Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is an annual literary competition now in its 34th year, accepting both published and unpublished work. The contest welcomes short stories and essays with no restrictions on style or theme. Each entry must be original work in English, with a maximum length of 6,000 words. The contest awards $12,000 in total prizes, with separate first prizes of $3,500 for the best story and best essay. Additionally, ten Honorable Mentions receive $500 each, regardless of category. The top two winners also receive two-year gift certificates from co-sponsor Duotrope, valued at $100 each. The top twelve entries are published online on the Winning Writers website and announced in their newsletter, which reaches over 50,000 subscribers. The contest is judged anonymously by final judge Tamra Badgett, a writer of prose poetry, nonfiction, and memoir with an MFA from the School of Letters in Sewanee, Tennessee. She is assisted by Sarah Halper, who holds an MFA from Warren Wilson College. Writers of all ages from most countries are eligible to enter, with exceptions for Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus due to US government restrictions. The contest was founded by John Howard Reid, an award-winning journalist, magazine editor, and author who published historical novels, poetry, and literary guides.