You may (or may not have) heard of the quarterly Writers of the Future contest. (Note: there’s a sister contest for illustrators.)
We were made aware of it a few years back while taking a course presented by one of the judges.
IWU doesn’t typically publish news about upcoming contests, but this one appears notable for its upsides. As David Chesson states on his Kindlepreneur website:
Furthermore, winners not only receive cash prizes, but get published in an anthology, get a trip to LA to receive incredible training on the book publishing and writing world, taught by those same judges listed (including myself – for book marketing), and then attend a black tie gala award ceremony
Some positives include:
- No entry fee
- Cash prizes
- Retention of author rights
- No gen-AI accepted
Read the summary (updated last October) on Chesson’s site, then read the details on the Writers of the Future website and contest page.
The deadline for the currently open contest is 31 March 2026. (Subsequent deadlines are 30 June, 30 September, and 31 December.)
