EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: November 17, 2025.

We’re looking for short fiction stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Enter the 26th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!

Prizes

One First Place Winner will receive:

• $3,000 in cash
• Publication of their winning piece in Writer’s Digest (Sept/Oct 2026 issue), and on WritersDigest.com.
• An interview with a WD editor on WritersDigest.com
• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
• A pitch session at the Writer’s Digest Conference where the winner will receive one-on-one attention from editors or agents
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Second Place Winner will receive:

• $1,500 in cash
• Their name and short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2026 issue and on Writer’s Digest.com.
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Third Place Winner will receive:

• $500 in cash
• Their name and short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2026 issue and on Writer’s Digest.com.
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:

• $100 in cash
• Their name and short story titles published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2026 issue and on Writer’s Digest.com.
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:

• A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
• Their name and story title published on WritersDigest.com in conjunction with Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October issue
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Personal Essay Awards readers, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Contact information is to be provided only on the submission form (not on the submission’s file upload). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION submission file (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online.
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date.

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

1,500 word maximum. Online Entry forms must have the word count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.

• Please be sure that the email address you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email and/or the Submittable messaging feature. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder as well as the MESSAGES tab within your Submittable account for any expected but unaccounted for communications.

• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted. We recommend that you select a font which is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font. 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. We have no rules or requirements regarding subject matter or language etc.

• It is preferred that an entry be formatted as Letter, 8.5 x 11, single sided, normal 1-inch margins. All documents must be double-spaced.

• The submission file (both the manuscript/story itself as well as the file name) should not include any identifying information. We recommend that you avoid adding symbols/punctuation in file names of the document file which you are uploading. Files are not returned.

• Entries exceeding the word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.

• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, .wpd and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be submitted online. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Have your necessary information at hand when you are ready to submit your entry.
• Entries exceeding the 1,500 word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.
• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition, and cannot be edited or replaced.
• If the First Place Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the First Place Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the First Place Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the First Place and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners will not be individually notified; check the MESSAGES tab in Submittable for any related messaging.
• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners.
• WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

Early-Bird Deadline: November 17, 2025

• All entries—$30

Deadline: December 15, 2025

• All entries—$35

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by December 15, 2025.
• If the First Place Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the First Place Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the First Place Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before February 28, 2026. Top winners in each category will be listed in the Sept/Oct 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and at www.writersdigest.com after the Sept/Oct 2026 issue is published.

Still have questions? 

Easy to Follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Enter your email below and receive a free download, “Writer’s Digest Complete Guide to Writing Contests,” and be a step ahead of your competition!

The post Short Short Story Writing Competition appeared first on Writer's Digest.

CLOSED. Top Award Winners will be notified on or before October 17, 2025. The top 10 winners in each category will be listed in the November/December 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest.

Writer’s Digest has been shining a spotlight on up-and-coming writers in all genres through its Annual Writing Competition for over 90 years. Enter our 94th Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen.

Prizes

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

• $5,000 in cash
• An interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2025 issue) and on WritersDigest.com
• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
•  A coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents
• Publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com

The First place winner in each category will receive $1,000 in cash and publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com.

The Second place winner in each category will receive $500 cash.

The Third place winner in each category will receive $250 in cash.

The Fourth place winner in each category will receive $100 in cash.

The Fifth place winner in each category will receive $50 in cash.

The Sixth through Tenth place winners in each category will receive a $25 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com.

All top winners will also receive:

• Their names and the title of their winning piece listed in Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• A one-year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

All Honorable Mentions receive:

• Their names and the title of their selected piece listed on WritersDigest.com
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Categories

• Inspirational/Spiritual
• Memoirs/Personal Essay
• Nonfiction Essay or Article
• Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story
• Rhyming Poetry
• Non-rhyming Poetry
• Humor
• Children’s/Young Adult Fiction

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Annual Writing Competition readers, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Contact information is to be provided only on the submission form (not on the submission’s file upload). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION submission file (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online. Only the Self-Published Book Awards accepts physical mail, as physical books are reviewed (see prospectus for details).
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be shipped by as well. Mailed in entries/materials must deliver within 5 days of the current posted entry deadline, as listed on the website at the time of your submission

Category Selection

Select the category that best represents your entry. If the judges feel that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf.

• Genre Fiction: Stories that fit into a specific classification such as mystery, romance, science fiction, horror or fantasy.
• Mainstream/Literary Fiction: Serious, non-formulaic fiction that does not fit into a genre. For the sake of separating them entirely from genre fiction, are combined into their own category. Literary fiction is generally more concerned with style and characterization, and may be paced more slowly than commercial fiction. It usually centers on a timeless, complex theme. Mainstream fiction is usually faster paced, with a stronger plot line (and more events and/or higher stakes). Characterization may not be as central to the story and the theme may be more obvious than literary fiction. The category of both of these two indicates that the story would generally appeal to a larger audience and isn’t confined by the rules and structure you might see in a typical genre.
• Memoirs/Personal Essay: This is an article that is distinguished by and draws its power from its personal viewpoint. In such pieces, the author examines an issue, event, experience, place or idea and offers an opinion or some other reaction to it. The goal of an essay may be to explain, justify or persuade. The last is most often the goal of newspaper op-ed essays. Examples of other types of essays may be found in such magazine columns as Redbook‘s “A Young Mother’s Story” or New York Times “Modern Love” column. Memoirs or personal essays that are distinctly religious or spiritual in nature should be submitted to the “Inspiration” category.
• Nonfiction Essay or Article: This is an article in which the writer has researched a topic and explains the topic to readers. It can also profile an individual, a place or a topic. Often there is a “service” angle—a clear benefit that readers can take away from the article. There are many types of articles: how-to articles, personality profiles, Q&A’s, informational pieces, travel articles, magazine features, web articles, news articles. They may include events drawn from the author’s personal experience, but these are not personal essays, and the focus of the article should clearly be on providing readers with information.
• Inspirational: An article, essay or story with an explicitly religious, spiritual or otherwise inspirational focus. An article that’s suitable for Guideposts or St. Anthony Messenger, for example, would be inspirational. An essay on how the power of Christ, (or Buddha, or Allah or Vashti) touched your life would be inspirational. A story about the power of religion, the power of prayer, or the power of the universe would be inspirational.
• Rhyming Poetry: When the last word of some or all lines rhyme with each other. Ask yourself: What is the rhyme scheme of my poem? If you don’t understand what that question means, your poem is probably non-rhyming. Most formal poetry is considered rhyming poetry (such as sonnets or ballads).
• Non-rhyming poetry: When there is no recognizable or purposeful rhyme scheme or structure. Free verse falls under this category.
• Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: Fiction written for the children, adolescents, and young adults.
• Humor: This is an article/essay (or less commonly, a short story) that tells a humorous story which most likely happened to the author, however embellished it may be. While it may offer a similar insight on a topic as the memoir/personal essay category, it distinguishes itself by its tone and focus on humor. Think: essays by David Sedaris, Sloane Crosley, or Nora Ephron.

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

Online Entry forms must have the word/line/page count listed where requested.

Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

• Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 40 lines maximum. Only count the lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information.
• Memoirs/Personal Essay, Nonfiction Essay or Article and Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.
• Inspirational Writing: 2,500 words maximum.
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story, Genre Short Story and Humor: 4,000 words maximum.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Cover pages are optional; they are not requested or necessary.
• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted. We recommend that you select a font which is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font. 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. We have no rules or requirements regarding subject matter or language etc.
• It is preferred that an entry be formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper, single sided, 1 inch margins. We prefer any of the various standard-formatting styles (although non-conforming entries will not be disqualified). Poems may be either double-or single-spaced; all other documents must be double-spaced.
• Contact information is collected via the online entry form. You should not include this information on the file being uploaded. Only the category, word/line count and entry title should be included on the file being uploaded.
• Word counts are not to include entry title. All words (no matter the length) are to be included in the word count.
• For poetry entries, supply a line count instead of a word count. Line counts should include all lines that have text; do not include blank stanzas in your line count.
• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be submitted online. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Entries in the Nonfiction Essay or Article category may be previously published. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition, and cannot be edited or replaced.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize, they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites.
• Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner and Honorable Mention Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners or honorable mention recipients will not be notified at this time.
• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners.
• WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

Early-Bird Deadline: May 5, 2025

• Poetry entry—$20 for the first entry; $15 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$30 for the first entry; $25 for each additional manuscript entry.

Deadline: June 3, 2025

• Poetry entry—$25 for the first entry; $20 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$35 for the first entry; $30 for each additional manuscript entry.

Extended Deadline: June 16, 2025

• Poetry entry—$25 for the first entry; $20 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$35 for the first entry; $30 for each additional manuscript entry.

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by June 16, 2025.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before October 17, 2025. The top 10 winners in each category will be listed in the November/December 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest. All winners’ names will be listed on www.writersdigest.com after the December issue is published. Prizes will be distributed by November 11, 2025.

Still have questions? 

Easy to Follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Enter your email below and receive a free download, “Writer’s Digest Complete Guide to Writing Contests,” and be a step ahead of your competition!

The post Annual Writing Competition appeared first on Writer's Digest.

EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: September 2, 2025

We’re looking for personal essays! Think you can write a winning essay in 2,000 words or fewer? Enter the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards for your chance to win $2,500 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!

PRIZES

One Grand Prize Winner will receive:

• $2,500 in cash
• An interview with them in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2026 issue and on WritersDigest.com
• Their essay published on WritersDigest.com
• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
• A coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one-on-one attention from editors or agents
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Second Place Winner will receive:

• $1,000 in cash
• Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2026 issue and on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Third Place Winner will receive:

• $500 in cash
• Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2026 issue and on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:

• $100 in cash
• Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2026 issue and on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:

• A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
• Their essay title published on WritersDigest.com
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

All top winners will be chosen by our Special Guest Judge William Kenower.

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Personal Essay Awards readers, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Contact information is to be provided only on the submission form (not on the submission’s file upload). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS submission file (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online.
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be shipped by as well. Mailed in entries/materials must deliver within 5 days of the current posted entry deadline, as listed on the website at the time of your submission

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

2,000 word maximum. Online Entry forms must have the word count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.

• Please be sure that the email address you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email and/or the Submittable messaging feature. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder as well as the MESSAGES tab within your Submittable account for any expected but unaccounted for communications.

• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted. We recommend that you select a font which is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font. 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. We have no rules or requirements regarding subject matter or language etc.

• It is preferred that an entry be formatted as Letter, 8.5 x 11, single sided, normal 1-inch margins. All documents must be double-spaced.

• The submission file (both the manuscript/story itself as well as the file name) should not include any identifying information. We recommend that you avoid adding symbols/punctuation in file names of the document file which you are uploading. Files are not returned.

• Entries exceeding the word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.

• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, .wpd and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be submitted online. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Have your necessary information at hand when you are ready to submit your entry.
• Entries exceeding the 2,000 word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.
• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition, and cannot be edited or replaced.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners will not be individually notified; check the MESSAGES tab in Submittable for any related messaging.
• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners.
• WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

Early-Bird Deadline: September 2, 2025

• All entries—$25

Deadline: October 1, 2025

• All entries—$30

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by October 1, 2025.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before December 31, 2025. Top winners in each category will be listed in the May/June 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and at www.writersdigest.com after the May/June 2026 issue is published.

Still have questions? 

Easy to Follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

William Kenower is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion. William is the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine and a sought-after speaker and teacher. In addition to his books, he’s been published in The New York Times and Edible Seattle and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

• Preparing Your Entry
• Pricing and Deadlines
• Judging and Notification
• FAQ
• Easy to follow PDF
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

The post Personal Essay Awards appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Early-Bird Deadline: November 3, 2025. New Categories and Prizes!

Writer’s Digest is celebrating our 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards with new categories and prizes. We’re looking for your best poems of 32 lines or fewer or un-published chapbooks 25 pages or fewer. Any form of poetry is eligible including epic, free verse, odes, pantoums, sonnets, villanelles, and even haiku. This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. Win cash and an article about you in the July/August issue of Writer’s Digest.

Prizes

One First Place Winner in each category will receive:

• $1,000 in cash
• An interview with the author in Writer’s Digest
• The winning single poem will be published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2025 issue and to a worldwide readership on WritersDigest.com. The winning chapbook will be distributed digitally to the WD community
• A 20-minute consultation with Senior Editor, Robert Brewer
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Second Place Winner in each category will receive:

• $250 in cash
• Their name and poem’s/chapbook’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2025 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

The Third Place Winner in each category will receive:

• $100 in cash
• Their name and poem’s/chapbook’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2025 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Fourth through Tenth Place Winners in each category will receive:

• $100 off a purchase from the Writer’s Digest Shop
• Their name and poem’s/chapbook’s title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2025 issue
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com
• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners in each category will receive:

• $50 off a purchase from the Writer’s Digest Shop
• Promotion on WritersDigest.com
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Categories

• Single Poem
• Chapbook

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Poetry Awards readers, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Contact information is to be provided only on the submission form (not on the submission’s file upload). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your POETRY AWARDS submission file (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online.
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be shipped by as well. Mailed in entries/materials must deliver within 5 days of the current posted entry deadline, as listed on the website at the time of your submission

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

Online Entry forms must have the line/page count listed where requested.

• Single Poem: 32 line maximum. Count refers to lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information.
• Chapbook: 25 page maximum. No more than one poem per page (even if the poems are very short like haiku). The entry may contain up to 25 shorter poems, present one epic 25-page poem, and/or a combination of shorter and longer poems.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately. Entries must be accompanied by the required judging fee We accept PayPal or credit card payment for the required judging fee. Fees are non-refundable.
• All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered.
• Entries must be typed and formatted to 8-1/2 x 11 or A4 pages. Poems may be single or double-spaced. Your name, address, email and phone number should not appear on the entry file since that information is collected on the entry form.
• BE SURE OF YOUR LINE/PAGE COUNT! Entries exceeding the line/page limits will be disqualified.
• Due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

RULES

• All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Writer’s Digest reserves one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the winning poem and chapbook to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication. Authors retain all ownership of their work.
• Entries exceeding the line/page count requirements will be disqualified.
• Entry fees are due at the time of submission.
• Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Due to to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

Early-Bird Deadline: November 3, 2025

• Single Poem entry—$20 for the first entry; $15 for each additional poetry entry.
• Chapbook entry—$35 for the first entry; $30 for each additional manuscript entry.

Deadline: December 1, 2025

• Single Poem entry—$25 for the first entry; $20 for each additional poetry entry.
• Chapbook entry—$40 for the first entry; $35 for each additional manuscript entry.

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by December 1, 2025.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before January 30, 2026. Top winners will be listed in the July/August 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and at www.writersdigest.com after the July/August 2026 issue is published.

Still have questions? 

Easy to Follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Enter your email below and receive a free download, “Writer’s Digest Complete Guide to Writing Contests,” and be a step ahead of your competition!

The post Poetry Awards appeared first on Writer's Digest.

CLOSED-Winners will be notified in October, 2025.

Whether you’re a professional writer, a part-time freelancer or a self-starting student, here’s your chance to enter the premier self-published competition exclusively for self-published books. Writer’s Digest hosts the 33rd annual self-published competition—the Annual Self-Published Book Awards. This self-published competition spotlights today’s self-published works and honors self-published authors.

Contents

Prizes

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

• $10,000 in cash
• An interview with them in Writer’s Digest (March/April 2026 issue) and on WritersDigest.com
• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
• A coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents
• Publication of an excerpt from their winning book on WritersDigest.com

One First Prize winner in each category will receive:

• $1,000 in cash
• Their name and the winning book’s title published in Writer’s Digest (March/April 2026 issue) and on WritersDigest.com

All Grand Prize and First Prize winners will also receive:

• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• A one-year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Honorable Mention Recipients will receive promotion on www.writersdigest.com and a special graphic for use in promoting your selection.

All entrants will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges.

Categories

• Mainstream/Literary Fiction
• Genre Fiction
• Nonfiction/Reference (General Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Guidebooks, Textbooks, How-To, etc.)
• Inspirational/Self-Help
• Memoirs/Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories)
• Early Readers/Children’s Picture books
• Middle-Grade/Young Adult

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

*NEW* You can now compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Self-Published Book Awards, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS COMPETITION submission information (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Review the specific competition prospectus. Each competitions prospectus is provided as an easy to follow PDF; they can be found on a specific competitions main page. Click here to view all competitions which are currently accepting submissions: https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions
• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online. Only the Self-Published Book Awards accepts physical mail, as physical books are reviewed (see prospectus for details).
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be shipped by as well. Mailed in entries/materials must deliver within 5 days of the current posted entry deadline, as listed on the website at the time of your submission

Category Selection

Select the category that best represents your entry. If the judges feel that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf.

• Mainstream Fiction and Literary Fiction: For the sake of separating them entirely from genre fiction, are combined into their own category. Literary fiction is generally more concerned with style and characterization, and may be paced more slowly than commercial fiction. It usually centers on a timeless, complex theme. Mainstream fiction is usually faster paced, with a stronger plot line (and more events and/or higher stakes). Characterization may not be as central to the story and the theme may be more obvious than literary fiction. The category of both of these two indicates that the book would generally appeal to a larger audience and isn’t confined by the rules and structure you might see in a typical genre.
• Genre Fiction: Includes all sub-genres such as Romance, Horror, Science Fiction, Humor, etc.
• Nonfiction/Reference: General Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Guidebooks, Textbooks, How-To etc.
• Inspirational/Self-Help: Spiritual, New Age etc.
• Memoirs/Life Stories: Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories etc.
• Early Readers/Children’s Picture Books: Stories told through a combination of text and pictures, generally written for children.
• Middle Grade/Young Adult: Stories written for a young audience but not told through a combination of text and pictures.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

• Entrants must send a printed and bound book. PDF’s, galley proofs, ARCs, etc. are not accepted. E-book versions should be submitted into the WD E-book Awards; you may enter the same book in both competitions.
• All books must be registered online and accompanied by payment. Be sure that the submitter name on the official entry form is the same as the author name (as published).
• Please remember to mail a copy of your book to our office upon completion of the online form. Books should be postmarked within 5 business days of the posted entry deadline at the time of submission and should arrive within 5 days of the postmark date.
• Delivery confirmations must be tracked by the author; we are not able to confirm deliveries (this includes entries being shipped on behalf of the author).
• If you are having your book shipped on your behalf, submit your entry form & payment online. Be certain that the book is shipped to the complete & exact address as is listed on the entry form; we also recommend that you request tracking information as we are not able to confirm delivery of packages.
• Mailed in entries can take up to 60 days (after the entry deadline) to process.

Rules

• The competition is open to all English-language self-published books for which the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize.
• Entrants must send a printed and bound book*. No handwritten books are accepted. It is preferred that you include a copy of your submission form with your book. If your book is shipping direct from the publisher however, we understand that it may not be possible. Please do not email forms separately as they cannot be matched with your package.
• All books published or revised and reprinted between 2020 and 2025 are eligible. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.) If a book has been revised and republished, the copyright page MUST indicate that the revision occurred and the year it was republished. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Entries will be evaluated on content, writing quality and overall quality of production and appearance. Judges commentaries are final. A judge’s commentary is based on their opinion and experience in the entered category. Their thoughts are not to be a wholesale condemnation or appraisal of the book. Please remember that all commentary should be taken with this understanding.
• All books must be registered online. You may enter more than one book and/or more than one category; however, you must include a separate book, entry form and the additional fee for each entry.
• Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Payment of entry fees must be received before a title is forwarded to the judging panel.
• Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning books from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Books selected as Honorable Mention recipients may enter.
• Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest is not responsible for the loss, damage or return of any books submitted to the competition.
• Due to U.S. Government restrictions, we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

All entry fees are due in U.S. Dollars. Entry fees can be paid by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.

Early-Bird Deadline: April 1, 2025

• First entry—$100
• Each additional entry—$85

Deadline: May 1, 2025

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Extended Deadline: May 30, 2025

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Discounts apply to a single author only; third party submissions do not qualify for this discount.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) or postmarked by May 30, 2025; all books must deliver within 5 days of the final deadline. Books cannot be returned. For proof of delivery, please track your package with your shipper – we are not able to confirm individual deliveries. Please note that it may take up to 60 days after the deadline for all entries to be opened and sent to the judges.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize, they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified. Books that have previously won awards from Writer’s Digest are not eligible.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before October 17, 2025. The top winners will be listed in the March/April 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest. All winners’ names will be listed on www.writersdigest.com after the March/April issue is published. Commentaries will be sent to entrants by December 9, 2025.

Still have questions?

Easy to follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Enter your email below and receive a free download, “Writer’s Digest Complete Guide to Writing Contests,” and be a step ahead of your competition!

The post Self-Published Book Awards appeared first on Writer's Digest.

EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: AUGUST 15, 2025

Writer’s Digest’s 13th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards honors the best self-published e-book(s) in eight of the most popular categories with $5,000 in cash, a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Annual Conference.

In addition to $13,000 in total cash prizes, all entrants will receive a brief commentary of their book from one of Writer’s Digest’s competition readers.

Contents

PRIZES

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

• $5,000 in cash
• Featured interview in the July/August 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
• A coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one-on-one attention from editors or agents
• One year Subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

One First Prize winner in each category will receive:

• $1,000 in cash
• Winner’s name and the book’s title published in the July/August 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
• One year Subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Honorable Mention Winners will receive:

• $50 off a purchase from the Writer’s Digest Shop
• Winner’s name and the book’s title listed on WritersDigest.com
• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

All Entrants will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges.

CATEGORIES

FICTION

CONTEMPORARY

ROMANCE

FANTASY

SCIENCE FICTION

MYSTERY/THRILLER

YOUNG ADULT

NON-FICTION

NARRATIVE NONFICTION

• History
• Philosophy and insight
• Politics and Social Science
• True crime books
• Biographies
• Autobiographies
• Memoirs
• Family Histories

PRESCRIPTIVE/INFORMATIVE NONFICTION 

• Entertainment
• Self-Help & Personal Development, Inspirational
• Religion & Spirituality, Cultural, and Social Issues
• Health, Fitness, & Dieting 
• Lifestyle
• Politics & Social Sciences 
• Cookbooks, Food, & Wine
• Business & Money 
• Parenting & Relationships 
• Education & Teaching 
• Crafts, Hobbies & Home, Garden & Farm

How to Enter

ENTERING IS EASY!

Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.

When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Self-Published E-book Awards, you’ll want to have the following information available:

Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.

Your SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS COMPETITION submission information (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).

Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).

Preparing Your Entry

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Review the specific competition prospectus. Each competitions prospectus is provided as an easy to follow PDF; they can be found on a specific competitions main page. Click here to view all competitions which are currently accepting submissions: https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions
• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online.
• Entry fees must be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be submitted by as well.

CATEGORY SELECTION

Select the category that best represents your entry. If the judges feel that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf.

• Contemporary Fiction: A work of fiction set in modern times with themes and/or subject matter that reflects this specific moment. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Romance: Historical or contemporary, paranormal or suspenseful, chaste or sexy, LGBTQ+, no matter the path you take, don’t forget to deliver a satisfying happy ending. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Fantasy: High or urban, historical or alternate histories, introduce us to new worlds and fantastic ideas that exceed the boundaries of our own reality. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Science Fiction: Space opera or hard science, cyberpunk or steampunk, introduce us to new worlds, alternate histories, or fantastic ideas that push the boundaries of our own reality. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Mystery/Thriller: From the classic whodunits and police procedurals to high stakes conflicts with ever-increasing tension, hook us from the start and keep us guessing until the end. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Young Adult: Your preferred genre(s) but written specifically for readers age 12-18.Typical length: 30,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Narrative Nonfiction: Journalists and storytellers whose nonfiction work reads like it could be fiction (but isn’t!) should apply to this category which includes memoirs, biographies, historical narratives, popular science, travel writing, essay collections, etc.   Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. 
• Prescriptive/Informative Nonfiction: Subject-matter experts who aim to instruct or inform readers will find a home for their work in this category, which consists primarily of research-based works such as travel guides, cookbooks, how-to guides/reference, self-help, business, etc.  Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words.

The typical length is a reference point only. There are no word requirements for submissions.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

You must enter online and must provide a file of the book or submit your entry by using a gifting process like Amazon. If submitting a file of your book: Acceptable file types include .epub, .mobi, (PDFs, Microsoft Word documents and other word processing type documents [.doc, .docx, .odt, etc.] are not acceptable file types.) If submitting your book using the Amazon gifting process, please click here for complete & specific instructions. If you do not have the book file and cannot gift us a copy through Amazon, there is a space on the entry form where you can provide us instructions for obtaining a complimentary copy of your e-book. If selecting “Other” as your delivery method, please note that the book itself must be able to be accessed using a one-click link that provides immediate download and/or access to the book via a code. Judges will not provide personal information of any sort, nor will they set up accounts, provide emails etc., nor can they retrieve a book using a gift certificate or anything of monetary value. If you are submitting a file, please follow the requirements for that delivery method.

• Have your necessary information, including your e-book file or gifting code, at hand when you are ready to submit your entry.
• If gifting a copy of your book, please note that gift codes must be valid until through the entire competition-up to the winner notification date. If you choose to gift a copy of your book through iTunes, please note that their codes have a very short time span and you will most likely need to send additional codes at a later date (for this reason, Amazon gift codes are preferred over iTunes gift codes).
• Additional files/books/codes may be requested of semi-finalists.
• Note to foreign entrants: If you do not live in the U.S. and/or if the book is not available on a U.S. Platform (i.e.: [U.S.] Amazon.com vs. [non-U.S.] Amazon.ca), then the book may not be available to us due to copyright restrictions. In these cases, please provide an actual file of your entry at the time of submission, instead of providing a gift code.
• Entry fees can be paid by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.  Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span.
• Please write/type carefully and list only one complete and legible email address. Competition related updates are sent via Submittable messaging, and email.

Rules

• All entries must be submitted online; e-books must be provided at time of submission. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal.
• All entries must be in English.
• All books published or revised and republished between 2020 and 2025 are eligible. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.) If a book has been revised and republished, the copyright page MUST indicate that the revision occurred and the year it was republished. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered. Authors who subvent publication of their e-books via independent publishers who publish fewer than 12 e-books/year are also eligible.
• Authors who have published in print via a traditional publisher but retained their e-book rights and self-published or subvented publication via independent publishers who publish fewer than 12 e-books/year are also eligible. Entries will be evaluated on craft, category relevance, formatting and overall quality of production, including cover image.
• There is no cap as to the number of submissions or categories that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission is limited to one book and category (per entry).
• Additional entry discounts are only available when using the linked entry form offered during submission of a full price entry. We cannot offer refunds for discounts not redeemed through the linked form.
• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn, or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition and cannot with edited or replaced.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy, or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel, and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to excerpts from the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication. Authors retain all ownership of their work.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning books from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified at this time.
• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners. 
• Writer’s Digest writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

Pricing and Deadlines

All entry fees are due in U.S. Dollars. Entry fees can be paid by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.

Early-Bird Deadline: August 15, 2025

• First entry—$100
• Each additional entry—$85

Deadline: September 15, 2025

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Discounts apply to a single author only; third party submissions do not qualify for this discount.

Judging and Notification

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online by September 15, 2025 (11:59 pm EST).
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before January 12, 2026. Top winners will be recognized in the July/August 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and at WritersDigest.com after the July/August 2026 issue is published. Commentaries will be sent to entrants by February 16, 2026.

Still have questions?

Easy to follow PDF

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions

Enter your email below and receive a free download, “Writer’s Digest Complete Guide to Writing Contests,” and be a step ahead of your competition!

The post Self-Published E-book Awards appeared first on Writer's Digest.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by June 17, 2024.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before October 14, 2024. The top 10 winners in each category will be listed in the November/December 2024 issue of Writer’s Digest. All winners’ names will be listed on www.writersdigest.com after the December issue is published. Prizes will be distributed by November 11, 2024.

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) or postmarked by May 31, 2024; all books must deliver within 5 days of the final deadline. Books cannot be returned. For proof of delivery, please track your package with your shipper – we are not able to confirm individual deliveries. Please note that it may take up to 60 days after the deadline for all entries to be opened and sent to the judges.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize, they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified. Books that have previously won awards from Writer’s Digest are not eligible.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before October 14, 2024. The top winners will be listed in the March/April 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest. All winners’ names will be listed on www.writersdigest.com after the March/April issue is published. Commentaries will be sent to entrants by December 9, 2024.

PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by October 15, 2024.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before December 31, 2024. Top winners in each category will be listed in the May/June 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest and at www.writersdigest.com after the May/June 2025 issue is published.

SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Entries must be submitted online by October 7, 2024 (11:59 pm EST).
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before December 31, 2024. Top winners will be recognized in the May/June 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest and at WritersDigest.com after the May/June 2025 issue is published. Commentaries will be sent to entrants by January 31, 2025.

POETRY AWARDS

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) by November 15, 2024.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before December 31, 2024. Top winners will be listed in the July/August 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest and at www.writersdigest.com after the July/August 2025 issue is published.

SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

• Every qualified entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
• Entries must be submitted online (11:59 pm EST) or by December 16, 2024.
• If the First Place Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years are not eligible. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Top Award Winners will be notified on or before February 28, 2025. Top 10 winners will be listed in the September/October 2025 issue of Writer’s Digest. All winners will be listed at www.writersdigest.com after the September/October 2025 issue is published.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS
SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS
POETRY AWARDS
SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The post Writing Competitions Judging and Notification appeared first on Writer's Digest.

For all Writer’s Digest Competition questions and queries, please email: Nicole Howard at writersdigestwritingcompetition@aimmedia.com or at writersdigestselfpublishingcompetition@aimmedia.com

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION,  PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS, POETRY AWARDS, SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

For all Writer’s Digest Competition related questions and queries, please email: writersdigestwritingcompetition@aimmedia.com

Having troubles logging in to your Submittable account? For help, go to: https://submittable.help/en/articles/923459-how-do-i-sign-in-to-my-submittable-account

Are there any restrictions regarding content, language, subject matter etc.? No, we do not have any restrictions or preferences.

Do you allow simultaneous submissions? Yes, simultaneous submissions are certainly allowed. Simply inform us of acceptance elsewhere, if applicable.

May I submit multiple submissions? Yes, multiple submissions are allowed. Simply complete a new submission form for each submission.

Is it okay to have illustration or pictures? Please submit text only (unless the entry is being submitted into the Self-Published Book Awards or Self-Published E-book Awards).

How do I determine my word count? Count all words (except the title) making up your story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not include the entry title in your count.

What are your formatting requirements – any other tips? To best present your work, we suggest that you select a font that is easy to read; 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. It is preferred that an entry be formatted to or printed on 8.5 x 11 white paper, single sided, 1 inch margins. We prefer any standard-formatting styles (although non-conforming entries will not be disqualified).

Are pen names allowed? Yes, you may enter under a pen name. Include your pen name on all forms as you would wish for them to appear in any credits. Please be advised (and advise us of it if you are notified as a winner) that we only need your legal name if you are chosen as a winner (in order to issue prizes).

What if I wanted to submit only part of my story into the competition (in order to stay within the maximum number of words for example)? If you submit a portion of a larger work, please understand that what you submit will be judged as a complete story, not part of a larger work. Your submission needs to read as a complete story in and of itself.

What if I would like to edit or exchange an entry that I have already submitted? Edits must be done prior to entering. Once an entry has been submitted, we do not accept edits, replacements or exchanges. If you wish to re-enter an edited piece, it is most acceptable and is considered a new entry. You may wish to slightly alter the entry title or the file name in these cases, so that you are able to identify the versions-should you be selected as a winner.

Is there an age limit for entrants? All contest entrants must be aged 18 years or older or over the age of majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside. Please refer to the terms upon submission.

How do I submit my entry fees? All entry fees are due in U.S. Dollars. Entry fees are to be paid online by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.

Once the competition is over, will you return my entry? Entries are not returned; please keep a copy for your records.

SELF-PUBLISHED (printed and bound) and SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS

Having troubles logging in? For help, go to: https://submittable.help/en/articles/923459-how-do-i-sign-in-to-my-submittable-account

Are there any restrictions as to the number of submissions, restrictions regarding content, language, subject matter etc.? No, we do not have any restrictions or preferences. One entry [book] per submission.

We do not have any word count requirements for either version of the WD Self-Published Book/E-book Awards. Novellas, Epic Novels and everything in between are all welcomed!

Are pen names allowed? You may enter under a pen name. Write your pen name on all forms so there are no mistakes on credits. Please be advised that we only need your real name if you are chosen as a winner (in order to issue prizes).

What if I would like to edit the entry that I have already submitted? Edits must be done prior to entering. Once an entry has been submitted, we do not accept edits, replacements, or exchanges. If you wish to re-enter an edited piece, it is most acceptable and is considered to be a new entry. You may wish to slightly alter the entry title or the file name in these cases, so that you are able to identify the versions-should you be selected as a winner.

Do you allow simultaneous submissions? Yes, simultaneous submissions are certainly allowed. Simply inform us of acceptance elsewhere, if applicable.

What category does my entry fall into? We cannot advise as to category placement. Select the category that best represents your book. If the judge feels that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf. Please visit the Preparing Your Entry page on the website for category descriptions.

May I enter a series of books? Yes! Each book in a series must be entered separately. We cannot guarantee, but will do our best, to assign the books in the series to the same judge. Printed and bound books: mail in the same package, secure together along with a visible note on top pf the books (not inside the book) letting us know they are part of a multiple submission series. eBook entrants: please send a quick note to writersdigestselfpublishingcompetition@aimmedia.com letting us know (include the titles in the series) immediately after you enter.

Do you accept poetry, collections, or anthologies? We do not have any rules prohibiting them from being submitted either. A submission would be expected to read as the category description it was submitted into states. Anyone choosing to enter poetry, a collection or an anthology should keep in mind that the commentary process is designed for the chosen category, and that the review process itself is designed around a single story within the chosen category.

Can the same title be entered in multiple categories if the competition offers a choice? Yes, we have no restrictions as to how many times you can enter a piece within a competition.

Is there an age limit for entrants? All contest entrants must be aged 18 years or older or over the age of majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside.

How do I submit my entry fees? All entry fees are due in U.S. Dollars. Entry fees can be paid online by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.

Can I have my book shipped on my behalf? After submitting an entry/payment online, it is acceptable to have books mailed direct from the publisher in order to speed things up. There is no need to send (or email) the online submission forms or payment receipts (as long as all paperwork and fees have been submitted online ahead of the book being mailed).

What if I am not a U.S. resident? WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Sudan..

What if my book doesn’t deliver within 5 business days of the current posted entry deadline? We ask that books be postmarked within 5 business days of the posted entry deadline at the time of submission and should arrive within 5 days of the postmark date. As long as your book arrives by the posted deadline at the time of submission, there will not be an issue. We ask that books ship immediately after submissions to ensure that you remember to mail the book (as refunds are not provided if you forget), this also allows for the judging team plenty of time for processing and evaluation. (Early-bird submissions for example, should deliver to us preferably within 5 days of submission, but no later than the early-bird deadline. Regular deadline submissions should deliver within 5 days of the final deadline.)

When will winners be notified? Please refer to the Judging & Notification page for details. Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified at this time; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails as you may receive an email for each separate entry.

How will I know if you received my book? Because we cannot track deliveries, as stated in our guidelines, you will need to track the delivery on your end if you wish to receive shipment confirmation. 

SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS

What is an e-book? An e-book is a book-length publication in digital form. It is readable on computers and other electronic devices. An e-book may also be available as a printed/bound book. However ONLY the e-book form is accepted in this particular competition.

What does “e-book format” mean? This is the format that your e-book has been published in, because word-processing files don’t work on e-reading devices. Publishers typically submit e-book versions of a title that they publish to major e-book channels like Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, etc. Check with your publisher if you have questions regarding e-book publication.

What e-book formats are accepted (if not able to gift a copy of the book)? Acceptable file types include: .epub, .mobi, .azw (Kindle)

How do I know what file type my e-book is? The file name will include the extension at the end of the file name; for example- “mybooktitle.epub” would be an .epub file & “mybooktitle.mobi” would be a .mobi file. You can right-click on the file and select “Properties” or “Get Info.” This will allow you to view the file type. Additional information can be found by asking your publisher or researching “e-book file extension types” online.

Should the cover be part of the e-book? Yes, please include your cover as a part of your submission. Please make sure the cover and text are in the same file.

How do I gift a copy of my e-book? Amazon allows you to gift a copy of your e-book, which will allow us to get it to judges more easily. This option is offered for e-books available on Amazon. Please click here for the complete set of specific gifting instructions. If you are using Amazon, we suggest that you use an account ending in .com (ex: amazon.com)

I have purchased the gift copy of my book but cannot find the email containing the GIFT CLAIM CODE from Amazon? Please click here for a PDF containing the easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

How do I enter & provide the gift claim code for my entry after I have the Gift Claim Code from Amazon? Please click here for a PDF containing the easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

How do I add the gift claim code to my draft (not yet submitted) copy of my entry form? Please click here for a PDF containing the easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

What if there is a problem with my e-book or you do not receive the gift or file? Due to time constraints, we are not able to track/confirm individual deliveries of e-books on a one-by-one basis. Please follow delivery instructions as provided. Although we appreciate the consideration, there is no need to email our office after sending a gift copy unless instructed. We will send an email to all entrants with missing files/books at times, before the judging wraps up, to make arrangements.

What if my e-book has multiple authors? No problem, just be sure to include all author’s names on the entry form. The email address submitted on the entry form should be the main contact for all competition related messages.

Can I replace an edited version of my e-book after I submit the entry? Once a book has been submitted, the judges will have access to start reading it; replacements and substitutes will not be allowed. You may submit a new edition of a qualifying entry; however, it would be considered as a new entry and would not replace the existing entry.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS
SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS
POETRY AWARDS
SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The post Writing Competitions Frequently Asked Questions appeared first on Writer's Digest.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION

Early-Bird Deadline: May 6, 2024

• Poetry entry—$20 for the first entry; $15 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$30 for the first entry; $25 for each additional manuscript entry.

Deadline: June 3, 2024

• Poetry entry—$25 for the first entry; $20 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$35 for the first entry; $30 for each additional manuscript entry.

Extended Deadline: June 17, 2024

• Poetry entry—$25 for the first entry; $20 for each additional poetry entry.
• Manuscript entry—$35 for the first entry; $30 for each additional manuscript entry.

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS

Early-Bird Deadline: April 1, 2024

• First entry—$100
• Each additional entry—$85

Deadline: May 1, 2024

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Extended Deadline: May 31, 2024

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Discounts apply to a single author only; third party submissions do not qualify for this discount.

PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS

Early-Bird Deadline: September 3, 2024

• All entries—$25

Deadline: October 1, 2024

• All entries—$30

Extended Deadline: October 15, 2024

• All entries—$30

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date.

SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS

Early-Bird Deadline: August 15, 2024

• First entry—$100
• Each additional entry—$85

Deadline: September 16, 2024

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Extended Deadline: October 7, 2024

• First entry—$125
• Each additional entry—$110

Additional entry discounts only apply after submitting and checking out your first entry. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. All payments must be submitted at the time of entry.

Discounts apply to a single author only; third party submissions do not qualify for this discount.

POETRY AWARDS

Early-Bird Deadline: October 1, 2024

• First entry—$20
• Each additional entry—$15

Deadline: November 1, 2024

• First entry—$25
• Each additional entry—$20

Extended Deadline: November 15, 2024

• First entry—$25
• Each additional entry—$20

Additional entry discounts only apply to for each additional entry submitted during the same transaction/checkout. All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date.

SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

Early-Bird Deadline: November 15, 2024

• All entries—$30

Deadline: December 16, 2024

• All entries—$35

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS
SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS
POETRY AWARDS
SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The post Writing Competitions Pricing and Deadlines appeared first on Writer's Digest.

GENERAL

Writer’s Digest currently holds six distinct competitions throughout a year! Competitions offer a variety of prizes, categories, judging panels, etc. We encourage entrants to not limit themselves to entering only one competition. When looking at the guidelines below, please note that competitions are different from categories.

Important & Helpful Information Prior to Entering

• Review the specific competition prospectus. Each competitions prospectus is provided as an easy to follow PDF; they can be found on a specific competitions main page. Click here to view all competitions which are currently accepting submissions: https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions
• Have your necessary information available when you are ready to submit your entry.
• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully, and list only one valid email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (both Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Once an entry has been submitted, no edits, replacements or exchanges will be accepted. If you wish to submit an edited or revised version of a previously submitted entry, you may enter it as a new submission (you may wish to edit the title slightly as well so that you can differentiate them).
• The submitter is who we will refer to as the author, and who we will contact with any questions, updates etc. If the submitter and the author are not the same, please indicate accordingly in parenthesis, on the submitter name line. If you write under a pen name, please indicate.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful.
• Be sure that neither Writer’s Digest or Submittable email addresses are blocked. Blocking either address, including marking either as Spam or Junk, will prohibit you from receiving competition related updates, critical information, receipts, confirmations, etc.
• If you write under a pen name, or if there are multiple authors, please indicate names on PEN NAME line of the submission form.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by.
• Non-Winner Notification: Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified individually; non-winners will be emailed a competition status update in the weeks following the winner notification date. If you enter multiple times, please excuse duplicate emails, as you may receive an email for each separate entry.
• All entries must be submitted online. Only the Self-Published Book Awards accepts physical mail, as physical books are reviewed (see prospectus for details).
• Entry fees may be paid online by credit/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.
• All deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST, on the specified date. This is the date that all related materials (when applicable) must be shipped by as well. Mailed in entries/materials must deliver within 5 days of the current posted entry deadline, as listed on the website at the time of your submission

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION

Category Selection

Select the category that best represents your entry. If the judges feel that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf.

• Genre Fiction: Stories that fit into a specific classification such as mystery, romance, science fiction, horror or fantasy.
• Mainstream/Literary Fiction: Serious, non-formulaic fiction that does not fit into a genre. For the sake of separating them entirely from genre fiction, are combined into their own category. Literary fiction is generally more concerned with style and characterization, and may be paced more slowly than commercial fiction. It usually centers on a timeless, complex theme. Mainstream fiction is usually faster paced, with a stronger plot line (and more events and/or higher stakes). Characterization may not be as central to the story and the theme may be more obvious than literary fiction. The category of both of these two indicates that the story would generally appeal to a larger audience and isn’t confined by the rules and structure you might see in a typical genre.
• Memoirs/Personal Essay: This is an article that is distinguished by and draws its power from its personal viewpoint. In such pieces, the author examines an issue, event, experience, place or idea and offers an opinion or some other reaction to it. The goal of an essay may be to explain, justify or persuade. The last is most often the goal of newspaper op-ed essays. Examples of other types of essays may be found in such magazine columns as Redbook‘s “A Young Mother’s Story” or New York Times “Modern Love” column. Memoirs or personal essays that are distinctly religious or spiritual in nature should be submitted to the “Inspiration” category.
• Nonfiction Essay or Article: This is an article in which the writer has researched a topic and explains the topic to readers. It can also profile an individual, a place or a topic. Often there is a “service” angle—a clear benefit that readers can take away from the article. There are many types of articles: how-to articles, personality profiles, Q&A’s, informational pieces, travel articles, magazine features, web articles, news articles. They may include events drawn from the author’s personal experience, but these are not personal essays, and the focus of the article should clearly be on providing readers with information.
• Inspirational: An article, essay or story with an explicitly religious, spiritual or otherwise inspirational focus. An article that’s suitable for Guideposts or St. Anthony Messenger, for example, would be inspirational. An essay on how the power of Christ, (or Buddha, or Allah or Vashti) touched your life would be inspirational. A story about the power of religion, the power of prayer, or the power of the universe would be inspirational.
• Rhyming Poetry: When the last word of some or all lines rhyme with each other. Ask yourself: What is the rhyme scheme of my poem? If you don’t understand what that question means, your poem is probably non-rhyming. Most formal poetry is considered rhyming poetry (such as sonnets or ballads).
• Non-rhyming poetry: When there is no recognizable or purposeful rhyme scheme or structure. Free verse falls under this category.
• Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: Fiction written for the children, adolescents, and young adults.
• Humor: This is an article/essay (or less commonly, a short story) that tells a humorous story which most likely happened to the author, however embellished it may be. While it may offer a similar insight on a topic as the memoir/personal essay category, it distinguishes itself by its tone and focus on humor. Think: essays by David Sedaris, Sloane Crosley, or Nora Ephron.

Word Count / Line Count Requirements
Online Entry forms must have the word/line/page count listed where requested.

Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

• Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 40 lines maximum. Only count the lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information.
• Memoirs/Personal Essay, Nonfiction Essay or Article and Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.
• Inspirational Writing: 2,500 words maximum.
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story, Genre Short Story and Humor: 4,000 words maximum.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.
• Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• Cover pages are optional; they are not requested or necessary.
• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted. We recommend that you select a font which is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font. 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. We have no rules or requirements regarding subject matter or language etc.
• It is preferred that an entry be formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper, single sided, 1 inch margins. We prefer any of the various standard-formatting styles (although non-conforming entries will not be disqualified). Poems may be either double-or single-spaced; all other documents must be double-spaced.
• Contact information is collected via the online entry form. You should not include this information on the file being uploaded. Only the category, word/line count and entry title should be included on the file being uploaded.
• Word counts are not to include entry title. All words (no matter the length) are to be included in the word count.
• For poetry entries, supply a line count instead of a word count. Line counts should include all lines that have text; do not include blank stanzas in your line count.
• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be submitted online. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Entries in the Nonfiction Essay or Article category may be previously published. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.

• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition, and cannot be edited or replaced.

• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize, they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.

• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.

• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication.

• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.

• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites.

• Ineligible entries will be disqualified.

• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.

• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.

• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.

• Winner and Honorable Mention Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners or honorable mention recipients will not be notified at this time.

• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners.

• WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS (printed and bound books)

Category Selection

Select the category that best represents your entry. If the judges feel that another category is more appropriate, we will switch the category for you, on your behalf.

• Mainstream Fiction and Literary Fiction: For the sake of separating them entirely from genre fiction, are combined into their own category. Literary fiction is generally more concerned with style and characterization, and may be paced more slowly than commercial fiction. It usually centers on a timeless, complex theme. Mainstream fiction is usually faster paced, with a stronger plot line (and more events and/or higher stakes). Characterization may not be as central to the story and the theme may be more obvious than literary fiction. The category of both of these two indicates that the book would generally appeal to a larger audience and isn’t confined by the rules and structure you might see in a typical genre.
• Genre Fiction: Includes all sub-genres such as Romance, Horror, Science Fiction, Humor, etc.
• Nonfiction/Reference: General Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Guidebooks, Textbooks, How-To etc.
• Inspirational/Self-Help: Spiritual, New Age etc.
• Memoirs/Life Stories: Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories etc.
• Early Readers/Children’s Picture Books: Stories told through a combination of text and pictures, generally written for children.
• Middle Grade/Young Adult: Stories written for a young audience but not told through a combination of text and pictures.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

• Entrants must send a printed and bound book. PDF’s, galley proofs, ARCs, etc. are not accepted. E-book versions should be submitted into the WD E-book Awards; you may enter the same book in both competitions.
• All books must be registered online and accompanied by payment. Be sure that the submitter name on the official entry form is the same as the author name (as published).
• Please remember to mail a copy of your book to our office upon completion of the online form. Books should be postmarked within 5 business days of the posted entry deadline at the time of submission and should arrive within 5 days of the postmark date.
• Delivery confirmations must be tracked by the author; we are not able to confirm deliveries (this includes entries being shipped on behalf of the author).
• If you are having your book shipped on your behalf, submit your entry form & payment online. Be certain that the book is shipped to the complete & exact address as is listed on the entry form; we also recommend that you request tracking information as we are not able to confirm delivery of packages.
• Mailed in entries can take up to 60 days (after the entry deadline) to process.

Rules

• The competition is open to all English-language self-published books for which the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize. 
• Entrants must send a printed and bound book*.  No handwritten books are accepted. It is preferred that you include a copy of your submission form with your book. If your book is shipping direct from the publisher however, we understand that it may not be possible. Please do not email forms separately as they cannot be matched with your package.
• All books published or revised and reprinted between 2020 and 2025 are eligible. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.) If a book has been revised and republished, the copyright page MUST indicate that the revision occurred and the year it was republished. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Entries will be evaluated on content, writing quality and overall quality of production and appearance. Judges commentaries are final. A judge’s commentary is based on their opinion and experience in the entered category. Their thoughts are not to be a wholesale condemnation or appraisal of the book. Please remember that all commentary should be taken with this understanding.
• All books must be registered online. You may enter more than one book and/or more than one category; however, you must include a separate book, entry form and the additional fee for each entry.
• Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
• Payment of entry fees must be received before a title is forwarded to the judging panel.
• Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning books from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Books selected as Honorable Mention recipients may enter. 
• Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest is not responsible for the loss, damage or return of any books submitted to the competition.
• Due to U.S. Government restrictions, we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

2,000 word maximum. Online Entry forms must have the word count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the essay (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Preparing Your Entry

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.

• Please be sure that the email address you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email and/or the Submittable messaging feature. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder as well as the MESSAGES tab within your Submittable account for any expected but unaccounted for communications.

• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted. We recommend that you select a font which is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font. 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page. We have no rules or requirements regarding subject matter or language etc.

• It is preferred that an entry be formatted as Letter, 8.5 x 11, single sided, normal 1-inch margins. All documents must be double-spaced.

• The submission file (both the manuscript/story itself as well as the file name) should not include any identifying information. We recommend that you avoid adding symbols/punctuation in file names of the document file which you are uploading. Files are not returned.

• Entries exceeding the word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.

• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, .wpd and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be submitted online. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.

• Have your necessary information at hand when you are ready to submit your entry.

• Entries exceeding the 2,000 word limit will be disqualified. Word count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title in the word count.

• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition, and cannot be edited or replaced.

• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2026. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel and conference registration.

• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.

• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication.

• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.

• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.

• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.

• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.

• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.

• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners will not be individually notified; check the MESSAGES tab in Submittable for any related messaging.

• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners.

• WD writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

SELF-PUBLISHED E-BOOK AWARDS (digital books)

Category Selection

Select the category that best represents your entry.

• Contemporary Fiction: A work of fiction set in modern times with themes and/or subject matter that reflects this specific moment. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Romance: Historical or contemporary, paranormal or suspenseful, chaste or sexy, LGBTQ+, no matter the path you take, don’t forget to deliver a satisfying happy ending. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Fantasy: High or urban, historical or alternate histories, introduce us to new worlds and fantastic ideas that exceed the boundaries of our own reality. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Science Fiction: Space opera or hard science, cyberpunk or steampunk, introduce us to new worlds, alternate histories, or fantastic ideas that push the boundaries of our own reality. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Mystery/Thriller: From the classic whodunits and police procedurals to high stakes conflicts with ever-increasing tension, hook us from the start and keep us guessing until the end. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Young Adult: Your preferred genre(s) but written specifically for readers age 12-18.Typical length: 30,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
• Narrative Nonfiction: Journalists and storytellers whose nonfiction work reads like it could be fiction (but isn’t!) should apply to this category which includes memoirs, biographies, historical narratives, popular science, travel writing, essay collections, etc.   Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words.  
• Prescriptive/Informative Nonfiction: Subject-matter experts who aim to instruct or inform readers will find a home for their work in this category, which consists primarily of research-based works such as travel guides, cookbooks, how-to guides/reference, self-help, business, etc.  Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

You must enter online and must provide a file of the book or submit your entry by using a gifting process like Amazon. If submitting a file of your book: Acceptable file types include .epub, .mobi, (PDFs, Microsoft Word documents and other word processing type documents [.doc, .docx, .odt, etc.] are not acceptable file types.) If submitting your book using the Amazon gifting process, please click here for complete & specific instructions. If you do not have the book file and cannot gift us a copy through Amazon, there is a space on the entry form where you can provide us instructions for obtaining a complimentary copy of your e-book. If selecting “Other” as your delivery method, please note that the book itself must be able to be accessed using a one-click link that provides immediate download and/or access to the book via a code. Judges will not provide personal information of any sort, nor will they set up accounts, provide emails etc., nor can they retrieve a book using a gift certificate or anything of monetary value. If you are submitting a file, please follow the requirements for that delivery method.

• Have your necessary information, including your e-book file or gifting code, at hand when you are ready to submit your entry.
• If gifting a copy of your book, please note that gift codes must be valid until through the entire competition-up to the winner notification date. If you choose to gift a copy of your book through iTunes, please note that their codes have a very short time span and you will most likely need to send additional codes at a later date (for this reason, Amazon gift codes are preferred over iTunes gift codes).
• Additional files/books/codes may be requested of semi-finalists.
• Note to foreign entrants: If you do not live in the U.S. and/or if the book is not available on a U.S. Platform (i.e.: [U.S.] Amazon.com vs. [non-U.S.] Amazon.ca), then the book may not be available to us due to copyright restrictions. In these cases, please provide an actual file of your entry at the time of submission, instead of providing a gift code.
• Entry fees can be paid by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or PayPal.  Please be sure that the email address that you provide will be valid throughout the competition span.
• Please write/type carefully and list only one complete and legible email address. Competition related updates are sent via Submittable messaging, and email.

Rules

• All entries must be submitted online; e-books must be provided at time of submission. Entries must be accompanied by the required entry fee by credit/debit card or PayPal.
• All entries must be in English.
• All books published or revised and republished between 2019 and 2024 are eligible. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.) If a book has been revised and republished, the copyright page MUST indicate that the revision occurred and the year it was republished. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• There is no cap as to the number of submissions or categories that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission is limited to one book and category (per entry).
• Additional entry discounts are only available when using the linked entry form offered during submission of a full price entry. We cannot offer refunds for discounts not redeemed through the linked form.
• All submissions are final. Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn, or non-winning entries. Once a submission has been checked out, it is entered into the competition and cannot with edited or replaced.
• If the Grand Prize Winner accepts the Writer’s Digest Conference portion of their prize they must agree to travel (flying round-trip from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025. The editors or agents who meet with the Grand Prize Winner are under no obligation to read, buy, or represent the Grand Prize Winner’s work. This prize includes airfare, hotel, and conference registration.
• Winners must fill out and submit the appropriate tax related forms in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not submitted within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• Writer’s Digest retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to excerpts from the Grand Prize and top winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication. Authors retain all ownership of their work.
• Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder for any expected but unaccounted for email communications.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning books from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Writer’s Digest assumes all entries are original and are the works and property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein.
• Writer’s Digest is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant and will not become involved in copyright disputes.
• Writer’s Digest reserves the right to reject work deemed unsuitable for publication or that does not meet all named criteria.
• Winner Notification dates refer to the date that all winners will be notified by. Entrants not selected as winners will not be notified at this time.
• Non-winning submissions will receive a competition status update in the weeks following the notification of winners. 
• Writer’s Digest writing competitions are open to U.S. and non-U.S. residents; however, due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

POETRY AWARDS

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

32 line maximum. Online Entry forms must have the line count listed where requested. Count refers to lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information.

Entry Method Options/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.
• Please be sure that the email address you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email and/or the Submittable messaging feature. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder as well as the MESSAGES tab within your Submittable account for any expected but unaccounted for communications.
• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted.
• Select a font that is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font; 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page.
• It is preferred that an entry be formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper, single sided, 1 inch margins. Documents may be single or double-spaced.
• Contact information is collected via: the online entry form. Do not include this information on the file being uploaded.
• Line counts are not to include contact information or entry title. Count refers to lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas.
• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, .wpd and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.
• Entry fees can be paid by credit card/debit card (MC, V, AMEX & DISC) or by PayPal.

RULES:

• All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Writer’s Digest reserves one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the 1st- through 25th-place winning poems to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication. Authors retain all ownership of their work.
• Entries exceeding the line count requirements will be disqualified.
• Entry fees are due at the time of submission.
• Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Due to to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

Word Count / Line Count Requirements

1,500 word maximum. Entry forms must have the word/line/page count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Entry Method/Preparing Your Entry

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY:

• All entries must be submitted online through Submittable. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in! There is no cap as to the number of submissions that can be entered into the competition overall, however each submission (including edited versions being re-submitted) must be checked out separately.
• Please be sure that the email address you provide will be valid throughout the competition. Competition related updates and winner notifications are sent via: email and/or the Submittable messaging feature. Please type carefully and list only one email address. Check your spelling carefully including all login information, email addresses etc. Incorrect email addresses may result in the transmission of important information being delayed and/or unsuccessful. Be sure that our email addresses (Writer’s Digest and Submittable) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc. Check your SPAM folder as well as the MESSAGES tab within your Submittable account for any expected but unaccounted for communications.
• Please submit text only; illustrations are not accepted.
• Select a font that is easy to read; please do not use a decorative or script font; 12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory. We have no requirements as to the number of words per page.
• It is preferred that an entry be formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper, single sided, 1 inch margins. All documents must be double-spaced.
• Since contact information is collected via: the online entry form; online entrants do not need to include this information on the file being uploaded. If you already have it appearing on the first page- it is permissible to leave it, just not necessary.
• Word counts are not to include contact information or entry title. All words (no matter the length) are to be included in the word count.
• When filling out the online submission form, you will be asked to upload your entry file. Accepted file formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, .wpd and .pdf. Do not attach zipped files, or documents stored on the web like Google doc’s etc . Please name your file the same as your submission title if possible; identifying information should not be included in your file name.

RULES:

• All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered.
• Writer’s Digest reserves one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the 1st- through 25th-place winning entries to be published in a Writer’s Digest publication. Authors retain all ownership of their work.
• Entries exceeding the word count requirements will be disqualified.
• Entry fees are due at the time of submission.
• Refunds are not provided for disqualified, withdrawn or non-winning entries.
• The First Place Winner must agree to travel (flying from the same city) during the conference dates in 2025.
• Winners must provide an appropriate tax form (W9 or W8BEN) in order to receive their cash awards. If the forms are not received within 60 days of the request date, cash awards may be forfeited.
• The following are not permitted to enter the contest, neither under their legal names nor pen names: employees of Active Interest Media and their immediate family members; Writer’s Digest Books authors; Writer’s Digest contributing editors and columnists; and Writer’s Digest instructors for online courses and live webinars. Grand Prize-winning authors from this and other WD competitions, within the three years of being awarded, are not eligible. Previous top winning entries from this and other WD competitions are ineligible except in the case of substantial rewrites. Ineligible entries will be disqualified.
• Due to to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea.

ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS
SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOK AWARDS
POETRY AWARDS
SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

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