Please note: we apologize for the delay in picking contest winners but will list them all shortly!
     Any writer may enter our contests, regardless of residence.  Authors retain all rights. The entry fee for all contests is $30, or $25 for Workshop members.
The entry fee is payable online through Venmo (@writers-workshop ( or Paypal). The judges will pick the winners about 6 weeks after the contest deadline.
Scroll down for awards and submission guidelines.
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2023
WRITING CONTESTS

Awards for all contests:
 
1st Place:  3 free workshops; or 35 pages (or 10 poems for poetry contests) line-edited and revised by our editorial staff.
2nd Place: Two free workshops; or 35 pages (or 8 poems) line-edited.
3rd Place: One free workshop; or 25 pages (or 5 poems) line-edited.
10 Honorable Mentions

             
   LITERARY FICTION CONTEST          
 Postmarked or emailed by Oct. 30, 2023

Guidelines:
Submit a short story or chapter of a novel of 5,000 words or less.  Pages should be paper clipped, with your name, address, phone and title of work on the first page. Double-space, and use 12 point font.
The entry fee is $30/$25 Members per story. Multiple entries are accepted.  Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to: Fiction Contest, 807 West Lynn St. #220, Austin  TX 78703. Or pay at our Registration Page.
Emailed submissions in Word Doc may be sent to writersw@gmail.com, with “Fiction Contest” in the subject. Entry fee is payable 
 at our Registration Page.
 
ANNUAL MEMOIRS COMPETITION      
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by Dec. 30, 2023

Guidelines:
Submit a memoir of 5,000 words or less.  Pages should be paper clipped, with your name, address, email, phone and title of work on the first page. Double-space, and use 12 point font.
The entry fee is $30/$25 Members per memoir. Multiple entries are accepted.   Emailed submissions may be sent in Word Doc to writersw@gmail.com, with “Memoirs Contest” in the subject. Entry fee is payable at our Registration Page. Please make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:
Memoirs Contest, 807 W. Lynn St., #220, Austin TX 78703.
The entry fee is also payable  at Paypal or our Venmo account: @writers-workshop.


 ANNUAL POETRY COMPETITION      
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by March 30, 2024

Guidelines:
Submit up to 3 poems of two pages or less, emailed or regular post.  Pages should be paper clipped, with your name, address, email, phone and title of work on the first page. Double-space, and use 12 point font.
The entry fee is $25 for every three poems. Multiple entries are accepted.  Please make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:
Memoirs Contest, 187 W. Lynn St, #220, Austin TX 78703.
The entry fee is also payable  at our Registration Page.
Emailed submissions may be sent in Word Doc to writersw@gmail.com, with “Poetry Contest” in the subject.
The entry fee is also payable  at our Venmo account: @writers-workshop




   HARD TIMES WRITING CONTEST
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by June 30, 2024

Guidelines:
       Write about a difficult experience in your life, how you overcame this obstacle, and how you were changed by it. Winning stories will be chosen for originality and creative writing style.
Stories should not exceed 5,000 words (double-spaced, 12 point font).
Your name, address, email, phone and title of work should appear on the first page. Enclose the reading fee of $25/$20 Workshop members per entry. Multiple entries are accepted. Please make check or money order payable to Writers' Workshop, and send to: Hard Times Contest, 187 W. Lynn St., #220, Austin TX 78703.Emailed submissions in Word Doc may be sent to writersw@gmail.com, with "Hard Times Contest" in the subject. Entry fee is payable online via Paypal, or to our Venmo address: @www.twwoa.org
 
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 How to submit an entry:  

Online:
  • Email a Microsoft Word document of your entry to writersw@gmail.com with "Name of contest" in the subject line.
  • Pay entry fee online at your Venmo account: @writers-workshop, or your Paypal account. Include your name, title of work, address, email, and name of contest.  The judges' comments will be emailed to you.
 
​By mail:
  • Enclose your submission, and a SASE (self-sealing self-addressed stamped envelope) for judges' critique. 
  • Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:  [Name of contest], The Writers' Workshop, 807 W. Lynn St., #220, Austin TX 78703.   
  • You can also pay the entry fee online at your Paypal or our Venmo account: @writers-workshop.