Deadline: May 6, 2022.
Writer’s Digest is calling for entries for its oldest and most popular competition, the Annual Writing Competition. This is the 91st edition of the competition.
Winners will be announced in the Nov/Dec 2022 issue of Writer’s Digest.
Prizes
One Grand Prize winner will receive:
- $5,000 in cash
- An interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2022 issue) and on WritersDigest.com
- A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including special recognition at the keynote
- A coveted Pitch Slam slot at the Writer’s Digest Conference 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 winning piece listed in Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
- 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
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
- Script (Stage Play/Television/Movie Script/Short Film)
- Children’s/Young Adult Fiction
How to Enter
Create your free Submittable account. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
You can compete in multiple Writer’s Digest competitions with a single login. Your Submittable account also enables you to enter your work to thousands of other journals, magazines, and competitions.
When you are ready to submit your work to the Writer’s Digest 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 page for more information).
Your method of payment (see the entry pricing, submission deadlines, and winner notification page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).
Entries can be submitted via Submittable.