Competitions and Submissions

Deadline: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location: International

$5,000 prize package. No genre restrictions; open to fiction and creative non-fiction. 7,000 word limit (or 10,000 for Members). NO entry fee. Read more...

Deadline: Thu 15 Jan 2026
Location: International

Every January, the world tells you to go fix yourself. New Year, New You. Rise and grind. Detox, optimize, and #lifehack your way to a better life. Ads and influencers tell you that your current self is outdated, and the cult of productivity steps into the spotlight. But what if you refuse to listen? Read more...

Deadline: Mon 19 Jan 2026
Location: UK

The Guild of Food Writers is inviting aspiring food and drink writers to enter its Newcomer Award, part of the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2026. Read more...

Deadline: Fri 23 Jan 2026
Location: UK

The Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme is a new national fund to unlock risk and investment in commissioning new plays. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: International

Calling all writers and writing groups! Submit your short stories to the Bristol Short Story Prize 2026. We accept entries of up to 4,000 words from any genre and from published and unpublished authors alike. Enter by 31 January 2026 for the chance to win £1,500 and publication in the Bristol Short Story anthology. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: UK

Presence seeks poems – haiku (including senryu), tanka, renga and related forms – haibun, and relevant essays for its March 2026 issue. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: South West England

The submissions window for places on Literature Works' annual talent development programme, Word Space, is now open. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: UK

Splice is a small press dedicated to adventurous, unconventional literary prose. We are currently seeking fiction submissions for our 2026-27 list, which may comprise short story collections, novellas up to 20,000 words, or novels of 20,000 words or more. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: International

Authors and artists are invited to submit to Sunspot Lit’s Geminga contest which honors the power of micro works in all genres/categories. Read more...

Deadline: Sat 31 Jan 2026
Location: Cheshire

The Cheshire Prize for Literature 2025/26 is open to enter in three age categories. There is no theme - entrants can write about anything that inspires them. Free to enter. Read more...