Announcing The Center for Fiction 2026 First Novel Prize Shortlist

Some interesting plots.

Panzer found the shortlist announcement for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize on the site today

 

The shortlist has seven novels and their plots on the site.

 

Panzer says, "The winner will be announced on December 8.

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of hot cocoa and a muffin to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to First Novel Prize Shortlist 

44 Writing Contests in September 2026 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Some interesting contests on the list.

First stop in the Catosphere for Panzer today was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There our traveling kitty boy found a post about September's writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes contest for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and plays. 

 

Panzer says, "You know the drill, kittens. Always read the guidelines before you submit." 

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what you want to snack on

 

To read the post tootle over to 44 Writing Contests:

48 Writing Contests in July 2026 - No entry fees! - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

It's really hot out.

Panzer's first stop in the Catosphere today was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

Erica Verrillo has a list of writing contests with July submission deadlines and no entry fees. Contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are included.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the submission deadlines." 

 

 Note: This is a long list. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on. 

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Contests

57 Writing Contests in June 2026 - No entry fees! - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

57 contests.

Panzer's next stop was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.There he found information about June writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list contains writing contests for fiction, nonfiction and poetry. As always, the contests on her list don't charge an entry fee.

 

Panzer says, "Remember to read all the rules before you submit."

 

Note: With 57 contests featured on the site this is a very long list. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on. 

 

To read the post tootle over to June Writing Contests

54 Writing Contests in May 2026 - No entry fees! - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

I'm saving my energy to enter a couple.

Panzer's last stop of the day was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he discovered news about May writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list has 54 free to enter writing contests. These include both fiction and nonfiction contests.

 

Panzer says, "Always read all the submission rules and deadlines before you enter."

 

Note: This is a very long list. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the contest list trundle over to  54 Writing Contests

51 Writing Contests in April 2026 - No entry fees! - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Something for everybody.

Panzer's last stop today was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site where he found a list of writing contests for April.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry contests and more. There are no entry fees.

  

Panzer says, "Always read the submission guidelines.

 

Note: With 51 contests listed this is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to April Writing Contests

81 Writing Contests in March 2026 - No entry fees! - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

I've had enough of the cold. Where's Spring?

At the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity Panzer found a post of the March writing contests.

  

Erica Verrillo's list includes fiction and nonfiction contests. Some of the contests have March 1 submission deadlines.

 

Panzer says, "Some of the contests have restrictions and requirements, so be sure to read the rules before you submit."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to  Writing Contests in March

64 Writing Contests in January 2026 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

 

All kinds of writing contests here.

Today, Panzer made a quick trip to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

Erica Verrillo has a list of 64 writing contests with no entry fees on her site. It includes contests for fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

 

Panzer says,"You know what I always say: Read all the rules before you enter."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to 64 Writing Contests

43 Writing Contests in December 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

 A lot of interesting contests included.

Panzer made a trip to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site today.

 

There he found Erica Verrillo's list of 43 Writing Contests with December deadlines. The list includes contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

 

Panzer says, "Hey humans, you know my mantra: Read the guidelines before you enter."

 

Note:With 43 contests, this is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the contests post tootle over to Writing Contests

52 Writing Contests in November 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Now I'll finish my nap.

Panzer's next stop today was at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

There Erica Verrillo posted a list of writing contests accepting submissions in November. Included are contests for fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the rules before you submit."

 

Note: Thts us a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Contests

51 Writing Contests in October 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

All kinds of writing contests.

Panzer found this collection of writing contests at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. 

 

Erica Verrillo's list has 51 fiction, nonfiction, poetry and plays writing contests None of them have entry fees.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the rules before you submit your work."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what you want to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to  October Writing Contests

41 Writing Contests in September 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Contests for lots of genres.

Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site where he found a list of writing contests in September.

Erica Verrillo's list has both fiction and nonfiction contests. As always with her monthly list she only includes "no entry fee" contests.

 

Panzer says, "You'll need to hurry with your entries as some of the contests have a September 1 submission deadline."

 

 Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.

 

 To read the list tootle over to September Writing Contests

36 Writing Contests in August 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Not just for the U.S. writers.

Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a post about August writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's post lists 36 free to enter contests. Included in the list are contests for fiction and nonfiction. Some have August 1 submission deadlines.

 

Panzer says, "Some have entry restrictions so be sure to read the submission guidelines."

 

Note: This is a long length post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to August Writing Contests

44 Writing Contests in July 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

There are two I'll enter for sure.

Today for all the writers who visit here Panzer made a stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. He found a post there of July writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list includes fiction, nonfiction, novels and poetry contests with July deadlines.  Some of them have July 1 deadlines!

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the guidelines before you submit."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to bring to snack on.

 

to read the post tootle over to  44 Writing Contests

56 Writing Contests in June 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Something for everyone.

Today's trip into the Catospher took Panzer to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site.

 

Erica Verrillo;s post includes 56 writing contests with submission deadlines in June. There are long and short fiction and nonfiction contests. Some have June 1 deadlines, so you'll need to hurry with your entries.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the rules before you submit."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you study the contests.

 

To read the post tootle over to  56 Writing Contests in June 2025 - No entry fees

64 Writing Contests in May 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Didn't want to wait until tomorrow to post this.

Today Panzer made a quick trip into the Catosphere to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There our inquisitive kitty boy found a post about writing contests in May.

 

Erica Verrilla's post lists 64 writing contests with submission deadlines in May. There are contests for fiction, short stories, and novels and for nonfiction. None charge an entry fee.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the guidelines. Some of these have submissions deadlines of May 1 and some have entry restrictions."

 

Note: Since there are 64 contests listed this is a long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on. 

To read the submission rules for the contests tootle over to 64 Writing Contests

62 Writing Contests in April 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

I'm tired today. All the noise kept me awake last night.

We made it through yesterday's storm all right.  The thunder and lightening put on quite a light show overhead. Lightening did hit a light rail station, a few thousand people lost power because of lightening strikes and a house roof burned because of a strike. Even with all that, the news says nobody got hurt.

 

*****

 

 Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took him to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a post about writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list has contests for fiction and nonfiction. None of the contests charge entry fees.

 

Panzer says, "You all know the drill: Read the rules before you submit. Some of them have an April 1 submission deadline."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Contests

 

77 Free Writing Contests in March 2025 - No entry fees

There are at least five I'd like to enter. How about you?

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There our adventuresome kitty pilot found a post about writing contests in March.

 

Erica Verrillo's list has 77 writing contests and they cover every type of writing: fiction, short stories and novels, nonfiction, poetry and plays. And, they're all free to enter.

 

Panzer says, "With 77 contests there really is something for everyone."

 

Note: With all the contests this is a long, long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to  77 Free Writing Contests .

80 Free Writing Contests in February 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

Something for everyone.

Today, Panzer made a trip to the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There he found a post about next month's free writing contests.

 

Erica Verrillo's list contains 80 fiction and nonfiction contests which charge no entry fees. As always read the submission guidelines before entering.

 

Panzer says, "Some of these have February 1 or 2 deadlines, so you'll need to hurry to enter."

 

Note: This is a long, long length post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

 

To read the post tootle over to Writing Contests

66 Free Writing Contests in January 2025 - No entry fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity

These look really interesting.

Panzer stopped at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site today. There he found a post about January's writing contests.

Erica Verrillo's list includes contests for fiction, short stories and novels, and nonfiction, poetry and plays. None of them charge an entry fee.

Panzer says, "You know what I always say: Read the rules and guidelines before you submit your entry."

Note: With 66 contests on this list it's a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on while you read.

To read the full list tootle over to January Writing Contests