Welcome

Hi and welcome.

We're both authors and love to write. We want to encourage you to get writing too, and to make it easy for you, we're putting together this listing of English language writing and poetry competitions from around the world. We'll also be alerting you when respected publishers call for manuscript submissions for novels and other types of books.

On our home page, we'll be listing current opportunities, and on the Calendar page you will find a list of past competitions we have listed so you can schedule them for next year.

So you don't miss out, sign up for our email notifications. If you have a writing competition you would like us to list here, please email: editor (at) writerscompetitions (dot) com

Writing for competitions is a great way to improve your writing skills, and you just might win a prize in the process.

We also know there's nothing like a deadline to force those words to flow.  So have a look through this list, choose one to enter and start writing.

Good Luck!

Julie & Dianne

2012 Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Competition

The Munster Literature Centre (based in Cork, Ireland) is calling for poets worldwide to enter the 2012 Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Competition.  Original, unpublished poems in English, up to 40 lines, can be on any theme and in any style.

This new competition honours the late Irish poet, Gregory O'Donoghue, and will be judged by Cork-based writer and publisher, Patrick Cotter - who will read every single entry himself (whew!). The great cash prizes are supplemented by publication Literature Centre's Southword, and first prize could even see you in Cork for the Spring Literary Festival.  What more could you possibly want?!

Entry fee: EUR5 per poem or EUR20 for 5 poems 

Prize:  First Prize: EUR1000, plus publication in Southword and a contribution towards travel costs to attend the Cork Spring Literary Festival. Second prize: EUR500 plus publication, 3rd prize: EUR250 plus publication. Ten runners up will be published and receive EUR30 publication fee.

Open to: Poets worldwide

Deadline:  18 December 2011

Website:    Munster Literature Centre: Gregory O'Donoghue Competition

Closed - Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards

The Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards have something for everyone!  There are 20 different awards, including full length fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories, anthologies, short stories, scripts, anthologies and group writing. This is definitely an opportunity to flex your writer's muscles.

Entry fee: Free to AUD$15, depending on category.

Prize:  First Prizes in 20 different categories range from AUD$100 to AUD$1000. Major awards also have plaques and medallions.

Open to: Residents of Australia and its Territories, including specific categories for school-age students

Deadline:  30 November 2011

Website: FAW 2011 National Literary Awards

Closed - Inktears Short Story Competition

UK-based Inktears aims to bring readers and writers together and has a very active membership of both. Writers worldwide are asked to submit short stories on any theme, between 1000 and 3000 words - either unpublished or published prior to April 2011.

Apart from the pretty fabulous GBP1000 first prize, all winners will be published to the Inktears readership (online and in hard copy), have their bio published on the Inktears website and, if they have enough quality stories, may even be offered a publishing contract by Inktears! What are you waiting for?!

Entry fee: GBP4.50 

Prize:  GBP1000 first prize, GBP100 runner up, GBP25 highly commended

Open to: Anyone, anywhere, as long as you are 18 years and over

Deadline:  30 November 2011

Website:   Inktears Short Story Competition 2011