Tired of getting your short stories rejected by traditional publishers? Sick of low pay, and high submission fees?
Writing is a notoriously difficult career to make a living in, especially if you’re just starting out. The long process to find an agent, a publisher, query, negotiate terms can feel overwhelming.
But there’s a secret way to make a quick buck from your writing–writing contests. Of course, you have to win to get the prize, but the path to entry is much, much easier.
And if there are no submission fees, what do you have to lose?
We’ve curated a list of 3 short story writing contests paying up to $5,000 in prizes. And there’s no fee to submit.
We’d love to see what you come up with–especially before you send in your work. We can even give you feedback and edits on your first five pages so you can submit with confidence that your work is in winning-ready shape. Drop yourself into our calendar to book your spot!
If these aren’t your thing, no worries. We put out a curated list of the latest publishing opportunities each week. Be sure to check back here in 7 days for 3 more opportunities! Or, you can get on our mailing list to have this list delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a publishing opportunity again. Click below to sign up.
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Writers of the Future
What they publish: Science fiction and fantasy stories. New writers only–not those who have professionally published more than 1 novel or more than 3 short stories.
Word Count: Up to 17,000 words
Deadline: December 31, 2020
Prize: One $5,000 award for grand prize-winning story, as well as receipt of the L. Ron Hubbard Golden Pen Award. Four $1,000 prizes for 1st place winners, additional $750 and $500 prizes for runners up.
Get more information and submit here.
ServiceScape Short Story Award
What they publish: Short stories of any genre.
Word Count: 5,000 words
Deadline: November 29, 2020
Prize: $1,000
Get more information and submit here.
Snowdance 10-Minute Comedy Festival Competition
What they publish: Original short comedy scripts.
Word Count: 10 minute acting time, 1-3 players.
Deadline: November 1, 2020
Prize: 1st place: $500. 2nd place: $250. 3rd Place: $100. Winning entries will be performed together by the OOHP Snowdance ensemble in the winter of 2021 in Wisconsin. The audience will vote for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
Read their guidelines and submit your work here.
Is your work good enough to win?
Writers in our programs submit to–and win–writing contests all the time. And we’re accepting select writers to join our community of successful, published authors. If you’re serious about publishing and winning writing contests on a regular basis, you can speak to a member of our team to learn more about our programs. Book a call here.