Categories: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Senior Portfolios, and Literary Magazines

CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT AWARD DATES:
Submission Period: December 1, 2022 – February 18, 2023. The submission period has now closed for the year.
Postmark Deadline for Literary Magazines: February 10, 2023. The submission period has now closed for the year.
Winners’ List Posted/Winning Teachers Notified by E-mail: March 31, 2023
HSLAA Awards Ceremony: April 2023, TBA

ELIGIBILITY
The 2023 Alabama Writers’ Forum Literary Arts Awards are open to Alabama high school students in grades 9 – 12.

JUDGING
Leading authors and Alabama educators serve as competition judges and will be named with the awards announcement.

LITERARY AWARD PRIZES
Creative Nonfiction/Long Essay (2500 – 5000 words):
1st Place ($150), 2nd Place ($75), 3rd Place ($50)
Judges’ Special Recognition
Certificates of Merit

Creative Nonfiction/Short Essay (1200 words max):
Up to 5 awards of $25 each
Judges’ Special Recognition
Certificates of Merit

Fiction:
1st Place ($150), 2nd Place ($75), 3rd Place ($50)
Judges’ Special Recognition
Certificates of Merit

Poetry:
1st Place ($150), 2nd Place ($75), 3rd Place ($50)
Judges’ Special Recognition
Certificates of Merit

Senior Portfolios:
Four cash awards of $500

Literary Magazine:
Exceptional Literary Content ($150)
Judges’ Special Recognition for Exceptional Literary Content ($50)

Exceptional Graphic Design and Layout ($150)
Judges’ Special Recognition for Exceptional Graphic Design and Layout ($50)

Certificates of Merit for Literary Magazines ($25)

FORMAT FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION, FICTION, AND POETRY ENTRIES
Creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry must be submitted online. Complete online submission form and attach files in a PDF format. Students’ names should appear only on the entry forms since all works are judged anonymously.

Creative Nonfiction: One creative nonfiction entry per student. Entries must be typed and double-spaced. List word count under title. Ex. “My Summer Vacation” 1100 words

Fiction: One fiction entry per student. Entries must be typed and double-spaced.

Poetry: Up to three poetry entries per student. Entries may be single-spaced or double-spaced.

FORMAT FOR SENIOR PORTFOLIOS
Portfolios should consist of 20-50 pages of work from at least two categories required. All entries should be typed and double-spaced, one side only. Poetry may be single-spaced. No illustrations. Entries must include a title page that lists all titles and their respective categories. Students’ names should appear only on the entry forms since all works are judged anonymously.

Categories for Senior Portfolio:
Chapter(s) from a novel accompanied by a one-page synopsis of the novel (25-page total limit)
Creative Nonfiction (one or more essays; 15-page total limit)
Drama (25-page total limit)
Poetry (three shorter poems or longer works totaling no more than 10 pages)
Scholarly essay or research paper with a creative focus (10-page total limit)
Short Fiction (one or more stories; 25-page total limit)

FORMAT FOR LITERARY MAGAZINES
Mail one copy of most recent issue of the magazine published between 2021-2023 with the required entry form. Magazines must consist solely of original student work. Click here to download the Literary Magazine entry form.

Submit Literary Magazines by Mail:
HSLAA, Alabama Writers’ Forum
P.O. Box 4777
Montgomery, AL 36103-4777

USPS Delivery Confirmation is recommended.
Postmark Deadline: February 11, 2023

For questions about submissions, email writersforum@writersforum.org or call (334) 265-7728.