Writing Competition and Deadline Calendar

Who this is for

Every closing date you mean to hit, in one list. Competitions, anthology calls and open submission windows sit side by side with the days left, the word limit, the fee and the piece you plan to send, so nothing closes while you are still deciding.

Short story writers, poets and novelists who enter competitions and answer calls for submissions through the year and want to see what is closing next.

What this helps you track

• Which competitions and calls you plan to enter, and when each closes
• How many days are left before each deadline
• The word limit and the piece you intend to send
• Entry fees paid, added up for the year
• What was sent, when, and how it did

How to use it

1. Write the year and the genres or forms you are looking for at the top.
2. Add each competition, anthology call or submission window as you find it, with its closing date, word limit and the piece you have in mind.
3. Check each entry's own rules for the fee and eligibility, and write the fee in only once you have paid it.
4. Tick sent and write the date when the entry goes; the days left column and the totals are worked out in the browser and the workbook.
5. Record the result when it is announced, and look back at the year before planning the next one.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How is days left worked out?

It counts from today to the closing date you entered, so it changes every time you open the browser version or the workbook. A negative figure means that deadline has passed. On paper, count it yourself or leave it blank.

Why write the fee only once it is paid?

So the fees total is what you have actually spent on entries this year rather than a wish list. If you want to see the cost of everything planned, note the fee in the piece column until you pay it.

Can I use it for magazine submissions too?

Yes, for anything with a closing date. For open-ended submissions and agent queries without a deadline, the submission and query tracker keeps the response times and follow-ups better.

Does it list any competitions?

No. It is a blank calendar for the ones you choose. Deadlines, fees and rules change each year, so always take them from the organiser's own announcement.