Winter Writing Contests

It isn’t exactly a brand-spanking new year, but it is still early enough that you writerly types might still be keen in your writing. As much as we write for ourselves, there is another piece of most writers that also want to see their name up in lights. Am I right? Of course I am!

So how many aspiring writers have sent submissions to magazines or entered writing contests so far this year? Any? Hmm… How about a little inspiration. I haven’t shared any writing contests in a while, but there are a few that I have come across recently. Sometimes just knowing about a contest is enough to kick-start you writing. Why not try one of these?

CBC Canada Writes Creative Non-Fiction

• unpublished non-fiction
• between 1200-1500 words
• $25 entry fee
• Deadline – March 1, 2015
• open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents

Short Prose Competition for Developing Writers

• fiction, non-fiction
• up to 2500 words
• $29 entry fee
• Deadline – March 1, 2015
• open to Canadian writers that have not been published in book format

Tales 2 Inspire – THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE OF ANY SUBMITTED STORY SHOULD BE MOTIVATING OR INSPIRING, OR, FOR THE HUMOR CATEGORY, ENTERTAINING

• non-fiction
• less than 1200 words
• no submission fee (FREE!)
• Deadline – March 21, 2015
• THEMES: Animals (Feathers and Fur), Humor (Laughter – true stories to give us a good chuckle), Child’s Play (Humorous stories about children), Spirituality (Many faces of faith), Serendipity (Beyond coincidence stories), Miracles

Writer Advice: 10th Annual Flash Prose Contest

• fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction
• 750 words or less
• $15 entry fee; includes preliminary response from B Lynn Goodwin & finalists receive response from all judges
• Deadline – April 21, 2015
• Cash prizes and publication for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Honourable mentions receive publication

Writers Digest Annual Writing Competition

• Multiple categories to submit to;
  • Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious) – 2500 words
  • Memoirs/Personal Essay – 2000 words
  • Magazine Feature Article – 2000 words
  • Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.) – 4000 words
  • Mainstream/Literary Short Story – 4000 words
  • Rhyming Poetry – 32 lines
  • Non-rhyming Poetry – 32 lines
  • Stage Play – send first 15 pages
  • Television/Movie Script – send first 15 pages
  • Children’s/Young Adult Fiction – 2000 words
• Early Bird entry fee $25 for manuscripts & $15 for first poem, additional – Goes up to $30 & $20 after early bird
• Early Bird Entry Deadline – May 4, 2015
• Cash prizes; Grand Prize $5000, plus cash and publication for 1st-10th winners

GOOD LUCK!