26 Independent & University Presses Offering Contests for Fiction Writers with Book Publication as the Prize
/[Note: This article was last updated on January 15, 2026. It was originally published on February 10, 2025 under the title “24 Independent & University Press Contests for Fiction Writers That Offer Book Publication as the Prize.”]
If you’re a fiction writer interested in traditional book publishing, you’re probably aware of how challenging this road can be, especially since having an agent is generally a prerequisite. But not all publishers limit themselves to agented submissions. In fact, several independent and university presses welcome submissions directly from authors, whether through open reading periods or through contests.
Here is a list of publishers that don’t just accept unsolicited submissions; they also offer the opportunity for what I think is the best prize of all: publication of your work in book form. Although most charge a submissions fee, they also provide authors with an advance and/or cash award in addition to publication. Some of the publishers’ contests are geared toward specific groups (women, immigrants, residents of certain regions), while others simply specify that the manuscript should be written in English. Some prioritize unpublished and/or unagented writers, while others are open to all writers regardless of publication history. Some name their judge, while others review submissions blindly. But all look to be directly accessible to writers for their unpublished work.
Inspiration: I put this list together because many of my traditional publishing bound writer clients have struggled with landing (and keeping) an agent, and I wanted to help them find an alternate route to publication. When I started noticing that several small presses and university presses are open to submissions via competitions, I began to compile them.
Methodology: In 2024, when I put together a list of Twelve Contests From Independent & University Presses That Offer Book Publication as the Prize, I did most of my research through Poets & Writers’s incredibly helpful Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database and included just four university press contests that I happened to notice. Then, in early 2025, I decided to scour the websites of numerous members of the Association of University Presses, and I was delighted to discover that many of them accept fiction via competitions or series, so I updated and expanded the piece under its current title. Based in part on this research, I later wrote an article for Jane Friedman’s newsletter The Bottom Line, which was titled University Presses: A Viable Path for Literary Fiction Writers and released in July 2025.
Updates: One contest I removed from last year’s list is Southeast Missouri State University’s Nilsen Prize because this project is permanently closed. This year I removed The Inlandia Institute’s Eliud Martínez Prize because it doesn’t look like the web page for this award has been updated in over a year (though the winner of their 2025 prize received press coverage just last week). I also left out Syracuse University Press’s Veteran Writing Award, at least for now, because this biennial contest alternates between fiction and nonfiction and is focused on nonfiction this coming year. However, I added three new contests to my list, as notated below, so it now includes 26 entries (rather than 24, as was the case in 2025). In terms of other changes, University of Alabama’s FC2 Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest has doubled the amount of its prize since last year from $1500 to $3000.
Contest policies: Last year, I noticed that a number of publishers added new guidelines specifying that AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted. But in the interest of keeping my descriptions succinct, I did not reference this language in my write-up below. This year, I saw that several contests stated that they reserve the right not to choose a winner, though this may have been the case in the past.
Structure: I’ve organized the list below by publisher type (one section for small presses and one section for university presses) and listed each entry in alphabetical order (rather than by date order according to contest deadlines). If you miss the deadline, you might still be able to submit to these presses outside of their contest parameters through open reading periods.
Audience: This particular list is intended for writers of adult fiction, mainly novelists, but as you’ll see, many of the publishers mentioned below also hold competitions for creative non-fiction and poetry writers. Although I specialize in middle grade and young adult fiction (in addition to adult fiction), I didn’t include contests for children’s and YA books because the only currently running U.S. based-contest for unpublished writers that I’m familiar with is the excellent Lee & Low/Tu Books New Visions Award (I was once a judge for this contest, many years ago; Lee & Low also has a New Voices Award for picture book writers). I didn’t include competitions from presses outside of the U.S., either; although I came across several sponsored by Canada and U.K.-based publishers, these contests tend to prioritize their own country’s writers, understandably so.
Affiliations: I have no affiliation with any of the publishers on this list, past or present, nor do I have personal contacts at any of these publishers. However, I did interview editors at the University of Wisconsin Press, the University of Iowa Press, and the University Press of Kentucky for my article for The Bottom Line article referenced above. In addition to Poets & Writers’s database, I relied on information available on the publishers’ websites and quoted exact wording as often as possible, but in some cases I made minor grammatical and stylistic changes.
Final advice: Judging from the information I’ve gathered online, all the contests on this list look to be legitimate, and their submissions fees seem reasonable. Still, I encourage you to do your due diligence and double check my research, which will quickly go out of date as rules, requirements, and websites are updated. Also be sure to have a look at Writers Beware, which provides a comprehensive, in-depth explanation of how to assess contests and awards.
If you would like feedback on your project before submitting to these contests, please visit the editorial services pages of my website to find out how I can help. And best wishes with your writing! ~Sangeeta
SMALL PRESS CONTESTS:
Description of publisher: “Autumn House Press is a nationally renowned nonprofit publisher based in Pittsburgh, PA, whose mission is to publish and promote poetry and other fine literature.”
Description of prize: The Autumn House Fiction Prize winner “will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book.” “The final judge is Amber Sparks.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Fiction submissions should be approximately 150–300 double-spaced pages… All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible… The book should be previously unpublished. However, individual pieces may have been published in journals, magazines, or anthologies.” Fee: $35.
Submissions window: January 1–February 28, 2026
Additional notes: Autumn House Press also holds contests for poetry, nonfiction, and a CAAPP Prize in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh “with the goal of publishing and promoting a writer of African descent” for “any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry.”
Description of the publisher: “Black Lawrence Press is an independent publisher of contemporary poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. We also publish the occasional translation from German.”
Description of Prize: “The Big Moose Prize for an unpublished novel… 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.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel.” Fee: $30.
Submissions window: November 1, 2025–January 31, 2026
Additional notes: During their open reading periods in June and November, Black Lawrence Press accepts novels, novellas, and more. Submissions to their Immigrant Writing Series (for “a book manuscript of poetry or prose or a hybrid text”) are reviewed during this period. The press also offers prizes for chapbooks, poetry, and prose.
Description of publisher: Dzanc Books “publishes innovative and award-winning literary fiction and nonfiction, including short story collections and novels by accomplished and award-winning writers.”
Description of prize: “The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels… A $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books will be awarded to the winner.” The 2026 judges are Tara Isabel Zambrano, Eugene Cross, and Mubanga Kalimamukwento.
Eligibility & guidelines: Submissions by “new, upcoming, and established writers alike” are accepted. “Agented submissions are also eligible,” along with “previously unpublished novel-length manuscripts (generally over 40,000 words).” Genre fiction, children's books, YA, and self-published titles are not accepted. Fee: $25
Submissions window: March 1–September 30, 2026
Additional notes: Dzanc’s open submissions period is March 1–September 1 for literary fiction and nonfiction. Dzanc also holds contests for two other prizes: one for a short story collection and one for nonfiction.
Description of publisher: “Hub City Press is the South’s premier independent literary press. Focused on finding and spotlighting extraordinary new and unsung writers from the American South, our curated list champions diverse authors and books that don’t fit into the commercial publishing landscape.”
Description of prize: “The South Carolina Novel Series publishes a novel by a South Carolina writer biennially. Writers selected for publication in this series are awarded $1,500 and book publication, including marketing and tour support from Hub City Press and the series partners.”
Eligibility & guidelines: The series is “open to writers of all levels, debut writers or authors with multiple books, who have lived in South Carolina for at least one year.” “We are looking for literary work about the South.” “Only manuscripts between 150 and 350 (single-sided) pages are eligible (or no more than 90,000 words).” Fee: None.
Submissions window: Rolling
Additional notes: Per Hub City’s submissions page, the Novel Series is one of four literary prizes they operate (the others are a short story book prize and two poetry book prize). They also have a new “Shorts” series for which they are also seeking short stories, and their Charles Frazier series that publishes literary fiction and nonfiction. In addition, the press has an open submissions period (last year, it was in October for debut and sophomore novels) for which they are “eager to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities.”
New Directions Publishing / Fitzcarraldo Editions / Giramondo Publishing - NEW
Description of publisher: “New Directions was founded in 1936, when James Laughlin… issued the first of the New Directions anthologies.” “Fitzcarraldo Editions is an independent publisher specialising in contemporary fiction and long-form essays.” /Giramondo is a “an independent, Australian, university-based literary publisher of award-winning poetry, fiction and non-fiction.”
Description of prize: “The Novel Prize is a biennial award for a book-length work of literary fiction written in English by published and unpublished writers around the world. It offers $10,000 to the winner and simultaneous publication in North America by New York-based New Directions, in the UK and Ireland by the London-based Fitzcarraldo Editions, and in Australia and New Zealand by the Sydney-based publisher Giramondo. The prize rewards novels which explore and expand the possibilities of the form, and are innovative and imaginative in style.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Writers based in Africa and Europe should submit to Fitzcarraldo Editions. Writers based in the Americas should submit via New Directions; writers based in Asia and Australasia should submit to Giramondo.”
Submissions window: When the contest was last held in 2024, the deadline was June 1.
Additional notes: The three publishers also offer a Poetry in Translation Prize which launched in 2025 and runs alongside The Novel Prize. Information is not yet available about this year’s Novel Prize (which should run in 2026 if it is biennial). Here is Literary Hub’s coverage of the 2024 winner, whose novel releases this coming March.
Description of publisher: “New American Press is an independent literary publisher committed to bringing readers the best in contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translations from across the United States and around the world… We publish between three and five full-length books each year, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and translated works.”
Description of prize: The New American Fiction Prize “is awarded each year to a full-length fiction manuscript, such as a story collection, novel, novella(s), or something that blends forms, like a novel in verse. The winner receives $1,500 and a book contract, as well as 25 author's copies and promotional support.”
Eligibility & guidelines: None indicated, but the fee for the press’s poetry prize is $25.
Submissions window: “usually February 15–June 15”
Additional information: Per their Submissions page, New American Press also publishes biannual New Poetry and Fiction from the Midwest anthologies to “bring more visibility to the flourishing crop of Midwestern writers who consistently produce work that is innovative” and has a poetry prize. They “do not regularly accept unsolicited manuscripts, but queries are welcome.”
Orison Books - NEW
Description of publisher: “Orison Books is a non-profit literary press focused on the life of the spirit from a broad and inclusive range of perspectives. This unique focus fills a need in the publishing landscape for a small press that actively pursues spiritual and religious perspectives without subscribing to a particular ideological standpoint.”
Description of prize: The Orison Prizes in Poetry and Fiction is “judged by different prominent writers each year in an anonymous judging process. The winning entry in each genre will be awarded publication and a $1,500 cash prize, in addition to a standard royalties contract.” The 2026 fiction judge is Margot Livsey.
Eligibility & guidelines: “Fiction manuscripts may consist of short stories, a novel, a novella, flash/micro fiction, or any combination of forms, as long as the manuscript meets the 30,000 word minimum.” Fee: $25
Submissions window: December 1, 2025–April 1, 2026
Additional information: Per their submission guidelines page, Orison also offers a chapbook prize. In addition, “General Fiction and Nonfiction submissions, as well as Anthology Proposals, are accepted during the month of October.”
Description of the publisher: Established in 1994, “Red Hen Press is an independent, nonprofit press that publishes about twenty books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry every year. We’re looking for novels, memoir, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, and story, essay, and poetry collections of exceptional literary merit that demonstrate a high level of mastery.”
Description of prize: The Cai Emmons Fiction Award was established “to honor the life and enduring legacy of beloved novelist Cai Emmons, who published three novels through Red Hen Press.” The winner receives $5,000 and publication by Red Hen Press. The judge is Molly Olguin.
Eligibility & guidelines: This award is for “a fresh and original story of fiction with a minimum of 150 pages” (25,000 minimum) and is “open to all authors.” Fee: $25.
Submissions window: July 15, 2025–January 15, 2026
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Description of prize: The Women’s Prose Prize was established in 2018 and awards $1,000 and book publication to the winner. The 2026 judge has not yet been announced.
Eligibility & guidelines: This prize is for “a previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration.” The annual competition “is open to all writers who identify as women.” Length: 25,000 words minimum, 80,000 words maximum. Fee: $25 in 2025.
Submissions window: Not yet indicated, but in 2025 the deadline was February 28.
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Description of prize: “Founded in 2020 in partnership with Red Hen Press and the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance, the Ann Petry Award seeks to publish prose literature by Black authors.” The winner receives $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press, and the 2026 judge is Lisa Teasley.
Eligibility & guidelines: This prize is for “a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a 25,000-word minimum” and open to “all Black writers with the following exceptions” (see awards page). Fee: not specified.
Submissions window: September 30, 2025–March 31, 2026
Additional notes: Per their Awards page, Red Hen Press also has a Quill Prose Award for “prose (fiction or nonfiction) by a queer writer only” that awards $1000 and publication, a poetry award, and a series of awards through the Los Angeles Review. In addition, they accept general submissions for a $20 fee, but see the guidelines and “please expect a response time of three to twelve months.”
Description of publisher: “Regal House is a traditional independent press dedicated, in collaborative effort with its authors, to the furtherance of finely crafted literature for adult, young adult, and middle grade readers.”
Description of prize: The winner of the 2025 Fugere Book Prize for “finely crafted novellas” receives “$1000 and book publication by Regal House Publishing.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Minimum of 17,000 words, maximum of 40,000 words.” Fee: $25.
Submissions window: April 15, 2026–July 15, 2026
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Description of prize: The winner of the Petrichor Prize for “finely crafted fiction” receives “$1000 and book publication by Regal House Publishing.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Minimum of 100 pages, maximum of 375 pages.” Fee: $25.
Submissions window: April 15–July 15, 2026
Additional notes: Regal House also awards prizes for short story collections and poetry collections. They have several imprints with different focuses including Fitzroy Books, “publishing finely crafted works of Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction,” which is “open for submissions from authors and literary agents.” Some submissions look to carry a $5 fee. Please see their submission page for more details.
Description of publisher: “Restless Books is an independent, nonprofit publisher devoted to championing essential voices from around the world whose stories speak to us across linguistic and cultural borders. We seek extraordinary international literature for adults and young readers that feeds our restlessness…”
Description of the prize: The Kellman Prize for Immigrant Literature “was created in 2015 to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants…. The winner receives $10,000, a writing residency from Millay Arts, and publication by Restless Books.” “We now accept book-length submissions in both fiction and nonfiction.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Submissions in fiction must be book-length (minimum 45,000 words) and complete. Fiction submissions can take the form of a novel or a book-length collection of short stories or some creative combination of the two.” “Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country… [and] must not have previously published a book-length work in English in the genre in which they’re applying.” Fee: $20, but “please do not hesitate to contact us if this presents a hardship for you.”
Submissions window: January 1–May 31, 2026
Additional notes: Per their FAQ, “Restless does not accept unsolicited submissions outside of the Prize for New Immigrant Writing unless submitted by an agent.” Restless Books also has an imprint for young readers, Yonder; a series of classics; and a nonfiction series. Here’s Publishers Weekly’s inspiring coverage from last fall of how the prize received an underwriter in Steven Kellman after Restless Books lost its NEA grant.
Santa Fe Writers Project (SFWP)
Description of publisher: “SFWP is an independent press founded in 1998 by Andrew Gifford. We publish exciting fiction and creative nonfiction of every genre, maintain an online literary journal, and run an annual internationally recognized Awards Program.”
Description of prize: “The grand prize [for the SFWP Awards] will be $1500. Two runner ups will be selected, each receiving $500. A competitive publishing contract will be offered, but winners are not required to accept. The prize amount will be paid out regardless.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “We publish in English, but the contest is open to writers from anywhere in the world.” “We are seeking fiction and creative nonfiction of every genre.” “Unpublished work, self-published work, and work from small or micro-presses that has not received marketing support will be eligible.” Fee: $25 through May 1, then $30 (in 2025).
Submissions window: Not yet announced, but in 2025 the contest opened on March 1 and closed on September 15.
Additional notes: In December 2025, SFWP announced the shortlist for its awards program, for which it received 1700 entries. Per their Contact & Submission Info page, “general submissions are currently closed.”
Description of the publisher: “Sarabande Books is an award-winning, internationally-distributed, nonprofit, independent literary publishing house founded in 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky… [that] champions innovative voices in poetry, short fiction, essay, and literature in translation.”
Description of prize: “The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction is awarded annually to one full-length manuscript of literary fiction: short stories, flash fiction, or novellas in any combination. The prize includes $2,000, publication of the work, a standard royalty contract, and an introduction written by the guest judge.” The 2026 judge is Kaveh Akbar.
Eligibility & guidelines: “This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English… Agented manuscripts are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel…between approximately 150-250 pages.” Fee: $34.
Submissions window: January 1–February 15, 2026
Additional notes: Per their Submittable page, Sarabande also offers poetry and essay prizes, as well as a new chapbook prize for poetry and hybrid work in both the fall and the spring. Their open submissions period for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translation submissions is July 1–31 of each year.
Description of the publisher: “Schaffner Press, Inc. was founded in 2001, and is “independently owned and managed by former literary agent (Schaffner Agency) Timothy Schaffner.” “The press has published nearly one hundred titles of literary fiction, non-fiction and poetry that deal with themes of universal social concern and social change” and currently publishes 6–8 titles per year.
Description of prize: The Nicholas Schaffner Award for Music in Literature celebrates the life of the publisher's brother, writer and musician Nicholas Schaffner, and “will be given to the writer of an unpublished manuscript who submits a literary work in the English language, either fiction, poetry or non-fiction… that deals in some way with the subject of music (of any genre and period) and its influence.” “The first-place winner will receive a contract with Schaffner Press and a $1,000 advance for publication of his/her work as a print and digital release the following publishing year.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Novels: “75,000-100,000 words in length, double-spaced. Short Fiction Collection: Only a collection of stories between 50,000-80,000 words will be considered.” Fee: $25
Submissions window: Per Poets & Writers, the deadline is January 31, 2026
Additional notes: Per Schaffner Press’s submissions guidelines, they accept queries for “literary adult fiction, short fiction collection, historical with socially relevant content, crime fiction” between 60,000–100,000 words. They do not accept children’s or YA books, science fiction, romance, or fantasy.
Washington Writers Publishing House - NEW
Description of the publisher: “Washington Writers’ Publishing House is the longest, continuously operating nonprofit, cooperative, literary organization in the United States. Established in 1975 in our nation’s capital, we have published over 100 volumes of poetry, as well as in more recent years, fiction and nonfiction.”
Description of prize: Prizes for the WWPH Fiction Prize “include $1,500, publication, author copies, editorial guidance, and launch support. Typically, launch support includes readings held at Politics & Prose in its main store in D.C. and at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Literary fiction writers who are residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia are invited to submit a novel or a collection of short stories.” “Minimum page count of 150. Maximum page count: 250. Please note that a ‘sweet spot’ is about 60,000-70,000 words.” Fee: $28, but “if you are truly facing financial hardship, please email us your request for a waiver.”
Submissions window: April 1–June 30, 2026
Additional notes: Per WWPH’s FAQ, “First, we are all volunteers… Once an author is published with us, we ask the writers to commit to two years of service to the press in any area that works for them.” Per their call for submissions page, the press also has poetry, nonfiction, and translation prizes. They accept poetry and prose (fiction or creative nonfiction) in a biweekly journal, WWPH Writes, and currently have a call for their anthology CAPITAL LOVE.
UNIVERSITY PRESS CONTESTS:
Columbus State University Press - NEW
Description of publisher: “The mission of the CSU Press is to support and enhance the University’s reputation as a national and globally connected institution… The press is also deeply interested in publishing titles about our state and the Southern region.” CSU was officially formed in 2021, facilitated by the Donald L. Jordan Endowment.
Description of prize: “The Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence carries a $10,000 award for an unpublished novel, collection of short stories, memoir, or essay collection. The winner will be offered a publishing contract with a new imprint at Columbus State University, DLJ Books.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “The contest seeks manuscripts that engage a reader with upholding human values, such as trust, generosity, love, gratitude, or responsibility. We are not inclined to publish horror, science fiction, romance, fantasy, or young adult or children’s books.” Fee: not specified, but per Poets & Writers, it was $25 in 2025.
Submissions window: Not yet indicated, but in 2025 the window was May 1–October 15.
Additional notes: Note that the submissions page for the press indicates that they are “not currently accepting submissions for the Donald Jordan Literary Prize for Excellence. We are accepting submissions for The Nature Series through May 15th.” It’s unclear if this page has yet to be updated for 2026 or if the prize is currently on hiatus.
Ohio State University Press / Mad Creek Books
Description of publisher: “The Ohio State University Press was established in 1957 and currently publishes 50-60 new books a year.” “Mad Creek Books is the literary and trade imprint of The Ohio State University Press. With a mission to foster creativity, innovate, and illuminate, Mad Creek Books champions diverse and creative literary writing.”
Description of prize: The winner of the Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction, held in partnership with the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP), receives publication by Mad Creek Books and $5,500. The 2026 judge is Weike Wang.
Eligibility & guidelines: Per the AWP Award Series overview, the “competition is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.” “Only book-length manuscripts are eligible” (“at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words” for a novel). Prizes for poetry, short story collections, and creative nonfiction are also offered. Fee: $30 for nonmembers; $20 for AWP members.
Submissions window: January 1–February 28 of each year
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Description of prize: “The Journal, the literary magazine of The Ohio State University MFA Program in Creative Writing, selects one book-length collection of short prose each year.” The Journal Non/Fiction Prize “carries a cash award of $1500 and publication by The Ohio State University Press Mad Creek Books Imprint under its standard contract.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories or essays; two or more novellas; or a combination of one or more novellas/novella-length essays and short stories/essays.” Length: “no fewer than 150 and no more than 350 typed double-spaced pages.” Fee: $23, but “if it is a hardship to meet the submission fee, please contact our editor.”
Submissions window: The Journal Non/Fiction Prize Page indicates “between March 15th and April 15th via online Submission Manager,” but the Submission Manager page indicates a December 15, 2025–February 15, 2026 window. (The former window might be for award submissions, and the latter, for general submissions.)
Additional notes: Although “there are presently no open calls for submission,” Mad Creek Books is home to several other prizes (for essays, nonfiction, poetry, and more) and series publications. The Journal welcomes “submissions from Ohio-based writers and artists year round!”
TRP: The University Press of SHSU (Texas Review Press)
Description of publisher: “Founded in 1979, TRP: The University Press of SHSU (Texas Review Press) is committed to publishing quality poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and scholarship. TRP currently publishes between fifteen and twenty-five titles each year.”
Description of prize: “Established in 2001, The Clay Reynolds Novella Prize highlights one book a year that excels in the novella format. Since 2024, the Prize comes with a $1,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book.” The 2026 judge has not yet been announced, but the most recent judge was Fatimah Asghar.
Eligibility & guidelines: “Open to anyone writing in English. Translations are not eligible. Excerpts may have been published individually in magazines or anthologies, but the work as a whole must be unpublished… Novella manuscripts should have a total word count of between 20,000 and 50,000 words.” Fee: $20.
Submissions window: January 1–March 31, 2026
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Description of prize: “Established in 1998, The George Garrett Fiction Prize highlights one book a year for excellence in a short story collection or novel. Starting 2024, the Prize comes with a $2,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book.” The 2026 judge has not yet been announced, but the 2025 judge was Fernando A. Flores.
Eligibility & guidelines: “Open to anyone writing in English. Translations are not eligible. Stories or excerpts may have been published individually in magazines or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished… Manuscripts may be novels or short story collections with a total word count of between 40,000 and 100,000 words.” Fee: $28.
Submissions window: July 1–September 30, presumably of each year
Additional notes: Per their Submissions page, TRP also operates a chapbook contest, a poetry contest, several series including their Sabine Series in Literature open to “poetry and fiction [of 40,000-80,000 words] by authors born or working in Texas or Louisiana,” and an open reading period April 1-April 30.
University of Alabama Press/Fiction Collective Two
Description of publisher: “As the scholarly publishing arm of the university, The University of Alabama Press serves as an agent in the advancement of learning and the dissemination of scholarship” and publishes “between 60 to 65 books a year.” Fiction Collective Two, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press “is a small, not-for-profit publisher run by authors [and a] hub for artistically adventurous, non-traditional fiction.”
Description of prize: Submissions to the FC2 Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest “may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel. There is no length requirement… The Prize includes $3000 and publication by FC2.” Finalists are chosen by the FC2 Editorial Board, and “the final judge for the 2026 contest will be Alvin Liu.”
Eligibility & guidelines: The prize is “open to writers of, from, or in the United States writing in English who have not previously published with FC2.” “We encourage submissions from writers who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, LGBTQIA+-identifying, immigrant, or from communities otherwise underrepresented in United States literary publications.” Fee: $25 but they “offer fee waivers to writers for whom the submission fee would represent a significant obstacle.”
Submissions window: “Submissions for the 2027 contest will be open 15 August 2026-1 November 2026.”
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Description of prize: Submission to the FC2 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize “may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel. There is no length requirement… The Prize includes $15,000 and publication by FC2.” Finalists are chosen by the FC2 editorial board, and “the final judge for the 2026 contest will be Kazim Ali.”
Eligibility & guidelines: The prize is “open to writers of, from, or in the United States writing in English with at least three books of fiction published.” Also see the eligibility & guidelines for the FC2 Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest above.
Submissions window: “Submissions for the 2027 contest will be open 15 August 2026-1 November 2026.”
Additional notes: The University of Alabama Press’s submissions guidelines indicate that the press “welcomes book proposals for scholarly and trade manuscripts that fit within our publishing program,” and it looks like they publish some fiction. However, “FC2 does not accept general submissions outside of our two annual manuscript contests.”
Description of publisher: Founded in 1938, “the University of Georgia Press is the oldest and largest book publisher in the state… We currently publish 70 new books a year and have a long history of publishing significant scholarship, creative and literary works, and books about the state and the region for general readers.”
Description of prize: The Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction/series “was established to encourage gifted emerging writers by bringing their work to a national readership.” “The author of the winning manuscript receives a cash award of $1,000, and the collection is subsequently published by the University of Georgia Press under a standard book contract.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “The competition is open to writers in English, whether published or unpublished.” “Manuscripts should be double-spaced and 40,000-75,000 words in length… The award recognizes outstanding collections of short fiction [which] may include long stories or novellas… However, novels or single novellas will not be considered.” Fee: $30.
Submissions window: April 1–May 31 of each year
Additional notes: In addition to the Flannery O’Connor Prize, the University of Georgia Press holds contests for several poetry prizes and offers a Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction ($2,500 and publication by the University of Georgia Press, judged by Kiese Laymon) in partnership with AWP. “Please note that we do not publish unsolicited fiction or poetry outside of our competitions.” Also see the press’s primer for prospective authors.
Description of publisher: “Established in 1969, the University of Iowa Press is a well-regarded academic publisher serving scholars, students, and readers throughout the world with works of poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction [and is] dedicated to preserving the literature, history, culture, wildlife, and natural areas of the Midwest.”
Description of prize: “The Iowa Short Fiction Award and the John Simmons Short Fiction Award are annual prizes given to two collections of stories by emerging short fiction writers, which are then published by the University of Iowa Press.” The Iowa Short Fiction Award has been presented annually since 1969. The John Simmons Short Fiction Award—named after the first director of the Press—was instituted in 1998. “Both national competitions are juried through the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.” “Jess Walter will judge this year's awards.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition…The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages.” Fee: None indicated.
Submissions window: July 1–August 31, 2026
Additional notes: It looks like both the Iowa and John Simmons short fiction awards have the same requirements. The University of Iowa Press also has an annual poetry prize, and per their “Submit a Proposal” page, is seeking proposals in fiction and publishes novels.
Description of publisher: “The University Press of Kentucky has a dual mission—the publication of academic books of high scholarly merit in a variety of fields and the publication of significant books about the history and culture of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley region, the Upper South, and Appalachia.”
Description of prize: The goal of Screen Door Press “is to publish thought-provoking books that use relatable characters, strong narratives, and beautiful language to champion diverse views from throughout the Black diaspora.” “Two authors will each receive a publishing contract and a $5,000 prize.” Crystal Wilkinson is the series editor.
Eligibility & guidelines: No other information is available at this time. The press does not charge fees for any submissions.
Submissions window: The submissions window for 2026 has not yet been indicated, but last year it was March 1–April 15.
Additional notes: Per their Submission Information page, “please note that the University Press of Kentucky is not accepting submissions at this time. We will reopen to queries in February 2026.” “Fiction submissions without agent representation are only accepted through New Poetry and Prose and Screen Door Press.” (Note: Technically, both are imprints of the University Press of Kentucky, not contests.) For their New Poetry and Prose series, which opened in May in 2025, the press “seeks manuscripts of contemporary poetry and fiction that exhibit a profound attention to language… and awareness of one’s literary roots.”
University of Massachusetts Press
Description of publisher: “Founded in 1963, the University of Massachusetts Press publishes scholarship, literature, and books for general readers that reflect the quality and diversity of intellectual life on our campuses, in our region, and around the world.”
Description of prize: “The Juniper Prize for Fiction is awarded annually to two original manuscripts of fiction: one short story collection and one novel. The University of Massachusetts Press publishes the winning manuscript, and the authors receive a $1,000 award upon publication.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “The competition is open to all writers in English, whether or not they are U.S. residents.” “Both novels and collections of stories are eligible.” “Manuscripts must be between 55,000 and 75,000 words.” Fee: $30.
Submissions window: August 1–September 30 of each year
Additional notes: Per their Guidelines for Authors page, the University of Massachusetts Press considers “fiction and poetry only through our annual Juniper Literary Prizes” (three prizes total, for fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry). The prizes are named for Fort Juniper, “the house that the poet Robert Francis (1901–1987) built by hand in the woods of western Massachusetts.”
Description of publisher: “The University of Nebraska Press, founded in 1941, is the largest university press between Chicago and California. It publishes scholarly and general-interest books (with more than 5,000 titles in print and an additional 150 new titles released each year).”
Description of prize: “The James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel honors James Alan McPherson, the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a beloved teacher, humanitarian, and mentor to countless writers at the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop.” The McPherson endowment “provides funding for a $5,500 cash prize and publication by the University of Nebraska Press.”
Eligibility & guidelines: Per the AWP Award Series overview, the “competition is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.” “Only book-length manuscripts are eligible” (“at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words” for a novel). Prizes for poetry, short story collections, and creative nonfiction are also offered. Fee: $30 for nonmembers; $20 for AWP members.
Submissions window: January 1–February 28 of each year
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Description of prize: Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize winners “receive $3000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press.” (“Prairie Schooner, a national literary quarterly… is home to the best fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews being published today by beginning, mid-career, and established writers.”)
Eligibility & guidelines: “The Prairie Schooner Raz/Shumaker Book Prize Series welcomes manuscripts from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English. Both unpublished and published writers are welcome to submit manuscripts.” “We prefer that fiction manuscripts be at least 150 pages long… Novels are not considered; we will consider manuscripts comprised either entirely of short stories or one novella along with short stories.” Fee: $25
Submissions window: January 15–March 15 of each year
Additional notes: Annually, from January 1 to May 1, the University of Nebraska Press also accepts submissions (60,000 to 100,000 words) for its Zero Street Fiction Series for novels and short story collections, from LGBTQ+ authors new and established, that feature LGBTQ+ characters and/or themes.” The press also has a poetry prize and a poetry series.
University of New Orleans Press
Description of publisher: “Founded in 2003, the University of New Orleans Press is a nonprofit book publisher stemming from the rich cultural tradition of New Orleans and its surrounding region. We seek literature inspired by this tradition, as well as work that contributes to the intellectual and aesthetic life of academic and general audiences everywhere.”
Description of the prize: The Publishing Laboratory at the press is “looking for the best unpublished novel or short story collection… The selected author will receive a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) advance on royalties and a contract to publish with the University of New Orleans Press.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “The work does not have to be regionally focused. There is no word limit. There is no restriction on subjects covered. The contest is open to all authors from around the world, regardless of publishing history. Works of fiction (novels and short story collections) only.” Fee: $28
Submissions window: March 1–August 31 of each year
Additional notes: “The University of New Orleans Press publishes fiction, nonfiction, and academic work with a focus on, but not limited to, the Southeastern region of the United States.” Per their Submissions page, the press accepts book proposals but “take[s] 6 to 8 months to review new submissions.”
University of North Texas Press
Description of publisher: “The University of North Texas Press was founded in 1987 and published its first book in 1989. Though we are the newest university press in North Texas (following SMU Press and TCU Press), we have quickly become a leading press with the most titles in print and published (approximately 20-25 each year).”
Description of prize: The winner of the Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction “will receive $1000 and publication by UNT Press. Entries will be judged by an eminent writer.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “Entries must be a collection of any combination of flash fiction, short stories, or novellas, from 100 to 200 book pages in length (word count between 27,500 and 50,000). Material should be previously unpublished in book form.” Fee: $25 (though in 2025 the press offered a fee-free submissions day “in order to ensure that all writers have access to publication”).
Submissions window: Not yet announced for 2026, but last year submissions were accepted May 1–June 30
Additional notes: UNT is also home to a poetry prize. Per their Information for Potential Authors page, “Submissions in poetry and fiction are invited only through the Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry and Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction competitions.”
University of Pittsburgh Press
Description of publisher: “The University of Pittsburgh Press is a publisher with distinguished lists in a wide range of scholarly and cultural fields. We publish books for general readers, scholars, and students.”
Description of prize: “The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world.” “Manuscripts are judged anonymously by nationally known writers… Winners receive a cash prize of $15,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and support in the nation-wide promotion of their book.”
Eligibility & guidelines: “The award is open to authors who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals.” “Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 pages.” Fee: None.
Submissions window: May 1–June 30 of each year
Additional notes: Per their Resources for Authors page, the University of Pittsburgh Press does not publish fiction manuscripts outside of their Drue Heinz Literature Prize. And while “their editors will consider edited collections, they must have a coherent theme and organization that makes them more than the sum of their parts.” The press also holds contests for three poetry prizes, including the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry ($5,500, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, judged by Maggie Smith in 2026) in partnership with AWP.
