Upcoming Writing Competitions to Enter in January and February 2025

-


Writing competitions provide an excellent opportunity for budding and seasoned writers to showcase their talent, gain recognition, and even win lucrative prizes. As 2025 kicks off, it’s the perfect time to explore the upcoming writing contests in January and February. Here, we’ve compiled a list of competitions with varying genres and themes to inspire your creative journey.

 

1. Reedsy Weekly Writing Contest

Deadline: Ongoing (weekly) Entry Fee: Free
Prize: $250

Reedsy’s weekly writing contest is a favorite among writers. New prompts are released every Friday, challenging participants to craft short stories (up to 3,000 words) around creative themes. Each week’s winner receives a cash prize and publication on Reedsy’s platform. This January and February, look forward to prompts exploring mystery, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.

Visit Reedsy for more details.

 

2. NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge 2025

Deadline: January 19, 2025 Entry Fee: $49 - $69 (based on registration date) Prize: Up to $5,000

NYC Midnight is renowned for its engaging and competitive challenges. The Short Story Challenge invites writers to create compelling stories within a specific genre, subject, and character assignment. Participants advance through multiple rounds, each with unique prompts. Feedback from judges is an added bonus, making this contest both educational and exciting.

Learn more at NYC Midnight.

 

3. Write Now - Flash Writing Contest

Deadline: January 17, 2025 Entry Fee: Free Prize: Recognition and publication

Organized by the University of Iowa, this contest offers a flash writing challenge based on prompts released on January 17 at 4 PM CST. Open to students, alumni, and friends of the University of Iowa, the contest emphasizes creativity and brevity. The winners are featured prominently, offering valuable exposure.

Visit the University of Iowa's website for details.

 

4. WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Deadline: January 31, 2025 Entry Fee: $12 - $15 (optional critique for $10) Prize: $500 (1st prize), $300 (2nd prize), $200 (3rd prize)

If you enjoy crafting essays that resonate emotionally, this contest is perfect for you. WOW! Women On Writing’s competition accepts nonfiction essays up to 1,000 words, encouraging personal storytelling and vivid narratives. Themes are open-ended, allowing creative freedom.

Check out WOW! Women On Writing.

 

5. Writers of the Future Contest

Deadline: December 31, 2024 (for Q1); February 28, 2025 (for Q2) Entry Fee: Free Prize: $1,000 (1st prize), $750 (2nd prize), $500 (3rd prize)

Focused on speculative fiction, the Writers of the Future Contest is ideal for science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. The contest is quarterly, and the upcoming Q1 and Q2 deadlines fall in January and February. Winning entries are published in the annual Writers of the Future anthology, a prestigious platform for emerging authors.

Learn more at Writers of the Future.

 

6. F(r)iction Spring 2025 Literary Contest

Deadline: February 28, 2025 Entry Fee: $10 - $15 (depending on genre) Prize: $1,000 (1st prize)

F(r)iction’s literary contest celebrates bold and daring voices in short fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The contest is judged by literary professionals who value originality and emotional impact. Winners are published in F(r)iction magazine, with additional recognition across their platforms.

Submit your work to F(r)iction.

 

7. The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Deadline: February 15, 2025 Entry Fee: Free Prize: £3,000 (1st prize), £1,000 (2nd and 3rd prizes)

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize rewards excellence in writing that explores this year’s theme, "Interconnection." Open to all genres, the competition encourages thought-provoking and boundary-pushing narratives. Finalists receive invitations to the Alpine Fellowship’s annual symposium.

Visit the Alpine Fellowship’s website for details.

 

8. The Bath Novel Award 2025

Deadline: February 14, 2025 Entry Fee: £29 Prize: £3,000

Targeted at unpublished novelists, the Bath Novel Award offers a platform for aspiring authors to showcase their manuscripts. Open to novels across genres, the competition has launched many successful literary careers. Shortlisted entries also gain exposure to literary agents.

Learn more at Bath Novel Award.

 

9. The Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction

Deadline: February 1, 2025 Entry Fee: $15 Prize: $2,500 and publication

Presented by Philadelphia Stories, this contest celebrates short stories (up to 8,000 words) that exhibit excellence in storytelling. Winners are published in the magazine, and the prize includes a reading event.

Submit to the Marguerite McGlinn Prize.

 

10. Almond Press - Dystopian Stories Competition

Deadline: February 20, 2025 Entry Fee: Free Prize: Publication and recognition

This unique competition invites writers to delve into dystopian and speculative fiction. Almond Press is known for promoting emerging voices, and winners are featured in their digital anthology, gaining international visibility.

Visit Almond Press for details.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Grants and Fellowships for Creative Writers in 2025

-
Image
If you're a creative writer looking to take your craft to the next level, 2025 is bursting with opportunities to support your journey. From prestigious residencies to generous grants, these programs offer time, funding, mentorship, and space to write. Here are 10 grants and fellowships every writer should consider applying for this year. 1. National Endowment for the Arts ( NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships – USA Deadline: Spring 2025 ( TBA) Award: $ 25,000 Open to published poets and prose writers, this prestigious U. S.- based fellowship supports writers with significant career potential. It’s highly competitive but career- defining. 2. Iowa International Writing Program ( IWP) – Global Deadline: April 2025 Award: Fully funded residency in Iowa City This renowned program brings together international writers for a 10- week residency with workshops, readings, and global networking. 3. Elizabeth George Foundation Grant – USA/ UK Deadline: May 2025 Award: Varies T...
Read more

Food and Literature

-
Image
  The Foods for Thought You can almost choose any topic to write about as long as you are passionate about writing and have your creative style. Food is, if not essential, but a delectable addition to the creative genre. Especially in anime and manga, there are all kinds of mouth-watering photographs. This pop culture has somewhat helped Japanese food to be popular worldwide. But apart from the traditional amalgamation, writers have put great effort into portraying the psychological ramifications of food and nutrition in practical life.    The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake   The novel by Aimee Bender explores an untraditional plot about food. What if you could taste the emotions of people by eating the food they cook? The particular sadness of lemon cake tells the story of Rose, a young girl who suddenly discovers that she can taste the disappointments and oppressiveness from eating her mother's cooking. At first, she thinks it is some kind of fallacy...
Read more