Your Guide to Winter/Spring 2014 Magazine Writing Contests

Click here for our 2015 Winter/Spring Guide.
It’s that time of year again. The calendar has rolled over, winter closes in around you, and all you want to do is write, write, write. The National Magazine Awards Foundation’s annual winter/spring contest guide is back, and in fact bigger than ever, as more Canadian magazines and writers organizations are offering prizes, publication and recognition for great new talent in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction.
As always, the list below may be incomplete. Leave a comment here, or pull us aside on Twitter (@MagAwards) if you know of any we missed.
Prism International Short Fiction & Poetry Contests
Section: Fiction; Poetry
Deadline: January 23, 2014
Prize: $2000 (1st); $300 (2nd); $200 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $35; includes subscription
Details: http://prismmagazine.ca/contests/

Matrix Magazine Robert Kroetsch Poetry Award
Section: Fiction; Poetry
Deadline: January 31, 2014
Prize: $500 + publication
Entry Fee: $30
Details: http://matrixmagazine.org/rkaward/

Dalhousie Review Short Fiction Contest
Section: Fiction
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Prize: $750 (1st); $250 (2nd); publication
Entry Fee: $30
Details: http://dalhousiereview.dal.ca/contest.html

CBC Canada Writes Creative Non-Fiction Prize
Section: Non-fiction (1200-1500 words)
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Prize: $6000 + publication in enRoute + Banff Centre residency (1st); $1000 each to 4 runners up
Entry Fee: $25
Details:
http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites/literaryprizes/nonfiction/index.html

Arc Poetry Magazine Poem of the Year Contest
Section: Poetry
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Prize: $5000
Entry Fee: $32; includes subscription
Details: http://arcpoetry.ca/?p=7349
The Malahat Review Novella Prize
Section: Fiction
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Prize: $1500 (1st)
Entry Fee: $35
Details: http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/contests/novella_contest/info.html

10th annual Geist Literary Postcard Contest
Section: Very short fiction or non-fiction (500 words)
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Prize: $500 (1st); $250 (2nd); $150 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $20; includes subscription
Details: http://www.geist.com/articles/postcard-contest/
Atlantic Writing Competition
Sections: Creative Non-fiction; Poetry; Short Fiction; Drama
Deadline: February 3, 2014
Prize: Various
Entry Fee: $20 – $35
Details: http://writers.ns.ca/awards-competitions.html
The New Quarterly Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest
Section: Poetry
Deadline: February 28, 2014
Prize: $1000 + publication (1st); other prizes for runners up
Entry Fee: $40 (for first 2 poems; $5 each for additional); includes subscription
Details: http://www.tnq.ca/contests
The Capilano Review Poetry Contest
Section: Poetry
Deadline: February 28, 2014
Prize: Three prizes of $250
Entry Fee: $35; includes subscription
Details: http://www.thecapilanoreview.ca/contests/

Writers Union of Canada Short Prose Competition
Section: Non-fiction
Deadline: March 1, 2014
Prize: $2500 + assistance with publication
Entry Fee: $29
Details: http://www.writersunion.ca/short-prose-competition

Writers’ Trust RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers
Section: Fiction
Deadline: March 7, 2014
Prize: $5000 (1st); $1000 (each of 2 Honourable Mentions)
Entry Fee: None
Details: Writers’ Trust website

Writers’ Trust Student Non-Fiction Contest
Section: Non-fiction (open to high school students only)
Deadline: March 14, 2014
Prize: $2500 + trip to Toronto (1st); $500 (2nd); $250 (3rd)
Entry Fee: None
Details: http://writerstrust.com/students

The New Quarterly Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest
Section: Non-fiction
Deadline: March 28, 2014
Prize: $1000 + publication
Entry Fee: $40; includes subscription
Details: http://www.tnq.ca/contests
Narrative Magazine Winter 2014 Short Story Contest
Sections: Non-fiction and Fiction
Deadline: March 31, 2014
Prize: $2,500 (1st); $1000 (2nd); $500 (3rd); $100 (finalist)
Entry Fee: $22
Details: http://www.narrativemagazine.com/node/238622
Notes: Entries may be short fiction or literary nonfiction, including essays, memoirs, or any other form of unpublished manuscript, with a word limit of 15,000. All are judged in the same pool.
Grain magazine Short Grain Writing Contest
Sections: Fiction; Poetry
Deadline: April 1, 2014
Prize: $1000 (1st); $750 (2nd); $500 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $35; includes subscription
Details: http://www.grainmagazine.ca/contest.html

CV2 2-Day Poem Contest
Sections: Poetry
Deadline: April 4, 2014 (registration; competition is held April 12-13)
Prize: $500 (1st); $300 (2nd); $150 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $26; includes subscription
Details: http://www.contemporaryverse2.ca/en/contests/2-day-poem-contest

Event magazine Creative Non-Fiction Contest
Section: Non-fiction
Deadline: April 15, 2014
Prize: $1500 in total cash prizes; publication
Entry Fee: $34.95; includes subscription
Details: http://eventmags.com/contest-2014/
CBC Canada Writes Poetry Prize
Section: Poetry
Deadline: May 1, 2014
Prize: $6000 + publication in enRoute + Banff Centre residency (1st); $1000 each to 4 runners up
Entry Fee: $25
Details: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites/literaryprizes/poetry/index.html

The Malahat Review Far Horizons Poetry Prize
Section: Poetry
Deadline: May 1, 2014
Prize: $1000
Entry Fee: $25
Details: http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/contests/far_horizons_poetry/info.html

Sub-Terrain Lush Triumphant Literary Awards
Sections: Creative Non-fiction; Fiction; Poetry
Deadline: May 15, 2014
Prize: $3000 in total prizes; publication
Entry Fee: $27.50; includes subscription
Details: http://subterrain.ca/about/103/lush-2013-awards-open+for+entries

The New Quarterly Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award
Section: Fiction
Deadline: May 28, 2014
Prize: $1000 + publication
Entry Fee: $40; includes subscription
Details: http://www.tnq.ca/contests
Did we miss one? Send us a note or grab us on Twitter @MagAwards. We’ll update this post throughout the winter and spring as more contests are announced. Others to be announced this spring include the Quebec Writing Competition and Room Magazine contests.
Find more awards, prizes and contests for magazine journalism on the Awards and Contests pages of this blog.
Related Posts:
A Writer’s Guide to Canadian Literary Magazines
Your Guide to Fall Magazine Writing Contests
Your Guide to Summer Magazine Writing Contests