Welcome to NewWriters.org.uk
At NewWriters.org.uk, we curate the best and most trusted current and upcoming writing competitions for writers in the UK and internationally — including flash fiction, short stories, poetry, novels, and non-fiction. Each competition listing includes the deadline, prize details, word limit, entry fee, and eligibility so you can quickly decide which contests fit your writing goals.
Our current competition: New Writers 100-Word Writing Competition 2026 – Deadline: 30th Apr 2026. Prizes: 1st: £1,000; 4x Runners-up: £100.
If you would like us to publish details of a competition you are running, please complete the Listing Request Form.
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Founded in 2005, the Wigtown Poetry Prizes are some of the UK’s best established writing competitions, offering awards in all three of Scotland’s languages with a prize pot of over £3,000. The 2025 prizes mark 20 years of Wigtown Poetry Prizes and over £50,000 awarded to emerging and established poets.
The competition closes on 7 May 2025, with a prize-giving at Wigtown Book Festival in the autumn.
Note that in addition to the International Prize, the following prizes are also available (check the site for the relevant entry fees):
– Wigtown Scots Prize: £500, Runner-up: £200 (Supported by Saltire Society)
– Wigtown Scottish Gaelic Prize: £500, Runner-up: £200 (Supported by The Gaelic Books Council)
– Dumfries & Galloway Fresh Voice Award: Professional support including mentoring by Wigtown Festival Company and a retreat at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre
– Alastair Reid Pamphlet Prize: 30 copies of a pamphlet of your work set by Gerry Cambridge (Supported by The Dark Horse Magazine)
A winner of one or more categories will be selected at the discretion of StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival and Wigtown Festival Company
Details