Writing Contests

Contests are a great way to sharpen your submission skills, stretch your imagination, and get your work out in the world. That’s why the Institute runs adult and kidlit writing contests throughout the year. Each contest culminates in a Winners Workshop where we announce the winners and critique the winning entries to help all entrants improve their skills. Plus, each contest has cash prizes for the top five entries. Check out our contests below.

ICL Middle Grade Mystery

Deadline: November 15, 2021

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ICL Middle Grade Mystery

It’s a mystery! Kid’s love a good mystery and so do we. Submit the first 1,000 words of your unpublished middle grade mystery novel aimed at 8-12-year-olds and see if you have what it takes to draw us in and make us wonder, “Whodunnit?”

Details:

Submit up to the first 1,000 words of your unpublished middle grade mystery novel.
Entries should include a one-sentence book summary at the top of the entry. Book summary not included in 1,000 word count.
Deadline: November 15, 2021

IFW Sci-Fi First Pages

Deadline: December 15, 2021

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IFW Sci-Fi First Pages

Can you establish your science fiction world and pull a reader into your story in the first 1,000 words? Submit the first 1,000 words of your unpublished sci-fi manuscript aimed at an adult audience for your chance to win the grand prize.

Details:

Submit up to the first 1,000 words of your unpublished adult sci-fi novel.
Deadline: December 15, 2021

ICL The Great Outdoors Picture Book

This contest will open in 2022

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ICL The Great Outdoors Picture Book

Let’s get outside! For this writing contest, we want to see your picture book manuscripts that take place outdoors and show us the adventures kids can have when they get out of the house. Your entry should be a full story with a beginning, middle, and end. It should be aimed at 5-7-year-olds and be no more than 500 words.

Details:

Date: This contest will open in 2022

Winners Workshop

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Following each writing contest, we hold a live workshop to announce the winners. The contest judge will reveal tips for writing in the contest genre and critique the winning entries sharing why they worked—and how they could be even better. To learn more about our next workshop, sing up below.