Free-to-enter December Writing Competitions
The year 2022 comes to a wrap soon, and the excitement only adds to the passion of writing.
Once again, we’ve compiled free-to-enter international writing competitions with December deadlines. Kindly go through the guidelines for submission for any contest you might be interested in, before submitting your work for consideration.
Also, be sure to bookmark this page and visit it regularly as this list will be updated throughout the month.
Tagg Magazine: Queer Holiday Writing Competitions
Tagg is a US-based queer women’s publication accepting pitches on a rolling basis for queer holiday content.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: $75-175.
Deadline: Open now.
Toxic Workplaces Anthology
The theme of the first creative nonfiction anthology is Toxic Workplaces.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: $0.02/word for original essays
Deadline: 1 December 2022.
Art Düsseldorf Magazine
They want pitches on the theme of sustainability, in either English or the German language.
“For the first edition of our new essay series at Art Düsseldorf Magazine, we want to take a closer look at contemporary art in relation to the topic of sustainability. What role does sustainability play in producing and distributing art? Where are the gaps, problems, and innovative ideas here?”
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: 5 December 2022.
Channel Magazine
Channel Magazine is publishing writing from an environmental perspective – “work that engages with the natural world. We have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self.”
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: €50 per poem and €50 per page for prose, up to €150.
Deadline: For fiction and poetry – 15 December 2022. Essays and essay pitches – accepted year-round.
Afritondo Short Story Prize: Writing Competitions
For this edition of their annual short story prize, they want stories that answer the questions our very essence as humans. “How are we here? More importantly, why are we here? What is it beyond what we can see that gives us a purpose?”
The theme for the contest is “Aliens”, and they want a good story for this prize that will offer unique insight into the theme and explore characters in refreshing and imaginative ways.
Deadline: December 15, 2022.
Prize: Winner: $1000. 4 shortlisted writers: $100 each. The longlist will be published in an anthology.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Chicken Soup for the Soul Writing Competitions
First theme: How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me
Suggestions – Meeting new people; Wearing different kinds of clothing; Traveling to new places, Doing something that you were afraid of.
Deadline 15 December 2022.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Second theme: The power of positive thinking
“How did you “think positive” and how did it change your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking!”
Deadline 15 December 2022.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
READ ALSO: >>3 Thought-Provoking MicroFiction Pieces You Should Read<<
Rise & Shine Mini Writing Competitions
This contest is for women writers only. You can submit one piece of prose or one poem; your submission can also be a micro story, essay, or poem.
Prize: $75 for poetry, $75 for prose
Deadline: 15 December 2022
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Bright Wall/Dark Room: The Best of 2022
They want writing on cinema. ‘The Best of 2022’ (on films and TV).
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: $50-200.
Deadline: 16 December 2022.
Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Writing Competitions
This international contest is for crime novel manuscripts, for writers who have never been the author of any published novel in any genre and are uncontracted. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $10,000 advance against royalties
Deadline: 16 December 2022
Fulcrum Publishing: Women’s Reproductive Health Anthology
They’re seeking creative nonfictional personal essays on reproductive health, of up to 2,000 words. “Women’s reproductive health is at the forefront of many issues today, whether political, cultural, or personal…”
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: $150
Deadline: 17 December 2022.
The Roswell Award
This is an international short science fiction story competition, seeking “stories on diverse topics that explore and connect themes such as social justice, feminism, identity, inequity, environmental sustainability, ethics, and technology.”
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: 1st – $500 | 2nd – $250 | 3rd – $100 | The first-place winner also gets UCLA Extension Writers’ Program sponsored 10-week or shorter online course.
Deadline: 19 December 2022.
The New Suns Climate Fiction Award
This international short science fiction story competition “encourages emerging science fiction writers to reimagine new ways of living and depict humanity exploring and overcoming today’s climate and biodiversity crises through an original short science fiction story.”
Prize: $500
Deadline: 19 December 2022
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
READ ALSO: >>Celebrating Chinua Achebe’s Impact In Modern African Literature<<
The Philosophy Essay Prize
The Philosophy Essay Prize for this year is on the theme of Emotions. “We intend this topic to be understood very broadly, so as to include related issues in any area of philosophy and from any philosophical tradition.”
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: £2,500 and publication in Philosophy magazine; in exceptional circumstances, the prize may be awarded jointly, in which case the financial component will be divided.
Deadline: 20 December 2022
The Writers College: My Writing Journey Writing Competitions
Open to writers all over the world, they want a 600-word piece on ‘The best writing tip I’ve ever received’.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: AUD200/£100
Deadline: 31 December 2022
Blue Mountain Arts: Poetry Card Writing Competitions
This biannual contest is for poetry which can be rhyming or non-rhyming, though they find non-rhyming poetry reads better.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $350, $200, $100
Deadline: 31 December 2022
Book XI: A Journal of Literary Philosophy – Superstitions
This journal is looking for work on the theme of ‘Superstition’. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Pay: $200 for essays of 2,000-7,000 words, and $50 for poetry.
Deadline: When their cap is reached, or on 31 December 2022.
Lilith Magazine Fiction Writing Competitions
This magazine publishes work of interest to Jewish women. They like work with both feminist and Jewish content.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $300
Deadline: 31 December 2022
Story Unlikely Short Story Writing Competitions
This is for short stories, and also other genres, of up to 4,500 words – “There are no restrictions on genre: fantasy, sci fi, memoir, fiction/nonfiction, etc – we don’t care as long as it’s a good story.” Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: 1st – $500 | 2nd – $300 | 3rd – $200
Deadline: 31 December 2022
Two Dollar Radio: Sator New Works Award
This is a prize for writers who identify as trans or nonbinary. They want a manuscript, fiction or nonfiction, of at least 30,000 words.
Prize: $3,000 advance
Deadline: 31 December 2022
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
2023 Mukana Press Short Story Anthology
They’re looking for short stories of up to 8000 words for their 2023 Anthology.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $500
Deadline: 31st December, 2022.
Blossom Writing Competitions
This contest is only for those who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Entrants may submit up to three poems (2 pages each) in the Poetry Category or one piece of fiction or creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words) to the Prose Category.
Deadline: 1 January 2023
Prize: $200 for poetry, $200 for prose
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
The European Writing Prize
This is a prize for writers all over the world, on the theme is Anxiety.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: €50
Deadline: 1 January 2023
If you loved this list of writing competitions, kindly share with others that need to see it also. Thanks for reading!
Femi Fat