Write Michigan
Write Michigan is an event series held by Kent District Library, located in Kent County, Michigan, that is dedicated to nurturing and promoting local literary talent.
Our best-known event is the Write Michigan Short Story Contest, an annual statewide competition that began in 2012 and is open to all ages. We also offer a poetry contest for Kent County teens and a free, biannual writers conference.
Short Story Contest
Short story writers, grab your laptops for the 9th annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest, presented by Kent District Library and Schuler Books.
Writers of all ages can enter, with cash prizes awarded for Readers' Choice, Judges' Choice and Judges' Runner-Up. We also have a category for Spanish-language stories from kids age 11 and younger. Winning entries will also be published by Chapbook Press.
The basics
- One short story per author
- Maximum story length: 3,000 words
- Entry fee: $10 for ages 18 and older (free for ages 17 and younger)
- Contest open to Michigan residents only
- Complete contest guidelines available in English and en Español
What's new this year?
In the past, we've had an all-ages Spanish-language category. This presented a challenge to reviewers and judges due to the wide age range of authors. So this year, we're piloting a Spanish-language Youth category for kids ages 11 and younger. We hope to be able to add Spanish-language categories for teens and adults in the future.
In addition, judges will award one writer a slot in Johnathan Rand's 2021 Author Quest writing camp for kids ages 10-13.
Important Dates
Entries Accepted
September 1 – Noon, November 30, 2020
Review Process
December 2, 2020 – January 6, 2021
Semifinalists Announced
January 11, 2021
Public Voting Online / Judges’ Review
January 11-31, 2021
Winners Announced
February 4, 2021
Awards Ceremony, Anthology Sale & Book Signing
March 13, 2021