Key facts
- Type
- Competition
- Provider
- Reedsy
- Deadline
- 12/31/2026
In short
Reedsy hosts weekly and quarterly writing contests with cash prizes of $250 and $1,500 for short stories based on creative prompts.
Reedsy Prompts Contest
By Reedsy
CompetitionAccepting applications nowApply by 12/31/2026154 days left
2,400+
Total writing prompts
$250
Weekly contest prize
$1,500
Literary prize
800,000+
Community members
Weekly & Quarterly
Contest frequency
Overview
Reedsy offers a comprehensive platform for writers seeking creative writing prompts and opportunities to develop their craft. The Prompts Directory contains over 2,400 story ideas across various genres, designed to help writers overcome writer's block, establish regular writing habits, and explore different storytelling styles. Thousands of writers have participated in Reedsy's contests, building lasting habits and publishing their work within a community of over 800,000 authors. The platform hosts two distinct writing competitions: the weekly Reedsy Prompts contest and the quarterly Reedsy Literary Prize. Both contests aim to inspire creativity and provide a structured environment for writers to submit their short stories in response to specific prompts. Participants can choose from a wide array of genres, including fantasy, romance, thriller, mystery, and dystopian, to find inspiration that suits their interests. Beyond just providing prompts, Reedsy also offers a variety of resources to help writers refine their skills. These include free courses like 'How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published,' directories of literary magazines and other writing contests, and tips for building a consistent writing routine and combating writer's block. The goal is to support writers from the initial spark of an idea through to publication. The Reedsy Prompts contest is a weekly challenge, providing five new prompts each Friday with a one-week submission window. The Reedsy Literary Prize is a longer short story contest, running for three months and requiring stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words in response to a single prompt. Both contests offer significant recognition and monetary awards to winning entries.
What to build
Participants must write a short story in response to a selected creative writing prompt.
Prizes
Weekly Winner
Winner is highlighted on the Reedsy website.
$250 USD
Reedsy Literary Prize Winner
Includes feedback from a literary agent and guaranteed publication in the literary magazine, 'Prompted'.
$1,500 USD
Key dates
- Weekly Prompts ReleasedEvery Friday
- Weekly Story Submission DeadlineOne week after prompt release
- Reedsy Literary Prize Submission PeriodThree months
How to enter
- For Reedsy Prompts: Sign up for the newsletter to receive weekly prompts.
- Select one of the five weekly prompts.
- Write and submit a short story based on the chosen prompt within one week.
- For Reedsy Literary Prize: Submit a short story between 2,000 and 5,000 words in response to a single prompt.
Submission requirements
- For Reedsy Prompts: Short story based on one of the weekly prompts.
- For Reedsy Literary Prize: Short story between 2,000 and 5,000 words based on a single prompt.