The Writers Alliance: Live and Write, with writing residencies

Here are 26 high-quality writing residencies and retreats you may not know about yet. While some of these are quite selective, others are a little more open with their admission policies.

1. Willapa Bay AiR

From the philosophy and mission; to the facilities; to the administration; to the meals; all has been well thought out. When I add in the lovely locale and the interesting and supportive Oysterville community I don’t know how it can get any better. — Betsy Best-Spadaro, visual artist

This fairly new residency program is already making waves. It’s located in Southwestern Washington and offers month-long residencies to emerging and established artists of all types. Lodging, meals and work space are provided to six residents per month from March 1 through September 30. $30 application fee.

2. Millay Colony for the Arts

For many reasons, my residency stay at the Millay Colony for the Arts has been the most prolific, in terms of artistic production and concentrated work. I attribute that to not only the bucolic and remote country landscape, which accords one lonely hikes, clear blue skies and muddy roads, but also the sheer lack of human interaction for my 26 days while in residence. — Kate Hers Rhee, visual artist

This small artist’s colony in upstate New York offers two-week and month-long residencies to six artists between the months of April and November. Unlike many other residencies, they don’t emphasize social events or speakers,  instead preferring for you to focus on producing your art. There are no costs, and food is included. You can also apply for a virtual residency or a “group residency” with your collaborating partners. $35 application fee.

3. Ucross Foundation

At Ucross I learned that I am capable of focusing deeply for long periods of time. I love to write. I don’t think I would have said that before this trip. — Edan Lepucki, novelist

A favorite among writers, this colony is located on a 20,000-acre working cattle ranch in Wyoming. It serves 85 artists per year, with up to nine people in residence at any one time. Lunches are delivered to your door, while dinners are eaten together in a group. Residencies last two to six weeks and are free of charge. $40 application fee.

4. Jentel

The month’s end is a time I am not looking forward to because with the space itself being gorgeous and comfy, the food being good, the people being wonderful, and me being productive I can see myself dreaming of this place once I leave. — Jennifer Baker, fiction writer

Sitting just eight miles away from UCross is Jentel, which hosts month-long residencies year-round; two writers and four visual artists are accepted for each session. Though food isn’t included, they do provide a stipend to help with the costs of your trip. Applicants must be over the age of 25. $23 application fee.

5. Virginia Center for the Creative Arts

There was something magical about being in such a  supportive and beautiful environment, having a different place (studio) to go to every day with the deliberate purpose of writing, and being inspired by the serious work ethic of all the other artists. — Penny Harter, poet

This selective residency is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and accepts artists of all types. Residencies are offered year-round and last from two weeks to two months, with around 20 artists in residence at one time. You’ll receive three meals per day and are asked to contribute what you can, up to their $180 per-day cost to host you. $40 application fee. (TWL Founder Alexis Grant attended this residency, and it is a lovely setting!)

6. Brush Creek Arts Foundation

This place is truly amazing and inspiring. I spent my mornings, early afternoons, and evenings working on a new orchestra piece (still pending), and my late afternoons hiking around the ranch… The other artists were fascinating. — Kari Besharse, pomposer

Wyoming ranches are popular places for writer’s residencies! This one offers two- and four-week residencies, complete with lodging, meals, workspaces and natural beauty. They provide bag lunches and communal dinners. Closed in December. $35 application fee.

7. Writing Between the Vines

Like wine and solitude? Then you’ll love this residency. Available at several different vineyards on the West Coast, this is different from other residencies in that there’s no community of artists. You’ll have a private cottage in which to write, with nobody else around to distract you. No meals are offered, though your stay is free if you’re accepted. $30 application fee.

8. Omi International Arts Center

The international character of [Omi] sharpens your perspective on what it means to be a writer outside the U.S.A. in the 21st century… As for the writing, my main reason for being here, it went sailing along, with only a few days when the anchor dragged. — Alfred Corn, writer

Writers Omi welcomes published writers of all types for residencies of one week to two months. Located on 300 acres in upstate New York, they offer full room and board and frequently host dinner guests from the New York City publishing community. There is no application fee, and no fee to attend.

9. Norton Island Residency

How did I get here? Where am I? I feel like I don’t exist, and it’s nice. — The Magic Wonder Blog

This residency is located off the coast of Maine and offers a rustic and outdoorsy experience for a flat fee of $125. It was closed for renovations in 2015, but the 2016 application will be available on their website in fall 2015. $25 application fee.

10. Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts

There was time to sleep in, time to stay up late and work, time to nap, time to eat when it was necessary. It allowed me to get wrapped up in the novel completely… The process of engagement was so much more complete at KHN. — Theodore Wheeler, fiction writer

Located in Nebraska City, Nebraska, the KHN Center offers up to 60 residencies per year, for stays of two to eight weeks. If accepted, you’ll receive free housing and a $100 stipend per week to cover food. $35 application fee.

11. Blue Mountain Center

It’s hard to describe joy. It was like I had come home, but the way home would be in heaven: yes, a community in the Adirondacks, but cleaner, fancier, peaceful and safe. More art and more cookies. — Micah Perks, novelist

Go off the grid in the heart of the Adirondacks. This artist’s community offers four different month-long sessions in the summer and early fall, including free room and board. Cell phones aren’t welcome at the center, though you’ll be able to use its phone booth and computer room with ethernet plug-ins (no Wi-Fi here!). $25 application fee.

12. Martha’s Vineyard Writer’s Residency

Perhaps the biggest advantage of doing a residency is to reminded of what I learned  in graduate school: The importance of integrating and valuing regular writing and reading every day. It is easy to get distracted, rush through life, and do only the paid work and chores during the week. —Chloe Yelena Miller, poet and freelance writer

This residency wants to give you time and space to create. They host nine writers at a time in the spring and fall for residencies of two to six weeks. The cost of lodging is $300 per week, and food is not included. $10 application fee.

13. Vermont Studio Center

VSC recreates the best parts of the MFA experience: living in a community of writers (artists), having time to devote to your craft, the sense that what you are working on is important, and friends to have a beer with at the end of the night. —Brendan Lynaugh, writer

Another favorite is the largest international artists’ and writers’ residency program in the United States, hosting 50 visual artists and writers each month in the heart of Northern Vermont.

While writers give it high marks, it’s not cheap; for the complete program, you’ll pay $2,050 for two weeks or $3,950 for four weeks. Some fellowships, grants and work-exchange programs are available to help reduce your cost. $25 application fee.

14. The Edward F. Albee Foundation

My room looked out over a rolling lawn and at night I could hear deer crossing through the streams in the surrounding woods. It was beautiful. Everything I imagined and I was lucky enough to be in residence with a great group of people who were also amazing cooks. — Nichelle Tramble, novelist

Located on a knoll on Long Island, “The Barn” is easy to get to, yet still secluded. It’s open from mid-May to mid-October and accepts artists for four- or six-week residencies. The Albee Foundation can accommodate up to five people at a time and does not provide food. But there’s no cost to apply and no fees if accepted.

15. Wildacres Retreat

If you’re looking for a short residency on the East Coast, look no further. Wildacres offers one- and two-week residencies from April through October. You’ll stay in one of three cabins on their property in the mountains of North Carolina. Meals are served in the main lodge, where you’ll interact with non-artists. There is a $20 application fee but no cost if accepted.

16. The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow

It was a game changer. I learned a great deal about me and my life as a teacher-writer. It is no small thing to come face to face with one’s work with no distractions. And while it is not something I could do on constant basis… it is something I plan to incorporate into my writing year from now on. —Stephanie Vanderslice, creative writer and teacher

Open year-round, this colony in Arkansas hosts 50 writers each year for residencies ranging from one week to three months. If accepted, you’ll receive either a subsidized general residency or a fully-funded fellowship. Actual costs of the residencies are $170 per night, and they request residents contribute at least $60 per night. You can also expect a $25 cleaning fee and a $20 fee for Internet access. $35 application fee.

17. Writers in the Heartland

I’m back from my writing residency, which I can only describe as a wonderful and strange week full of so much hard work, good company in the other writers, and warm hospitality from the spa staff and guests. — Laura Maylene Walter, fiction writer

This small program in Illinois offers no-cost residences in September and October to up to five writers at a time. They provide three meals a day and 32 acres of woods and farmland for hiking, running and meditation. $20 application fee.

18. Artcroft

My writing for these first couple of weeks has been going well. The structure I set up for myself is working as I had hoped. I am getting to know the characters and find them interesting. I’m enjoying the story that is unfolding. — Jason F. McDaniel, writer

Ever wanted to work on a cattle ranch? Here’s your shot. Artcroft offers two- to four-week residencies on a working farm in Kentucky. They provide lodging and food staples, but you’ll be expected to help in cooking and other chores averaging 20 hours per week. $30 application fee.

19. Hedgebrook

I had no book when I was accepted to Hedgebrook in 1995. I’d published poems in a few journals but that was all… Fast forward 18 years. The stay at Hedgebrook changed my life in several important ways. — Susan Rich, poet

While this residency is pretty well-known, we wanted to include it on this list because it’s only for women, and only for writers. In their words, “We provide the time, space, and nourishment. All you do is write.” Featuring six cottages located on Whidbey Island, outside of Seattle, 40 women attend each year free residencies of two to six weeks from February through October. $30 application fee.

20. The Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts & Sciences

You know that saying, “I can hear myself think?” At this writer’s colony, I can. I can hear the words and phrases bouncing around in my head, begging me to put them down on paper… I can get to the heart of what I’m here to do: Create. — The Write Life founder Alexis Grant 

Located on 600 acres in the mountains of north Georgia, residencies last from two to eight weeks and cost $200 per week (though scholarships are available). $30 application fee.

21. Kerouac Project

This residency allows writers to spend three months typing away in the Orlando cottage where literary legend Jack Kerouac wrote his acclaimedDharma Bums. The Kerouac Project offers four residencies a year, and residents are expected to spend their time on their project, give a talk at the end of their residency, and participate in occasional events (such as readings and workshops) held at the cottage. Participants also receive an $800 food stipend. $25 application fee.

International Residencies

22. Gullkistan (Iceland)

As much as I love New York, I wanted to spend a month in a setting that couldn’t be more different — I wanted sublime natural beauty, peace and quiet, relaxation and simplicity — a reset button for myself. Gullkistan was an ideal answer. – Ben Valentine, writer

Located in Iceland’s Laugarvatn Valley, this quiet getaway has mountains, woods, creeks, and a peaceful setting. They welcome all sorts of artists and writers and have space for eight people at a time. The minimum stay is one month, but they may be able to work out a shorter stay for people who are interested. Fees vary based on accommodation preference, starting at 750 Euros. No application fee.

23. 360 Xochi Quetzal (Mexico)

This residency in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico offers three to five live/work spaces in a small town with horses trotting on cobblestones and cowboys riding by. Writers over the age of 23 are welcome to apply for free one-month residency programs that include accommodations and a food stipend of 1,000 pesos. Apply for a summer or winter program or rent a live/work space other times of the year. $36 application fee

24. Arteles Creative Center (Finland)

Located in the Finnish countryside, these one to two-month residencies, available from June through October, house around 10 artists at any given time. Food is not provided, but participants enjoy a traditional Finnish wood-burning sauna and have access to a car and bicycle. Financial support is available, which reduces the cost to 970 Euros per month for one person in a single room with studio space; the full cost is 1,940 Euros per month.

25. La Napoule Art Foundation (France)

Apply for this interdisciplinary group residency and France for a five-week residency. Up to 10 artists at once live and work in Chateau de La Napoule. Some meals are provided, and $1,000 stipends may be available. $30 application fee.

26. Red Gate Residency (China)

Live and work in Beijing, China with this program which provides one to six-month residencies. Up to 20 residents can be in the program at any one time. However, participants are expected to pay their own living expenses during the program or seek funding and grants from artist organizations in their home country. Participants stay in downtown apartments.

The Writing Alliance: More money opportunities for writers

 Here are a few  that offer exciting opportunities to either publish your work, teach classes, and/or just write. When you’re done, make sure to check out thesewriter’s residencies too.

The University of Notre Dame MFA Creative Writing Program (Full Scholarship + $12,000 Fellowship)
Who’s Eligible: All students accepted into the program.
Entry Fee: $75
Deadline: January 2, 2016

The Steinbeck Fellows Program ($10,000)
Who’s Eligible: Emerging writers of any age and background who can produce a 1-3 page proposal of the work to be written (including a timeline), a writing sample no more than 30 pages, a resumé, and three letters of recommendation.
Entry Fee: $25
Deadline: January 2, 2016

The Orwell Prize (£3000)
Who’s Eligible: Writers of works that reflect “good writing and thinking about politics”. See The Rules for more information.
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: January 15, 2016

New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship ($7,000)
Who’s Eligible: Fiction writers 25 years or older who are current residents of New York State and/or one of the Indian Nations located in New York State.
Entry Fee: None.
Deadline: January 28, 2016 

Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize ($12,000 and publication by Graywolf)
Who’s Eligible: An author of “the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a writer not yet established in the genre.” Click forrequired materials.
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: January 31, 2016

The Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize ($7,500)
Who’s Eligible: A woman writer who is a United States citizen who wrote a book-size work of fiction that was published in 2014. Children’s Books and self-published books are not eligible. All entries must be submitted by publishers. The prize administrators are “particularly interested in calling attention to the work of a promising but less established writer.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: February 1, 2016

The Hub City/Emrys Queries for Novels 
Who’s Eligible: “Well-crafted, high-quality works by new and established authors, with an emphasis on the Southern experience. We are particularly interested in books with a strong sense of place. We believe strongly that the publishing industry needs to promote a more diverse range of experiences, and so have committed ourselves to spotlighting lesser-heard Southern voices including: people of color, gender diversity, LGBTQIA, people with disabilities, as well as ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.“
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: February 1, 2016

The American Short(er) Fiction Prize ($500 and publication) 
Who’s Eligible: “Staff and volunteers currently affiliated with American Short Fiction are ineligible for consideration or publication. Additionally, students, former students, and colleagues of the judge are not eligible to enter. We ask that previous winners wait three years after their winning entry is published before entering again.“
Entry Fee: $17
Deadline: February 1, 2016

Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing ($5,000)
Who’s Eligible: A creative writer of fiction or non-fiction that’s at least 20 years old, and not registered as a student in a college or educational institution. (Entrants registered in a college or educational institution when filing the application are still allowed). The resident will receive free lodging on Bucknell University campus, and an office in the Stadler Center for Poetry.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: February 1, 2016

The Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award ($500) 
Who’s Eligible: Books of at least 48 pages with a minimum press run of 500 copies are eligible.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: February 1, 2016

Northern Writers’ Awards (£500-5,000)
Who’s Eligible: Writers of any nationality or descent who at the time of entering are permanently resident in the north of England.
Entry Fee: None, though writers are responsible for any associated travel costs
Deadline: February 3, 2016

Vermont Studio Center Fellowship ($N/A)
Who’s Eligible: Emerging writers
Entry Fee: The fee for a four-week residency in 2013, including studio, room, board, and the visiting artist and writer program, was $3950 for 4 weeks and $2050 for 2 weeks. Applicants can apply for a grant/aid.
Deadline: February 15, 2016

The American Short(er) Fiction Contest ($1,000 prize and publication, and the second-place winner will receive $250 and publication)
Who’s Eligible: Writers submitting entries under 1,000 words.
Entry Fee: $17
Deadline: February 15, 2016

The Kit de Waal Scholarship at Birkbeck University ($1,000 prize and publication, and the second-place winner will receive $250 and publication)
Who’s Eligible: See www.BBK.AC.UK
Entry Fee: See www.BBK.AC.UK
Deadline: February 15, 2016

The Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant ($N/A)
Who’s Eligible: Playwrights who live in Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City. Take the Eligibility Quiz for more details.
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: February 25, 2016

The Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellowship ($5,000)
Who’s Eligible: New York City residents of any age who are not in a degree-granting program and have “not yet had a novel or short story collection published by either a major or independent publisher and who is also not currently under contract to a publisher for a work of fiction. Eligible applicants may have had stories or novel excerpts published in magazines, literary journals or online, but this is not a requirement.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: February 29, 2016

Radcliffe Institute Fellowship ($75,000) 
Who’s Eligible: Writers, authors, journalists and poets who have shown groundbreaking talent and achievements; and who possess any one of the following: 1) one or more released novels or books; 2) a publishing contract for book-length composition; or 3) at least three shorter writing projects, such as published magazine articles or academic essays. Poetry entrants must have had 20 or more poems (or a compilation of poetry ) published by a publisher during the previous 5 years. All entrants must currently be engaged in finishing a “work in progress.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: Information for 2017-2018 application cycle to come Spring 2016.

American Christian Genesis Contest (N/A)

Who’s Eligible: Unpublished Christian fiction writers. “With ten categories to enter, Genesis provides the opportunity for unbiased feedback on writers’ work by published authors and experienced judges, and the chance for finalists to have their work read by Christian publishing house editors and literary agents. ACFW is pleased to see many previous category winners and finalists move further in their writing careers and become published authors.”
Entry Fee: $35
Deadline: March 15, 2016

2016 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting ($35,000)
Who’s Eligible: “Screenwriters who have not earned more than $25,000 writing fictional work for film or television. Entry scripts must be the original work of one writer, or of two writers who collaborated equally, and must be written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.”
Entry Fee: $45 if submitted by March 7, 2016; $60 if submitted by April 18, 2016; $85 if submitted by May 2, 2016
Deadline: March 7, 2016 (early); April 18, 2016 (regular); May 2, 2016 (late) “The online application form must be completed and a PDF version of the script uploaded by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on May 2. Because of the anticipated surge in submissions, we cannot guarantee access to the online application form during the last six hours before the entry deadline.”

National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship($25,000) 
Who’s Eligible: “You are eligible to apply in Prose if, between January 1, 2008, and March 11, 2015, you have had published:

At least five different short stories, works of short fiction, excerpts from novels or memoirs, or creative essays (or any combination thereof) in two or more literary journals, anthologies, or publications that regularly include fiction and/or creative nonfiction as a portion of their format; or
A volume of short fiction or a collection of short stories; or
A novel or novella; or
A volume of creative nonfiction.

To qualify, work must have been first published with an eligible publisher between these dates, not only reprinted or reissued in another format during this period.

You may use digital, audio, or online publications to establish eligibility, provided that the publisher has a competitive selection process and stated editorial policy. If the online publication or website no longer exists, you must provide, upon request, sufficient evidence that your work once appeared online. If sufficient evidence cannot be provided, the online publication will not be eligible.”
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: March 9, 2016

Mslexia Women’s Short Story Competition (£2,000 for first prize, £500 second prize, £250 third prize)
Who’s Eligible: Women poets of any nationality.
Entry Fee: £10 per story
Deadline: March 14, 2016

The James Jones First Novel Fellowship ($10,000)
Who’s Eligible: United States citizens who have not previously published a novel.
Entry Fee: A $30 check/money order, payable to Wilkes University, NOT to James Jones First Novel Fellowship. A $3 processing fee applies to online submissions.
Deadline: March 15, 2016

The Paterson Prize for Books for Young People ($500 award in each category: Pre-K – Grade 3;  Grades 4 – 6;  Grades 7 – 12)
Who’s Eligible: See rules and application
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: March 15, 2016

The Hodson-Brown Fellowship ($20,000)
Who’s Eligible: Academics, independent scholars and writers working on significant projects relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Candidates with a U.S. history topic are strongly encouraged to concentrate on the period prior to 1801. The fellowship is also open to filmmakers, novelists, creative and performing artists, and others working on projects that draw on this period of history.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: March 15, 2016

PEN Center USA Emerging Voices Fellowship ($1,000) 
Who’s Eligible: “Poets and writers of fiction and creative nonfiction with clear ideas of what they hope to accomplish through their writing.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: The 2017 application period will open on March 30, 2016.

Winter 2016 Story Contest (First Prize is $2,500, Second Prize is $1,000, Third Prize is $500, and ten finalists will receive $100 each. All entries will be considered for publication.)
Who’s Eligible: “All contest entries are eligible for the $4,000 Narrative Prize for 2016 and for acceptance as a Story of the Week.”
Entry Fee: $24
Deadline: March 31, 2016

The Short Fiction Prize (First Prize is £500, Second Prize is £100
Who’s Eligible: Authors from anywhere in the world.
Entry Fee: £7
Deadline: March 31, 2016

Oregon Book Awards | Oregon Literary Fellowships + New Fellowship for Writers of Color (“The amount, number and categories of fellowships will be determined from the quality and quantity of applications, and the availability of funds.”)
Who’s Eligible: Writers of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, and Young Readers Literature based in Oregon full-time–both at the time of application and receipt of the prize.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: Applications for the 2017 Oregon Literary Fellowships will go online in April 2016.

The Paterson Fiction Prize ($1,000)
Who’s Eligible: The author of a novel or collection of short fiction published in 2015. See rules and application.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: April 1, 2016

Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship Program
Duration: Spring 2017 Semester
Location: The Liguria Study Center located on the Italian Riviera in the village of Bogliasco
Who’s Eligible: Applicants for Fellowships are expected to demonstrate significant achievement in their disciplines, commensurate with their age and experience. In addition, they must submit descriptions of the projects that they intend to pursue in Bogliasco. An approved project is presumed to lead to the completion of an artistic, literary, or scholarly work, followed by publication, performance, exhibition, or other public presentation. Approximately 50 Fellowships are awarded each year.
Associated Costs: $30 application fee; travel and living expenses if accepted. (The Foundation does offer a limited number of Special Fellowships that often include a small stipend and travel fare.)
Deadline: April 15, 2016 for the Spring semester beginning the following February.

Arts Writers Grant ($15,000 – 50,000)
Who’s Eligible: “The Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program supports writers whose work addresses contemporary visual art through project-based grants, ranging from 15,000 to 50,000 USD, issued directly to 20 individual authors a year. The program was founded in recognition of both the financially precarious situation of arts writers and their indispensable contribution to a vital artistic culture. The Arts Writers Grant Program aims to support the broad spectrum of writing on contemporary visual art, from general-audience criticism to academic scholarship.

Writers who meet the program’s eligibility requirements are invited to apply in the following categories:

– Articles
– Blogs
– Books
– New and Alternative Media
– Short-Form Writing

Through all its grants, the Arts Writers Grant Program aims to honor and encourage writing about art:
– that is rigorous, passionate, eloquent, and precise;
– in which a keen engagement with the present is infused with an appreciation of the historical;
– that is neither afraid to take a stand nor content to deliver authoritative pronouncements, but serves rather to pose questions and generate new possibilities for thinking about, seeing, and making art;
– that is sensitive to both the importance and difficulty of situating aesthetic objects within their broader social and political contexts;
– that does not dilute or sidestep complex ideas but renders accessible their meaning and value;
– that creatively challenges the limits of existing conventions, without valorizing novelty as an end in itself.

Due to legal constraints we can only fund US citizens, permanent residents of the United States, and holders of O-1 visas. For guidelines and additional eligibility requirements, please visitartswriters.org/guidelines.

Art Writing Workshop
In partnership with the International Association of Art Critics/USA Section, the Arts Writers Grant Program offers ten select applicants consultations with leading art critics. For more information, please visitartswriters.org/writing-workshop.”
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: Submissions open April 20, 2016.

2016 Bristol Short Story Prize (1st Prize is £1,000, 2nd Prize £700, 3rd Prize £400. 17 further prizes of £100 will be presented to the writers whose stories appear on the shortlist.)
Who’s Eligible: “Entries must be previously unpublished with a maximum length of 4,000 words. There is no minimum length.” 
Entry Fee: £8
Deadline: April 30, 2016

2015 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships ($25,800)
Who’s Eligible: Applicants between the ages of 21 and 31.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: April 30, 2016

The Financial Times/OppenheimerFunds African and Middle Eastern Fiction Award ($40,000. Shortlisted runners up will each receive $5,000.)
Who’s Eligible: Authors who are nationals or passport holders of any Asia-Pacific country (Afghanistan, American Samoa, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea, Dem. Rep., Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Fed. Sts.,Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa,Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam), and who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. The author’s books must be published for the first time in the English language, or English translation between January 1, 2015 and September 23, 2016. Books may be in print or digital form, or both. We ask that each publisher submits no more than three works.
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: May 6, 2016

Crook’s Corner Book Prize ($1,000–and a free glass of wine at Crook’s Corner every day for a year.)
Who’s Eligible: “The submitted book must be the author’s first published novel for adult readers, published in the United States between January 1, 2015 and June 15, 2016. Regardless of the author’s residence, the book must be set predominantly in the American South, which includes the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Books may be self-published if they have an ISBN number. Books that are available only as e-books are not eligible. Submissions are welcome from authors or publishers.”
Entry Fee: $35
Deadline: June 15, 2016

The Narrative Prize ($4,000)
Who’s Eligible: Writers between 18 and 30.
Entry Fee: $22
Deadline: June 15, 2016

Bard Fiction Prize ($30,000) 
Who’s Eligible: A talented, aspiring creative writer under 39 years old, based in the U.S. The chosen resident will live on the Bard College campus, teach a course, and give a public lecture.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: June 15, 2016

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize ($15,000)
Who’s Eligible: Short story authors who have either 1) published a novel-size compilation of fiction; or 2) who have had a minimum of three narratives/ novellas published in “well-known publications and literary journals of high standard”. Online publication and self-publication don’t count toward this requirement.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: June 30, 2016.

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (The amounts of grants vary.)
Who’s Eligible:“Persons who have already received a Guggenheim Fellowship are not eligible to apply for another.

Guggenheim Fellowships are not available for the creation of residencies, curriculum development, or any type of educational program, nor are they available to support the development of websites or blogs.

Our awards are intended for individuals only; they are not available to organizations, institutions, or groups.

Guggenheim Fellowships are not open to students (undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate).

We regret that our awards are not available to support the writing of literature for children or young readers.

Anthology, e-book, or textbook projects are not supported by our awards.

Published writing not regarded as appropriate for our competition includes self-published works, publications for which the author has paid, and publications by publishers who do not engage in a process of critical review of submitted work. In addition, genre work (e.g., mysteries, romance, fantasy, etc.) is considered not competitive.

For all writers, if you have mainly published in periodicals, or on websites, it might be premature for you to apply here at this stage of your career, given the rigorous nature of our competition.”
Entry Fee: N/A
Deadline: Applications will be available in July 2016.

Grayson Books Poetry Prize
Who’s Eligible: All writers of poetry
Additional Details: See https://graysonbooks.submittable.com/submit/20849
Deadline: August 15, 2016

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence ($10,000)
Who’s Eligible: A promising and talented African-American creative fiction writer.
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: August 15, 2016

Emerging Writer Award (Winners receive full tuition support for our January Seminar and Workshop Program, round-trip airfare, lodging, a $500 honorarium, and the opportunity to appear on stage during the Seminar.)
Who’s Eligible: Poets and writers of any age who have not yet published a book with a major publisher. (“If you have published a book with a small press that has a print run of 500 or so copies, you are still eligible.”)
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: September 12, 2016

Heavy Feather Poetry Chapbook Contest ($250) 
Who’s Eligible: “HFR only accepts three to six poems. There are no guidelines otherwise for fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, comics/original art, hybrid. Questions? E-mail the editors here.”
Entry Fee: N/A