Contests & Awards
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Submitting your work to contests and awards is a great way to get your work noticed. Here's a list of submission opportunities for children's writing and illustrating. We normally only list contests that do not require an entry fee.
Also, check out these other compilations of contests:
- Sub It Club's monthly lists of contests (see their
Before entering a contest, pay attention to warning signs:Writing Contests are Important: How to Choose the Right Ones from the Scams; Awards Profiteers: How Writers Can Recognize Them and Why They Should Avoid Them
- What: Comment on the contest announcement on the 4th of each month for a chance to submit your first 400 words of an MG or YA ms
- Prize: Winner's entry will be posted on blog & critiqued by four members of The Winged Pen
- What: monthly illustration challenge with a prompt, due 20th of each month
- Who: SCBWI members
- Prize: winning pieces featured in SCBWI's monthly newsletter
ONGONG
- What: apply for emergency funds during the pandemic
- Who: people of color in the children's publishing industry (agents, editors, authors, illustrators) who've been furloughed or lost their jobs
- Award: emergency funds
Aug 21 Game of Pitches
Avengers of Colour Mentorship
- What: get help with your #Pitmad or #Divpit pitches (pitch, query + 25 first pages) from authors Akure Phénix and Kristen Lee by following & RTing the announcement tweet
- Prize: 2 authors will be chosen
- What: apply for a mentorship for your agent submission package (query, 10 pages, pitch, synopsis)
- Who: un-agented authors of color writing MG, YA, NA, adult
- Prize: one of 15 mentors who will guide you through the query process
- What: design a website banner for Kidlit411
- Prize: 1st place: $150 + Illustrator Spotlight & display of banner; 2nd place: $100 + Illustrator Spotlight & display of banner; 10 honorable mentions: Illustrator Spotlight & display of banner
Aug. 31 Lee & Low New Voices Award
- What: submit your unpublished picture book manuscript under 1500 words (fiction, nonfiction or poetry) addressing the needs of children of color or Native Americans
- Who: un-agented writers of color or Native Americans who have not traditionally published a picture book
- Prize: Award winner: $2,000 plus standard publication contract, Honor winner: $1,000
Aug. 31 Lee & Low New Visions Award
- What: submit your unpublished middle grade or YA novel or graphic novel addressing the needs of children of color or Native Americans (MG < 75,000 words, YA < 95,000); submissions must be exclusive
- Who: un-agented writers of color or Native Americans who have not traditionally published a novel
- Prize: Award winner: $2,000 plus standard publication contract, Honor winner: $1,000
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
Sept. 3, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST #Pitmad
Sept. 15 8 a.m.-8p.m EST#LatinxPitch
- What: Pitch your manuscript on Twitter (PB, MG, YA, adult)
- Prize: attention from agents & editors with invitations to query
Sept. 15 8 a.m.-8p.m EST
- What: A Twitter pitch event for Latinx kid lit creators
- Who: all agented & un-agented Latinx kid lit authors & illustrators (board book, PB, CB, MG, YA)
- Prize: attention from agents or editors with invitations to query
Sept. 27-28 Pitch Wars
- What: apply for a mentor for your manuscript, submit a query, 10-page sample, and synopsis (
- Who: un-agented writers of MG, YA, NA, adult
- Prize: a mentor will work with you to prepare your pitch and manuscript for an agent showcase in February 2020
OCTOBER
Oct. 20 #Divpit
Oct. 29#PBPitch
- What: Twitter pitch party for children & teen fiction/nonfiction
- Who: for self-identifying historically marginalized authors & illustrators
- Prize: attention from agents & editors with invitations to query
Oct. 29
- What: Twitter pitch party for picture book creators (illustrators and authors)
- Prize: attention from agents & editors with invitations to query
NOVEMBER
Nov. 1 The Suzie Grant for Moms Who Write
Nov. 1Jane Yolen Mid-list Author Grant
Sept 15- Nov 15SCBWI Emerging Voices Award
- What: Apply for a $500 grant
- Who: mothers with at least one child
- Award: three grants given every six months
Nov. 1
- What: one of two winners to share a $3,000 grant
- Who: SCBWI members who have published two PAL books but have not sold anything in five years
- Prize: a $3000 grants shared between two winners
Sept 15- Nov 15
- What: apply to one of ten grants
- Who: unpublished writers or illustrators from underrepresented group
- Award: paid trip and tuition for LA SCBWI summer conference, manuscript consultation, and publicity
DECEMBER
2022
Dec. 3, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST #Pitmad
- What: Pitch your manuscript on Twitter (PB, MG, YA, adult)
- Prize: attention from agents & editors with invitations to query
2022
Mar 12, 2022 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
- What: win an award for a book of poetry published in English
- Who: SCBWI member with a book of poetry published in 2019, 2020, or 2021 (Verse novels not eligible)
- Award: $1,000
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