Writing contests provide an avenue for healthy competition and opportunities for writers. More so, they are surefire ways to express your creativity, leverage on notable platforms and hopefully win some cash. Despite the unprecedented time the world has been thrown in by COVID-19, you can still wield your pen as a writer.

Here are 5 writing contests you can enter for in this month of June.

Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest

First off, who is Brigitte Poirson? She is a French award-winning poet, university lecturer and editor. Poirson being a lover and promoter of African literature had the monthly prize named after her in a bid to support young writers and poets.

The Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest was founded in 2015 by Words Rhyme and Rhythm, a foremost poetry institution in Nigeria.

Who is eligible?
Poets from all over the world.

Prizes to be won:

• Cash prizes for the first, second and third runner up are: ₦15,000, ₦10,000 and ₦5,000 respectively
• Qualifying for the Albert Jungers Poetry Prize (AJPP) 2020.
• A publication in the monthly BPPC chapbook.
• A publication in the annual BPPC 2020 anthology.

Guidelines

• You are to submit only ONE poem on the theme for the month tagged: “MOTHER TONGUE”
• All entries must be the original work of the poet submitting it.
• No ATTACHMENTS. Please submit the poem and other details as the body of the mail
• The CONTESTANT NAME, CONTEST MONTH, & POEM TITLE must be mentioned clearly, as the subject of the e-mail. For example: ‘Abubakar Nnamdi Adekunle, BPPC June-July 2020, ‘YOUR POEM’S TITLE’
• The maximum length of the poem should be 28 lines (plus the title).
• Authors must provide their FULL NAMES, link to Facebook profile [for identification] and a 50-100 word biography in the body of the e-mail.
• Poems containing profanity, racism or vulgarity will be automatically disqualified
• The poems will be judged based on their artistic quality and creativity.
• The judges’ decision is final and under no circumstances will they enter into any correspondence with entrants regarding their decisions.

Want to give it a try?

Send your submission on or before the deadline 11:59 PM Saturday, June 27, 2020.
Get further information about the contest, past winners and winning poems here.

SprinNG Annual Poetry Contest

SprinNG is an organisation focused on promoting, revitalising and improving the Nigerian literary scene. It was founded by Oyindamola Shoola and Kanyinsola Olorunnisola. Every year, they hold a poetry contest to reward writers and mark their anniversary.

Prizes to be won:

N15,000 Cash and N10,000 Gift-Card to shop for books at Roving Heights.

Note: only one winner will be selected and entrants must be NIGERIANS LIVING IN NIGERIA.

Contest Prompt:
Write a simple poem on any theme of your choice between 8-10 lines. Line count doesn’t include the title of the poem.

Deadline for this contest is June 30th, 2020. Winner will be announced on August 1, 2020.

Submit your entry.  
Get more updates and announcements regarding this contest or SprinNG activities.

Quramo Writers’ Prize

The Quramo Writers’ Prize is an African award for new and emerging writers. It celebrates, encourages and recognises talented but unpublished writers who are passionate about their craft and just need a push to breakthrough.

In 2019, Vivian Onyekachi Ibe bagged 1 Million Naira after emerging as the winner of the Prize for her manuscript ‘What Dreams Are Made Of.’

Well, this year is no different. If you are an unpublished author, Quramo is inviting you to submit a manuscript with a minimum word count of 30,000 words. Note that your entry must be an original, unpublished work of fiction. 

The winner of the Quramo Writers’ Prize for 2020 will receive “THE WINNER’S PRIZE,” and the possibility of a development contract for their manuscript.

Submission Guidelines

• Submit MS word documents, double-spaced, Times New Roman 11, normal margins and left-justified to info@quramo.com
• For complete manuscripts, you can send the first three chapters. Entries should contain a synopsis of the manuscript.
• All submissions should include the full name, email, phone number, and author bio (50 words).
• Suitable entries will be responded to within 4 – 6 (four to six) weeks of reception.
• Do not send multiple entries.

Deadline: July 30, 2020.

Submit your entry and find further information here.

Writers Champions League

This writing contest is championed by Lekeku, a platform that seeks to change the narrative of underpaid writers in Nigeria.
Contestants are at liberty to write on any theme although, entries should not exceed 300 words.

Guidelines

Before sending your entry, ensure it is satisfactory in the following areas:

• Characterisation
• Settings
• Plot
• Theme
• Mechanics
• Passion

Interestingly, Nollywood actor, Abayomi Alvin will feature in the winner’s movie story. According to the statement on Writers Champions League website, the aim is to bridge the gap between short stories and movies by bringing writers to the front-line through this collaboration. They further emphasised that: “Our stories are valid, people should be able to see, feel, understand the pain, passion, emotions that the writer felt while writing. Our stories shouldn’t die in books alone. It’s time we change the narrative.”

Also in collaboration with Lekeku is PlayCounty, a media company. What this means for writers is that they get the opportunity to have their stories bought and also discovered by filmmakers.

Deadline for submission: June 13, 2020
Visit to register and submit your entry.
Note: registration costs N1,000.

Alternatively, you can sell your articles.

Punocracy Prize for Satire

Punocracy is a community of young writers of satire in Nigeria that was launched in March 2018 to encourage free speech, promote critical thinking, and spread political consciousness. I8

Their goal is to make satire “a widely accepted and understood tool of socio-political commentary in the country and to kindle the fire of interest in the genre” whilst also giving writers a safe space to air their views.

If you know you can write sarcastic, witty, and ironic works – poetry, articles, prose, drama, essay and so on – aimed at correcting societal ills, then feel free to send in your application. The good news is that you are not restricted to a particular topic and it’s free to apply.

Only Nigerians aged 15 to 30 years as of July 19, 2020, are eligible.

Guidelines
Entries must:

• Be written in English and saved in a .doc format (for articles) and .pdf (for cartoons).
• Be anything between 300 and 1500 words (for articles).
• Not be plagiarised in part or in whole.
• Not be jointly authored or created.
• Not have been previously published.
• Be satirical.

Prizes to be won:

• First place (Literature): N70,000, books, and certificate.
• First place (Visual art): N50,000, books, and certificate.
• Second place (Literature): N50,000, books, and certificate.
• Third place (Literature): N30,000, books, and certificate.

The judges for this year’s edition are Elnathan John, author of ‘Becoming Nigerian‘ and Chuma Nwokolo, lawyer and author of ‘Diaries of a Dead African‘.

Winners will be awarded during the World Satire Day celebration in November.

Deadline is 11:59 pm, July 19, 2020.

Send your application

As with all the other contests, do not send more than one entry.

Good luck!