Annual Writing Competition

Prizes

• $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

• 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

• 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

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

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 2, 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? 

• FAQ
• Writer’s Digest Competitions