My father in law is a sweet soul who enjoys the fact that I’m a writer. Each year, he sends me gift subscriptions to several writing magazines. One of them is Poets & Writers. The January/February issue highlights several contests that feature up and coming deadlines. So, I thought I’d pay my father in law’s kindness forward and share some of these deadlines with all of you … my fellow writers.

Here’s the first one (they’re in order by important dates):

Hunger Mountain (Literary Prizes)

“Three prizes of $1000 each and publication in Hunger Mountain are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay.”

DEADLINE: March 1st

Look online at http://www.hungermtn.org for more details.

James Jones Literary Society (First Novel Fellowship)

“A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel … Runner’s-up will receive $1000.”

DEADLINE: March 15th

Look online for details by searching: James Jones Literary Contest.

Winning Writers (Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay Contest)

“The annual awards are given for a short story and an essay.” The last winner won, $1,500.

DEADLINE: April 30th

Look online for more details at http://www.winningwriters.com/tomstory

Salamander (Fiction Prize)

“The annual award is given for a short story.” The last winner won, $1,500.

DEADLINE: June 1st

Look online for more details at http://www.salamandermag.org/contests

Glimmer Train Press (Short Story Award for New Writers)

“The award is given three times a year for a short story by a writer whose fiction has not appeared in a print publication with circulation of over 5,000.” The last winner won, $1,500.

DEADLINE (Very Short Fiction Award): August 31st

Look online for more details at http://www.glimmertrain.com

Omnidawn Publishing (Fabulist Fiction Chapbook Prize)

“The annual award is given for a short story or collection of short stories.” The last winner won, $1,000.

DEADLINE: October 17th

Look online for more details at omnidawn.com/contest/fiction

These are the contests I found most interesting and fun! I hope some of you will enter and win.

Best wishes!