The ‘Opportunities for Writers’ posts were some of our most popular articles in 2013. We hope you enjoy the first post in the series for the new year.

Madeleine P. Plonsker Emerging Writer’s Residency Prize

is offered by Lake Forest College in conjunction with NOW Books. It offers an emerging writer under forty years old with no major book publication a two months residency at their campus in Chicago’s northern suburbs on the shore of Lake Michigan. The stipend is US$10,000 with a housing suite and campus meals provided by the college. Applications are open between 1 January and 1 March but only the first 200 will be considered so apply early.

Red Planet Prize for an original TV drama script

is open to anyone in the UK and Eire. Entrants must upload the first ten pages of an original 60 minute script for TV along with a short synopsis; this can be a single play or a pilot for a series. The winner receives a £5000 cash prize and development opportunities with Red Planet Pictures and Kudos for an original TV drama script. Entries close 6 January.

Open Road Review

describes itself as a literary journal with a global footprint. It currently looking for short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and artwork. Submissions for Issue 8 close on 15 January.

Folio Essay Contest

is for essays in any style (personal, literary reportage, segmented etc) up to 4500 words. The winner will receive US$500 and publication in the Spring 2014 issue of Folio. Entries close 15 January.

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

provides a cash prize of $25,000 to a screenwriter who has written the best screenplay in any genre. There are also prizes in ten genre categories. The first place winner also receives national publicity. The early entry deadline is 15 January; final entries close 15 April.

Jentel Artist Residency Program

is located on a 1000 acre plus working cattle ranch 20 miles southeast of Sheridan, Wyoming. It offers individuals a supportive environment in which to further their creative development. Application for residencies in summer and fall close on 15 January.

Principles of Written English

is a mass open online course (MOOC) offered by the University of California, Berkeley. It focuses on proofreading and self-editing; revision vs. editing; common errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling; understanding tone and diction; vocabulary development. The course commences on 16 January.

PRISM International Short Fiction Contest

offers a CA$2000 first prize for stories up to 6000 words in length. The 2014 prize will be judged by novelist Joseph Boyden. Entries close 23 January.

International Radio Playwriting Competition

is run by the BBC’s World Service. There are two first prizes – the best radio play by a writer with English as their first language and the best by a writer with English as their second language. The overall winners will each receive £2000 and a trip to London to see their play being recorded for broadcast on BBC World Service. Entries close 31 January.

Right Now Human Rights Magazine Poetry and Fiction Competition

is currently open to entries. The winning poem and the winning short story will be awarded AUD$500 each and will be published in Right Now’s print anthology. The competition closes on 31 January.

Chicago Tribune’s Nelson Algren Award

carries a first prize of US$3500 and has four finalist prizes ($1000 each) and five runners-up prizes ($500 each). Stories can be up to 8000 words and must be fiction and previously unpublished. Entrants must be residents of the United States. Entries close 31 January.

NYC Emerging Writers Fellowships

offer nine writers a US$4000 prize, plus mentorship and a space at the Center for Fiction’s Writing Studio. Applicants must be current residents of New York City and students in degree-granting programs are not eligible to apply. Applications close 31 January.

The Lamar York Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction

offers two prizes of $1000 each and publication in The Chattahoochee Review. Stories and essays can be up to 5000 words and must be previously unpublished. Entries close 31 January.

Griffith University’s Josephine Ulrick Literature Prize

is one of Australia’s richest short stories prizes. First prize is AUD$10,000 and second prize is $5000. Stories must be between 1000 and 3000 words. Griffith University also offers a poetry prize with equal prize money. Entrants must be Australian citizens or residents and entries close 31 January.

The Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry

is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. The prize is open to poets from the United States’ Upper Midwestern region (defined as North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin) and the winner will receive US$10,000 and a contract for publication. Entries close 31 January.

Caine Prize for African Writing

is awarded to a short story (3000 to 10,000 words) by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere. ‘An African writer’ is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, or who is a national of an African country, or whose parents are African. First prize is £10,000 and the shortlisted writers will also receive a travel prize and £500 each. Entries close 31 January.

The Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing

provides up to four months of writing time for a writer working on a first or second book. In alternate years, the residency is awarded to poets and writers of prose (fiction or creative nonfiction). The residency provides lodging in Bucknell University’s Poets’ Cottage and a stipend of US$4000. Applications for the spring semester residency close on 1 February.

Malahat Review Novella Prize

is open to writers from all countries. Entries must be between 10,000 and 20,000 words. The winning novella will be published in The Malahat Review’s Summer, 2014 issue and its author will receive CA$1500. Closes 1 February.

Arc Poetry Magazine’s Poem of the Year Prize

offers a first prize of CA$5000. Eligible entries must not exceed 100 lines and must be submitted via post. The competition is open to poets from around the world. The $32 entry fee entitles each entrant to a one year subscription to the magazine. Entries close 1 February.

Clockhouse

is a national literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference in partnership with Goddard College. Submissions from both established and emerging writers are being sought for their summer 2014 issue. Clockhouse accepts fiction, poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, and dramatic work for stage or screen. Submissions close 1 February.

Story Share Writing Contest

is offering a total of US$50,000 in prizes for original high-interest fiction and nonfiction writing for young adults aged 13+ who struggle with reading. Guidelines and tips are available on the Story Share website. Entrants must be US residents. Entries close 1 February.

The Davy Byrnes Short Story Award

is Ireland’s biggest short story competition. The competitions will award €15,000 for the best short story plus five runner-up prizes of €1000. The competition is open to Irish citizens and to writers who are resident or were born in the thirty-two counties. Entries must consist of a previously unpublished short story written in English. The maximum word count is 15,000 words. Entries close 3 February.

BBC Radio 4’s Opening Lines Series

showcases first time and emerging writers. They are looking for original short stories between 1900 and 2000 words, which work being read out loud i.e. with a strong emphasis on narrative and avoiding too much dialogue, character description and digression. Submissions are open between 6 January and 14 February.

ObamAmerica

is a festival of new writing to be produced at Theatre503 in London in the spring of 2014. The festival, which will run 27 May to 7 June, is about life under the Obama administration, looking at all aspects from political to personal. Submissions from both new and more seasoned playwrights are welcomed. Playwrights need not be American but should have an ear for the uniqueness of American speech patterns and a good knowledge of the United States. Submissions close 15 February.

Brown Foundation Fellows Program

Residencies of one to three months are awarded to mid-career writers, poets and artists at the Dora Maar House in Ménerbes, France. Residents are provided with travel expenses, lodging, work space, and a daily stipend. Applications must be submitted online by 15 February for fellowship terms beginning after 1 July and ending no later than 15 December.

DISQUIET

is an international literary program in Lisbon, Portugal. Entries are now open for the DISQUIET Literary Prize for writing in any genre. The top winners in each genre will be published: the fiction winner in Guernica; the nonfiction winner in Ninthletter.com; and the poetry winner in The Collagist. In addition, a grand prize winner will receive a full scholarship including tuition, lodging, and airfares to Lisbon in 2014. Runners-up and other outstanding entrants will receive financial aid.

The Bath Novel Award

is an international competition for unpublished or self-published novels with a £1000 prize. Submissions should include up to the first five thousand words of a novel plus a one page synopsis. An entry fee of £15 is payable with each entry. Entries close 28 February 2014.

Snowbound Poetry Chapbook Award

is offered by Tupelo Press and open to writers from around the word. Entrants should submit a previously unpublished, chapbook-length poetry manuscript (20-36 pages) with a table of contents. First prize is US$1000. Entries close 1 February.

Lunch Ticket

is a biannual journal published by the MFA community of Antioch University of Los Angeles. They are seeking fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, writing for young people and visual art for their summer/fall 2014 issue. Creative nonfiction pieces submitted between 1 February and 28 February will be eligible for the Diana Woods Memorial award which carries a $250 prize.

Emerging Writers Getaway Contest for Unpublished Writers of Crime Novels

is sponsored by the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Alumni. It is for writers have not yet published a book and have completed a crime novel (mystery, suspense, thriller). Submissions should consist of the opening of your novel (up to 5000 words) and a synopsis (up to 500 words.) First prize is a 5-day residency (tuition and lodging) at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts’ MFA program on Whidbey Island, Washington (travel, meals and expenses not included), a critique from and possible representation by a literary agent, and US$300 cash . Entries open 14 February and close 23 May.

New York State Summer Writers Institute

was established in 1984 by award-winning novelist William Kennedy at the University at Albany, SUNY. Its 28th annual summer program will be held between 30 June and 25 July. Applications open 6 January.

The Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

is offered each year by Colorado State University’s Center for Literary Publishing. The winner receives a $2000 honorarium and the story is published in the fall/winter issue of Colorado Review. There are no theme restrictions, but stories must be under 50 pages. Entries open on 1 January and close 14 March.

Literary Agent Katie Reed of Andrea Hurst & Associates

is seeking new clients. She is interested in YA fiction, commercial and literary fiction, and nonfiction is selected genres.

Harper Collins’ The Wednesday Post

is inviting unsolicited manuscripts from aspiring authors in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. According to their website, ‘whether or not you’ve been previously published, this is the perfect opportunity to submit your work and have a chance to be published by an award-winning, international publishing house.’ They are currently looking for: adult fiction and non-fiction including novels (all genres), memoirs, biographies, narrative histories, young adult, popular science and illustrated non-fiction.

The Poised Pencil

is currently accepting submissions of young adult mystery novel manuscripts between 45,000 to 80,000 words in length. Submissions should be accompanied by a short cover letter including a book synopsis, author biography and publication history. Writers should be based in the USA or Canada.

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