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CONTESTS
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Last Changed: Tuesday, 8 September 2020                 14 Contest Listings


Updated in the Last Month:
The Kepler Award - new judge added


Listings on this page contain fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry contests and are a service to those who enjoy competitions. I do not seek out contests, but will post those that are brought to my attention if they appear legitimate; have a minimum 1-to-20 payout ratio (e.g.: a US $5 fee to a US $100 average prize) and do not include fiction written by the publisher(s), editor(s), judge(s), or staff.

Some require an entry fee and I take no responsibility for how those fees are used, or for the management (or lack of it) of these contests. Enter at your own risk!

Read the complete rules and guidelines carefully before entering. Try to read former winners to get a feel for what is required. If in doubt, contact the responsible party(ies). US currency and addresses are used unless otherwise noted.

These listings are provided in good faith with the belief the info is correct, but Ralan.com accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in them. The fact that a contest is listed here is no guarantee that said entity will carry through with the contest, or ever publish anything. Contact with any editor or publisher is at the contestant's own risk. Ralan.com encourages all potential competitors to do a web search of the contest's, the editor's, and the publisher's name before entering. Each visitor assumes all risk associated with the use or misuse of the information herein.

Please note that all email addresses (printed in italics) on this page are protected to avoid abuse by spammers.
Because of this you need to enable JavaScript for your browser in order to see the email addresses.

- THE LISTINGS -

Click on Publication Title for Full Guidelines
Click on E-subs: LINE for Submission Details

The editor's email link is for Info/Queries only if marked (Q),
... and the E-subs address(es) will found in the guidelines.
The e-address is for Info/Queries & E-subs if marked (QS)

MARKET NOTE - 21Feb20: closed for this year (2020); refunds given to anyone who has entered
  • THE AEON AWARD 2019 - Albedo One annual, all sf/f/h (fic). Contact: (Q).   [Top]
  • DREAM QUEST ONE POETRY & WRITING CONTESTS - semiannual; all genres (fic/nonfic/poem). Words: fic/nonfic=<5 pages; poem=<30 lines. Fee: fic/nonfic=$10; poem=$5. Prizes: 3 fic/nonfic=$850; 3 poem=$425. Reprints: yes, if original. E-subs: EMAIL ONLY. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Opens (summer/winter): 1 January/1 August
    		Deadlines (summer/winter): 31 July/31DecemberResults & PubDates (summer/winter): 31 August/31 January
  • CHRISTOPHER FIELDEN'S TO HULL & BACK - biennial; any style or genre with humor (fic). Words: <2½k. Fees: 1 entry=£11/£13; 2=£18/£21; 3=£22/£26. Prizes (total=£2,750): 1st=£1000; 2nd=£500; 3rd=£250; 3 HCs=£100 each; 14 SLs=£50 each; +pub for all. Reprints: yes. Judge: Christopher Fielden. E-subs: EMAIL ONLY. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Opens: 12.00pm GMT, 31 August 2020Annual Deadline: 11.59pm GMT, 31 July 2021Annual Results: 30 SeptemberAnnual PubDate: 1 October
  • HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE / Tales from the Moonlit Path - 1-time; SpecFic/h (flash/fic). Words: <2k. Fee: $0. 1st Prize: $50 +pub; HMs=pub. Reprints: yes. Judges: Tricia Urlaub & Carlos Savourni. E-subs: EMAIL ONLY. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Deadline: 8 October 2020Results & PubDate: 29 October 2020
  • L. RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST - quarterly; sf/f/h/SpecFic (fic). Words: <17k. Fee: $0. 3 quarterly prizes=$2250 +pub; 1 annual Grand Prize=an additional $5000. Reprints: no. E-subs: ON SITE FORM ONLY. Contact: (Q).   [Top]
    Quarterly Submission Periods: 01Jan-31Mar; 01Apr-30Jun; 01Jul-30Sep; 01Oct-31DecResults: 12 weeks <DLPubDate: yearly
    UPDATE - 08 September 2020: new judge added, Prof. Virginia L. Trimble
  • THE KEPLER AWARD 2020 - annual; plausible sf, *a science extrapolated fantasy element allowed (fic/audio/visual). Words: 1k-unlimited (prefers shorter). Fee: $20 (less in dire need cases, see GLs). Prizes: 1st=$300, 2nd*=$200, 3rd*=$100, HMs*=$50 (plus other prizes-see GLs). Reprints: yes. Judges: Andrew Burt, Douglas Dluzen, Joe Stech, & Prof. Virginia L. Trimble. E-subs: ON SITE FORM ONLY. Contact: or . (Q).   [Top]
    Open: the 1st & 2nd day of every month
    DO NOT SUBMIT on any other day!    		Deadline: 02Dec20Results: by 04Feb21Awards Alotted: 07Mar21PubDate: TBA
  • N3F AMATEUR SHORT STORY CONTEST - annual; sf/f/h (fic). Words: <8½k. Fee: $0. 3 prizes=$100 & 1 HM ($0). Reprints: no. Name of Judge: Jefferson P. Swycaffer. E-subs: YES. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Annual Open Date: 1 January
    		Annual Deadline: 31 DecemberResults: 15 February (or earlier)Publication: negotiated
  • POETRY NOOK WEEKLY CONTEST - weekly; any and all genres (poem). Words: no limits. Fee: $0. Annual Prize: $1000. Weekly Prizes: 1st=$50; occasional HM=$20. Reprints: yes. Judges: Editorial Staff. E-subs: ON SITE FORM ONLY. Contact: (Q).   [Top]
    Opens & Closes: Sundays at midnight ESTResults: Wednesdays
  • 2020 MONA SCHREIBER PRIZE FOR HUMOROUS FICTION & NONFICTION - all humor (fic/nonfic/poem). Words: to 750. Fee: a paltry $5. 3 Prizes=$850. Reprints: no. E-subs: EMAIL ONLY. Patron: (Q).   [Top]
    Opens: 1 January yearlyAnnual Deadline: postmarked by 1 December yearly Winner(s) Announced: no winners in 2019, but open for 2020
  • TEEN SCIENCE FICTION WRITING CONTEST - annual; YA sf & f (fic), for 13-19 year-old authors only. Words: <30k. Fee: $0. 3 Prizes: 1st=$60, 2nd=$50, 3rd=$35. Reprints: yes. Judge: Rebecca Inch-Partridge. E-subs: PREFERS EMAIL. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Deadline: 30 September 2019Results: 1 November 2019PubDate: 1 January 2020
  • WEIRD CHRISTMAS Flash Fiction Contest - 3rd annual; SpecFic/sf/f/h/humor/weird (flash). Words: <350. Fee: $0. Prizes: 1st=$50; 2nd=$25 10+ HMs=$5; + pub & podcast. Reprints: query. Judge: Craig "Kringle" Brewer. E-subs: EMAIL ONLY. Contact: (QS).   [Top]
    Deadline: 1 November 2020Results & PubDate:: 7 December 2020
  • WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING QUARTERLY FLASH FICTION CONTESTS - quarterly; all genres (see judge's perferences) (flash). Words: 250-750. Fee: $10 (with critique=$20). Prizes: 1st ten get split of $900 + $25 Amazon GC, pub, & perks; 10 HMs get $20Amazon GCs. Reprints: yes. E-subs: ONLY. Contact: (Q).   [Top]
    Annual Open to Entries: 1Mar-31May, 1Jun-31Aug , 1Sep-30Nov, 1Dec-28FebAnnual Results: 1Feb, 1May, 1Aug, 1NovAnnual PubDates: 1Aug, 1Nov, 1Feb, 1May
  • ZOETROPE: ALL-STORY SHORT FICTION CONTEST - annual; all genres of literary fiction (fic). Words: <5k. Fee: $20. 3 Prizes=$1750 (& 7 HMs), lit agent consideration. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLINE FORM. (Q).   [Top]
    Entry Dates: 1 July - 1 October (midnight PDT)Results: 15 DecemberPubDate: Spring following year

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