Wisconsin Writers Awards Nominations

press release: It’s CWW contest time, again!

After a year’s hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council for Wisconsin Writers is holding its 56th annual awards contest. Entry period is Nov.1, 2021-Jan. 31, 2022.

Wisconsin writers are invited to enter work published during the 2021 calendar year in the following categories: Book-length fiction; Book-length nonfiction; Book-length poetry; Short fiction; Short nonfiction; Children’s literature; A set of five poems, two of which must have been published in the contest year; Young Writers Award.

First-place winners in all categories except the Young Writers Award will receive $500 and a one-week writer’s residency at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point. Honorable mention recipients will receive $50 and a one-week writer’s residency at the Painted Forest Study Center Valton.

The Young Writers Award includes works of poetry, fiction, essay, memoir, journalism, humor and drama. This award recognizes Wisconsin high school students who excel at the craft of creative writing. The first-place award includes $250. Honorable-mention winner will receive $50.

Entries for all categories must be postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2022. Writers who enter must be current Wisconsin residents.

The entry fee for all contests except the Young Writers Award is $25. There is no fee for Young Writers Award entries.

CWW membership is not required to enter, but members are entitled to one free entry. Out-of-state judges will make the selections. The Young Writers contest will be judged by the CWW Board of Directors.

The Christopher Latham Sholes Award, which is presented biennially, honors an individual or organization for outstanding encouragement of Wisconsin writers. The award is named for Christopher Latham Sholes who is credited with inventing the first practical typewriter. The Sholes Award recipient, who will be selected by the CWW Board of Directors, will receive $500.

Awards will be presented at a celebratory event in May. Details to be announced later.

Specific guidelines, entry forms and important additional information for each award category are on the CWW website.

Please address general questions about the contest to CWW Publicity/Blog Manager Jerrianne Hayslett at jerrianneh@gmail.com. Questions about individual contest categories should be addressed to the category co-chair. Co-chairs are listed with their contact information on the 2021 Entry Forms section of the CWW website.

We look forward to receiving entries for our contest.