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The Write Way to Victory

Conquer the Literary World with These Top Writing and Poetry Contests

By The Pleasure PenPublished about a year ago 4 min read

Amidst the sea of words that flow, A writer's journey must still go, Through valleys low and mountains high, To perfect their craft and reach the sky. Writing contests await, far and wide, To help hone the writer's skill and pride, To showcase their tales and heartfelt verse, And connect with readers, better or worse. Vocal.media, Writer's Digest, and more, Offer a chance to open new doors, With writing contests throughout the year, And themes that range far and near. Poets & Writers, a haven for verse, With regular contests that quench your thirst, And Winning Writers, with contests aplenty, Free to enter, to tempt the frugal penny. Reedsy, FanStory, and Gotham Writers, A trio that sparks creative fires, With monthly or weekly contests and themes, To inspire the wordsmith's wildest dreams. From The Women's Prize for Fiction to The Bath Novel Award, These contests are more than a mere reward, With cash prizes and publishing deals in sight, And opportunities to shine in the literary light. So, writers and poets, take a chance, Enter these contests and take a stance, On the path to greatness, with pen in hand, Your journey awaits, in a faraway land. - Vivia Volupta @thepleasurepen

Here is a list of sites that offer regular writing and poetry contests:

Vocal.media - Check out the writing contests here: https://vocal.media/challenges

Writer's Digest - Writer's Digest offers numerous writing contests throughout the year, covering various genres and themes. Find their current contests here: https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions

Poets & Writers - Poets & Writers is a great resource for poets and offers regular poetry contests with cash prizes. Check out their upcoming poetry contests here: https://www.pw.org/grants

The Writer - The Writer offers writing contests for both fiction and nonfiction writers, covering various themes. See their list of current contests here: https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests

Winning Writers - Winning Writers offers a variety of poetry and writing contests throughout the year, many of which are free to enter. Check out their contests and submission guidelines here: https://winningwriters.com/our-contests

Reedsy - Reedsy offers a regular writing contest with a cash prize, as well as a weekly writing prompt to inspire your creativity. Learn more about their contests and prompts here: https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/

FanStory - FanStory offers a variety of writing contests and challenges, as well as a community of writers to connect with and get feedback from. Check out their upcoming contests here: https://www.fanstory.com/contests.jsp

Gotham Writers - Gotham Writers offers a monthly writing contest with a cash prize, as well as a community of writers to connect with. See their current contest and submission guidelines here: https://www.writingclasses.com/contest

Writing Magazine - Writing Magazine offers regular writing contests covering various genres and themes. Check out their current contests here: https://www.writers-online.co.uk/writing-competitions/

The Poetry Society - The Poetry Society offers regular poetry contests, as well as workshops and resources for poets. Learn more about their upcoming contests and submission guidelines here: https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions

The Kenyon Review - The Kenyon Review offers a variety of contests, including the Kenyon Review Short Fiction Contest and the Kenyon Review Poetry Contest. Learn more about their upcoming contests and submission guidelines here: https://www.kenyonreview.org

The Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest - This contest offers cash prizes for both poetry and verse written for children. Check out their submission guidelines and deadlines here: https://winningwriters.com/tompoetry

The Women's Prize for Fiction - An annual award celebrating and promoting the work of female authors, with a cash prize and increased exposure for the winner. Learn more about the award and submission guidelines here: https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk

The New Voices Award - This award is offered by Lee & Low Books and is open to writers of color who have not yet published a children's picture book. The winner receives a cash prize and a publishing contract. Learn more about the award and submission guidelines here: https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-voices-award

The Iowa Review - The Iowa Review offers a variety of contests, including the Iowa Review Awards, which include prizes for both fiction and poetry. Learn more about their upcoming contests and submission guidelines here: https://iowareview.org/content/contests

The Manchester Writing Competition - This international competition offers two prizes, one for poetry and one for fiction, with a cash prize for each winner. The competition is open to writers worldwide. Learn more about the Manchester Writing Competition here: https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/writingcompetition/

The Bristol Short Story Prize - An annual competition for short fiction, open to writers worldwide. The winner receives a cash prize and is published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology. Learn more about the Bristol Short Story Prize here: https://www.bristolprize.co.uk/

The James Laughlin Award - A competition for poets who have not yet published a full-length collection, offering a cash prize and publication of their work by the Academy of American Poets. Learn more about the James Laughlin Award here: https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes/james-laughlin-award

The Bath Novel Award - A competition for unpublished and self-published novelists, offering cash prizes and the chance to have their work read by literary agents and publishers. Learn more about the Bath Novel Award here: https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/

Keep an eye on these sites, and don't be afraid to take a chance and submit your work. You never know where it might lead!

So, let the journey begin, A writer's path, to grow within, With contests to test and challenge, And opportunities to learn and manage. From poetry to fiction, and everything in between, These contests offer a platform to be seen, And perhaps, to win a prize or two, To shine a light on the writer in you. So take a chance, and don't hesitate, To submit your work and embrace your fate, For the journey may be long and tough, But the rewards are worth it, and more than enough. And as you write and strive to excel, Remember the power of words to tell, The stories of the heart and the soul, That can touch and move and make us whole. So writers and poets, go forth and create, And let your words, your passion, and your fate, Lead you on a journey, far and wide, To explore and conquer, with pen and pride. - Vivia Volupta @thepleasurepen

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Comments (1)

  • Test5 months ago

    Incredible work. Very well-written!

The Pleasure PenWritten by The Pleasure Pen

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