December Short Story Contests and Awards

Short Story Contest Deadlines for Fiction Writers

From Ginny Wiehardt, former About.com Guide

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Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel -- December 31
A book contract with $1,500 in cash and $7,500 advance against royalties is awarded each year to encourage the writing of contemporary YA fiction. See site for details and send mss to Delacorte Press Contest, Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest -- December 31
Moment will award three prizes ($1,000, $500, and $250, and publication) to outstanding works of unpublished short fiction of 7,000 words or less with Jewish content. Send entries to: Moment-Karma Short Fiction Contest, Moment Magazine, 4115 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20016. $15.00 entry fee.

Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Individual Artist Grants for Women -- December 31
Grants of up to $1,500 are given twice yearly to U.S. and Canadian feminist writers. Submit three copies of a short story or novel excerpt of up to 25 pages, a project description, a budget proposal, and a resumé to Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Individual Artist Grants for Women, P.O. Box 309, Wilton, NH 03086. Susan Pliner, Executive Director. Send SASE for complete guidelines. $20 application fee.

PEN Center USA Literary Awards -- December 31
PEN Center USA awards prizes of $1,000 to recognize outstanding books published in the current calendar year by writers living west of the Mississippi. See site or contact PEN for details.

River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize -- December 31
River Teeth's editors and editorial board will conduct a yearly national contest to identify the best book-length manuscript of literary nonfiction. The winner will receive $1,000 and publication. Mail entries to: RIVER TEETH, 401 College Ave., Ashland University, Ashland, OH 44805. $25 entry fee includes subscription.

Ruth Hindman Foundation H. E. Francis Short Story Competition -- December 31
A prize of $1,000 for an original, unpublished short story. Submit two copies of a story of no more than 5,000 words to Department of English, Morton Hall 222, H.E. Francis Contest, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899. $15.00 entry fee.

Shaara Book Prize -- December 31
An award of $5,000 is awarded annually to honor a novel about the Civil War published in the current calendar year to "encourage fresh approaches to Civil War fiction." Publishers, critics, and authors may submit books published this year to the Michael Shaara Book Prize, Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, 300 N. Washington Street, Campus Box 435, Gettysburg, PA 17325. No entry fee.