Nelligan Prize, James Jones First Novel Fellowship, & Missouri Review’s Audio Contest

This week’s batch includes something a little different: an audio contest from the Missouri Review. Other contests include the Nelligan Prize and a fellowship for first-time novelists from Wilkes University. The deadline for each contest is March 15.

The Colorado Review is currently accepting submissions for the Nelligan Prize for best short story. Stories must be previously unpublished. There are no theme restrictions, but stories must be under 50 pages. The winner will receive $2,000 and publication in the Fall/Winter 2015 issue of the Colorado Review. All stories will be considered for publication. Entry fee: $15 ($17 online). Deadline: March 15, 2015. For more information, please visit the website.

Wilkes University is currently seeking submissions for the James Jones First Novel Fellowship. The competition is open to U.S. citizens who have not previously published a novel (including authors who have published other types of work such as nonfiction or short stories). The winner will receive $10,000 and two runners up will receive $1,000 each. Applicants should submit an outline of no more than two pages and the first 50 pages of the novel manuscript. If the novel is accepted as a finalist, the applicant will be asked to submit the next 25 pages of the manuscript. Entry fee: $30 ($33 for online submissions). Deadline: March 15, 2015. For more information, please visit the website.

The Missouri Review’s 8th Annual Audio Contest is now open for submissions. The categories include Prose and Poetry as well as Audio Documentary and Humor. Poets are encouraged to enter an original poem or collection of poems as a single audio file for this category. Prose submissions may be a short story, narrative essay, or other form of literary prose. Please no academic essays or purely journalistic writing/reportage. Entries may be solely author-read or contain other voices, tracks of sound, or music. Judging will be based on the following criteria: literary merit, technical proficiency, and how the author uses audio media to further the literary strength of his or her piece. The winners will receive $1,000 each. Entry fee: donation. Deadline: March 15, 2015. For more information, please visit the website.