Competitions and Submissions

Deadline: Tue 6 Jan 2026
Location: UK

Submissions are now open for the second year of the Bill Cashmore Award: One Act Play Prize. Read more...

Deadline: Wed 7 Jan 2026
Location: UK, Ireland or the Channel Islands

Founded in 2010, the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize seeks submissions that seamlessly blend literary merit with captivating storytelling. Open to unagented women writers aged 18 or over (at the time of applying), and currently living in the UK, Ireland or the Channel Islands full time. Read more...

Deadline: Wed 7 Jan 2026
Location: UK, Republic of Ireland

WriteNow is Penguin’s award-winning programme to seek out, nurture, and publish new writers from under-represented communities in UK and Irish publishing. Read more...

Deadline: Wed 7 Jan 2026
Location: West Midlands

Room 204 is Writing West Midlands' annual writer development programme which allows writers from across the West Midlands to develop their skills through mentoring, networking, one-to-ones with Writing West Midlands staff, performances and access to the wider Room 204 network of 205 writers. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 9 Jan 2026
Location: North East England

In partnership with Gala Durham and funded by Arts Council England, Haddaway & Write will support up to six North East writers to develop original short plays, with dramaturgical support from award-winning writer, Sarah Tarbit. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 10 Jan 2026
Location: East Riding, Yorkshire

The East Riding Festival of Words Poetry Competition is now open for entries with the theme of 'My universe'. Adult and school-age children categories. Read more...

Deadline: Sun 11 Jan 2026
Location: UK

DPF Prize for Poetry 2025 is a national poetry competition run by Derby Poetry Festival, seeking newly written, high-quality poems and writing. The winners (First, Second, Third and a prize for a shortlisted writer from the East Midlands) will receive a cash prize.  Read more...

Deadline: Sun 11 Jan 2026
Location: International

Enter the first Europeana Creative Climate Action Award! Submit your 500-word story or poem in response to our gallery of climate action imagery. Free to enter. Read more...

Deadline: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location: UK, Republic of Ireland

Curtis Brown Creative and the Curtis Brown literary agency are partnering with the Women’s Prize Trust and Audible to deliver the Discoveries writing development programme and prize for unpublished women writers aged 18 years and upwards currently residing in the UK or Ireland. Free to enter. Read more...

Deadline: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location: East of England

Each year National Centre for Writing partners with The Literary Consultancy to provide up to ten low-income writers with expert advice and support on their manuscript. Read more...