Writing Contests: August 2025

I do my best to make sure that the information in this post is accurate, but mistakes happen and sometimes contest listings are modified after I collect my information. Always visit the competition's website and read the rules for yourself! I make sure to give you links to each contest whenever possible.

Please keep in mind that all quotations are from the competition websites themselves.

If you are ever in doubt about the legitimacy of a writing contest or something of a similar nature, you may want to try looking it up on WriterBeware.blog.

Happy writing! Hope you find something useful from Writing Contests: August 2025.

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Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Contest Entry Period: This contest has a long entry period, opening on August 15, 2025, and closing on April 1, 2026.

Entry Fee: FREE.

Special Requirements: "Due to US government restrictions, we regret we are unable to accept entries from authors in Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus. Authors from all other countries are eligible. The poem you submit should be in English. If you have written a work in another language, you may submit an English translation (made by you). Inspired gibberish is also accepted."

Theme: None.

Entry Length: Poem must be no more than 250 lines. "Exclude the title and blank lines from your count."

Age Category: None. All ages.

Rights Information: There is a link at the bottom of the contest guidelines on this page. Click it and it will bring up a little box that contains more in-depth information on a few things.

Prizes: "First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value), Second Prize: $500, Third Prize: $250, Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $100 each. Top 13 entries published online."

One poem may be submitted by each entrant.

You can find the guidelines page here. See other links on the same page for more information (particularly the link below the Submittable button).

I'm Obsessed Contest

Contest Entry Period: 11:59 p.m. ET, August 31, 2025.

Entry Fee: FREE.

Special Requirements: None.

Theme: "In 101 words or fewer, tell us the story of a niche hobby or special interest. Perhaps it's a totally made-up obsession or a club you're already a member of. A magical society? Chess club? We'll leave that up to you."

Entry Length: 101 words or less.

Age Category: None.

Rights Information: Not specified.

Prizes: "Winner receives a free Gotham class of their choosing, excluding any premium classes (Zoetrope Fiction, Business Writing, Level III)".

One poem may be submitted by each entrant.

You can find the contest page (rules, details, etc.) here.

Morgen Bailey's 50-Word Competition

Contest Entry Period: August 1 to August 31, 2025.

Entry Fee: FREE.

Special Requirements: None.

Theme: "The judge."

Entry Length: 50 words EXACTLY.

Age Category: None.

Rights Information: Didn't see it specified.

Prizes: "1st prize: free prose critique up to 1,500 words or 30 minutes of mentoring time; 2nd prize: free prose critique up to 1,000 words or 20 minutes of mentoring time; 3rd prize: free prose critique up to 500 words or 10 minutes of mentoring time."

Make sure to stay on theme and stick to the strict word count. 50 words, no more, no less!

"Each prize will be valid for six months from the closing date (i.e. the prizes for the top three stories for January 2025 are valid until end June 2025) so you can combine your ‘winnings’."

You can find the contest page (rules, details, etc.) here. Ms. Morgan is thorough in her rules, so it would behoove you to read the whole rule list before attempting to submit. I've simply tried to highlight the most important part.