WCCW Writing Contests 2024
It’s that time again! Here is a complete list of 2024 WCCW Conference Writing Contests. This year we offer 28 contests covering a variety of topics and genres. (Here’s an Entry Form.)
And, as always, special thanks to all contest sponsors!
Here are the details…
Contest deadline is July 31, 2024. Entries need to be postmarked by this date.
Each contest comes with a cash award. The amount of the award is listed with each contest.
Open to everyone. You don’t have to be a WCCW member to enter our writing contests. Neither do you have to attend the Writers Conference to participate.
Winners will be announced at the 29th Annual White County Creative Writers Conference, August 31, 2024 in Searcy AR.
The cost to enter contests. The cost is $5.00 for the first entry. $3.00 for each additional entry. Example: Enter 3 contests, the cost will be $11. ($5 +$3 + $3)
Total your entry fees and make one check payable to White County Creative Writers.
Mail entries and fees to:
Dot Hatfield
802 W Center
Beebe AR 72012
You’ll find some helpful formatting guidelines here.
2024 CONTEST DESCRIPTIONS
1. “NOBODY BELIEVES ME, BUT…” Nonfiction story. 2000 words or less.
Sponsor: WCCW
$100/50/25
2. SURPRISE ME! Suspense or mystery with a twist or surprise ending. Include the following elements: a writer, a pet, and a treasure. Minimum 1500 words, maximum 3000 words.
Sponsor: The Penpoint Writers’ Group
$75/50/25
3. MOTIVATION MONDAY. Select a well-known quote and write an essay or blog post suitable to motivate and inspire. Be sure to credit the source of the quote. 700 word max.
Sponsor: BCC Freight Haulers
$75/50/25
4. BECAUSE I SAID SO. 17 line poem, any subject — any form.
Sponsor: WCCW
$50/30/20
5. THE TALLEST TALE. Tell me your tallest tale, any form, any genre, prose or poetry, however long you want it to be. Just don’t call me.
Sponsor: RobertsFamilyArk
$50/30/20
6. TRAIL RIDE
Western short story. Must be set west of the Mississippi and feature a horse or horses. Between 2000 and 3000 words.
Sponsor: Little Red Writing Hood
$40/30/20/10
7. CLIFF-RICK
CliffsNotes meets Limerick. Encapsulate a piece of classic literature into a limerick.
Sponsor: Barry Brown
25/15/10
8. AUTHORS ANONYMOUS 2.0 AWARD
Short story, fiction, mixed genre (combining two or more genres in one piece). 2000-word max.
Sponsor: Authors Anonymous 2.0
$25/15/10.
9. DEL GARRETT’S GIMME THE CREEPS
Male and female ghosts get married. Which celebrities attend the wedding, and who performs the ceremony (not Elvis). Prose — 1000 to 1500 words. Anyone wanting to be published indicate so on the top left of Page One.
Sponsor: Del Garrett
$25/15/10
10. SCRIVENINGS PRESS CLEAN FICTION AWARD
Short Story, any genre. No foul language or graphic sex or violence. 3000 words max.
Sponsor: Scrivenings Press LLC
$25/15/10
11. THE DAY AI TOOK OVER
Short story about Artificial Intelligence taking over. 1500 word max.
Sponsor: Anonymous
1 prize only — $25
12. THE MYSTERY CHOCOLATE CAPER
Compose a story about this topic. Humor is appreciated. 2000 word max.
Sponsor: Debbie Archer
$25/15/10
13. NEWBY CONTEST
For writers who have never won or placed (1st, 2nd or 3rd) in a contest. A story about any kind of storm: stormy weather, a stormy relationship, or any storm of life. Up to 1500 words.
Sponsor: Dot Hatfield
$25/15/10
14. I LOVE THE 70s
A short-story of any style or genre that takes place in the most memorable of all decades. Extra credit for each 70s-related reference: Music, slang, fashion, films, pop culture and cars. Up to 1200 words.
Sponsor: Steve May
$25/15/10
15. GRANNY PREWITT AWARD
A mysterious family heirloom has been passed down from the 1700s, the origin of which is shrouded in secrecy. Include a big reveal at the end. 1000-1500 words.
Sponsors: Micaela Campbell and Anthony Wood
$25/15/10
16. WHEN I WAS 17
Poem, 40 lines or less, any form.
Sponsor: Gayle Glass
$25/15/10
17. MUCH ADO ABOUT ?
Here’s your chance to have your say: Write an essay on something you feel gets way too much attention. Keep it clean, please. 1000 words or less.
Sponsor: Glassworks
$25/15/10
18. A JOB WELL DONE
Children’s story where a kid’s hard work pays off. 700 word max.
Sponsor: Rhonda Roberts
$25/15/10
19. A WALK IN A SHOE’S SHOES
Create a flash fiction story where your shoe (or someone else’s shoe) is the main character. 100-300 words. Sponsor: Arts & Crackers
$25/15/10
20. GIN CREEK AWARD
An acrostic poem about the weather or seasons. 4 to 10 lines. Poet selects the word.
Sponsor: Gin Creek
$25/15/10
21. SHOW ME MYSTERY
A body is found under the porch of an old house, set in any era (historical or contemporary); can be a professional or amateur sleuth. 3000 words or less.
Sponsor: Ellen Withers
$25/15/10
22. WHODUNNIT? AWARD. Murder mystery. A body is discovered with no apparent signs of trauma, and the tox screen is negative. Whodunnit and how? Make it believable. No erotica or profanity. 2500-word max.
Sponsor: Gary Breezeel
$25/$15/$10
23. A TWIST IN THE STORY. Change a major detail in your favorite legend, myth, or fairy tale. Example: What if Cinderella hadn’t lost a shoe? What if Thor controlled something other than thunder? What if vampires drank something besides blood? 2500 word max.
Sponsor: Lindsey Plumbing
$25/15/10
24. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. The Minute Poem is rhyming verse form consisting of 12 lines of 60 syllables written in strict iambic meter. The poem is formatted into 3 stanzas of 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff. Here’s an example.
Sponsor: Donna Nelson
$25/15/10
25. FANTASY SHORT STORY: FOUR FOR FANTASY. Fantasy short story must include all of these 4 elements: ghost (at least one, either real or otherwise), a piece of cookware, a ribbon, and an hourglass (real or otherwise). Max 2,500 words.
Sponsor: Carol Hodges
$25/15/10
26. THE CREATIVE SPIRIT. Personal essay or memoir, nonfiction. Subject or prompt “The Creative Spirit.” Max 2500 words.
Sponsor: Harding University English Department
$25/15/10
27. COZY, SEASONED ROMANCE. Short story. Cozy = no sex, gore or foul language. Seasoned = older characters. 1500-2000 words.
Sponsor: Renee LaViness
$25/15/10
28. DRABBLE STORY. Fiction story told in exactly 100 words. Title does not count in the word count. Story can be any genre.
Sponsor: Don Money
$25/15/10
To enter one of our writing contests:
DOWNLOAD A CONTEST ENTRY FORM