The Alabama Writers’ Forum, a nonprofit partnership program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, invites Alabama high school students (grades 9-12) to submit their writing to the 2026 Alabama High School Literary Arts Awards. Since 1994, the HSLAA has recognized our state’s best young writers in the categories of Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Literary Magazines. HSLAA winners have gone on to become star authors, Emmy winners, playwrights, musicians, scholars, and more!

Categories: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Literary Magazines, and Senior Portfolios (open to seniors only: submit work in at least two competition categories, for example Poetry and Fiction)

CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT AWARD DATES:

Submission Period: December 1, 2025 – February 15, 2026.

Postmark Deadline for Literary Magazines: February 6, 2026.

Winners Announced: April 1, 2026

ELIGIBILITY
: The 2026 Alabama High School Literary Arts Awards are open to Alabama high school students in grades 9 – 12, including homeschool students.

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

LITERARY AWARD PRIZES

Creative Nonfiction (1,200 – 5,000 words)
1st Place ($150), 2nd Place ($75), 3rd Place ($50)
Judges’ Certificates of Merit

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

Poetry:
1st Place ($150), 2nd Place ($75), 3rd Place ($50)
Judges’ 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)

FORMAT FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION, FICTION, AND POETRY ENTRIES: 
Creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry must be submitted as a PDF using our online submission form. 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 competition categories. 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. Combine your senior portfolio submission into one PDF document and submit using our online submission form.

Categories for Senior Portfolio:
Submit work in at least two of the following categories:

1. Chapter(s) from a novel accompanied by a one-page synopsis of the novel (25-page total limit)
2. Creative Nonfiction (one or more essays; 15-page total limit)
3. Drama (25-page total limit)
4. Poetry (three shorter poems or longer works totaling no more than 10 pages)
5. 
Scholarly essay or research paper with a creative focus (10-page total limit)
6. 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 2024-2026 with the required entry form. Magazines must consist solely of original student work.

Submit Literary Magazines by Mail:
Alabama Writers’ Forum
3516 Vann Rd.
Suite 114-A
Birmingham, AL 35235

Or: Submit via PDF using the Online Submission Form.

USPS Delivery Confirmation is recommended.
 Postmark Deadline: February 6, 2026
For questions about submissions, email writersforum@writersforum.org or call (334) 265-7728.