Kent District Library has announced the return of the Write Michigan Short Story Contest. Submissions for the contest will be accepted through Thursday, November 30.
The contest is open to Michigan writers of all ages, with separate categories for youth, teens, and adults.
The stories must not exceed 3,000 words. There is also a $10 entry fee for writers ages 18 and older. Submission is free for writers ages 17 and under. All entries must be submitted through Write Michigan’s website.
The winning stories in the contest will be published in an anthology. There will also be cash prizes given in the following three categories: Judge’s Choice ($500), Judges’ Choice Runner-up ($250), and Readers’ Choice ($250). The panel of judges will be comprised of published authors, editors, professors, and literary agents. The Readers’ Choice winner will be determined by a public vote.
The 2024 Write Michigan awards ceremony will be held in March. Award-winning author and Michigan resident Gary Schmidt will be a keynote speaker at the ceremony. His work includes Orbiting Jupiter (2015), Okay for Now (2011), and The Wednesday Wars (2007). He also wrote a short story for the 2017 Star Wars anthology book From a Certain Point of View, which featured Yoda. Schmidt will also write the foreword to the anthology.
“This contest gives writers the opportunity to reach their goal of getting published,” said KDL Marketing Communications Specialist Katie Zuidema. “Not only do writers have the chance to win $500, but their story could also be available to the masses on bookstore and library shelves across the state.”
Submissions for the Write Michigan Short Story Contest will be accepted through November 30.
