Contests & Awards
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| © Julie Rowan-Zoch |
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 roundup calendar)
- 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:Writing Contests are Important: How to Choose the Right Ones from the Scams; Awards Profiteers: How Writers Can Recognize Them and Why They Should Avoid Them
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)
Draw This!
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)
Draw This!
- What: monthly illustration challenge with a prompt, due 20th of each month
- Who: SCBWI members
- Prize: winning pieces featured in SCBWI's monthly newsletter
ONGONG
- What: apply for emergency funds during the pandemic
- Who: people of color in the children's publishing industry (agents, editors, authors, illustrators) who've been furloughed or lost their jobs
- Award: emergency funds
May
- What: apply for one of 24 grants for NYC publishing internships in summer 2022
- Who: US citizen or permanent resident who identifies as being from a diverse background
- Award: $3000 internship grant
June
- What: apply for a grant for your WIP
- Who: someone who has published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but has not generated significant sales
- Award: $5000
July
- What: submit a short story under 750 words about a person or animal not noticed or praised for hard work, courage, or great achievements
- Who: writers 8-11 and 12-16 years old
- Prizes: cash (AUD) prizes plus story in print
August
- What: submit a picture book manuscript
- Who: writers of color or native/indigenous writers, residents of U.S., over 18, who has not previously traditionally published a children's book
- Prize: $2000 plus publication contract with advance + royalties; 2nd prize: $1000
- What: submit a middle grade or young adult manuscript
- Who: writers of color or native/indigenous writers, residents of U.S., over 18, who has not previously traditionally published a children's book
- Prize: $2000 plus publication contract with advance + royalties; 2nd prize: $1000
September
Sept. 21 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET #PitBlk
- What: pitch your kid lit project (PB, MG, YA) on Twitter
- Who: unagented Black writers and illustrators
- Prize: attention/requests from agents & editors