Calling all writers! Submit to these writing contests this spring for a chance to showcase your talent, get published ... and maybe even make some cash.
The Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant
Intensely researched nonfiction books, written with an artful sensitivity to depth and nuance, have always been important in shaping the way we understand the world; today they are essential. And such projects require a wealth of time and resources.
The 2025 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant of $40,000 will be awarded to as many as ten writers in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction for a general adult readership.
Deadline:April 23, 2025
Prize:$40,000
Entry fee:None
F(r)iction Spring 2025 Writing Contests
F(r)iction seeks writing that pushes boundaries and challenges readers to think differently. They like work that features complex characters and strong narratives, and plays with genre, setting, voice — you name it.
Categories include Short Story, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Flash Fiction. This year's guest judges are Gaël Le Cornec, K. Iver, Grace Talusan, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.
Deadline: May 2, 2025
Entry fee: $10+
Prize: $2,100 in prizes
Writer's Digest 94th Annual Writing Competition
Writer’s Digest has been shining a spotlight on up-and-coming writers in all genres through its Annual Writing Competition for over 90 years.
Enter the 94th Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen.
Deadline:May 5, 2025 (early bird)
Prize: Up to $5,000
Entry fee: $25+
Unleash Work-in-Progress (WIP) Award
Unleash aims to assist writers in completing an important literary project in the areas of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. This contest is designed to support writers who are just starting or have been toiling away but need a little boost to keep going.
Writers will receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.
Deadline:July 16, 2025
Prize:$500
Entry fee: $35
The Writers College Short Story Competition
Open to any writer (from any country) who is unpublished, or has been published fewer than four times. Submit a short story on the theme "All the things we didn't learn."
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2025
Prize: NZ $1,000
Entry fee:Free until June 30
Note: Before submitting to any writing contest, please carefully review the contest's rules and eligibility. These change regularly, so make sure to confirm that a contest has not adjusted conditions since this article was written.
