June's Writing Contests & Opportunities
Vetted Shortlists for The Busy Writer
These lists are to help you submit your work without information overload. Let’s keep progressing your story.
Below is a carefully curated selection a few great vetted opportunities to keep you writing and submitting without analysis paralysis. Every month, I post 1-2 top-tier opportunities in the following categories that are worth your time and $ to submit:
Poetry
Fiction
(inc. Short/Flash/Micro fiction)
Essay/Nonfiction
and usually Grants or Fellowships
Poetry:
1. Burningword Literary Journal – Poetry Submission
Burningword is a quarterly literary journal committed to publishing dynamic, original poetry that ignites emotion and thought. They seek work that is vivid, accessible, and artistically sound, from both new and established voices.
Submission Details:
Genre: Poetry
Deadline: June 11th
Publishes: Quarterly (January, April, July, October)
Open to international submissions
Eligibility:
Open to all poets writing in English
Previously unpublished work only
Simultaneous submissions allowed (notify upon acceptance elsewhere)
Submission Guidelines:
Submit: 1–5 poems (no more than 10 pages total)
Entry Fee: $3
2. Poetry London Prize 2025
Hosted by: Poetry London (UK)
The Poetry London Prize is one of the UK's most prestigious single-poem competitions. Judged by leading poets, it offers major cash awards and publication in a top-tier international poetry journal.
Award Details:
Prize:
First: £5,000
Second: £2,000
Third: £1,000
Commended entries may also be published
Genre: Poetry (single poem)
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Open to international submissions
Eligibility:
Open to all poets writing in English
Unpublished poems only
Simultaneous submissions allowed (withdraw if accepted elsewhere)
Submission Guidelines:
Submit: Up to 6 poems per entry
Line Limit: Each poem must be no longer than 80 lines
Entry Fee:
£10 for one poem
£5 for each additional poem (up to six total)
More info: poetrylondon.co.uk
Fiction:
Salamander 2025 Fiction Prize
Hosted by: Salamander Magazine (Suffolk University)
The annual Salamander contest honors outstanding fiction with publication and cash prizes. This well-regarded literary magazine seeks work that is vibrant, original, and emotionally resonant.
Award Details:
First Prize: $1,000 + publication
Second Prize: $500 + publication.
Judge: Helen Phillips
Deadline: June 1, 2025
Open to: U.S. and international submissions in English
Eligibility:
Open to all writers regardless of prior publication
Unpublished work only
Simultaneous submissions allowed
Submission Guidelines:
Send no more than one story per entry. Each story must not exceed 30 double-spaced pages or 7500 words in 12 point font. Multiple entries are acceptable, provided that a separate reading fee is included with each entry.
Entry Fee: $20
More info: salamandermag.org
Tusculum Review Short Fiction Prize
Hosted by: The Tusculum Review
The Tusculum Review Poetry Chapbook Prize recognizes an outstanding unpublished chapbook of fiction. The winner receives a $1,000 prize, publication, and 25 contributor copies. Finalists may also be considered for publication.
Award Details:
Prize: $1,000 + publication + 25 copies
Genre: Fiction (chapbook-length manuscript)
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Open to U.S. and international poets writing in English
Eligibility:
Open to all writers, regardless of prior publication
Manuscript must be previously unpublished as a whole
Simultaneous submissions allowed
Submission Guidelines:
Length: 20–24 pages of fiction
Entry Fee: $20
More info: ttr.tusculum.edu
2. Bridport Prize – 2025 Flash Fiction Competition
The Bridport Prize Flash Fiction Award offers international recognition and publication for short-short fiction writers. It's part of one of the UK's most prestigious literary prizes and is judged anonymously to ensure fairness.
Prizes:
1st Prize: £1,000 + publication in the Bridport Prize anthology
2nd Prize: £500
3rd Prize: £250
Highly Commended: £100 each (10 total)
All shortlisted entries are read by A.M. Heath Literary Agents
Eligibility:
Open to writers aged 16 and over, of any nationality
Stories must be unpublished, unbroadcast, and not under consideration elsewhere
Simultaneous submissions allowed (withdraw if accepted)
Submission Guidelines:
Word Limit: Maximum 250 words
Deadline: June 1st, 2025
Entry Fee: £11 per story
Submit in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, or .txt format
Anonymous judging: no author name or identifying info in document or filename
Standard formatting: 12pt font, double-spaced, numbered pages
NonFiction:
Jean Stein Oral History Grant
Hosted by: PEN America
The Jean Stein Oral History Grant supports literary works of nonfiction that use oral history to illuminate an underrepresented or urgent narrative. With a generous award and a focus on long-form projects, this grant encourages deep, ethical, and artfully constructed storytelling through interviews and firsthand accounts.
Grant Details:
Award: $15,000
Genre: Literary nonfiction (oral history–driven works)
Deadline: June 1st
Open to U.S.-based writers
Eligibility:
Open to emerging and established U.S.-based writers
Must be working on or proposing a literary oral history project
Projects must be in English or include English translation
Open to both individuals and collaborative teams
Submission Guidelines:
Submit a project proposal, work sample, and bio
Must demonstrate strong literary merit and ethical oral history practices
No application fee
I know we can get lost in long lists, so hopefully these quality monthly sub-samplers will be helpful. If you apply, let me know in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on and post your success in the newsletter.
Happy Submitting!
♥ NJ
Subscribe for free to get notified of future opportunities.
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