Literary Contests - Fiction Writing and Books

Fred Kerner Book Award

The Fred Kerner Book Award is awarded annually to a Canadian Authors member who has the best overall book published in the previous calendar year, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Only current CAA members whose memberships are up to date are eligible for this award. ...

Toronto, ON   CA

3-Day Novel Contest

Can you produce a masterwork of fiction in three short days? The 3-Day Novel Contest is your chance to find out. For 37 years, hundreds of writers have stepped up to the challenge each Labour Day weekend, fuelled by nothing but adrenaline and the desire for spontaneous literary nirvana. The ac...

Vancouver, BC   CA

Adventure Writer's Competition

The AWC accepts novels exhibiting (in whole) the general action-adventure-themed genre and style. The Adventure Writer's Competition is sponsored by the Clive Cussler Collector's Society, Braveship Books and AJM Books. It is a annual writing competition for published and non published auth...

Fountain Hills, AZ   US

AICW Bressani Literary Prize

The Bressani Prize has three goals: it aims to stimulate and enhance the literary production of works by Canadian authors of Italian origin or ancestry; to add to the richness of the Italian immigrant experience in Canada by celebrating its literary expression; and to honour and reflect aspects of I...

Vancouver, BC   CA

Alberta Book Awards

The Alberta Book Publishing Awards are presented by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta.Categories include: Children’s Books, Scholarly and Academic Books, Trade Fiction, Trade Non-Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Poetry and Editorial Excellence. To enter, publishers must have its chief offic...

Edmonton, AB   CA

Anna Pidruchney Award for New Writers

Awarded to a novice writer under the age of 35 for a literary work which includes Ukrainian Canadian characters or is based on a Ukrainian Canadian theme. Eligible works of literary fiction, that being poetry, short stories, novels, plays, personal essays or memoirs are acceptable. Only one submiss...

Edmtonton, AB   CA

ARA Historical Novel Prize

With prize money of $100,000, the ARA Historical Novel Prize gives Australian and New Zealand historical novelists the chance to be recognised in a class of their own, with the most significant prize purse for any genre-based prize in Australasia. The 2021 Prize will now incorporate a newly created ...

Sydney, NSW   AU

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (1,200 to 1,500 words), nonfiction (1,200 to 1,500 words), a...

Salmon Arm, BC   CA

Aspen Words Literary Prize

The Aspen Words Literary Prize is a $35,000 annual award for an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. Annually, open to authors of any nationality, the award is one of the largest liter...

Aspen, CO   US

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

This prize for literary excellence offers a $60,000 first prize to the novel or short-story collection the judges determine is the year’s best book of fiction.<p>Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanen...

Toronto, ON   CA

Australian Shadows Award

The Australian Shadows Awards celebrate the finest in horror and dark fiction published by an Australasian within the calendar year. Works are judged on the overall effect of a work—the skill, delivery, and lasting resonance. Entries are open across eight categories, including: the Paul Haine...

Murrumbeena, VIC   AU

Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction

The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction was set up to celebrate excellence, originality and accessibility in writing by women throughout the world. Known from 1996 to 2012 as the Orange Prize for Fiction and in 2013 as the Women’s Prize for Fiction, it is the UK’s most prestigious annual...

London, England   UK

BC and Yukon Book Prizes

The BC Book Prizes, established in 1985, celebrate the achievements of British Columbia writers and publishers. The prizes are for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, regional, children’s and illustrated children’s literature.<p> The seven Prizes are presented annually at the Lieutenant Govern...

Vancouver, BC   CA

Betty Trask Prize & Awards

The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. The award was established in 1984 by the Society of Authors at the bequest of the late Betty Trask, a reclusive author of over thirty romance novels. The awa...

London,   UK

Big Moose Prize

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Big Moose Prize for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication....

Pittsburgh, PA   US

Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards

The Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards are a set of industry-recognition awards set up by a coalition of Irish booksellers in 2007. The awards are owned by Irish Book Awards Ltd, a not-for-profit company presided over by a board comprising representatives from founding members Eason & Son Ltd, A...

,   IE

British Book Awards

The British Book Awards, or Nibbies, is the definitive event for honouring the commercial successes of publishers, authors and bookshops. It succeeds 2016’s British Book Industry Awards.

There have been many notable winners over the years. Faber was the first publisher of the year in 1990 and in...

London,   UK

Byron Caldwell Smith Book Awards

These awards are given biennially to one individual in each of three categories, residing or employed in Kansas, who has authored an outstanding book published within the two calendar years preceding the application deadline. One $750 award for fiction, one $750 award for non-fiction, and one $750 a...

Lawrence, KS   US

CALIBA Golden Poppy Awards

The members of CALIBA present The Golden Poppy Book Awards to recognize the most distinguished books written by writers and artist who make California their home. The Golden Poppies are given for books published in the following categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Cooking & Food, Mystery, Romance,...

Campbell, CA   US

California Book Awards

The Commonwealth Club of California's California Book Awards is one of the oldest and most prestigious literary award programs in the US. It has various categories including Fiction, First Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Young Adult and Juvenile. Since 1931, they have recognized California writers...

San Francisco, CA   US

Canada-Japan Literary Awards

The Canada-Japan Literary Awards recognize literary excellence by Canadian writers writing on the subject of Japan, or Japanese culture.<p>These awards are available every two years.<p>Awards will be given for literary excellence to Canadian authors of published, first-edition trade bo...

Ottawa, ON   CA

Catholic Arts and Letters Award

Also known as the Lily Awards, the CALA for Fiction recognizes works of Catholic fiction that merit distinction. The CALA for Excellence in Achievement recognize individuals who have shown distinction in how they have furthered the growth of Catholic Arts and Letters. The CALAs for fiction are bienn...

Eaton, IN   US

City of Fremantle Hungerford Award

The Hungerford Award is open to unpublished full-length works of fiction or narrative non-fiction by Western Australian authors. Those from outside the state are able to submit too, provided their work has a heavy WA focus. ...

NorthFreemantle, WA   AU

CWA Communications Contest

Each year, the Cat Writers’ Association selects the best entries in each category and awards them with Certificates of Excellence. The highest-scoring Certificate-winning entry in each category receives a Muse Medallion at our Annual Awards Ceremony. Special Awards focus on a specific topic and co...

Saint Louis, MO   US

Dartmouth Book Awards

The Dartmouth Book Awards honour Nova Scotia literature and recognize the valuable contribution writers make to our cultural heritage. Two prizes valued at $2,500.00 each are awarded in the categories of: fiction and non-fiction. A third $2,500.00 prize is awarded to the author from Atlantic Canada ...

Halifax, NS   CA

Dayton Literary Peace Prize

The Dayton Literary Peace Prize, inaugurated in 2006, is the first and only annual U.S. literary award recognizing the power of the written word to promote peace. The Dayton Literary Peace Prize invites nominations in adult fiction and nonfiction books published within the past year that have led re...

Dayton, OH   US

Elizabeth Venart Prize

The Elizabeth Venart Prize recognizes the unique barriers to literary creation faced by women and other marginalized genders—in particular the lack of time and space imposed by systems of gendered labour and gendered childrearing. The prize supports these writers as they advance works-in-progress....

Halifax, NS   CA

Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books

The Eric Hoffer Award for independent books recognizes excellence in publishing with a $2,000 grand prize and various category honors and press type distinctions, as well as the winners of the Montaigne Medal, da Vinci Eye, and First Horizon Award. The book awards are covered in the US Review of Boo...

Titusville, NJ   US

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Each year the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) sponsors the FAPA President's Book Awards, which recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors and publishers. This contest isn't limited to Florida, it is open to anyone thr...

Fort Myers, FL   US

Florida Book Awards

The Florida Book Awards is an annual competition that exists for one purpose--to honor the best work written by Florida authors and about Florida culture in the previous year. Begun in 2006, the Florida Book Awards is the most comprehensive state book awards program in the United States, and the onl...

Tallahassee, FL   US

Georgia Author of the Year Award

The Georgia Author of the Year Awards celebrates the best literature by Georgia writers. Georgia Writers Association assumed responsibility for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) shortly after its founding in 1994. The awards were first given in 1964 by the Dixie Council of Authors and Jo...

Kennesaw, GA   US

Gotham Book Prize

The Gotham Book Prize is awarded annually to the best book published that calendar year — either fiction or nonfiction — that either is about New York City or takes place in New York City....

New York, NY   US

Governor General’s Literary Awards

The Governor General’s Literary Awards are presented to English-language and French-language books in each of the following seven categories: Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from...

Ottawa, ON   CA

Hamilton Literary Awards

The Hamilton Arts Council is calling for submissions by Hamilton-area authors for the 22nd Annual Hamilton Literary Awards to recognize works and authors that represent the best and brightest in Hamilton literature for the year 2014. Published books in three genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry...

Hamilton, ON   CA

High Plains Book Award

The High Plains Books Awards recognize regional authors and/or literary works which examine and reflect life on the High Plains. The High Plains region includes Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The Art & Photograph...

Billings, MT   US

Independent Publisher Book Awards

Conducted annually, the Independent Publisher Book Awards honor the year’s best independently published titles from around the world. The awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles published each year.

The ...

Traverse City, MI   US

Lambda Literary Awards

For over 30 years, the Lambda Literary Awards (or “Lammys”) have maintained a proud tradition of celebrating vibrant, dynamic LGBTQ storytelling. In 1989, the Lambda Literary Awards were created to garner national visibility for LGBTQ books, which had established a foothold through a nasce...

New York, NY   US

Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts

Three Winners are announced who have a brief extract published, receive a letter of recommendation from our Judges for publishers, and share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted. Please submit the first 5000 words of your manuscript, whether it be prose or poetry. O...

New York, NY   US

Lush Triumphant Literary Awards

Open to short fiction (3,000 words max), poetry (5 related poems, up to 15 pages), and creative non-fiction (max 4,000 words). Winning entries will receive $1,000 plus payment for publication. Runners up will be published in subsequent issues. Entry fee includes a 1 year subscription to subTerrain m...

Vancouver, BC   CA

Mairtin Crawford Award

The Mairtín Crawford Awards are aimed at writers working towards their first full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel. Both published and unpublished writers are invited to submit between 3-5 poems for the poetry award, and a short story of up to 2,500 words for the short story award, w...

Belfast, Northern Ireland   UK

Margaret Lawrence Award for Fiction

This award is given to the Manitoba writer whose book is judged to be the best book of adult fiction written in English and published during the calendar year. Eligible authors must have been resident in Manitoba ...

Winnipeg, MB   US

McKitterick Prize

Tom McKitterick, the former editor of Political Quarterly and author of an unpublished novel, endowed the McKitterick Prize which was first awarded in 1990. It is also generously supported by Hawthornden Literary Retreat. It is given annually to an author over the age of 40 for a first novel, publis...

London, England   UK

Miles Franklin Literary Award

The Miles Franklin Literary Award, recognised as Australia's most prestigious literary prize, is presented each year for the novel of the highest literary merit that presents Australian life in any of its phases. The award was established in 1955 through the will of Stella Maria Sarah Miles Fra...

Sydney, NSW   AU

National Book Awards

The National Book Award is one of the nation’s most prestigious literary prizes and has a stellar record of identifying and rewarding quality writing. In 1950, William Carlos Williams was the first Winner in Poetry, the following year William Faulkner was honored in Fiction, and so on throug...

New York, NY   US

National Indie Excellence Awards

The National Indie Excellence Awards is open to all English language books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

The National Indie Excellence Awards exists to help establish independent publishing as a str...

Hermosa Beach, CA   US

New England Book Awards

Titles submitted for the New England Book Awards must be either about New England, set in New England, or written by an author residing in New England. Submissions can be hardcovers, paperback originals, or reissues. The award categories are Children's, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Adul...

Boston, MA   US

New Zealand Book Awards

The New Zealand Book Awards celebrate excellence, identifying the very best books for adult readers written by New Zealanders. From 2016, in a partnership between the New Zealand Book Awards Trust and the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival Trust, they will be held annually as part of the Auckland...

Auckland,   NZ

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards (#NGIBA) is the largest non-profit book awards program for indie authors and publishers.<p>The Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in over 70 different categories, for ...

Lake Oswego, OR   US

Nilsen Literary Prize for a First Novel

Submissions must be previously unpublished novels, novellas, or collections of closely linked short stories.

Manuscripts that have been self-published or published online will not be accepted.

Open to English-writing, U.S. residents who have not yet published a novel. ...

Cape Girardeau, MO   US

Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards (NEMBA)

The Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards (NEMBA) was established in 1988 to recognize books that substantially represent northeastern Minnesota in the areas of history, culture, heritage, or lifestyle. Starting with a single category in the early years, the awards have grown to include six categories...

Duluth, MN   US

Nova Writes Competition for Unpublished Manuscripts

The annual Nova Writes Competition for Unpublished Manuscripts honours short-form works by Nova Scotia writers. Entry is open to all Nova Scotia residents who have not published books in their categories of entry, which include poetry, fiction, non-fiction, YA & children’s literature, and writ...

Halifax, NS   CA

Pacific Northwest Book Awards

Since 1964 the PNBA has presented annual awards to recognize excellence in writing from the Pacific Northwest. Rather than soliciting nominations for specific categories, we simply require that the author and/or illustrator reside within the PNBA region (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Idaho an...

Eugene, OR   US

Page Turner Awards

Awards are offered in five categories: Writing Award : for unpublished, completed manuscripts Young Writer Award : for writers aged between 18 and 25 Writing Mentorship Award : for uncompleted manuscripts Screenplay Award : for scriptwriters with a completed screenplay Book Award : for aut...

Speen, England   UK

Paul Torday Memorial Prize

Paul Torday published his first novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen aged 60. The family have decided to set up this new prize in Torday’s honour, celebrating first novels by authors aged 60 or over. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland The novel must be a...

London, England   UK

Prairie Grindstone Prize

The Prairie Grindstone Prize is worth $50,000 and will go to writers in Alberta and Saskatchewan, alternating from year to year — starting with Alberta in 2023. The literary prize is aimed at acknowledging hardworking and perhaps under-appreciated writers of fiction, poetry and creative nonfi...

Calgary, AB   CA

Prix Aurora Awards

The Aurora awards are run by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA), a federally registered non-profit society. The awards recognize the best Canadian professional and amateur (fan) achievements for the calendar year. The Auroras are only for Canadian citizens or permanent resi...

Calgary, AB   CA

QWF Awards

Every year, The Quebec Writers’ Federation shines the spotlight on the best English-language writers to emerge from Quebec. The QWF Awards include six $2,000 book prizes for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, First Book, Translation, and Children’s and Young Adult Literature. The winners of t...

Westmount, PQ   CA

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

The ethos of America is defined by its immigrants. Their stories have always been an essential component of the nation's cultural consciousness, from Isaac Bashevis Singer to Jhumpa Lahiri, from Jacob Riis to Maxine Hong Kingston. In novels, short stories, memoirs, and works of journalism, immi...

Brooklyn, NY   US

Saskatchewan Book Awards

The Saskatchewan Book Awards offers 14 annual or semi-annual awards to celebrate, promote and reward Saskatchewan authors and publishers worthy of recognition.

Award winners are determined through a jury process of the highest integrity, by high-calibre jurors who are recognized as leaders wit...

Regina, SK   CA

Shelf Unbound Competition For Best Indie or Self-Published Book

Any independently published book in any genre is eligible for entry. Independently Published books include self-published books and e-books (such as those published through CreateSpace, Lulu.com, iUniverse, etc.) and/or books and e-books published through small presses releasing less than five title...

Richardson, TX   US

Somerset Maugham Award

W. Somerset Maugham set up a fund in 1947 to enable young writers to enrich their work by gaining experience of foreign countries. The awards are given for a published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. The author must be a British national, or resident in Great Britain and Northern Irelan...

London, England   UK

Tartts First Fiction Award

The Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama is offering a chance for a beginning fiction writer to get their work published. Eligible authors must not have a book of short fiction published yet, though novels are accepted. They will receive $1000, plus a royalty contract, and 60 copies of...

Livingston, AL   US

The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize

The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize is awarded in honour of acclaimed Calgary writer W.O. Mitchell and recognizes literary achievement by Calgary authors. The prize was established in 1996 and is coordinated through a partnership between The City of Calgary and the Writers' Guild of Alberta...

Edmonton, AB   CA

The Whistler Independent Book Awards

Established in 2016 to recognize excellence in Canadian independent publishing, the Whistler Independent Book Awards offers prizes in two categories: fiction and nonfiction. There are three finalists in each category (fiction and nonfiction), with the winners being announced at the annual Whistler W...

New Westminster, BC   CA

Toronto Book Awards

The Toronto Book Awards honour authors of books of literary or artistic merit that are evocative of Toronto. Authors are only eligible if their submission evokes the city itself, that is, contains some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do...

Toronto, ON   CA

Trillium Book Award

The Ontario government established the Trillium Book Award in 1987 to celebrate the quality and diversity of Ontario writers and writing. It includes the Prix Trillium for Francophone writers, a Trillium Book Award for Poetry for emerging poets, and a Trillium Book Award for Children’s Literature ...

Toronto, ON   CA

Vermont Book Award

The Vermont Book Award is a new prize created to honor artists with deep connections to the state of Vermont, and to draw attention to a state so uniquely suited for creative enterprise. To be eligible for this year's prize, a book must either be set in Vermont, published by a Vermont pr...

Montpelier, VT   US

Virginia Literary Awards

The annual Virginia Literary Awards honor Virginia writers and celebrate their contributions to the literary landscape of our state and nation. Given to Virginia authors in the categories of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction—and to nonfiction authors for works about a Virginia subject as well—the ...

Richmond, VA   US

Windham-Campbell Prizes

The Donald Windham-Sandy M. Campbell Literature Prizes call attention to literary achievement and provide writers the opportunity to focus on their work independent of financial concerns. The prizes are open to English-language writers at all stages of their careers from anywhere in the world, ...

New Haven, CT   US

Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards

Writer’s Digest’s 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards honors the best self-published e-book(s) in eight of the most popular categories with $5,000 in cash, a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in New York ...

Blue Ash, OH   US