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| © Kathryn Ault Noble |
Submitting your work to contests and awards is a great way to get your work noticed. Here's a list of submission opportunities for children's writing and illustrating. We normally only list contests that do not require an entry fee.
Also, check out these other compilations of contests:
- Sub It Club's monthly lists of contests (see their contest posts)
- Funds for Writers
- Lee & Low's roundup of Awards & Grants for Authors of Color
- Institute for Children's Literature runs contests (for fee)
- Poet & Writer's Database of Writing Contests (includes fee contests)
Before entering a contest, pay attention to warning signs: Contests & Awards (Writer's Beware); Writing Contests are Important: How to Choose the Right Ones from the Scams
Twitter Pitch contests & 1st Five Pages Workshop by Adventures in YA Publishing
Most Popular Twitter Pitch Parties
James Cross Giblin Scholarship for Highlights Foundations courses
Four on 400 (every month, deadline 5th day of each month)
What I Gained from Contests (Besides my Agent)
Most Popular Twitter Pitch Parties
James Cross Giblin Scholarship for Highlights Foundations courses
Four on 400 (every month, deadline 5th day of each month)
- What: Comment on the contest announcement on the 4th of each month for a chance to submit your first 400 words of an MG or YA ms
- Prize: Winner's entry will be posted on blog & critiqued by four members of The Winged Pen
What I Gained from Contests (Besides my Agent)
MARCH
March 1-31 SCBWI Work-in-Progress Award
- What: apply for your WIP in one of seven categories: PB, CB, MG, YA, nonfiction, multicultural, translation
- Who: SCBWI members
- Prize: Showcase of your work to editors
- What: Submitted in conjunction with the WIP grant
- Who: SCBWI members who are 50 years or older who have not been traditionally published in the field
- Prize: $500 and free tuition to any SCBWI conference
Mar 1 - 31 Don Freeman Work-in-Progress Grant
- What: apply for one of two $1,000 grants for illustrators
- Who: SCBWI members, published or unpublished illustrators
- Prize: $1,000 grant to use in any way to complete your project
Mar 19 PBParty
- What: submit your PB pitch, query, and first 50 pages
- Prize: 20 entries will be chosen for an agent round March 27-28
APRIL
Feb. 1-April 1 The Ann Whitford Paul- Writer's Digest Book Award
- What: submit a picture book manuscript (hard copied and mailed)
- Who: unpublished picture book authors or ones who haven't sold a picture book in three years
- Prize: $1000
Mar. 15-April 15 Application window for Highlights
- What: a 24-month mentorship including in person workshops (Session 1: Sept. 13-15, Session 2: March 15-17, 2020)
- Who: people of color or indigenous writers and illustrators pursuing publication
April 23 #DIVpit
- What: pitch your children's and teens manuscripts (fiction and nonfiction)
- Who: authors and illustrators from marginalized communities
- Prize: agent & editor attention
JUNE
June 6 Pitmad
- What: pitch your complete, polished novel or PB between 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT
- Prize: agent attention and requests for submissions
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 5 Pitmad
- What: pitch your complete, polished novel or PB between 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT
- Prize: agent attention and requests for submissions
Sept. 25-27 Pitchwars
- What: submit your query, first chapter and synopsis of a finished manuscript
- Who: all categories of writers (children to adult)
- Prize: obtain a published author mentor who will help you revise your manuscript and present it in an agent showcase in Feb. 2020
DECEMBER
Dec. 5 Pitmad
- What: pitch your complete, polished novel or PB between 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT
- Prize: agent attention and requests for submissions
