18 International Writing Competitions in March 2022 (No Entry Fees)
It’s a new month and a great time to get your creative juices flowing. As always, writing competitions are just ways in which you can get your work out there. A trial, they say, will convince you. We’ve compiled over fifteen international writing competitions for you to participate in. Some have restrictions placed on them, but check out the ones you are eligible for. These competitions require no entry fees, and they have March deadlines.
Deep wild graduate student essay prize
This international writing competition is open to students currently enrolled in graduate school. They are looking for a best single essay of up to 3,000 words that is backcountry infused and inspired. Deadline: 1st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Hippocrates Young Poets Prize for Poetry and Medicine
This is for poets aged 14 to 18. They are looking for poems of no more than 50 lines, on any subject relating to medicine. Deadline: 1st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
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The Waterman Fund Essay Contest
This international writing competition seeks personal essays of between 2000 and 3000 words. Prizes: $1,500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. Honourable mention: $500. Deadline: 1st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
On the Premises
Write a short story; in the first sentence, four or more characters arrive at a location and find something unexpected. Prizes: $250 (1st), $200 (2nd), $100 (3rd). Deadline: 4th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Furious Fiction
Furious fiction runs a monthly flash fiction. On the first Friday of the month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. The submission window is open for 55 hours only. Prize: 500AUD. Deadline: 6th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
NEA Literature Fellowships
The National Endowment for the Arts fellowship has grants of up to $25,000 for unpublished creative writers that will enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: 10th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Nicholas A.Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students
This poetry (haiku) competition is open to students in grades 7-12. Prize: $50 Deadline: 15th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
EastOver Prize for Nonfiction
They are especially interested in book-length nonfiction, collections of literary essays, and more. Prize: $2,000 and publication. Deadline: 15th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Fahwaan Literary Awards Romance Writing Contest
Deadline: March 15th, 2022. Read their guidelines for submission here.
Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize
This poetry prize is open to female high school and college students in Nigeria. Submit unpublished poems of no more than 40 lines on the theme of “Invisible Disability”. Prize: $200 Deadline: 30th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
The George W Hunt, S. J, Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts and Letters
The 2022 edition is open to cultural or historical critic. Submit one or more book excerpt(s), article(s) or essay(s) not exceeding 10,000 words in total. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Foley Poetry Contest
They are seeking submissions of one unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 45 lines or fewer, and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize: $1,000 Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here:
Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest
This international writing competition is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres: Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy, up to 17,000 words. Prizes: Three cash prizes for each genre. 1st; $1,000 2nd;$750, 3rd;$500. In addition, at the end of the year, the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a grand prize winner shall receive an additional $5,000. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
A Public Space Emerging Writer Fellowships
This is open to writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book. Prize: $1,000 and six months of editorial support from A Public Space for publication in the magazine. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Vilena Aldama Art & Writing Contest
This international writing competition is open to writers under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art/hybrid poem. Prize: $250. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Masobe Books
This publishing house is now accepting submissions for unpublished manuscripts. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Read their guidelines for submission here.
Challenging the Writers
Hosted by Basenji Books, this contest challenges you to write a short story of between 3,500 and 5,000 words, based on any of the three prompts on their page. Prize: N30,000 and a publishing deal. Deadline: 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here.
Substack Short Story Competition
This international writing competition runs monthly, and it requires short stories of between 6,000 to 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by PayPal, Zelle or check. Guidelines for submission here. Deadline: Last day of the month. Guidelines for submission here.
The Global Undergraduate Awards 2022
Open to all undergraduate students in almost every academic discipline, provided you belong to undergraduate class of 2021, 2022 or 2023. Submit a piece of coursework that received an A grade or equivalent. Guidelines for submission here.
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Casie Jackson