Contests, Grants, and Residencies Calls for Submissions May 2025 April 17, 2025 Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) on Facebook (opens in a new tab) on Linkedin (opens in a new tab) via email Each month we curate a list of contests, fellowships, and other writing opportunities with approaching deadlines. Opportunities will be posted in the month prior to their deadlines, so that you have ample time to submit your work or applications. Fiction Contests Crook’s Corner PrizeEligibility: Debut novels set predominantly in the American South, published btwn January 1,2024 and May 15, 2025Prize: $5,000Entry Fee: $35Deadline: May 15, 2025 Jim Duggins, PhD Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist PrizeEligibility: LGBTQ writers w/at least 3 novels or 2 novels + substantial additional literary workPrize: $5,000Deadline: May 16, 2025 Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ FictionEligibility: Black LGBTQ fiction writers with at least one bookPrize: $3,000Deadline: May 16, 2025 BOA Short Fiction PrizeEligibility: Writers who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or have DACA status, TPS or LPSPrize: $1,000 + publicationEntry fee: $30Deadline: May 31, 2025 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short FictionEligibility: All writersPrize: $1,000 + publicationEntry fee: $30Deadline: May 31, 2025 Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant WritingEligibility: First-generation American author with a nonfiction debutPrize: $10,000 and publication by Restless BooksDeadline: May 31, 2025 Poetry Contests Loraine Williams Poetry PrizeEligibility: All poetsPrize: $1,500 + publicationEntry fee: $25Deadline: May 15, 2025 Stan & Tom Wick Poetry PrizeEligibility: Poets who have not published a full-length volume of poetryPrize: $2,500 + publicationEntry fee: $27Deadline: May 1, 2025 Stanley Kunitz Memorial PrizeEligibility: Poets under 40 years of agePrize: $1,000Entry fee: $15Deadline: May 15, 2025 James Laughlin AwardEligibility: Poets with 2nd full-length book of poetry coming out in the following calendar yearPrize: $5,000 + 1 week, all expenses paid stay at the Betsy Hotel in MiamiDeadline: May 15, 2025 Lenore Marshall Poetry PrizeEligibility: Poets with a full-length book of poetry published in the previous calendar yearPrize: $25,000Entry fee: $75Deadline: May 15, 2025 Guy Owen PrizeEligibility: All poetsPrize: $1,000 + publicationEntry fee: $20Deadline: May 31, 2025 Multi-Genre Contests Ploughshares Emerging Writers ContestEligibility: Writers who have not published a book or a book coming out before April 2025Prize: $2,000 + publication + review from Aevitas Creative ManagementEntry fee: $30Deadline: May 15, 2025 J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50Eligibility: unpublished LGBTQ writers over the age of 50Prize: $5,000Deadline: May 16, 2025 Judith A. Markowitz AwardEligibility: LGBTQ writers w/1-2 books of fiction, nonfiction, or poetryPrize: $1,500Deadline: May 16, 2025 Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer NonfictionEligibility: Lesbian/queer or trans/gender non-conforming writers w/at least one bookPrize: $2,500Deadline: May 16, 2025
