Winning Writers - Poetry Contests, Prose Contests, Free Contests

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February 10, 2012

We believe that all writers should have quick, easy, and affordable access to expert information about the best contests and resources. Subscribe to our free email newsletter and get instant access to profiles of over 150 free poetry contests you can trust. Our larger premium database, Poetry Contest Insider, ranks and profiles over 1,250 poetry and prose contests. We sponsor the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee) and the Sports Poetry & Prose Contest, and assist the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest, the Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse and the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest. We have archived the winning entries from our past War Poetry Contest.

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What's New

February 10, 2012
Michael Marks Awards for Poetry Pamphlets
Deadline March 21 (must be received by this date, do not apply before February 17), formerly March 14. Highly recommended free contest offers two awar...

February 9, 2012
Quick Brown Fox: The Literary Journal of the Five Colleges
Launched in 2010, QBF publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and artwork by students at the Five Colleges in Western Massachusetts: Smith, Amherst, Ha...

February 8, 2012
Toronto Book Awards
Deadline March 30 (must be received by this date), formerly March 31. Neutral free contest for published books of literary or artistic merit that are ...

February 8, 2012
Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award
Deadline March 1 (must be received by this date), formerly March 31. Neutral free contest for African-American poets offers $500 and publication for a...

See more of What's New...

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Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get news about quality free literary contests and resources. All subscribers receive instant access to our database of The Best Free Poetry Contests. You'll also receive quarterly email specials with award-winning poetry from some of today's best contests. We'll keep your email address confidential. We're proud to have received a 2010 Constant Contact All Star Award for demonstrating best practices in the effective use of Constant Contact Email Marketing.

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Poetry Contest Insider
Online database with over 1,250 poetry and prose contests profiled. Exclusive rankings. Search and sort by deadline, prize, fee, and more.

We don't just list contests, we tell you which ones will gain the most attention for your work, whether you are just starting out or are well-established. Poetry Contest Insider includes all the contests in The Best Free Poetry Contests, plus exclusive interviews with contest judges and editors. Updated nearly every day. Be among the first to find out about new contests and late deadline changes. Just $9.95/quarter. Get instant online access. Free 10-day trial. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

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Our Customers Say
	"Congratulations: Winning Writers is an extremely well-built and eminently useful tool! I have recommended it to many writers. Cheaper and easier to use than Poets and Writers, it also includes those valuable recommendations for those not yet (or only sometimes, as in my case!) in-the-know about the relative merits of the many invitations to submit, submit, submit." Nancy White, New York "I use it every day. I have had positive feedback from several editors and judges, have won some contests, and have been accepted for publication several times. I have also enjoyed the links for reading more poetry and learning more about the craft." Ruth Hill, British Columbia, Canada See more testimonials

Sports Poetry & Prose Contest
Sponsored by Winning Writers

Submission period: November 15, 2011-May 31, 2012. $5,000 in cash prizes, including two top prizes of $1,500 each. Seeks today's best poetry, fiction and essays on sports-related themes. Enter 1-2 poems or one work of prose for $15. This is a new contest for 2011-2012.
Contest Guidelines

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Winning Writers

Submission period: August 15, 2011-April 1, 2012. $3,600 in cash prizes, including a top prize of $1,500. Seeks today's best humor poems. Free to enter.

Contest Guidelines
Past Winners

Contests Assisted by Winning Writers

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest
Submission Period: July 15, 2011-March 31, 2012
$5,550 in prizes
Contest Guidelines
Past Winners

Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse
Submission Period: November 15, 2011-June 30, 2012
$5,550 in prizes
Contest Guidelines
Past Winners

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Poetry Contest
Submission Period: December 15, 2011-September 30, 2012
$5,550 in prizes plus a new $250 bonus prize for humorous verse
Contest Guidelines
Past Winners

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