February 2026 Writing Competitions
- Admin
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Listed by closing date.
Open themed, linked to Australia. Award pool of over $1420 in cash. Entry fee $15.
US based competition, no theme, 6,000 words, with a top prize of $3,000 USD. Entry fee $20 USD. For emerging writers, online publication and agency review.
Open to all essayists writing in English. AU$10,000 prize pool ($5,000, $3,000, $2,000). Non-member entry fee $30 AUD.
Residency at Varuna for poets. Also remote mentorship, and a poetic commission to be published as part of Poetry Month in August. All six poets will be in residence simultaneously, establishing a community of practice, and encouraging new poetic connections. Free to enter, stipend of $1,000 for successful candidates.
Thirteen CA/ASA Developmental Leadership Program mentorships will be awarded in 2026 to help Australian writers and illustrators develop their work to a publishable standard and build the skills they need to establish sustainable careers. $70 application fee for non-members, free for ASA members.
Anonymously judged short story competition for emerging and established writers, with a $1,000 prize pool and publication in Ninth Heaven. 18s and over, 1,000-2,000 words. Standard entry fee $10.
Open to: Citizens of Australia and New Zealand or Australian permanent residents. The prize is for short stories up to 3,000 words having an island, or island-resonant, theme. The winning entry receives a cash prize of $500 and all finalists’ stories will appear in the Forty South Short Story Anthology 2025. Entry fee $20.
Spain-based poetry competition, open to all. No theme. Poetry or poetry collection 500-800 verses or lines. Prizes: First: Translation to another European language, Publication of the collection (bilingual), 50 copies, royalties, Finalists: Publication (Spanish edition), 10 copies, royalties. Free entry.
Theme: ‘Into the Archive’. Fiction and non-fiction, max. 4,000 words. (Although I can’t see mention of payment anywhere…so, donate your work for free?)
Short story theme is ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. Max. 2000 words, any genre. $300 AUD top prize. Entry fee $10 adult, $5 under-18.
Wild card. Want to go to Greece? (No, they won’t pay for your travel, but there’s accommodation and food.) Open to 18 and over. Short stories 500-1,500 words inspired by ONE line of the poem “On this Land” by Mahmoud Darwish. Prize: First: Week-long writing retreat by the sea in Greece, Second & Third: 50% off a stay at a writing retreat, Fourth & Fifth: 25% off a stay at a writing retreat.
Entry Fee: €10, €25 for 3 stories
US/Canada based. 13 years old and up. Various categories, 5,000 words max. Prizes $500, $300 and $200. Entry fee $25 (USD) entry fee. (Gives exploitative vibes but hey, you can check it out.)
Open to: women. Theme: social justice. Unpublished fiction max. 5,000 words. One winner, $2,000. Entry fee: $10 AUD.
No theme, open to all. Two categories of poetry, ‘serious’ or humorous’, both 120 line, top prize for either $150. Overall champion takes $1,000, overall novice champion $50. Entry fee $10.
Open to 11 to 18-year-olds. Poem or short story, max. 750 words. Cash pool of $3500, book vouchers, loot bags with bookish goodies provided by sponsors, a publisher experience, and a free writing masterclass with one of their judges (to run during the July holidays).
Open to Australian residents over 18s. Traditional verse (max 80 lines), free verse (max 80 lines), and short story (max 2,000 words). Major prizes offered in each category are; winner: $1,000 and highly commended: $500.Entry fee $15 AUD.
Ireland-based. Open, no theme. Max 250 words. Prize: €300. Standard entry fee €12.
UK-based. Open, no theme. Short stories 1,000-3,000 words. Prizes: £500, Second: £200, Third: £100. Entry fees start at £7 for one entry.
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