This contest submissions season covers deadlines from September 1, 2020 through November 30, 2020. Thanks to Literistic, Poets & Writers, Submittable Discover, and New Pages for many of these contests.
Much like editors are looking for reasons to reject work, I want to focus on opportunities worth my time. Thus, my list of writing contests below includes reasons to submit to that particular writing contest. May you find a promising opportunity among this list and spend less time searching for where to send your exceptional work.
September 2020
American-Scandinavian Foundation – ASF Translation Awards – $0 fee
Deadline: September 1, 2020
“The American-Scandinavian Foundation annually awards three translation prizes for outstanding translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose written by a Scandinavian author born after 1900.” Awards over $2,000 and include publication.
Reasons to submit:
- Blind submissions are fine submissions!
- Flag-bearer—open to international submissions
- Friendly to novelists
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Regional restriction—less competition
- Deadline extended—perhaps to encourage more submissions
Black Warrior Review – 2020 fiction contest – $15 fee
Deadline: September 1, 2020
Annual contest in fiction (up to 7,000 words) or flash (up to 3 pieces).
“Fiction winner “receive[s] $1000 and publication in BWR 47.2, our Spring 2021 issue. The first runner-up … receive[s] monetary compensation, acknowledgment in the print issue, and online publication (if desired). We may consider any submission for general publication.”
Reasons to submit:
- Blind submissions are fine submissions!
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Prestige—#90 in Pushcart ranking
- Share the wealth—multiple prizes
Black Warrior Review – 2020 flash fiction contest – $6 fee
Deadline: September 1, 2020
Annual contest in flash fiction (up to 3 pieces).
“The winner in Flash receives $500 and publication in BWR 47.2, our Spring 2021 issue. The first runner-up receives monetary compensation, acknowledgment in the print issue, and online publication (if desired). We may consider any submission for general publication.”
Reasons to submit:
- Blind submissions are fine submissions!
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Prestige—#90 in Pushcart ranking
- Share the wealth—multiple prizes
JuxtaProse Literary Magazine – JuxtaProse Fiction Prize – $18 fee
Deadline: September 1, 2020
“$1,000 and publication in JuxtaProse Literary Magazine will be awarded to the winning piece. Up to three additional pieces, each by a different author, may be awarded “Honorable Mention” status, for which they will receive $100 and publication. All entries will be considered for publication, regardless of whether they receive honorable mention status. Manuscripts must not have been previously published in any form — including any form of online publication — in order to be eligible. … Entries should contain a single story that is between 500 and 7,000 words.”
Reasons to submit:
- No hunting for winners—can read past winners online
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Share the wealth—multiple prizes
Key West Literary Seminar – Emerging Writer Awards – $12 fee
Deadline: September 15, 2020
“Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a book with a major publisher are eligible to apply. …fiction writers may apply for either the Johnson Award (for a short story) or the Russo Award (for a novel-in-progress). Due to the postponement of the 2021 Seminar, winners will receive full tuition support for our January 2022 Seminar and Writers’ Workshop Program, round-trip airfare, lodging, a $500 honorarium, and the opportunity to appear on stage during the Seminar.”
Reasons to submit:
- Blind submissions are fine submissions!
- Eligibility restriction—less competition
- Friendly to emerging writers
- Friendly to novelists
- Wanderluster—prize includes lodging or travel
Gulf Coast – 2020 Barthelme Prize for Short Prose – $20 fee
Deadline: September 15, 2020
“A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gulf Coast is given annually for a piece of short prose …. Honorable mentions will each receive $250. All entries will be considered for publication. … up to 500 words. Each entry can include up to three pieces. The fee for each entry is $20, which includes a yearlong subscription to Gulf Coast.” Judged by Jenny Offill.
Reasons to submit:
- Blind submissions are fine submissions!
- No hunting for winners—can read past winners online
- Prestige—#82 in Pushcart ranking
- Prestigious judge—Jenny Offill
- Read on—entry fee includes one-year subscription
- Share the wealth—multiple prizes
University of Iowa Press – Iowa Short Fiction Award – $0 fee
Deadline: September 30, 2020
“Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition. … The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages. … Stories previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion. There is no reading fee … Award-winning manuscripts will be published by the University of Iowa Press under the Press’s standard contract.”
Reasons to submit:
- Flag-bearer—open to international submissions
- Friendly to emerging writers
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Rebirth—accepts published work
Sunspot Literary Journal – 2020 Inception Contest – $5 fee
Deadline: September 30, 2020
“Openings contain a spark that promises to continue to burn. For Sunspot Lit’s 2020 Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the beginning comes. Word limit is 250 for prose … Prize: $250 cash, publication for the winner, publication offered to runners-up and finalists. … Select finalists will have the chance to be published. ”
Reasons to submit:
- Eligibility restriction—less competition
- Friendly to emerging writers
- Friendly to novelists
- No hunting for winners—can read past winners online
Ghost Story – Supernatural Fiction Award – $20 fee
Deadline: September 30, 2020
Fun fact: A previous winner of this contest is a Writer Unboxed reader who found it in this very roundup!
“Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism. What we’re looking for is fine writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises in the field of supernatural fiction. Story length should run between 1,500 and 10,000 words. … Our competition typically draws around 200 submissions from all around the world. … Twice each year TGS awards $1,000 and both online and print publication to the winner of our short story competition. … Two other writers receive Honorable Mention awards that include publication and cash prizes of $250.”
Reasons to submit:
- Flag-bearer—open to international submissions
- Friendly to emerging writers
- Friendly to novelists
- No hunting for winners—can read past winners online
- Oh, wordy!—generous word count limit
- Share the wealth—multiple prizes
