Contests, awards and creator programs you can enter now
Only calls we checked on the organizer's official page, ranked by deadline, prize, fit with what BunCho makes, and AI policy. We look for new calls every day and publish them after a human check.
How to earn with what you make in BunCho (article) → · Export your work for each platform (Sell & publish) →
Shonen Jump+ Manga Award (Sep-Oct 2026)
Organizer: 集英社
Jump+'s regular manga award; the next round closes at the end of December.
- Prize / payout
- From ¥1M plus publication down to ¥10k; held every two months
- Eligibility
- Pros and amateurs; up to 3 entries
- Format
- One-shot, any length; JPEG/PNG in a ZIP up to 200 MB; 600 dpi mono / 350 dpi color
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule found on the official page; check before entering
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
TBS Next Writers Challenge 2026
Organizer: TBSテレビ / TBSスパークル
A TV network's screenwriter search, for people writing without generative AI.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥3M and more; a debut opportunity
- Eligibility
- Japan residents (minors need guardian consent)
- Format
- 60-minute drama script, up to 55 A4 pages, PDF
No AI: This call does not allow generative AI. Do not enter AI-made work. The rules ask entrants not to use generative AI to write their entries
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
Ciao Comi Rookie Award (monthly)
Organizer: 小学館 ちゃお
A monthly rookie award from a girls' manga magazine.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥500k and serialization, and more
- Eligibility
- Anyone (re-debut OK)
- Format
- 4-50 pages; digital 600 dpi mono PSD; closes at the end of every month
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule found on the official page
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
1st Earth Star Bunko Character Novel Award
Organizer: アース・スター / カクヨム
A new award for character-driven novels, with comic adaptation promised for the winner.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥1M with two volumes and a guaranteed comic adaptation; gold ¥500k and more
- Eligibility
- Individuals with a Kakuyomu account
- Format
- 80,000-130,000 characters (closes 11:59 JST)
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. Works written with generative AI are excluded; brainstorming and proofreading use is fine (history may be requested)
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
5th Drecom Media Award
Organizer: ドリコム
A web-novel award with large prizes and guaranteed book and comic deals.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥3M, gold ¥1M, silver ¥500k, each with a book deal and comic adaptation
- Eligibility
- Pros and amateurs (minors need guardian consent)
- Format
- Naro keyword ドリコム大賞５ (full-width 5); any length
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. AI use may be reviewed on winning; awards are revoked if it breaks Naro's rules
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
pixiv Writing Challenge: Admiration
Organizer: pixiv
A light pixiv challenge to write a short story on a theme.
- Prize / payout
- Prize draw: book set and gift cards
- Eligibility
- Individual pixiv users (minors need guardian consent)
- Format
- 500+ characters with the challenge and theme tags
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule on the page (pixiv's AI-generated setting still applies)
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
15th Net Novel Grand Prize
Organizer: クラウドゲート株式会社
A large web-novel award on Naro; enter by adding keywords to your work.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prix ¥1M and more; book deals guaranteed, comic/WEBTOON adaptation considered
- Eligibility
- A Shosetsuka ni Naro account; no fan fiction
- Format
- Post on Naro with the keyword ネトコン15 plus a category keyword; any length, ongoing works OK
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. Works marked "direct AI use" on Naro cannot enter; indirect, assistive or no use is OK (sponsors decide finally)
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
Kakuyomu Contest 12
Organizer: KADOKAWA / カクヨム
Kakuyomu's biggest annual contest; entries open in December and are judged by reader response and editors.
- Prize / payout
- ¥1M and a book deal per category; special and comic-adaptation prizes
- Eligibility
- Individuals with a Kakuyomu account (minors need guardian consent)
- Format
- Long works: 100,000+ characters by the deadline (separate short-story category)
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. AI-assisted entries must carry the AI-use tag; a mismatch disqualifies the entry
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
34th Dengeki Novel Prize
Organizer: KADOKAWA (電撃)
One of Japan's flagship light-novel rookie awards; you can enter via Kakuyomu.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥3M, gold ¥1M, silver ¥500k and more
- Eligibility
- Anyone (original, unpublished work)
- Format
- Long 100k-150k or short 10k-30k characters, completed; ~800-character synopsis
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. Only typo checks, polishing and brainstorming; AI-generated body text or structure is excluded and tools must be disclosed
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
13th Kadokawa Bunko Character Novel Award
Organizer: KADOKAWA
An award for character-led general fiction, with a web readers' prize.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥1M, excellence ¥300k and more
- Eligibility
- Any age (minors need guardian consent); individual works
- Format
- 90,000-120,000 characters, completed
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. AI only as a helper; AI-generated body or structure is excluded and use must be disclosed
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
10th B's-LOG Novel Award
Organizer: KADOKAWA (ビーズログ文庫)
An award from a women's entertainment fiction label; enter on Kakuyomu.
- Prize / payout
- Grand prize ¥500k, excellence ¥300k; publication and comic-adaptation prizes
- Eligibility
- Anyone (minors need guardian consent)
- Format
- 100k-130k characters, completed, with the contest tag (closes at noon JST)
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. Helper use only (typos, polishing); AI-generated body or structure excluded; disclose tools and purpose
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
Narou Autumn Literature Exhibition 2026 (theme: travel)
Organizer: 小説家になろう
Naro's seasonal theme event to get short works discovered.
- Prize / payout
- No prizes (an exposure event)
- Eligibility
- Naro users; new works posted during the event
- Format
- Keyword 秋の文芸展2026; any length; theme: travel
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule on the event page (Naro's AI-usage setting still applies)
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
GDevelop BIG Game Jam #10
Organizer: GDevelop
A short jam built with a low-code game engine.
- Prize / payout
- Engine credits and subscriptions for top entries
- Eligibility
- Teams up to 4 using GDevelop
- Format
- Browser-playable; submit to itch.io and gd.games
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule found on the official page
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Organizer: Amazon
An always-open way to sell your own book on the Kindle Store; income depends on sales.
- Prize / payout
- eBook royalties of 35%, or 70% when conditions are met (minus delivery costs)
- Eligibility
- A KDP account
- Format
- EPUB/DOCX/KPF, cover 2560x1600 px (export from BunCho's Sell & publish)
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. AI-generated text, images and translations must be disclosed when publishing; AI-assisted need not be
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
Game Off 2026
Organizer: GitHub
A worldwide month-long jam to make a small game; visual novels are welcome.
- Prize / payout
- No prizes (community voting)
- Eligibility
- A GitHub account and a public repo
- Format
- A month-long jam; any engine; publish source and submit on itch.io
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule found on the official page
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
YouTube Partner Program
Organizer: YouTube
The always-open program for sharing ad revenue; apply once you meet the thresholds.
- Prize / payout
- Ad revenue share once accepted
- Eligibility
- 1,000 subscribers + (4,000 public watch hours in 12 months or 10M Shorts views in 90 days); channel review
- Format
- 16:9 videos; Shorts vertical up to 3 minutes
AI restricted: AI use has conditions. Read the official rules before you enter. Realistic altered/synthetic content must be disclosed; mass-produced repetitive videos may be ineligible
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
WEBTOON CANVAS Ad Revenue Sharing / Super Like
Organizer: WEBTOON
An always-open way to earn from ads and fan support as your vertical comic grows.
- Prize / payout
- 50% of net ad revenue on approved series; 70% of Super Like net revenue
- Eligibility
- 13+ (guardian under 18); ad thresholds are in separate terms
- Format
- Episode images up to 800 px wide and 1280 px tall
AI use: unknown (check official page): We found no AI rule on the official page. Ask the organizer before entering. No AI rule in the terms (uploading guidelines not checked)
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12
LÖVE Jam 2026 [B-SIDE]
Organizer: Keyslam & Pablo Mayobre
A jam for a Lua game framework, for people building without AI.
- Prize / payout
- No prizes
- Eligibility
- Any team size, using LÖVE
- Format
- A 10-day jam; credit any pre-made assets
No AI: This call does not allow generative AI. Do not enter AI-made work. AI usage is explicitly not allowed
Checked on the official page: 2026-10-12