United States · North America
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Winning Writers
Reputable international contest from Winning Writers, accepting both prose and essays.
Paid entryEnglishShort StoryCreative Nonfiction / Essay
- Prize
- $3,000 top prize (total prizes higher)
- Entry fee
- approx. $25
- Deadline
- Spring (annual)
- Who can enter
- Open worldwide (in English); published or unpublished
- Status
- Either
- Genre
- Literary / Any
⚠️ Deadlines, fees and prizes change each year — and many prestige prizes are by nomination or publisher submission, not open entry. Always confirm the current details on the official site before you enter. Last checked 2026-06.
Verify on the official site More contests like this
Akutagawa Prize
Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature · Japan
Japan's most prestigious prize for emerging writers of literary fiction, awarded twice a year.
BBC National Short Story Award
BBC Radio 4 / Cambridge University · United Kingdom
Major UK short story award; free to enter but limited to writers with a publication history.
Big Book Award (Bolshaya Kniga)
Center for the Support of Domestic Literature · Russia
Russia's largest prize for prose, awarded annually for the best work in Russian.