organized by Writers Online, the competition accepts poems on any aspect of nature or place. Gillian Clarke is the judge for this year.
Theme: Nature, place, or both
Word limit: 40 lines
Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250
Entry fee: £7 for the first poem (£4 per subsequent poem)
Closing date: 01 March 2022
2. Fish Poetry Prize
The contest will be launched during the West Cork Literary Festival in July, where ten selected entrants will be invited to read their poems. The second prize is a week’s residence at the Adam Cara Writers’ Retreat!
Word limit: 60 lines
Prizes: €1,000, €200, and others
Entry fee: €14 (€8 for subsequent entries)
Closing date: 31 March 2022
3. The Plough Prize 2022
This is the nineteenth year of the Plough Prize. The international poetry writing competition welcomes unpublished poems on all subjects. The judge for this year is Roger McGough.
Word limit: 40 lines
Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250
Entry fee: £5 per poem
Closing date: 31 March 2022
4. The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2022
The prize awards an unpublished poem written by adults for children between the ages of 7–12. Naomi Shihab Nye will judge the competition this year.
Word limit: 150 lines
Prize: €1,000
Entry fee: €14 per poem
Closing date: 31 March 2022
5. 2022 Poetry Prize
The poetry competition is organized by the Indiana Review. It accepts up to three poems in a single word document. The judge for this year is Billy-Ray Belcourt.
Prize: $1,000
Entry fee: $20, comes with a year-long subscription of the journal
Closing date: 31 march 2022
6. The Lascaux Prize in Poetry
The prize is presented by The Lascaux Review, and the shortlisted entries will be published in the journal. There are no restrictions of length and you may submit up to five poems in each entry.
Prize: $1,000, $100 for other finalists
Entry fee: $15
Closing date: 31 March 2022
Fiction writing contests in 2022
7. Page Potential Contest
Organized by the Sleek City Press, the short fiction contest has a panel of four Sleek City Press volunteers as its judges. It offers a fee waiver for writers in difficult circumstances. Just drop them an email for further inquiry!
Word limit: 400–900 words
Prizes: CAD $ 1,000, $500, $250
Entry fee: CAD $9 for unpublished writers and CAD $14 for established ones
Closing date: 07 March 2022
8. Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction
The prize is organized by the Colorado Review and has no restrictions of theme. The winning entry will be published in the fall 2022 issue of Colorado Review. All submissions will be considered for publication!
Word limit: 10–50 pages
Prize: $2,500
Entry fee: $17
Closing date: 31 March 2022
9. Writing Magic
This fiction writing competition is relatively small, but offers an interesting challenge. It also offers an additional $50 prize to anyone who refers the eventual winner!
Theme: Magic
Word limit: 500
Prizes: $500, $150
Entry fee: $10
Closing date: 31 March 2022
10. The Henshaw Short Story Competition
The short story contest is organized by the Henshaw Press. This year, it is offering only 35 critiques on entries, so hurry up if you want a critique on your work!
Word limit: 2,000 words
Prize: £200, £100, £50
Entry fee: £6; £14 for a critique
Closing date: 31 March 2022
11. 2022 Fiction Prize
The organizers ask you to send them your best “carefully strange work.” They’re interested in stories that “have consequence beyond the world of their speakers or narrators.”
Word limit: 6,000 words
Prize: $1,000
Entry fee: $20, comes with subscription to the Indiana Review
Closing date: 31 March 2022
Nonfiction writing contest
12. Op-Ed Competition 2022
This competition opens on March 7 and invites entries in the op-ed form. The writing can be on any subject that matters to you, from local to global issues.
Prizes: $100, $50
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 22 March 2022
Book writing contests in 2022
13. The Restless Book Prize in Fiction for New Immigrant Writing
The book writing competition is organized by Restless Books. It considers fiction and nonfiction in alternate years. This year, Tiphanie Yanique is the judge for the prize in fiction.
Word limit: At least 45,000 words
Prize: $10,000 plus publication
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 31 March 2022
14. The 2022 Bougainvillea Poetry Prize
The organizers invite poetry collections that grapple with the lives of working class people. They also especially encourage BIPOC and LGBTQ+ poets to enter the contest.
Word limit: 60–120 pages
Prize: $750, publication, 25 copies, and aggressive promotion
Entry fee: $10
Closing date: 31 March 2022
Mixed writing contests in 2022: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction contests
15. Tales from the Pandemic
Organized by Eastern Regional Libraries, the contest accepts entries in fiction and nonfiction. It is an effort to capture the tempo of the pandemic years while they are fresh in our minds.
Genres: Fiction and nonfiction
Word limit: 3,000 words
Prizes: $3,000, $1,000, $500, Local prize $1,000
Entry : Free!
Closing date: 11 March 2022
16. Wild Atlantic Writing Awards (WAWA)
The contest is held in two categories for the two genres of flash fiction and creative nonfiction. You can write in any minor genre of your choice, ranging from sci-fi and humor to memoir and personal essay.
Genres: Flash Fiction and creative nonfiction
Theme: Time
Word limit: 500 words
Prize: €500 per category plus publication for top ten entries
Entry fee: €10
Closing date: 31 March 2022
17. The Hudson Prize
Organized by the Black Lawrence Press, the contest awards an unpublished collection of poems or short stories. The prize is open to all poets and writers, established or unpublished.
Genres: Collection of poems or short stories
Word limit: 45–95 pages for poetry; 120–280 pages for fiction
Prize: $1,000 plus publication and ten copies of the book
Entry fee: $27
Closing date: 31 march 2022
18. 2022 Pinch Literary Awards
The 2022 Pinch Literary Awards will be conducted alongside the 2022 Page Prize. The Pinch Awards are open to poets and writers of fiction, whereas the Page Prize is only open to writers of nonfiction.
Genres: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction
Word limit: Three poems, 5,000 words for fiction, and 1,000 words for nonfiction
Prizes: $2,000 for poetry and fiction; $1000 for nonfiction
Entry fee: $20 for poetry or fiction; $10 for nonfiction
Closing date: 31 March 2022
19. Meet Me at 19th Street
The organizers of this contest invite the first chapter of your novel or a short story with food as its centerpiece. The winners will be considered for the annual Arch Street Prize, which awards $1,000 and publication with Arch Street Press.
Genres: Novel or short story
Theme: Food
Prizes: Three prizes of $100
Entry fee: $15
Closing date: 31 March 2022
20. Geminga 2022
The contest, organized by the Sunspot Literary Journal, is named after a neutron star so small that it was difficult to detect! There are no restrictions on theme or category, as long as the entry is “tiny”. A fitting challenge for all poets and writers!
Genres: Tiny poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art
Word limit: 140 characters for micropoetry and 100 words for fiction and nonfiction
Prize: $250
Entry fee: $5
Closing date: 31 March 2022
21. The George Floyd Short Story Competition
The contest was begun by the Nottingham Writers’ Studio in the memory of George Floyd and as a protest against racism. The contest anthology will publish entries by all runners-up, alongside those by the winners.
Genres: Fiction and nonfiction
Theme: EARTH 2.0
Word limit: 5,000 words
Prizes: £250, £125, £75, and £15 for all runners-up
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 31 March 2022
April
Poetry competitions
1. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
The poetry competition invites humor poems by both published and unpublished poets. There is a limit of one entry per person, and Jendi Reiter will judge the contest, assisted by Lauren Singer.
Word limit: 250 lines
Prizes: $2,000, $500, ten prizes of $100
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 01 April 2022
2. Poetry Prize — The Alpine Fellowship
You may submit one poem or a collection of poems, as long as all the poems relate to the theme of the contest. Along with the winner, the runners-up will be invited to attend The Alpine Fellowship’s symposium.
Theme: Freedom
Word limit: 500
Prize: £3,000
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 01 April 2022
3. Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
The contest, organized by the University of Pittsburgh, awards a first full-length book of poetry. It is open to anyone who has not published a book with a traditional publisher. So, self-published poets are free to enter!
Word limit: 49–100 pages
Prize: $5,000 plus publication
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 30 April 2022
Fiction writing contests in 2022
4. Cranked Anvil Prompt Competition
The short story contest invites you to submit up to three stories. The contest provides three elements as part of the prompt, and your stories must include all three of them!
Word limit: 700–1,000 words
Prizes: £150, £75, £30
Entry fee: £5 for the first story, £3 for the second, £2 for the third
Closing date: 01 April 2022
5. Fable Competition
The competition invites modern fables written in the style of Robert Louis Stevenson, the great Scottish writer. Here’s a tip to win: the organizers want you to focus on dialogue, not narration!
Word limit: 350 words
Prizes: £500, £100
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 02 April 2022
6. The Fifth Periscope
The flash fiction writing competition is presented by Periscope Literary. The contest takes its theme from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Along with a subsidized fee for students, the contest also provides free entries for 50 participants!
Theme: Fate knocking at the door
Word limit: 900 words
Prize: £4,000, four honorable mentions of £50
Entry: £9 for the first entry, £6 for the second
Closing date: 02 April 2022
7. Bath Short Story Award
The short story contest invites entries in any genre or theme. The judge for this year is Paul McVeigh. Along with the top three prizes, the contest also offers an Acorn award to a fourth winner.
Word limit: 2,200 words
Prizes: £1200, £300, two prizes of £100
Entry fee: £9
Closing date: 11 April 2022
8. Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2022
The organizers have tied up with literary agents and artistic institutions to ensure maximum exposure for new writers of short fiction. Prizes come with consultations with literary agents and editors, and trips to writers’ retreats!
Word limit: 2,000 words
Prizes: €1,500, two prizes of €750, and others
Entry fee: €20; additional €10 per subsequent entry
Closing date: 15 April 2022
9. Anthology Short Story Award
The reputed short story contest is organized by Anthology. The winning entry will be published in the magazine and the winner will receive a four-issue subscription.
Theme: Courage
Word limit: 1,500 words
Prize: €500
Entry fee: €10 per story; €15 for the extended deadline of 31 August 2022
Closing date: 30 April 2022
10. The Adventure Writers Competition
The competition invites newly published novels in the adventure genre that have sold less than 10,000 copies. Science fiction, romance, fantasy, and dystopian genres are not eligible for the contest.
Word limit: 50,000–200,000 words
Prizes: $1,000, two prizes of $500
Entry fee: $35
Closing date: 30 April 2022
Nonfiction contests
11. The Fountain Essay Contest 2021-2022
The essay contest wants you to reflect upon the recent years. They “are expecting your essays on ‘revival’ to hear your story which can be a source of healing for you and others.”
Theme: Revival
Word limit: 1,500–2,500 words
Prizes: $1,000, $500, $300, two prizes of $150
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 01 April 2022
12. Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest
The creative nonfiction essay contest is organized by WOW! Women On Writing. It invites entries on any topic and any style, “from personal essay to lyric essay to hybrid essay, and beyond!”
Word limit: 200–1,000 words
Prize: $500, $300, $200, and others
Entry fee: $12
Closing date: 30 April 2022
Mixed writing contests in 2022: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction contests
13. Writing Prize — The Alpine Fellowship
Organized by The Alpine Fellowship, the writing prize accepts entries in all genres of writing. There is a limit of one entry per person, and once you submit a piece for one of their contests, you can’t submit it to others.
Theme: Freedom
Word limit: 2,500 words
Prizes: £10,000, £3,000, £2,000
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 01 April 2022
14. Nimrod Literary Awards
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction and The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry are carried out together in the Nimrod Literary Awards. The contest is open to only unpublished poets and writers.
Genres: Poetry and fiction
Word limit: 3–10 pages for poetry; 7,500 words for fiction.
Prizes: $2,000, $1,000
Entry fee: $20 per entry
Closing date: 01 April 2022
15. First Pages Prize
Submit the first five pages of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction. Self-published authors are welcome to enter. Prizes include a tailored edit and agent consultation!
Genres: Fiction and creative nonfiction
Word limit: Up to 1,250 words
Prizes: $2,000, $1,500, $1,000, and two prizes of $750
Entry fee: $20
Deadline: 10 April 2022
16. F(r)iction Contests
The organizers of this competition are looking for “work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes.” An exciting challenge for both poets and writers!
Genres: Short story, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, and poetry
Word limit: 1,000–7,500 words for short stories
6,500 words for creative nonfiction
1,000 words per flash piece
Three pages per poem
Prizes: $1,000 for short story and nonfiction; $300 for poetry and flash fiction
Entry fee: $15 for short story and nonfiction; $10 for poetry and flash fiction
Closing date: 28 April 2022
17. 100 Word Writing Contest
Organized by Tadpole Press, the contest accepts 100 words written in any genre. The organizers want you to “go for something that pulls on our heartstrings rather than breaks our heart.”
Theme: The power of words
Word limit: 100
Prize: $1,000, $450, $250
Entry fee: $10
Closing date: 30 April 2022
18. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
For this contest, any work of fiction within the word limit qualifies as a short story and any work of nonfiction, as an essay. Mina Manchester is the judge for this year.
Genre: Fiction and essay
Word limit: 6,000 words
Prize: $3,000 per category and others
Entry fee: $20
Closing date: 30 April 2022
May
Short fiction writing contests in 2022
1. Bristol Short Story Prize
Twenty shortlisted entries will be published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 15. The contest offers 250 free online entries for writers who cannot pay the Entry Fee.
Word limit: 4,000 words
Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250
Entry fee: £9
Closing date: 04 May 2022
2. 2022 Short Memoir Competition
The organizers are looking for a piece of short memoir. They define a short memoir as “a piece of creative nonfiction in which the writer explores a single episode of their life or a small selection of vignettes, connected by a common theme.”
Theme: Places that have made me, changed me, or inspired me
Word limit: 3,000 words
Prize: £1,000
Entry fee: £5
Closing date: 17 May 2022
Screenwriting contest
3. Writing Battle
This exciting writing competition invites entries in screenwriting. You are assigned a genre when the contest starts, and you get five days to write your script! All entrants vote for the winners, which means everyone is a judge!
Word limit: 10 pages
Prize: $1500
Entry fee: Early entry: $15; late entry: $20
Closing date: 03 May 2022 | Screenwriting
Book writing contests in 2022
4. 2022 Unpublished Contest
The book writing contest is organized by Book Pipeline. It invites unpublished manuscripts in six genres, and each category receives a cash prize. The winners also receive exposure to agents, publishers, and film producers.
Genres: Literary, mystery / thriller, sci-fi / fantasy, young adult, middle grade, nonfiction
Word limit: 1–3 pages (first 5,000 words and a synopsis)
Prizes: 2500 per category
Entry fee: $45
Closing date: 25 May 2022
5. Bath Novel Award
The prestigious award features some sponsored entries for writers with low income. The prize includes agent introductions and a self-editing course. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!
Word limit: First 5,000 words and a one page synopsis
Prize: £3,000
Entry fee: £29
Closing date: 31 May 2022
6. Black Orchid Novella Award
The contest invites unpublished novellas in the genre of mystery. The organizers have some specific rules about the crime, the mystery, and the detective in your entry, so be sure to go through them!
Word limit: 15,000–20,000 words
Prize: $1000
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 31 May 2022
June
1. The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition
The contest invites novels written by adults for children between the ages of 7–18. The prizes come with an offer of representation by this year’s agent judge, Louise Lamont.
Word limit: 30,000–80,000 words
Prizes: £10,000 and £7,500 as advance against royalties
Entry fee: £20
Closing date: 01 June 2022
2. The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction
The contest welcomes both published and unpublished stories, and true stories are welcome if written in a narrative form. There is a word limit for individual stories, but each entry may consist of three such stories.
Word limit: 1,000 words
Prizes: $1000, $100 for the finalists
Entry fee: $15
Closing date: 30 June 2022
3. Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
The contest invites entries in multiple categories by writers who have not yet published a book-length work. Along with the winners, fifteen shortlistees will be offered publication and writing workshops.
Genres: Fiction, poetry, and life writing
Word limit: 3,000 words
Prizes: £1,000 per category
Entry fee: £10 for one entry; £16 for double entry
Closing date: 30 June 2022
4. The Moth Short Story Prize 2022
Sarah Hall will judge this short story contest. Along with the cash reward, the second prize includes a writing retreat at Circle of Misse. Exciting, right!
Word limit: 4,000 words
Prize: €3,000, €250 (with a writing retreat), €1000
Entry fee: €15
Closing date: 30 June 2022
July
1. Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
The contest is open to previously unpublished short fiction on Jewish content. The organizers are looking for stories related to Judaism, and Jewish culture and history.
Word limit: Up to 5,000 words
Prizes: $1,000
Entry fee: $25
Closing date: 01 July 2022
2. HG Wells Short Story Competition 2021: Mask
The contest was established to encourage creative writing among young people. All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology!
Theme: Mask
Word limit: 1,500–5,000 words
Prizes: £500
Entry fee: £10
Closing date: 11 July 2022
3. Scriptation Showcase
This script competition showcases the winning and shortlisted entries to Hollywood directors, showrunners, and producers. You can opt for feedback on your writing at the time of submitting your entry.
Word limit: 150 pages
Prizes: $1,000, $500, and others
Entry fee: $59
Closing date: 24 July 2022
4. Anthology Poetry Award
The poetry competition was established to encourage the writing and publishing of good poetry. The winning entry will be published in the next issue of Anthology.
Theme: Dreams
Word limit: 40 lines
Prize: €500
Entry fee: €10; €15 for an extended deadline of 31 October 2022
Closing date: 31 July 2022
5. Winchester Poetry Prize
The poetry competition is organized by the Winchester Poetry Festival. It offers free entries for poets on low incomes. Jo Bell is the judge for 2022.
Word limit: 40 lines
Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250
Entry fee: £5; £4 for subsequent poems
Closing date: 31 July 2022
August
1. Free Verse Poetry Contest
This poetry contest is a small one, but it is legitimate. It invites poems written in the free verse, and allows only one entry per person.
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 22 August 2022
2. Haiku Poetry Contest
This is one of the few global poetry competitions specially designed for haikus. Let’s see what you can create with only seventeen syllables!
Word limit: 17 syllables
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 26 August 2022
3. Take a Photo Poetry Contest
This interesting contest asks you to submit a photo with your poem. Go out for a walk, click a picture, and write a poem on it! Interesting, right?
Prize: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 31 August 2022
4. Creative Writing Award 2022
The mixed competition invites poems and short stories with no restriction of theme. Prizes include agent consultation, a free online poetry course, and a selection of vintage books!
Genres: Poetry and fiction
Word limit: 40 lines for poetry; 2,000 words for fiction
Prizes: £2,500 per category
Entry fee: £12 for poetry & £18 for short fiction
Closing date: 31 August 2022
September
1. The Face Project
Each day, the organizer uploads an oil portrait. You have to write a story on this image and send it as your submission. This unique contest allows you to submit up to 28 stories!
Word count: 1,000 words
Prize: Feature in a unique art publication
Entry: Free!
Closing date: 04 September 2022
2. 20 Syllable Poem Contest
This poetry contest invites you to create powerful poems in 20 syllables. Do you think you’re up for the challenge?
Word limit: 20 syllables
Prizes: $100
Entry fee: $9
Closing date: 10 September 2022
3. Miller Williams Poetry Series and Prize
Organized by the University of Arkansas Press, this prize is awarded to the best book of poetry. The organizers are looking for poems that “vivify and disturb.”
Word limit: 60–90 pages
Prize: $5,000
Entry fee: $28
Closing date: 30 September 2022
October
1. Novel Opening & Synopsis Award
The novel writing contest invites you to submit one chapter of your novel with a synopsis. Your novel need not be completed or published to qualify for the award.
Word limit: 3,000 words; an additional 750 words for synopsis
Prizes: £500, £200
Entry fee: £10
Closing date: 31 October 2022
We hope this list of writing contests in 2022 got you excited to write some poems, stories, or essays, and win some prizes.
If you happen to win any of these contests, be sure to inform your editors! In case you don’t win any, remember that it’s not the prizes that are important, but the writing practice you’ll get out of this experience.
For now, good luck!
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