Deadline May 1: Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Last Call for Winning Writers' Fiction & Essay Contest

Deadline: May 1, 2026

The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest, sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope, will award US$3,500 for the best story and US$3,500 for the best essay, and the top 12 entries will be published online. For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. Submit published or unpublished work. Most countries eligible, including the UK. Fee: US$25 per entry. See past winning entries and learn more.

Final judge Tamra Badgett is a writer of prose poetry, nonfiction, and memoir. She holds an MA and MFA from the School of Letters in Sewanee, Tennessee, where her work explored language, memory, and the quiet complexities of Southern life. A former French teacher, she spent ten years guiding Texas students through language, literature, and translation. Tamra brings an interdisciplinary approach to her craft, writing with rhythm, lyricism, and a deep attention to the layered textures of place. Read her advice for contestants.