The March 2025 edition of "Get Submitting" is a monthly hand-curated list of the top five contests, grants, scholarships, submission calls, and awards. We try to prioritize opportunities that are at least one of the following: open to all genres, local, free to apply, and/or committed to celebrating and supporting writers from historically marginalized communities. We do the research, so you have more time for what matters: the writing.

Contests & Awards

The Hudson Prize | Black Lawrence Press

Fee: $30; Award:$1,000 and publication; Deadline: March 31st

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes awarded on publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Short Story Contest | Gemini Magazine

Fee: $10; Award: $1,000 and publication; Deadline: April 1st

Gemini Magazine's sixteenth annual Short Story contest is open. First prize, second prize and three honorable mentions will be published in the Summer 2025 issue. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Steinberg Memorial Essay Prize | Fourth Genre

Fee: $20; Award: $1,000 and publication; Deadline: April 15th

The Steinberg Memorial Essay Prize is named in honor of Fourth Genre's founding editor, Michael J. Steinberg, The contest gives us an opportunity to highlight outstanding writers and their work. The first place winner of the contest will receive $1000 and publication in the following year's spring issue. The winner and finalists will also be announced on our Facebook page, Twitter, and website. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Emerging Writer's Contest | Ploughshares

Fee: Free for subscribers, $30 non-subscribers; Award: $2000 and publication per genre; Deadline: May 15th

In the spirit of the journal’s founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We consider authors “emerging” if they haven’t published or self-published a book in any genre.

One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. The winners will also receive a conversation with their partnering literary agency, Aevitas Creative Management, regarding their work and writing careers. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Fellowships

First Novel Fellowship | James Jones Literary Society

Fee: $30; Award: $12,000; Deadline: March 15th

The James Jones First Novel Fellowship, in the amount of $12,000, is awarded annually to an American writer of a novel-in-progress who has not previously published a novel. The Fellowship is co-sponsored by the James Jones Literary Society and the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing of Wilkes University. Visit the website for complete guidelines.