About
A calendar for writers, by Stewart Ferris.
The Prize Calendar is a curated directory of writing competitions around the world — listed first by deadline, and filterable by genre, age restriction, region and entry fee.
It exists so you can see, in one sitting, what is still open, what is closing this week, and what is worth preparing for next season. Every entry links to the official competition site. Always read the rules there before you send work.
The compiler
Stewart Ferris
Stewart Ferris is a children's screenwriter, script editor and author. He co-founded Summersdale Publishers, and his books include the Ballashiels Mysteries and the practical guide How to be a Writer.
This calendar sits alongside his writing guides: a working tool for people who are already writing, and looking for the right prize to send the work to.
He has entered competitions since he was eleven. Read his experiences of writing competitions, from a local radio poem prize to the University of Surrey Creative Writing Prize.
Enquiries: [email protected]
How the list is kept
- Competitions are chosen for reputation, clarity of rules, and a real prize — cash, publication, mentoring or a production.
- Dates marked as typical cycles are last year's pattern rolled forward. Treat them as a prompt to check the official site, not as a guarantee.
- Bookmark prizes you are working toward. Saved competitions live in this browser only.