I can hardly believe that it is August, and I’m publishing a list of writing contests for September already. Summertime is flying by so fast!
A couple of important notes: First, although I do my best to ensure that all contests below are legitimate, and that the information I provide is accurate, you must do your own research. I make mistakes, the contest sites sometimes change information (deadlines, for example) about the contest after I've published this post. It is your responsibility to double-check all of these things before entering a contest.
Second, if you are ever in doubt as to the legitimacy of a contest, you might wish to try looking it up on WriterBeware.blog.
Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Contest Entry Period: September 1-November 1, 2024
Entry Fee: FREE
Special Requirements: "All entries must be original work reviewed, approved and sponsored by a high school teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your writing."
Theme: None found.
Entry Length: Poetry - up to 3 poems; Short Story - up to 1,500 words; personal or nonacademic essay - up to 1,500 words.
Age Category: 9th-12th grade.
Rights Information: Not found.
Prizes: There are three categories (poetry, fiction, and nonfiction). First place for each category is $1,000; second place for each category is $500; and third place for each category is $250.
To read all of the details, please visit this page.
WtW Science Writing Competition 2024
Contest Entry Period: September 3rd to September 23rd, 2024
Entry Fee: FREE
Special Requirements: None found.
Theme: It’s an essay competition. Theme, best I can tell is “explain the world.”
Entry Length: Unknown. At the time of writing, this contest is still upcoming. It would seem that not all details have been released yet.
Category: 13 to 19.5
Rights Information: Please read Write the World's Terms of Service for more information.
You can find the contest page here.
Morgen Bailey's 50-Word Competition
Contest Entry Period: September 1st to September 31, 2024
Entry Fee: FREE
Special Requirements: None found.
Theme: "Adam and George."
Entry Length: 50 words exactly (excluding title). EXACTLY 50 words. No more, no less!
Age Category: All ages.
Rights Information: Not listed. Winning stories will be published on Morgen's website.
Prizes: "1st prize: free prose critique up to 1,500 words;
2nd prize: free prose critique up to 1,000 words;
3rd prize: free prose critique up to 500 words."
"Each prize will be valid for six months from the closing date (i.e. the prizes for the top three stories for May are valid until end November) so you can combine your ‘winnings’."
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Contest Entry Period: This contest has a long entry period, opening on August 15, 2024, and closing on April 1, 2025.
Entry Fee: FREE.
Special Requirements: "Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions)."
Theme: None.
Entry Length: Poem must be no more than 250 lines. "Exclude the title and blank lines from your count."
Age Category: None.
Rights Information: There is a link at the bottom of the contest guidelines on this page. Click it and it will bring up a little box that contains more in-depth information on a few things.
Prizes: "First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value), Second Prize: $500, Third Prize: $250, Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $100 each. Top 13 entries published online."
One poem may be submitted by each entrant.
You can find the guidelines page here. See other links on the same page for more information.