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How to Achieve Fame on Wattpad
Last Updated: September 28, 2023 Approved
This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Amber Crain . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 26 testimonials and 88% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 299,413 times.
Wattpad is a platform that allows people to read and publish their stories for free. While many Wattpad authors write and publish their stories just for fun, some have become famous and even published books! To publish your work on Wattpad and stand out from the crowd, start by writing great stories. Publish your work frequently, use the tags and categories correctly, and engage with users on the site to gain attention for your work.
Writing a Great Story
- Romance and fan fiction are two very popular genres on Wattpad. Focus on one of these for the widest audience.
- Once you've profiled your main character, move on to the supporting characters.
- Your story doesn’t need to include all the details you put in the profiles. However, the more you know about your characters, the easier it will be to write them. [1] X Research source
- A great way to start thinking about the plot is to think about questions you want your story to answer. For example, the Lord of the Rings trilogy answers questions like, "What happens when the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a hobbit?” and "What happens when friends embark on an exciting and dangerous adventure together?"
- Don’t focus too much on grammar and spelling at this stage. Correct basic stuff as you go, but you'll do intensive editing later.
- Wattpad stories can be different lengths, from novelettes (about 7500 words) to full-length novels (over 40,000 words). Write as much as you need to tell your story without padding it. [3] X Research source
- Ask friends and family to read your story, too. They can give you important feedback as you make your revisions. [4] X Research source
Standing out on Wattpad
- The image doesn't have to be of yourself. It can be any cool picture you've taken!
- You could write something like, "I'm a part-time writer, a full-time dreamer who explores reveries, hallucinations, nightmares, and visions. During the day, I moonlight as a psychology student at Berkeley."
- If you have friends that are good artists, you can ask them to design a cover for your story. Make sure to give them credit on your profile. [7] X Research source
- You can find high-resolution stock photos on websites like Pexels and Shutterstock. Most of these websites aren't free to use, but you may find the fees worth it.
- Don't neglect the font when designing your cover. The font color and size should make the title stand out, and the font style needs to match the tone of the book. For example, if you're writing a humorous story or one aimed at younger audiences, you might be able to opt for a quirky font; for a more serious book, however, choose a more sophisticated font.
- Use action words and strong verbs in your titles to get attention, like "Things Fall Apart" or "Breaking Through Barriers."
- Try something mysterious to interest readers, like "Caves of Crystal and Blood" or "The Light in the Ruins."
- Consider a punchy, one-word title, like "Torrential" or "Wanderlust." [9] X Research source
Finding and Growing Your Audience
- For instance, if you write war fiction, use tags like "history," “WWII,” and “war." [11] X Research source
- Make sure you don’t miss an upload date, as this will hurt your number of readers. Life happens, and if you do miss a promised update on rare occasions, it probably won't mean the end of your Wattpad popularity. However, you should avoid doing this routinely as it can cause your readers to lose trust in you.
- Try to make sure your updates seem worth the wait each time, and especially when you have to take a longer break than usual.
- If you write your story before you start uploading it, you won’t have to worry about struggling to keep up. [13] X Research source
- Some readers might post criticism of your story, constructive or not. Accept any feedback you get graciously unless it’s insulting.
- Thank your readers for any polite comments they share, regardless of whether those comments are praise, constructive criticism, or a combination of both.
- You can delete insulting or hateful comments posted on your story.
- You can contact Wattpad staff through their help center. Be humble and respectful; Wattpad’s staff probably receives a lot of requests.
- Check out Wattpad's current contests by visiting https://www.wattpad.com/go/writing-contests/ .
- The Wattys happen yearly, offering multiple awards for plot development, one-of-a-kind, and breakthrough stories. They’re the biggest awards on Wattpad. [15] X Research source
Community Q&A
Video . By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.
- Try to avoid cliché stories and plot points. This might be easier said than done, but after spending some time reading other stories on Wattpad and getting a feel for what's already been overdone, it'll gradually get easier to avoid common clichés and come up with something unique. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- Be patient. Achieving fame on Wattpad takes time and dedication, but as long as you remain committed to quality content and positive interactions, the goal is still achievable. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- Don’t advertise your stories on other people’s profiles. It’s against the Wattpad terms of service. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
- Don't respond to hate. It can discourage you and make you lose confidence. Also, know the difference between hate and critique because some people are just pointing out mistakes and you may take it as hate while they're just trying to help. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
You Might Also Like
- ↑ http://www.creative-writing-now.com/fiction-writing-tips.html
- ↑ https://goinswriter.com/first-draft/
- ↑ https://people.safecreative.org/showMagazine/48
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84vI_nY5qUU&feature=youtu.be&t=90
- ↑ http://writersrelief.com/blog/2013/08/great-title-for-your-book-or-story-or-poem/
- ↑ https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/201409640-Add-Tags-to-a-Story
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2013/11/20/wattpad-serialise-your-writing-and-build-an-audience/#51a20afffcd7
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84vI_nY5qUU&feature=youtu.be&t=33
- ↑ https://www.wattpad.com/go/writing-contests/
About This Article
A lot of people on Wattpad use the site for fun, but you can also achieve fame for your work if you know how to draw readers in. While you’ll want to develop interesting characters and an intriguing plot, there are other things you can do to draw readers to your work. Upload an interesting profile image that captures your writing style. You’ll also want to post an interesting profile description that includes some fun facts about you. Use engaging, high resolution covers for your stories and pick attention-grabbing titles that represent important parts of your story and draw the reader in. To learn how to grow your audience, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Announcing the Wattys 2022 shortlist
The 2022 Watty Awards season is coming to a close—meaning this year’s Wattys shortlist has just been announced! Congratulations to all shortlisted stories. The round up of reads is just too good to keep to ourselves, so we’re sharing a few team favorites below.
Remember, you can watch the Wattys Awards LIVE on November 19th at WattCon in Los Angeles or by attending the event virtually. Get your WattCon tickets . A reminder that all virtual panels will be available in both English and Spanish, along with an in-person panel in Spanish with English translations.
Plagium by @HaileyMorrisonBooks
A steampunk adventure forall to enjoy!
Tracey Higgenbottom, Mr. Porter's witty assistant, finds herself at a dead-end when constables dismiss a case of his possible kidnapping. With the unexpected help of a spunky adventurer, a chimney sweep boy and his sister, and a reluctant records keeper, she suddenly finds herself on the hunt for Mr. Porter herself. When she starts searching too deeply, however, matters complicate beyond her expectations.
Add Plagium to your library
Shattered Ice and Fury by @DaanniiB
When Celeste Orelle and her two closest friends try to avoid getting caught trespassing, they accidentally wind up in a world of magic, cruel kings, charming princes, and gods of light and dark. They quickly learn that this is no coincidence, and Celeste must struggle with the responsibilities that are suddenly thrust upon her as the sleeping power of the gods within her own soul awakens. As she learns the truths behind her new power and her friends are forced to adapt in order to survive, they wind up thrown into a war between the light and dark of a world that ends up surpassing their wildest dreams.
Add Shattered Ice and Fury to your library
King of Dust by @tycho_dorian
Darius Starbán, disgraced King of Starkovia, joins up with Demon-Spawn Inquisitor Urien, his ex-boyfriend and wealthy aristocrat Yra, and new friend Astrid as they tromp across the countryside fixing Darius' 400-year-old messes and finding a cure for Darius' vampirism.
Based roughly off a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
Add King of Dust to your library
Find a Penny, Pick Her Up by @sydneywrayy
Hampton smiled sheepishly, nodding. "Sorry. Can I have your number?" I froze. Forward much? Had I not just met this kid less than five minutes ago? My lack of a poker face made him laugh an awkward laugh, looking to the side as he ran a hand through his hair. It looked soft.
"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I just don't know anyone, and you'd be the first person I've met so far."
I stared, struggling to understand the dilemma. There were four hundred and one other students, and judging by the reactions this morning, I didn't think he'd have any trouble finding friends.
"You don't want to be friends with me," I said, readjusting the straps on my backpack and looking into his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, thrown off.
"And why is that?"
I eyed a group of girls nearby, who watched us and whispered to each other. I would bet money to guess what they were saying; he's talking to her? Does he know what she did? I'll tell him myself. They were right - he would know sooner than later.
"Trust me on this one." I managed a waverly smile, backstepping and walking towards my bike. My bag felt heavier and heavier with each step I took. I knew he was watching me. I could feel it. I could also feel the group of gossiping girls watching me, probably retelling the story I knew too well to themselves. I took a few bounding strides to Shirley, my bike, wishing I could tell them that no one knew how messed up I was more than me.
Add Find a Penny, Pick Her Up to your library
These Wounds Bleed Black by @ElijahCole11
Chase Witherson can't seem to enjoy life to the fullest.
Despite living a teenage life by day, and upholding the dark superhero alias—Ghostshadow—at night, all of those 'festive feelings' are worn on the surface. Never mind those routine night terrors, his age-old flip phone, or the eerie dark figure that keeps stalking him every afternoon, Chase can't shake the thought of his parents and the brutal tragedy that took their lives a mere decade ago.
And his greatest fear? Living alone and broken like this, forever.
After a deadly blackout exposes the existence of a hidden time machine, he takes it upon himself to alter his past to save his home. But, rather than return to a land he'd hope to love, Chase enters a terrifying new realm where nothing is as it seems, while a darker, more sinister catastrophe is already rising to the spotlight.
Threatening to kill everyone he had just sworn to protect.
Add These Wounds Bleed Black to your library
OG - Original Grace by @jserranowrites
For a thousand years, Grace lived amongst vampires. They became her family, but they could not tell her where she came from. She knew she would need to leave them to look for the truth, but she never expected that someone would be looking for her, too. Ending up on charges before the Council of the Divine certainly wasn't in her plan.
Buckle up and enter a beautiful world of science fiction and fantasy which explores the concepts of loyalty and unyielding love in mythical proportions. This is just the beginning...
Add OG - Original Grace to your library
Heretic of the Nile by @chromatix
Mereneith is a junior crystal keeper at the Temple of Ptah, the greatest of the temples located within the capital of Memphis. Bored with the mundane job growing and maintaining the Ak'heka crystals-the kingdom's prized energy source-Mereneith secretly pockets scrap pieces for her own research, her wild imagination conjuring endless possibilities for the Ak'heka crystal technology.
When Mereneith's mentor is found dead in a temple well, leaving behind only a cryptic message, she sets out on a mission to uncover the truth behind his death. Accompanied by the fourth prince Kha, son of Pharaoh Sneferu and forerunner to inherit the throne of Upper and Lower Egypt, Mereneith's quest for justice lands her in the middle of a political storm, where one wrong move could spell the end of the empire - and her own life.
Heretic of the Nile is Book One of the Sands of Giza Trilogy, a speculative historical fiction series that explores the origin of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Add Heretic of the Nile to your library
Start adding these exciting shortlisted stories to your library, and be sure to check out all of the 2022 Wattys stories that made the list.
Want to learn more about what it takes to be part of Wattpad's largest annual writing contest? Get the details on the Watty Awards .
The Best Writing Contests of 2024
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
- Children's
- Flash Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Science Fiction
- Science Writing
- Script Writing
- Short Story
- Young Adult
Manage a competition? Submit it here
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Showing 316 contests
The reedsy prompts contest.
Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.
Additional prizes
$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services
Entry requirements
Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)
Fiction, Short Story
Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction
Not Quite Write
The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one ""anti-prompt"". An anti-prompt is a challenge to break a specific “rule” of writing while telling a great story. Participants compete for AU$2,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and two bonus ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice. The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is hosted in Australia and open to all writers of any age and level of ability around the world.
Publication on the Not Quite Write website and podcast
Deadline: April 21, 2024
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult
Write By The Sea Literary Festival 2024
Write By the Sea
Write By The Sea is a dynamic boutique literary festival set in the beautiful fishing village of Kilmore Quay, County Wexford. The independent panel of judges will select the winners of each category and winners will be invited to read their work as part of the Festival.
2nd: €300 | 3rd: €200 | Publication
Deadline: June 21, 2024
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Poetry
The Free Verse Prize
Poetry Society
The Free Verse Prize is a new poetry prize, which supports the Free Verse Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. The judge is poet and former Poetry Book Fair director, Chrissy Williams. Poems can be on any theme, and should have fewer than 40 lines.
Publication in Poetry News and the Poetry Book Fair programme
Deadline: March 18, 2024
Kinsman Poetry Slam
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Poetry entries wanted for the upcoming collection, SLAM! Up to $300 in cash prizes. We are looking for captivating rhythm, form, hard-hitting themes of culture, resilience, passion, and justice. BIPOC Poets are encouraged to submit. Entries should have unpredictable patterns of rhyme and explore free verse and playfulness with language.
Publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the "SLAM" anthology.
Deadline: April 30, 2024
Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
The 2024 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize, the fifteenth edition of the prestigious prize, is open from 1 February to 1 July 2024. Exceptionally international in scope, the prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine.
Publication
Deadline: June 30, 2024
Fiction, Poetry, Short Story
Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest
Arizona Mystery Writers
Every year the Arizona Mystery Writers hosts the Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest. Naturally, since we’re the Arizona Mystery Writers, we want a mystery story, but we’re flexible about the boundaries of that category, and we also accept thrillers and suspense stories. It doesn’t matter if your story’s characters are in outer space, riding horses, or living underground. Costumes and settings don’t matter as long as the story is a mystery, thriller, or suspense tale as described.
2nd: $100 | 3rd: $75
Deadline: August 01, 2024
Fiction, Mystery, Short Story
Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers
University of Tulsa
The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.
Deadline: July 15, 2024
HG Wells Short Story Competition
HG Wells Competition
There are two different competitions in 2024: one for those 21 and under, and one for those over 21. The competition for those 21 and under is free to enter and has a prize of £1,000 for the winning entry. All shortlisted entries will also be published in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology.
Under 21: £1,000 | Over 21: £500
Deadline: July 08, 2024
Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story
42 Miles Press Poetry Award
42 Miles Press
The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award was created in an effort to bring urgent and original voices to the poetry reading public. The prize is offered annually to any poet writing in English, including poets who have never published a full-length book as well as poets who have published several. New and Selected collections of poems are also welcome.
Deadline: June 15, 2024
Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize
The Tusculum Review
A prize of $1,000, publication of the essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. Editors of The Tusculum Review and contest judge Mary Cappello will determine the winner of the 2024 prize.
Essay, Non-fiction
Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize
Marsh Hawk Press
Beginning December 1, 2023, Marsh Hawk Press is accepting submissions of poetry manuscripts to the annual Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prizes. Deadline is April 30, 2024. We welcome submissions from emerging as well as established poets. The winner of the Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize receives $1,000.00, book publication and promotion. Winners of the Robert Creeley and Rochelle Ratner prizes, selected from finalists, receive $250.00 each.
$1000 + publication
Maggie Award for Prepublished Writers
Georgia Romance Writers
The purpose of the Prepublished Maggie Award for Excellence is to encourage, recognize, and reward the mastery of romance writing by Prepublished authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these writers. The Maggie Award, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention.
Fiction, Novel, Romance
Fabula Press Short Story Contest
Fabula Press
Fabula Press’ annual short story competition has two segments – a free section, and a paid section. At least 3 submissions from the free section will be selected for publication in the Fabula Press Anthology and on the Fabula Press website; for paid submissions, at least twelve entries will be included in the anthology on the website. There is no theme for our contests; also, barring a few exceptions, we are flexible about genre
2nd: $250 | 3rd: $100 | Stories selected for publication: $75
Deadline: June 07, 2024
Maggie Award for Published Writers
The purpose of the Published Maggie Award for Excellence is to recognize the achievements of published authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these authors. The Maggie, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention. Books will be ranked by librarians, booksellers, and other professionals in the publishing industry.
Deadline: April 05, 2024
Novel, Romance
Creative Nonfiction Prize
Indiana Review
Send us one creative nonfiction piece, up to 5000 words, for a chance at $1000 + publication. This year's contest will be judged by Lars Horn.
Deadline: March 31, 2024
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction
Indiana Review Poetry Prize
For our Poetry Prize, send no more than three poems in a single document. The winner will be awarded $1000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Indiana Review. This year's contest will be judged by Oliver Baez Bendorf.
Self-Publishing Literary Awards
Black Caucus
Through this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans.
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: February 29, 2024
Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry
Jane Martin Poetry Prize
Girton College
The Jane Martin Poetry Prize is a national poetry competition, established in 2010, in memory of Girton alumna, Jane Elizabeth Martin (1978 Classics) through the generous support of Professor Sir Laurence Martin. Now in its 14th year, this national prize for young poets is a key part of the College’s support for poetry and will be of interest to all those who are serious about literary excellence. The competition is judged by experts drawn from across the literary world and academia. We are thrilled that this year the panel will be led by two judges – Abigail Parry and Bohdan Piasecki.
Deadline: March 15, 2024
Inception 2024: $500 for Best Opening
Sunspot Literary Journal
Beginnings have the power to spark passion or curiosity. They might immediately connect a specific place and time with an emotional tone. The best openings offer a feeling, atmosphere, action, or image that is gripping, and hints at more to come. Meaning, thoughtfulness, emotions, or tone draw audiences into the moment. For Sunspot Lit’s Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the excerpt comes.
Fiction, Poetry
Elegant Literature's Award For New Writers
Elegant Literature
One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers, and the only one closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, putting over $100k into the hands of emerging talent around the globe. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors professional rates, and publish them in our magazine.
Paid publication, 25 x $20 USD | Free entry to Novelist Accelerator
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult, Flash Fiction, Science Writing
The Pinch Literary Awards & Page Prize
The Pinch Literary Journal
The 2023 Pinch Literary Awards accepts poetry and fiction. The 2023 Page Prize accepts non-fiction.
$2000 for poetry & fiction winners
$1000 for Page Prize winner
Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Non-fiction
Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition
Ironclad Creative CIC
Ironclad Creative CIC exists to support writers and theatre-makers, with training, networking and chances to showcase their work. The Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition is for both published and unpublished writers. We’re looking for original writing in English and you can be from anywhere in the world.
2nd: £50 | 3rd & 4th: £25 | 10 short-listed entries: publication
Novel Fair 2025
Irish Writers Centre
Now in its 13th year, the Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre. Described by The Irish Times as ‘A Dragons’ Den for writers’, each year the Fair introduces twelve up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents, giving novelists the opportunity to bypass the slush pile, pitch their ideas and place their synopsis and sample chapters directly into the hands of industry professionals.
Present your novel to leading publishers and agents at the Irish Writers Centre
Deadline: September 30, 2024
Fiction, Novel
The Heartland Review Open Calls
The Heartland Review
Founded in 2000, The Heartland Review (ISSN: 2473-9545) is published in the spring and fall as an imprint of The Heartland Review Press. Our biannual journal publishes fiction, creative nonfiction/fiction, and poetry of any all subcategories, styles, and voices. Our writers have ranged in age from 15 to 80+ from around the world. We consider established writers as well as emerging writers. In the past we have reserved space for student writers and emerging artists. We are currently accepting poetry.
Publication in The Heartland Review
Deadline: April 15, 2024
High School Academic Research Competition
Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal
The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.
Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program
Deadline: March 20, 2024
Annual Student Essay Contest
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.
Deadline: March 04, 2024
Solas Awards
Best Travel Writing
Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.
Deadline: September 21, 2024
Essay, Non-fiction, Travel
Creative Writing Award for Short Fiction
Aesthetica Magazine
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding writers. The Award was launched after the publication of Aesthetica Magazine, as a way to support the next generation of literary talent. The Creative Writing Award is open to Poetry and Short Fiction submissions on any theme, however, we are particularly interested in works that reflect upon our ever changing world.
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual | A five-day course from Arvon | Consultation with Redhammer Management | Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative
Deadline: August 31, 2024
Creative Writing Award for Poetry
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual | Two online masterclasses with Arvon | A course from the Poetry School
Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Competition
Dzanc Books
The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). Past winners include Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh (Zan), Nino Cipri (Homesick), Anne Valente (By Light We Knew Our Names), Chaya Bhuvaneswar (White Dancing Elephants), Jen Grow (My Life as a Mermaid), Julie Stewart (Water and Blood), and Ethel Rohan (In the Event of Contact). The winning submission will be awarded a $2,500 advance and publication by Dzanc Books.
Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction
The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). A $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books will be awarded to the winner. Finalists will be compiled in-house and passed along for evaluation to this year’s judges: Alan Michael Parker, Chika Unigwe, and Sarah Yahm, author of The Moveables, which was chosen as the winner of last year’s Prize for Fiction.
Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications
We are a boutique publishing company that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of contemporary writers who are nomads and explorers of language, form, and the psyche. High-quality “unpublished” manuscript submissions of memoir, fiction and non-fiction entrusted to us will be read, sorted and pondered by our esteemed author, Jacqueline Gay Walley.
Possible publication
Deadline: October 01, 2024
Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel
International Welsh Poetry Competition 2024
International Welsh Poetry Competition
The first Welsh Poetry Competition was set up by poet & writer Dave Lewis in 2007. Officially launched on St David’s Day at Clwb-Y-Bont, Pontypridd, 2007 the aim is to encourage and foster the wealth of creative writing talent that we know exists in Wales but currently languishes in the doldrums. The aim is to inspire people to capture life in the present day and to give a voice to a new generation of poets and writers. We are not interested in purely academic types of literature but would much rather see pure raw passion burst onto the creative writing scene in Wales.
2nd: £250 | 3rd: £100 | 17 runners-up: commended entries and future publication in anthology
ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize
Australian Book Review
ABR welcomes entries in the 2024 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. The Jolley Prize is worth a total of $12,500 and is for an original work of short fiction of between 2,000 and 5,000 words, written in English. This is the fifteenth time the Jolley Prize has run and it is one of the world’s leading prizes for short fiction.
2nd: $4000 AUD | 3rd: $2500 AUD
Deadline: April 22, 2024
Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.
Why you should submit to writing contests
Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!
That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests.
But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.
When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.
Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!
For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.
In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.
The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.
In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.
Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?
The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.
Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.
Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024
Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether.
Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.
Free online courses
On Writing:
How to Craft a Killer Short Story
The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction
How to Write a Novel
Understanding Point of View
Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love
Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character
Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine
On Editing:
Story Editing for Authors
How to Self-Edit Like a Pro
Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites
How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps
How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps
Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples
10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft
How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises
8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character
Bonus resources
200+ Short Story Ideas
600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You
100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors
Story Title Generator
Pen Name Generator
Character Name Generator
After you submit to a writing competition in 2024
It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners.
Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:
Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.
If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.
After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.
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CYNTHIA VARADY
All That Glitters is Prose
Upcoming Writing Contests | Wattpad Newsletter
This is my weekly wattpad collection of curated content. i’ve been posting on wattpad weekly with new stories i’ve discovered, updates from fellow wattpad writers, and contests hosted by wattpad itself and its profiles. if you would like to receive these newsletters, please subscribe to this blog or follow me on wattpad..
Hello beautiful people! This week I’m sharing a list of fantastic contests outside of Wattpad. Contests are a fantastic way to get your writing out to a wider audience, get some traditional publications under your belt, and win cash.
Websites for Writers
Winning Writers website puts together a monthly list of free writing contests. To get the list, you must subscribe to their mailing list, but it’s free.
Writing Contests
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest : Open to short works of fiction and nonfiction essays. All themes accepted. Entries may be published or unpublished. Length limit: 6,000 words. No age or country restrictions. Fee: $20 per entry.
North Street Book Prize : Self-published books can win up to $3,000 plus expert marketing services. Open to Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Creative Nonfiction & Memoir, Poetry, and Children’s Picture Books. The contest closes on June 30th.
Craft Short Story Fiction Prize : Max 6,000 words. International submission accepted. $20 reading fee. Previously unpublished works only. The contest closes on April 30th.
The Master’s Review, Flash Fiction- $3,000 for 1,000 words : Deadline May 31st. $20 reading fee for up to two stories.
Curt Johnson Prose Award : Open to fiction and non-fiction. 1st place = $1,500 & publication in their Fall/Winter 2018 issue; honorable mention = $500 and publication in their Fall/Winter 2018 issue. All finalists will be listed in the awards issue. $20 entry fee.
Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction and Open Fiction Awards : Reading fees of $16 and $21, respectively. Both close on April 30th.
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Cynthia Varady
Cynthia Varady is an award-winning short story writer and Pandemonium Cozy Mystery Series author. She resides in Portland, OR with her husband, son, and two kitties. Cynthia has a BA in English Literature and a Master's in Library and Information Science. In addition to writing, Cynthia loves baking on the fly, crocheting, playing video games with her family, and reading mysteries.
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Your one stop source for the latest Gen Z trends and insights
Storytelling is at the heart of the top brand campaigns on Wattpad
In the last year, we’ve partnered with many brands to inspire our community to do what it does best - create stories. Through branded writing contests, Wattpad writers of all levels are encouraged to share their words with the community and enter for a chance to gain recognition and win a great prize or cool opportunity.
Throughout the last year, we paid close attention to all the stellar brand campaigns that took the platform by storm and chose our top five. Each of these contests naturally leveraged an important theme in our community and inspired our users to write to their heart’s content.
1: Proctor & Gamble Canada’s Aussie brand drove empowerment
To reach our audience, the contest was widely promoted across the platform through different channels. The campaign delivered over 16M impressions, and by the end of September 2020, our community submitted 210 original entries. Of these, five winning stories were turned into 15 second live action videos for amplification across the platform and social media, which generated over 4 million impressions driving to product purchase.
WHY WE LOVED IT: The truth is, we’ve all had issues with our hair - too much, too little, too curly, too straight. But through it all, our mane can also be a great source of confidence, however we may style it. Through this campaign, Aussie encouraged us to embrace our hair and all the stories it may tell.
2: Shaw Rocket Fund encouraged storytelling rooted in diversity
We challenged our community to share the start of a story rooted in diversity, offering them the chance to win an internship with Shaftesbury to hone their writing craft as well as see their story turned into a theatrical podcast! To encourage writers to enter the contest, we promoted it on social media and between chapters of our most popular stories.
The campaign drove 284 inclusive storylines submitted by Canadians and 162 additional entries from writers of all ages globally. It also received incredible media attention from outlets including betakit and Playback . Nine finalists also had the chance to receive a coaching session from three of Wattpad’s top BIPOC Canadian Stars. The winner will receive a virtual internship with Shaftesbury, access to their writer’s room, and 3 private coaching sessions with acclaimed editor of The Hunger Games , Jennifer Rees, to help move their story to completion! Best of all they will see their story turned into a 10-part theatrical podcast, which will be shared across our platform and social handles.
WHY WE LOVED IT: Shaw Rocket Fund used this campaign to tell Gen Z that their stories matter. The contest didn’t end with just a reward. It accelerated select writers by providing internships and producing one into a podcast. Talk about an investment in the future!
Scary movies. Spooky costumes. Trick-or-treating. If these words make your skin tingle with thrill, this campaign is for you. Last October, Wattpad teamed up with Reese’s to capitalize on our audience’s love for all things horror, fright and Halloween to build excitement around everyone’s trick-or-treat favorite. We launched a custom writing opportunity aptly named #SoGoodItsScary (playing on the famous combination of chocolate and peanut butter that has made Reese’s a Halloween staple) by asking our community to write about the scariest combination they can imagine - whether it be two distinct worlds or mystical creatures, the possibilities are endless!
We hosted the #SoGoodItsScary writing challenge on the popular @fright profile, challenging the most daring members of the community to show their dark sides through storytelling. High impact and custom native units were leveraged across Wattpad to drive story entries, resulting in 310 spook-tastic submissions and nearly 30k minutes spent reading them. Five winners earned prizing and bragging rights (until next Halloween).
WHY WE LOVED IT: Nothing says #SpookySzn like a scary story. Imagine 310 of them. While eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Best. Combo. Ever.
4: The CW’s Katy Keene encouraged the sharing of dreams and aspirations
Riverdale fans, assemble! In anticipation of Katy Keene’s premiere (a Riverdale spinoff), Wattpad, CW and OMD partnered together to bring our community a writing contest that asked people to share their biggest dreams and aspirations!
To achieve this, we leveraged Wattpad’s highly engaged @chicklit profile, first-to-market Carousel Home Page Takeover, and high impact video units to drive millions of trailer views. Using the Katy Keene trailer to spark inspiration, our community of writers were encouraged to share their stories. 667 U.S. entries were submitted in the two week run. At the height of our campaign, the #KatyKeene tag saw an 8,900% increase in reading minutes from previous months in the year! As it turns out, hopes and dreams mean a lot to storytellers (it’s where all the best ideas come from!).
From hundreds of entries, we chose one winner “A New Dream”, that vividly shared a childhood aspiration of becoming a famous ballerina. The author courageously shared the onset of challenges with self-esteem and body image. In the end, the dream led to an even bigger theme of self-acceptance.
WHY WE LOVED IT: We love to see our users spill their hearts into a story and give it their all. In the stories that were sparked by this campaign, the writers did that and then some. #AllTheFeels
When we say Gen Z is an ambitious generation, we don’t just mean that they take the road less travelled. Better yet, Gen Z thrives on innovation - they’re building new roads for their future. According to our Gen Z Census, a fourth of Gen Z in the U.S. aspire to be freelancers, indicating their desire to work independently and be their own boss. In celebration of the new series premiere of Side Hustle, a comedy about best friends who’ll do anything to earn money for their cause, Wattpad teamed up with Nickelodeon to drive mass awareness towards the show, through hosting not one but three back-to-back writing contests !
We promoted the contests using hyper-engaging features on our Home Feed Carousel and social media pages, and on the platform alone the campaign generated over 32M impressions. All campaign content was hosted on the newly launched @SideHustle profile on Wattpad. The community took the challenge and showed up - all three contests exceeded Wattpad’s entry benchmark, totalling 1,100 valid entries! Three incredible stories were chosen as the winners, and their talented writers can now say their work was recognized (and loved!) by Nickelodeon and Side Hustle.
WHY WE LOVED IT: Gen Zers on Wattpad love to celebrate their BFFs and Nickelodeon gave our audience another reason to do so. And best of all, they showed they’re ready to support young trailblazers in their ambitious aspirations (as long as they’re under 500 words).
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Get recognized by a major brand like Sour Patch Kids or Cadbury Improve your writing with feedback from other writers and your readers Discover free writing contests and creative writing competitions for teens and adults on Wattpad, the world's largest community of readers and writers.
Enter a Wattpad writing contest to gain more attention. Wattpad always has several writing contests happening at the same time. Sometimes they're tied to a movie that's about to come out or a specific brand. Winning these contests will bring you even more exposure, and sometimes you can even win prizes. Check out Wattpad's current contests ...
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Writing contests are just a small part of how we engage our community at Wattpad. And yet, it's a strong differentiating factor from the more infamous forms of advertising we see today. Here's why we chose to double down on contests, and what makes them really effective for marketing: Contests Make a Stronger Impressions than Ads
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Contests are a fantastic way to get your writing out to a wider audience, get some traditional publications under your belt, and win cash. Websites for Writers Winning Writers website puts together a monthly list of free writing contests. To get the list, you must subscribe to their mailing list, but it's free. Writing Contests
Through branded writing contests, Wattpad writers of all levels are encouraged to share their words with the community and enter for a chance to gain recognition and win a great prize or cool opportunity. Throughout the last year, we paid close attention to all the stellar brand campaigns that took the platform by storm and chose our top five.
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