New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast published this instant classic not too long ago, which serves as an apt reminder of the value to readers of canny, captivating and creative writing.
So once again, as summer lingers here and there and autumn peeks behind, it’s time to get out those fountain pens or laptops or typewriters (maybe?) and submit your poetry and prose, as the National Magazine Awards Foundation presents the fall guide to Canadian magazine writing contests.
As always, the list below may be incomplete. Leave a comment here or hail us on Twitter @MagAwards #WritingContest if you know of any we missed.
And, for those whose lens is mightier than their pens (yeah, we went there), we’ve also included a section for Magazine Photography Contests at the bottom.
Unless otherwise indicated, these contests are open to unpublished works only.
Geist Tobacco Lit Writing Contest
Genre: Any genre, 500 words or less, on the theme of tobacco
Deadline: September 15, 2014
Prizes: $500 (1st); $250 (2nd); $150 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $20 (includes subscription); $5 each for additional entries
Details: http://www.geist.com/contests/tobacco-lit/tobacco-lit/
The Puritan Thomas Morton Memorial Prize
Genres: Poetry; Fiction (max 8000 words)
Deadline: September 30, 2014 October 10, 2014
Prizes: $1000 + publication + $700 book prize pack
Entry Fee: $15
Details: http://puritan-magazine.com/submissions/
The Malahat Review Open Season Awards
Genres: Poetry; Fiction; Creative nonfiction (max 2500 words)
Deadline: November 1, 2014
Prizes: $1000 to the winner in each section + publication
Entry Fee: $35 (includes subscription); $15 each for additional entries
Details: http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/contests/open_season/info.html
CBC Canada Writes Short Story Contest
Genre: Fiction (1200-1500 words)
Deadline: November 1, 2014
Prizes: $6000 + Banff Centre Residency + Publication in enRoute & CBCBooks.ca (1st prize); $1000 for each of 4 runners up
Entry Fee: $25
Details: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites/literaryprizes/shortstory/
Broken Pencil NUB Short Story Contest
Genre: Fiction
Deadline: November 20, 2014
Prizes: $400 cash; $200-worth of prizes
Entry Fee: None
Details: http://www.brokenpencil.com/news/call-for-submissions-feat-the-nub-short-story-contest
PRISM International Creative Non-fiction Contest
Genre: Creative nonfiction (max 6000 words)
Deadline: November 21, 2014
Prizes: $1500 (1st); $300 (2nd); $200 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $35 (includes subscription); $5 each for additional entries
Details: http://prismmagazine.ca/contests/
Prairie Fire Creative Writing Contests
Genres:Poetry; Fiction (max 10,000 words); Creative nonfiction (max 5000 words)
Deadline: November 30, 2014
Prizess: $1250 (1st); $500 (2nd); $250 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $32 (includes subscription)
Details: http://www.prairiefire.ca/contests/
Briarpatch Writing in the Margins Creative Writing Contest
Genres: Poetry; Creative nonfiction (max 2000 words)
Deadline: December 1, 2014
Prize: $300 + print publication (1st); $75 + online publication (honourable mention)
Entry Fee: $25 (includes subscription)
Details: http://briarpatchmagazine.com/announcements/view/creative-writing-contest
The Fiddlehead 24th annual Literary Contest
Genres: Poetry; Fiction (max 6000 words)
Deadline: December 1, 2014
Prizes: $750 in total prizes; publication
Entry Fee: $25 (includes subscription)
Details: http://www.thefiddlehead.ca/FHcontest.html
The Capilano Review Robin Blazer Poetry Award
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: December 15, 2014
Prize: $750 + publication (1st); $250 (2nd)
Entry Fee: $35; includes subscription
Details: http://www.thecapilanoreview.ca/contests/
Rhubarb magazine contests
Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Essays
Deadline: December 15, 2014
Prize: $500 + publication
Entry Fee: $30; includes subscription
Details: http://www.rhubarbmag.com/submit-or-enter/contests/
Tethered by Letters Writing Contests
Genres: Poetry; Fiction; “Flash Fiction”
Deadline: December 15, 2014
Prizes: $50 – $250 each winner; publication
Entry Fee: $4-12, depending on category and entries
Details: http://tetheredbyletters.com/submissions/contest-submission
Note: Tethered by Letters is a US literary journal but its writing contests are open to Canadian writers.
Freefall Prose & Poetry Contests
Genres: Poetry; Fiction
Deadline: December 31, 2014
Prizes: $500 (1st); $250 (2nd); $75 (3rd); $25 (HM); publication
Entry Fee: $25 (includes subscription); additional entries $5 each
Details: http://www.freefallmagazine.ca/contest.html
Echolocation-QWERTY Chapbook Contest
Genres: Fiction (max 2000 words), Poetry
Deadline: December 31, 2014
Prizes: $200 (1st); $100 (2nd;) publication in chapbook
Entry Fee: $5 ($3 for additional entries)
Details: http://echolocationmag.com/?page_id=1382
Accenti 10th Annual Writing Contest
Genres: Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction (max 2000 words)
Deadline: December 31, 2014
Prizes: $1000 (1st); $250 (2nd); $100 (3rd); publication
Entry Fee: $20
Details: http://www.accenti.ca/writing-contest
Plenitude Emerging Writer Mentorship Award
Genre: Short Fiction
Deadline: January 9, 2015
Prize: Mentorship + publication
Entry Fee: $20 (includes subscription)
Details: http://plenitudemagazine.ca/emerging-writer-mentorship-award/
Musicworks magazine Writing Contest
MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY CONTESTS
Cottage Life Photo Contest
Categories: Action; Life at the Cottage; Landscapes & Nature; Photos by Kids
Deadline: September 8, 2014
Prizes: $150 – $500 gift cards for Canadian Tire
Entry Fee: None
Details: http://cottagelife.com/91404/uncategorized/the-2014-cottage-life-photo-contest
Up Here Photo Contest
Categories: Grand Prize; Science & Nature; Travel & Adventure; Arts & Culture; People & History
Deadline: October 15, 2014
Prizes: $1500-worth of camera gear for Grand Prize winner; subscriptions for winners in each of 4 categories; publication
Entry Fee: None
Details: http://uphere.ca/photocontest
Did we miss one? Send us a note or hail us on Twitter @MagAwards. We’ll update this post throughout the fall as more contests are announced. Find more awards, prizes and contests for magazine journalism on the Awards and Contests pages of this blog.
To see what’s on the horizon for 2015, check out:
Your Guide to Winter/Spring Magazine Writing Contests
Your Guide to Summer Magazine Writing Contests
For a comprehensive guide to submitting to literary publications in Canada, check out:
A Writer’s Guide to Canadian Literary Magazines
Hat tip re the cartoon to NMA winner David Hayes.
Your Guide to Fall 2014 Magazine Writing Contests
