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The Moth Nature Writing Prize

A project of The Moth Magazine (see other related projects).

About

The Moth Nature Writing Prize aims to encourage and celebrate the art of nature writing. It is awarded annually to unpublished pieces of prose or poetry which best combine exceptional literary merit with an exploration of the writers’ relationship with the natural world.

Each year a single judge is asked to choose winners from entries worldwide. Previous judges include Richard Mabey, Helen Macdonald, Max Porter and Kathleen Jamie.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions.
The fee is EUR €16 (average for contests).
Want more insight into the affiliated editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s) of The Moth Magazine.

Country of Publication & Year Established

Ireland
Established in 2020

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Awarded 1 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed
55 members set this contest as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Regular Speed
The Moth Nature Writing Prize's overall average response time is within a normal range for contests.
More Challenging
The Moth Nature Writing Prize's overall acceptance rate is lower than most contests.
More Responsive
The Moth Nature Writing Prize's overall rate of non-response is lower than most contests.
Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 30 September 2026 11:59 PM GMT Daylight Time (in 18 days).

1

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 4,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Nature/Environment: Nature.
Other: See guidelines.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: EUR €1,000 and a week at the Moth Retreat for first prize.

Submissions:

Methods: Online form. Postal.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 30 September 2026 11:59 PM GMT Daylight Time (in 18 days).

2

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 4,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Nature/Environment: Nature.
Other: See guidelines.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: EUR €1,000 and a week at the Moth Retreat for first prize.

Submissions:

Methods: Online form. Postal.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 30 September 2026 11:59 PM GMT Daylight Time (in 18 days).

8

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Nature/Environment: Nature.
Other: See guidelines.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment. Details: EUR €1,000 and a week at the Moth Retreat for first prize.

Submissions:

Methods: Online form. Postal.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

No recent cover image available for The Moth Nature Writing Prize

Go to contest webpage

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Facebook Facebook
Instagram @themothmagazine
X (Twitter) @themothmagazine

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

The Moth Nature Writing Prize Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 20 reports from 16 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
31 min | 87.7 mean avg | 75.5 median | 133 max days (31.1 std dev)
Responses
90.00 %
Acceptances:
0.00 % No publication has a 0% acceptance rate. This data is based on submission reports sent to Duotrope, and we have not received reports of any acceptances yet.
Rejections:
90.00 % (90.2 avg. days per rejection) | 5.6 % personal, 72.2 % form, 22.2 % unspecified | 5.0 % shortlisted
Non-Responses
0.00 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
-
Withdrawals
10.00 % (53.0 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending
8 responses are pending (2 min | 22.8 mean avg | 21.5 median | 65 max days waiting | 26.0 std dev) from 8 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The most common submission fee paid: EUR €15.00.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 16 Dec 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 30 Sep 2025.
Date compiled: 11 Sep 2026 19:08 UTC (4 hours, 35 minutes ago).

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Your Submissions

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The Caterpillar Magazine CLOSED
The Caterpillar Poetry Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
The Caterpillar Story for Children Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
The Moth Art Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
The Moth Magazine CLOSED
The Moth Poetry Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
The Moth Short Story Prize  Charges fees for all submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 02 Jul 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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