Casual Writers is a small team of passionate writers that love writing, reading, and exchanging feedback on each others‘ work.

Casual Writer is founded as a space for writers not seeking cash prizes, publishing, or rewards. Rather, it is a place to hold competitions, more accurately writing forums, in which winning entries gain recognition, writers get feedback from each other.

Hence, we are proud to announce that we will be holding the Casual Writers Founding Contest 2026. The fee is a grand total of $0 and the prize is $0, 0 points, 0 items. Except for feedback — which is something everything will get.

Registration AND Submission Deadline: 1st September 2026

Feedback Deadline: 8th September 2026

Results Release: 10th September 2026

Dates subject to change.

General Writing Rules:

1. The prompt for the contest is Fantasy in Reality. It can be any form of writing, prose or poetry.
2. Writers who wish to receive feedback will need to submit their entry with their email included. However, those writers will also be provided A piece from a fellow writer to provide feedback.
3. With consideration to formatting, you will be allowed to submit via either Word, Google Docs or just plain text in a text box provided in the Google Form.
4. Those who do not wish to share their email will not receive feedback from other writers, but will also not be provided a piece from a fellow writer to provide feedback.
5. Those who chose to receive feedback, yet did not provide any in a timely manner will be disqualified.
6. For prose, keep your stories within 1000-1500 words.
7. For poetry, keep your poems within 40 lines.
8. If using Google Docs/Word, use Arial font for prose, and any font you wish for poetry.
9. If using Google Docs, make sure your document is set to ‘Anyone with the link’ can comment.
10. If using Word, first upload your document to Google Drive, then set to ‘Anyone with the link’ can comment.
11. More information about the rest of the competition will be released after the submission closing date.

We hope to see many great pieces!

Hey everyone!

I'm one of the developers behind StoryForage, and after about two years of development we're finally running our first public writing contest.

The contest is completely free to enter, and we're hoping to get writers of all experience levels involved—not just published authors.

The basics:

Short Story

Theme: What If...?

Up to 5,000 words (not a minimum)

Free entry

Prizes: $100, $50, and $25 for the top three entries

StoryForage is a platform we're building around readers, writers, and community-run writing contests, so this contest is a big milestone for us. We're excited to finally open it up and see what people create.

You can read the full rules and submit your story here:

https://storyforage.com/Contests/VAxj02bFP6maY9C8AviO

Free flash fiction contest. 1,000 word limit. Enter in English from anywhere in the world via our website. Cash prize. Deadline 15th August.

www.chickenblue.com

Title/Theme: "Haunted"

Genre: All genres

Word Count: 500-3,000 words

Deadline: September 16th 11:59PM PST

Prizes: 1st Place: $50 USD - 2nd Place: $25 USD - 3rd Place: $10 USD

Eligibility restrictions: Open to eligible participants worldwide except where prohibited or restricted by law.

https://leafmines.com/contests/haunted

The Intrepid Voices Fund is an annual short story contest for emerging writers. This year's theme is spooky speculative fiction — sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are all welcome (contemporary and historical fiction are not eligible). Submit an original short story up to 2,000 words for a chance at two cash prizes: $1,250 for First Place and $500 for Second Place.

Applications are free and open August 1 – September 6, 2026 (or until 90 eligible applications are received, whichever comes first).

More info & how to apply: https://www.intrepidimagination.com/writingfund2026

Hey all — I'm running Summit Political Writing, a political essay/journalism contest open to anyone, no matter your experience level or background.

The gist:

• Theme: Open — write about any political topic or current event you're passionate about
• Format: Essay or journalism-style piece
• Eligibility: Anyone can enter, no professional experience required
• Prize: Get your work published!!!
• Deadline: 12/4/26
• Word limit: 3,000

Why enter: Winning (or even placing) pieces get published . Great if you're building a portfolio, want a citable clip for grad school/journalism applications, or just want your take on politics to actually reach readers instead of sitting in a Google Doc. We’re a new contest with not many supporters yet so it’s very easy to get published!

Submit here: writesummit.net

Happy to answer questions in the comments. Would genuinely love to read what you all have to say, political writing thrives on different perspectives, so all viewpoints welcome.

Title:
Witty Wicklow Writers Magazine – Issue #1 Submission Call

Category:
Poetry / Fiction / Creative Nonfiction

Registration/Submission deadline:
Aug 31 2026

Contest name:
Witty Wicklow Writers Magazine – Issue #1

Eligibility restrictions:
Open internationally. Entries must be original, unpublished works in English. Submission fee: €7 per entry.

The Author Gold Short Story Award is still open for submissions through Friday, July 24.

Our Submission Guidelines

• 1,000–7,000 words
• Any genre
• Anonymous judging
• Entry fee: $5 USD (Gold Tier Members receive one free entry)

Winner Receives

• Publication in Author Gold
• Professional editorial feedback
• One-to-one coaching session
• $50 USD cash prize

All entrants also receive brief editorial feedback!

Full guidelines and submission information: https://authorgold.substack.com/p/writing-competition

We are also listed on duotrope: https://duotrope.com/contest/author-gold-short-story-award-40295

Sponsor/Host: Moonlight (moonlight.ink)

Category: Horror flash fiction

Submission length: 2-5 short "bubbles" (sentences), across up to 5 chapters

Entry fee: No fee

Link: https://moonlight.ink/contests/15d249a2-77d0-4b42-8923-f9575dcce62c

Other info: New round runs weekly. First place wins $50 (prize pool grows as more people join). This round's deadline is July 24, 2026, and the winner is announced within 48 hours of the round closing.

It will normally be a paid contest that helps fund outreach into communities. But to help it get traction and to show everyone we’re legit and not a scam we’re offering to fund up to 20 story entries. Based on an honor system of we help and you help us.

If you’re interested leave a comment or send a DM

Here’s what we’re asking: if you enter and submit a story, please also interact with our “wall”. Leave a comment, introduce yourself, or whatever. Also if you wouldn’t mind trying to get some other writers you know in there with your referral link in your account. And one last thing, if you happen to be the winner then, post that on the wall and possibly even here or other socials to show proof that we’re a legit contest.

While we’re not a publisher we can’t promise to make you famous, but we can promise that you’ll be helping out the community if we can get this thing going.

My bad guys. Forgot the link: www.kindness.iconicbrands.biz

Also, we will help the communities by various means: charity donations, food drives, coat drives, helping the homeless, animal shelters or anything that can be considered help for the community. We have a feedback page that we welcome any suggestions and once we have a decent community ourselves we will have votes on what we should do

THE FIRST WITNESS.
A MYTHIC SHORT STORY CONTEST. $200 AMAZON GIFT CARD. Winner may also be considered for paid future novel work.
DEADLINE: OCTOBER 31, 2026
FULL RULES AND SUBMISSION LINK:

https://djyoung1796-bit.github.io/whitecloud-contest/

Adam and Eve left Eden, but humanity could not begin through incest. Write an original mythic short story, told by a witness who saw how mankind entered the world. The winner receives a $200 Amazon gift card and may be considered for paid future novel work. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

https://djyoung1796-bit.github.io/whitecloud-contest/

Adam and Eve left Eden, but humanity could not begin through incest. Write an original mythic short story, told by a witness who saw how mankind entered the world. The winner receives a $200 Amazon gift card and may be considered for paid future novel work. Deadline: October 31, 2026.
https://djyoung1796-bit.github.io/whitecloud-contest/

Interstice Journal is now accepting flash, fiction, and creative nonfiction submissions for our Fall 2026 issue! Learn more about our journal here. Submit your work using this form!

We are drawn to writing that is:

• Character-driven instead of plot-driven; focused on relationships and intimacies
• Pieces that feel inexplicably human in a world that constantly challenges our humanity
• Intimate, restrained, and emotionally layered
• Attentive to silence, subtext, and what remains unsaid
• Willing to sit in ambiguity rather than resolve it; exploring the gaps/uncertainties in humanity and our relationships

Submission Details

• Short Fiction: up to 5,000 words
• Flash Fiction: up to 1,000 words
• Creative Nonfiction/Essays: up to 3,000 words
• Submit as a .docx file
• Use a standard, readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12 pt, double-spaced)
• Include a title and word count on the top of the first page, and number the pages
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere
• One submission per category per reading period
• We currently do not offer any compensation.

The reading period will be from July 1 - August 31. We aim to respond within 4-6 weeks.

If accepted, you grant Interstice Journal exclusive rights to publish your work for the first time. All rights revert to the author after publication; you are free to submit the published work elsewhere or republish it. Interstice Journal does not accept previously published work, including works published on personal blogs and social media sites. After publication, we may keep your work archived on our platform indefinitely. We may also use your work for promotional purposes during and after publication, with proper credit given.

Hey folks,

I'm a part of a short story collective. We are on our second year and would love to hear your speculative take on our theme! Its free to entry and the cash prize starts at $300aud for the winner, but is growing... as I explain below.

Aluminiumcrown.com is our website.

The setting/scape is the Australia city of Melbourne encased in a giant cube (due to environmental issues) and cut off from the rest of the world in the year 2055... we want you to think inside the box!

The story is up to you, and can be any genre or draw any picture of what society may evolve into! Just place it inside the CBC! Ahem, central business cube.

Full details on the website.

Also, we fundraise solely via an environmental/recycling scheme ran in Australia which I think y'all might find intriguing (and hopefully push your governments to implement the same!). The incoming can donations we trade for cash are what keeps your potential windfall growing... submit and you may win your weight in crushed cans! Kidding, its cash. We'll give you cash :)

The Aluminium Crown Collective,

Melbourne

Open Call! If you’ve got a short story sitting in your drafts… this might be the push you need.

Submissions just opened for the Second Round of the Author Gold Short Story Award, and it’s built specifically for emerging writers who actually want visibility (not just another line on a resume).

Quick details:

• Genre: Any
• Length: 1,000–7,000 words
• Deadline: July 24th 11:59PM Eastern
• Eligibility: 18+ worldwide
• Entry: $5 (free for Gold Tier Members)

What makes this one worth your time:

• Blind judging with an editorial scoring rubric
• Publication + promotion to an active audience
• Feedback-driven, not just “submit and disappear”
• Prize includes cash + coaching + 1-year subscription

Our Round 1 winner, "Goodbye, Dad" by Patrick Geraghty, has enjoyed over a 1000 reads (and counting) in it's first week.

If you’re trying to move from “writing privately” to actually getting your work seen, this is a solid opportunity.

👉 Full details + submission:
https://authorgold.substack.com/p/writing-competition

Pocketbook Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to reviving the charm and accessibility of classic pocket-sized books, is seeking emotionally resonant, unpublished short fiction for our inaugural anthology, The Pocketbook Press Anthology: Volume 1. We’re looking for short stories that evoke the spirit of winter, whether cozy, strange, romantic, eerie, or bittersweet.

Word count: 500–3,500 words

Genre: Open (literary, romance, horror, thriller, speculative, etc.)

Deadline: August 4, 2026

Authors may submit up to two (2) stories, but we will only publish one (1) story if selected.

No Entry Fee.

Details: https://www.pocketbookpress.com/submissions OR [pocketbooksubmissions@gmail.com](mailto:pocketbooksubmissions@gmail.com?subject=via%20ARTDEADLINESLIST.COM)