February is a great month for short story contests, awards, and residencies. Below you'll find the information you need to plan this month's submissions. For more specific information on each contest, click through to the site. You can also find information on how to publish your short stories and how to know if you're ready to publish.
To submit the names of contests and awards for the month that I may have missed, please email me at fictionwriting.guide@about.com. To check out contests for other months, return to the list of months. And read about our criteria for judging whether it's a legitimate contest or a writing scam.
- Devil’s Kitchen Reading Awards in Poetry and Prose -- February 1
Awards of $1,000 to one book of poetry and one book of prose published in the previous year. Winning authors will present a public reading and participate in panels at the Devil’s Kitchen Fall Literary Festival. Entries may be submitted by either author or publisher. Send all materials to: Devil’s Kitchen Reading Awards/GRASSROOTS, Dept. of English, Mail Code 4503, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1000 Faner Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901. $15.00 entry fee. - Fishtrap Summer Fellowships -- February 1
Each year, Fishtrap, Inc., awards up to five Fellowships for Summer Fishtrap. Awards are made on the basis of writing submission only, and are not limited to or made because of the genre. Submit 2,500 words of fiction or eight pages of poetry to Fishtrap, Inc., PO Box 38, Enterprise, OR 97828, (541) 426-3623. - Illinois Arts Council
Individual Artist Support -- September 1
Prizes of up to $5000 to support Illinois artists. See website for complete details and to submit applications. No entry fee. - United States/Japan Creative Artists Program -- February 1
Each year leading contemporary and traditional artists from the United States spend five months in Japan as part of the United States/Japan Creative Artists Program. Each artist will receive a monthly stipend of 400,000 yen for living expenses, 100,000 yen a month as a housing supplement, and up to 100,000 yen a month for professional support services, and up to $6,000 for round-trip transportation for the artist, domestic partner and / or unmarried children, and a baggage/storage allowance, and pre-departure Japanese language study in the United States. Apply to Margaret Mihori, Japan-US Friendship Commission, 1201 15th Street, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20005. - Library of Virginia Literary Awards -- February 5
The Library of Virginia and the Library of Virginia Foundation sponsor the annual Library of Virginia literary awards to honor outstanding Virginia authors and books about Virginia in the areas of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Any individual, organization, or company may nominate books to be considered. Winners in each category receive a $3,500 prize and engraved crystal book. Each year's awards honor books written in the previous calendar year. Entry forms can be completed online or sent to The Library of Virginia Literary Awards, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000. No entry fee. - Chicago Tribune Nelson Algren Awards -- February 15
The Nelson Algren awards are for short fiction. Submissions must be written by an American and must be unpublished. One $5,000 prize and three runner-up prizes of $1,500 are awarded. The award is given in memory of Chicago author Nelson Algren. Send typed, double-spaced stories with fewer than 10,000 words to Chicago Tribune, Nelson Algren prizes, 435 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, or printersrow@tribune.com. No entry fee. - Sarabande Books Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction -- February 15
The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction includes a $2,000 cash award, publication of a collection of short stories, novellas, or a short novel, and a standard royalty contract. Send entries to: The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, Sarabande Books, Inc., PO Box 4456, Louisville KY 40204, $25.00 entry fee. - Starcherone Books
Fiction Prize -- February 15
Starcherone Books offers $1000 and publication to story collections, novels, or indeterminate prose works of up to 400 pages. All finalists will be considered for publication with Starcherone Books. Please mail to: STARCHERONE FICTION PRIZE, Starcherone Books, P.O. Box 303, Buffalo, NY 14201-0303. Writers may also apply electronically. See site for details. $30.00 entry fee.
Continue to page two (below) for more contests.