2021 Writing Contest
Rules and Categories
SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Best Book of 2020 (fiction and nonfiction) – August 1, 2021
Everything else – August 31, 2021
Non-Members
$30.00 Membership + $15.00 Contest entry + $2.00 For Pay-Pal Cost
Members $16.00 Contest entry
2021 Adult Writing Contest Categories
NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, prizes are a certificate of achievement plus 1st $50, 2nd $30, 3rd $20. Honorable Mention, if granted, receive a certificate.
S1 Humorous Short Piece
Go Ahead. Make me laugh but do it fast!
Limit 3000 words
Sponsor: Russell Gayer
S2 Flash Fiction Story - EXACTLY 100 Words
Tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end inspired by the photo prompt in precisely 100 words.
Limit: EXACTLY 100 words.
Sponsors: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and Jan Fields
Photo Prompt for the Flash Fiction Category
S3 Inspirational Romance
Write an inspirational romance, set in any time period, that inspires the reader to be a moral fiber in a weather-worn fabric. Story must have the essentials of a romance, including a HEA (Happily Ever After) ending.
Limit: 2,000 words
Sponsor: Diane Yates
S4 “I didn’t see that coming!” O’ Henry Style Story
Write a story that concludes with a “wow I didn’t see that coming” ending.
Limit: 1,500 words.
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
S5 Paranormal Western
Tell a story that is both western and paranormal.
Limit: 1,500 words
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
S6 Western Short Story
Write a Western short story with a beginning, middle, and end. Must be set in America, in the frontier before 1900.
Limit 3000 words
Sponsor: Duke Pennell
S7 “Write the Old Stuff" Historical Fiction
Write a historical tale set before 1970. Historical figures may appear, but this must be a fictional story coming from your own imagination.
Limit 2,000 words.
Sponsor: Nancy Hartney
S8 Jeanie's First Love historical Western in honor of Jeanie Horn.
Write about a first love set in the old west. It can be a romance or the love for a horse, a place, or an atmosphere. Make me feel the emotion.
Limit: 2500 words
Sponsors: Bonnie and Richard Tesh
Prizes: 1st $25, 2nd $15, 3rd $10
N1 Memoir & Creative Nonfiction
In memory of Black & Kiddo. An interesting true story or essay of something you have experienced or witnessed.
LIMIT: 3,000 words.
Sponsor: Brenda Black
N2 Nonfiction Article
Any nonfiction article that is targeted for a specific magazine may be entered. The targeted magazine must be listed on the manuscript. List source for any quotes. This is not an essay category.
Limit: 750 words
Sponsor: Veda Boyd-Jones
N3 Crawford Humorous Anecdote Prize
Write a humorous anecdote of about 1 page.
Limit: 300 words
Anecdote (definition): a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.
Sponsor: John “Doc” Crawford
Prizes: 1st $25, 2nd $15, 3rd $10, 3 HMs $5
P1 Crawford Poetry Prize
The theme is "Courage in Crisis." This might include a portrait of a hero of a crisis. The form will be free verse.
Limit: 36 lines.
Sponsor: John “Doc” Crawford
Prizes: 1st $100, 2nd $50, 3rd $25, 1st HM $15, 2nd HM $10, 3rd HM $5
P2 Haiku
Set a vivid scene
While making me feel something.
In five-seven-five
LIMIT: 17 syllables
Sponsor: Jan Morrill-Vanek
Prizes: 1st $25, 2nd $15, 3rd $10
B1 Best First Page of a Fiction Book in Progress
Share the first page of your WIP (work in progress) and be sure to pull us into your story. You can start near the top of the page. Be sure to give the book title.
LIMIT: 1 page
Sponsors: The Prose Squad: April Brock, Bonnie Tesh, Darrell Lacey, and Margarite Stever
B2 Best Published Fiction Book of 2020
Best fictional book in hardcover, paperback or ebook published during the calendar year of 2020 (book must show a copyright date of 2020 and have an ISBN).
Sponsor: Billie Holladay Skelley
1 prize of $100
B3 Best Published Nonfiction Book of 2020
Best nonfiction book in hardcover, paperback or ebook published during the calendar year of 2020 (book must show a copyright date of 2020 and have an ISBN).
Sponsor: Veda Boyd-Jones
1 prize of $100
Questions?
First, read carefully. Everything you need is in here. If you can’t find it, email OWL “dot” contests “at” gmail “dot” com.
Join us for another exciting year of award-winning writing. OWL members may enter as many of the adult categories for a flat fee of only $15! NON-members may pay $45 to include membership and contest entry.
Not a member yet? You are most welcome to join and submit your entry fee at the same time by check for $45 or via the PayPal button.
Gratitude and Appreciation
First things first: We sincerely thank all our contest sponsors. Every category you see is here because a generous person or group donated the prize money. There would be no writing contests without YOU! Sponsors are listed with their categories.
What You Get for Your $15 Contest Entry Fee:
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A chance at a cash prize!
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You may enter as many categories as you like, making it much more affordable than others that charge you per category or include an expensive three-figure conference!
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You get motivation to WRITE.
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The categories and themes give you some guidance, so you’re not staring clueless at a blank screen.
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You can use your entries in other contests or submit for publication afterwards.
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Since we are a regional group and not a national one, your odds of winning something are higher!
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Winning any prize, even an honorable mention, empowers you to use the brag-worthy accolade of “award-winning author” and a credit to add to your portfolio.
How to pay the contest entry fee:
You may pay online or via check.
Online: Use our handy PayPal button. Please note: There is a $1 charge to cover the PayPal processing fees.
Snail Mail: Send $15 if you’re a member, or $45 to include membership and contest fee ($30 for student membership plus entry) to:
OWL Contests
c/o Russell Gayer
20053 Pug Gayer Road
Fayetteville, AR 72703
Please note: This address is ONLY for the contest/membership fee. Contest entries sent to this address will be disqualified.
Writing Contest RULES
General Guidelines
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No gratuitous or graphic violence or sex. Let’s keep it clean.
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Only one entry per category is allowed.
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You may only enter a manuscript in ONE category.
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EVERY piece needs a title, including haiku.
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All entries must abide by the rules, including manuscript and submission expectations. Any deviation, such as a wrong font or font size, lack of a title, or missing author information, will result in disqualification of that piece.
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Physical entries (Best Book/Crawford) must be mailed to the contest coordinator. Contest entries mailed to the treasurer or anyone else in OWL will be disqualified.
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All entries, with the obvious exception of best published book, must be UNPUBLISHED at the time of submission, and be the original work of the writer. (If your entry has appeared in any written form, such as in a blog, website (like Wattpad), or other electronic outlet, it is considered published and ineligible for entry in any OWL contest.)
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Best Fiction and Best Nonfiction Book of 2020 are just that. Any book with a publication date other than 2020 is disqualified.
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Both Best Book categories require an ISBN, or they will be disqualified.
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Submit all entries except Best Fiction Book, Best Nonfiction Book, and/or Crawford Poetry Prize categories via email to OWL “dot” contests “at” gmail “dot” com. See Special Exceptions for those categories that differ.
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Payment of contest entry fee will be verified by the Contest Facilitator. No entry fee, no entry.
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Once published at the opening of the contest period, these rules are fixed and final.
Manuscript Formatting Guidelines
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Improperly formatted manuscripts will be disqualified. You should know your word processor’s settings. If you do not understand how to set your margins, change your font to the standard, add a header, or set the line spacing to double, look it up and get it right before submission.
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TITLE: For the love of all things writerly, GIVE YOUR PIECE A TITLE!
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WORD COUNT: Word limit is just that. The title does not count toward your word count.
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FILE TYPE: All files EXCEPT for Best Book (fiction or nonfiction) must be in MS Word (.doc or. docs) format.
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TITLE LOCATIONS: The title must appear in 3 places: the filename, the header, AND on the first page of your submission. (Exception: Published Books)
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STANDARD FORMATTING: Use standard submission format and rules: Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced (except for poetry), and 1” margins.
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FIRST LINE: Put the contest ID and word count flush left on the first line. Example: N2 Memoir, 1200 words. Categories with no word count designation, such as haiku, poetry, and first page of a WIP, do not need a word count but still need the proper category designation.
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HEADER: Your page should have a header that includes Category ID & story title on the left and page number on the right. EXCEPTIONS: Haiku, Crawford Poetry, and Best first Page. DO NOT include your name.
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EBOOKS: Ebook entry for Best Fiction Book and/or Best Nonfiction Book must be attached to an email as either .PDF, .doc, .docx, .mobi or .epub formats.Full author information must be in the body of the email.
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ATTACHED FILES: The attached submission file(s) must have NO author identification details, but each MUST have the contest identifier (Like B1) and a TITLE. This means that in the submissions (file or files you attach), nothing identifying the author may appear. The only exceptions are Best Nonfiction and Best Fiction Book, which obviously have the author’s name printed in it.
Submitting ELECTRONIC Entries:
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The BODY of your email must have FULL AUTHOR CONTACT Information and SUBMISSION INFORMATION. That means:
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Author Name
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Pseudonym, if applicable
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Mailing Address
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Email
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Phont
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Submission ID, title and word count where applicable
Category ID, title, and word count OF EACH ENTRY attached.EXAMPLES:
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B1–Best First Page of a Fiction WIP – Title
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N1–Magazine Article – Title, word count
YOUR FILES MUST INCLUDE THE TITLE IN THE FILENAME. Please label each file as follows: Contest Designation (Like N1) –Title,
EXAMPLE filename: B1 – Best Book Ever Written
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Suggestion for your sanity’s sake: Put all your contest files into a folder on your computer and write the file names as follows: Contest ID, title. Example: “P1-MountainPoem.”
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Email digital entries to OWL “dot” Contests “at” gmail “dot” com
Special Exceptions: Crawford Poetry Prize and the two Best Book Categories
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For Crawford Prize, send TWO (2) copies of your titled poem and ONE (1) cover page with the title and full author contact information to the contest coordinator.
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For hard copies of your Best Fiction Book and/or Best Nonfiction Book entries: Submit ONE (1) copy of your print book published in calendar year 2020 along with a cover page containing all author information AND THE BOOK TITLE as detailed below. Do not suggest on your submission sheet that “the book has all the information you need,” because no, it does not. Entry sheets that do not list the book title along with full author information are disqualified.
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DO NOT mail contest entry fee checks to the contest coordinator.
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MAIL your Crawford Poetry Prize &/or Best Book Award Entries to the contest coordinator. We need books by August 1, because the mail has been slow lately. Besides, your book was already published, so you aren’t pushing at the last minute to produce a book that was published last year.
Mail to:
Ronda Del Boccio
3455 State Highway H
Lampe, MO, 65681
Once again: SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Best Book (both): August 1, 2021
Everything Else: August 31, 2021
The Rest of the Fine Print:
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You must be an OWL member to enter the contest. You may pay the $30 membership dues plus $15 contest entry fee for a total of $45 in order to participate. Your membership includes information-packed conferences plus other benefits.
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Neither OWL nor the Contest Coordinator is responsible for misdirected or lost entries. You will receive an email to confirm receipt.
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DISQUALIFICATION: Late entries or those breaking any rule are disqualified.
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No manuscripts will be returned, and all will be deleted/destroyed after judging is final. Those entering Best Fiction end/or Best Nonfiction Book Award may have it returned if a mailer AND sufficient postage is sent with the entry. Otherwise, they will be donated.
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Qualified judges will conduct blind judging.
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Judges and sponsors, if OWL members, may not enter the category they judge or sponsor, but may enter other categories.
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Even if we receive three or fewer entries in a category, those will still be judged and awarded prizes.
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First Place winners may not enter that manuscript in any subsequent OWL writing contest.
Get your motor writing!
Congratulations to the 2020 OWL Writing Contest Winners!
Poetry
Haiku
Sponsor: Jan Morrill
1st Place: “Cool Rain in Late June” by Larry Wood
2nd Place: “Question of motive” by Russell Gayer
3rd Place: “Pond in Moonlight” by Margarite Stever
HM: “My Sons” by Terry McDermid
Crawford Poetry Theme: Mountains:
Sponsor: John Crawford-
1st place: "The Mountain” by Russell Gayer
2nd place: A Week in the Mountains” by Terry McDermid
3rd place, "Call to Mato Paha" by Ronda Del Boccio
1st HM: "Rockies at Rest" by Bonnie Tesh
2nd HM "Grandfather Mountain" by Annie Smith
3rd HM: "Goodbye Mountain" by Joy Keeney
Nonfiction
Magazine Article
Sponsor: Anonymous
1st Place: “’For Pete’s Sake’: Charity Gives Cancer Patients a Needed Getaway” by Marti Attoun
2nd Place: “Datura: Toxic Beauty” by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd Place: “Bass Reeves, U.S. Deputy Marshal” by Diana West
HM: “The Terrible McWaters” by Larry Wood
HM: “Keeping Your Leader Dog Happy and Well-adjusted During the Pandemic” by Ronda Del Boccio
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction
Sponsor: Brenda Black
1st Place: “Believing in Thunder” by Ronda Del Boccio
2nd Place: “The Elephant's Whiskers” by Mary-Lane Kamberg
3rd Place: “A Little Different” by Billie Holladay Skelley
HM: "Christmas by Candlelight” by Bonnie Tesh
HM: “I Never Saw My Father Cry” by Jim Hamilton
Short Story
Paranormal Short Story (FICTION): Ghost stories, cryptid hunts, UFO sightings, and the like are all welcome in this category.
Sponsor: Ronda Del Boccio
1st Place: “The Haunted House Contest” by Terry McDermid
2nd Place: “A Prosperity Halloween” by Larry Wood
3rd Place: Lost Souls of Havenhurst” by Rhonda Harvey
Humorous Short Story
Sponsor: Russell Gayer
1st place: “Jenny’s Curtain Call” by Annie Lisenby Smith
2nd place: “Runaway Asses” by Margarite Stever
3rd place: “A Truly Bonafide Random Drawing” by Joan Banks
HM: “Food for Thought (or Idiom Schmidiom)” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Historical Romance
Sponsor: Parris Afton-Bond
1st Place: “The Lady Governess” by Annie Lisenby Smith
2nd Pace: “Out of the Blue” by Cassandra Jordan
3rd Place: “It Had to be You” by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Flash Fiction
Sponsor: Jan Wayne Fields
1st Place: “Dark Star, Bright Light” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Place: “Revenge” by Lonnie Whitaker
3rd Place: “Poverty at School” by Margarite Stever
Western Short Story
Sponsor: Duke Pennell
First Place: “The Sage Grouse and the Bandit Queen” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Second Place: “Showdown at Leadville” by Larry Wood
Third Place: “A Cowboy's Frustration in Manhood” by Michael Koch
Inspirational Story
Sponsor: Diane Yates
1st Place: “Requiem in C Sharp Minor” by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
2nd Place: “The Pear Tree” by Bonnie Tesh
Place: “A Candle in the Window by Cassandra Jordan
HM: “And I Always Will” by Ronda Del Boccio
HM: “Summer of His Life” by Larry Wood
Short Story Western Romance
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st Place: “Home on the Ranch” by Larry Wood
2nd Place: “Mail Order Husband” by Annie Lisenby Smith
3rd Place: “Montana Rose” by Bonnie Tesh
Short Story – O. Henry Style Story
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st Place: “Little Orange Lies” by Marti Attoun
2nd Place: “A Rocky Mountain Prayer” by Larry Wood
3rd Place: “ A Terrible Neighbor” by Margarite Stever
HM: “Order Up” by Ronda Del Boccio
HM: “Operation Tooth Fairy” by Annie Lisenby Smith
HM: “Annabell West” by Haley Humbird
Wilshire Short Story
Sponsors: Dr. Gil Wilshire – in memory of his parents, Professor Bruce and Donna Wilshire
1st Place: “Praying For Rain” by Joan Banks
2nd Place: “Memory Lane by Joy Keeney
3rd Place: "Untitled countdown story" by Haley Humbird
HM “Please, Jesus, Don’t Let Me Wet Myself” by Ronda Del Boccio
Book
Best First Page of a Book in Progress
Sponsors: The Prose Sisters
1st Place: “James E. Hanger and His Artificial Leg” by Mary-Lane Kamberg
2nd Place: "Walnut Creek Chronicles" by Terry McDermid
3rd Place: "Shadow Walking" by Cassandra Jordan
HM "Texas Heat" by Rhonda Harvey
Best Unpublished Book Manuscript
Sponsor: Robert Lawrence
1st Place, "Deadly Mist" by Ronda Del Boccio
2nd Place: "The I Love to Write Poetry Book" by Mary-Lane Kamberg
3rd Place: "Deadly Memories" by Larry Wood
Best Published Book of 2019-2020
Sponsor: Veda Boyd Jones
Fiction: "Where Light No Longer Shines" by H. D. Pelton
Nonfiction: "Ozarks RFD" by Jim Hamilton
HM "Missouri Innovators" by Paul W. Bass
Congratulations to the 2019 OWL Writing Contest Winners!
OWL Youth Writing Contest
OWL Writing Contest
2019 Youth Contest Winners
Poetry
1st Place- “The Piano” by Addysen Garrett, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
2nd Place- “The Words of a Writer” by Savannah Barnett, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
3rd Place- “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Ella Dougherty, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
Short Story
1st Place- “Evelyn and the Imp” by Harmony Ortman, Gainesville High School, Gainesville, MO
2nd Place- “The House that Creams” by Destiny Holt, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
3rd Place- “Satisfaction” by Angelina Curtis, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
Thanks to contest coordinator April Brock.
2019 Writing contest winners
Presidents Award
Brenda Clem Black for Black and Kiddo
Haiku
1st Place - Annie Lisenby for Puerto Rico
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Pernicious
3rd Place - April Brock for Worth It
Honorable Mention - Ronda Del Boccio for Torment
Romance
1st Place - April Brock for Love Conquers Fear
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Dearly Beloved
3rd Place - Karen Williamson for Gypsy
O. Henry Style
1st Place - Larry Wood for Blacklist
2nd Place - Joy Keeney for Desperate Call
3rd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Blind Fate
Humorous Short Story
1st Place - Sasha Ball-Rives for Harebrained Christmas
2nd Place - Larry Wood for Bowled Over
3rd Place - Annie Lisenby for Wasps!
Wilshire Short Story
1st Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for One-Two-Three
2nd Place - Sasha Ball-Rives for Riding the Waves
3rd Place - Annie Lisenby for The Listener
Crawford Poetry Prize
1st Place - Jennifer Johnson Conner for Wild Ozark Song
2nd Place - Bonnie Tesh for Belle Starr and Richey Mansion
3rd Place - Ronda Del Boccio for Branson's Haunted Railway
1st Honorable Mention - Billie Holladay Skelley for Honoring the Plant Doctor
2nd Honorable Mention - Diana West for Ozark Spook Light
3rd Honorable Mention - Larry Wood for Triolet at Carver National Park
Paranormal/Fantasy Fiction
1st Place - Joy Keeney for Hartsville Asylum
2nd Place - Jessica Carrick for Shadowland
3rd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Day of Atonement
Honorable Mention - Jennifer Johnson Connor for Final Flight
Unpublished Manuscript
1st Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for What the Heart Wants
2nd Place - Annie Lisenby for Contributing Members
3rd Place - Larry Wood for Wild in His Sorrow
WIP First Page
1st Place - Ronda Del Boccio for Hypnotic Deception
2nd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Liquid Silver
3rd Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for Manumission
1st Honorable Mention - Gary R. Hoffman for Highway 50
2nd Honrable Mention Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Last Dance with Annie
Underdog Short Story
1st Place - Larry Wood for A Grave Situation
2nd Place - Gary R. Hoffman for Saul and Mordecai
3rd Place - Joy Keeney for Struggles of the Heart
Honorable Mention - Sasha Ball-Rives for Why We Don't Tell
Western Romance
1st Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for A Ruse for Romance
2nd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Between Sisters
3rd Place - April Brock for Bradford's Mare
Honorable Mention - Annie Lisenby for Falling Hard and Running Wild
Memoir/Creative Nonfiction
1st Place - Gary R. Hoffman for Traveling Picture Show
2nd Place - Bonnie Tesh for The Wino Goose
3rd Place - Larry Wood for Decoration Day
Honorable Mention - Jennifer Johnson Conner for The Soul of Wild Places
Best Book Award
1st Place - Brenda Clem Black for Black and Kiddo
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for A Stone for the Journey
3rd Place - Ronda Del Boccio for The All Died Smiling
Honorable Mention - Larry Wood for Show-Me Atrocities