Any writer may enter our contests, regardless of residence. All entries will receive comments from the judges. Authors retain all rights. The entry fee for all contests is $25, or $20 for Workshop members.
The entry fee is payable online through PayPal, check, or money order. 
The judges will pick the winners about 6 weeks after the contest deadline.
Scroll down for submission guidelines.
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2021 WRITING CONTESTS

Awards for all contests:
 
1st Place: Your choice of a 2 night stay at our Mountain Muse B&B (at a "safe" future date); or 3 free workshops; or 50 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


 28th ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST    Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by March 31, 2021.
 
Guidelines:
Your name, address, and email should appear on the first page.
The entry fee is $25 ($20 for Workshop members) for every three poems.
Multiple entries are accepted. Each poem should not exceed two pages.
Enclose self-sealing SASE for critique and list of winners.
  Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:  Poetry Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805. The entry fee is also payable online at twwoa.org.
Emailed submissions may be sent (in Word Doc) to writersw@gmail.com, with "Poetry Contest" in the subject. Critiques will be emailed back, so no SASE is required.                                        
 

HUMOR ME WRITING CONTEST  
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by June 30, 2021

 Guidelines:
Email or snail-mail a humorous story (fiction or non-fiction) of 5,000 words or less. Use of witty, dry humor is encouraged. 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. Mention if this is fiction or not.
The entry fee per story is $25/$20 Workshop members. Multiple entries are accepted.   Enclose self-sealing SASE for critique and list of winners. Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:
Humor Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805.
    Emailed submissions may be sent in Word doc attachment to writersw@gmail.com, with “Humor Contest” in the subject.  No sase is required – comments will be emailed.  
PLEASE NOTE: FOR THIS NEW CONTEST, PLEASE PAY THE ENTRY FEE BY CLICKING HERE.


   HARD TIMES WRITING CONTEST
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by August 30, 2021
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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 a self-addressed, self-sealing stamped envelope for critique and list of winners, and the reading fee of $25 per entry. Multiple entries are accepted. Please make check or money order payable to Writers' Workshop, and send to: Hard Times Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, N.C.  28805.
Emailed submissions in Word Doc may be sent to writersw@gmail.com, with "Hard Times Contest" in the subject. Entry fee is payable online at www.twwoa.org
 
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   LITERARY FICTION CONTEST          
Deadline: Postmarked or emailed by Sept. 30, 2021

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 $25 per story. Multiple entries are accepted.   Enclose self-sealing SASE for critique and list of winners. Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to: Fiction Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805. 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, 2021

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 $25 per memoir. Multiple entries are accepted.   Enclose self-sealing SASE for critique and list of winners.  Please make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:
Memoirs Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805.
The entry fee is also payable  at our Registration Page.
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.

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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 our Registration Page, or send check to The Writers' Workshop, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC 28805.  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 and list of winners. 
  • Make check or money order payable to The Writers’ Workshop, and mail to:  [Name of contest], The Writers' Workshop, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC  28805.
  • If you are submitting an entry by mail, you can pay the entry fee online at our Registration Page, or enclose a check with your entry.