wyoming writers, Inc.
America's 250th Anniversary WRITING CONTEST
Sponsored by Wyoming Writers, the Wyoming Arts Council, and the American Heritage Center
Contest Guidelines
Themes:
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Honoring Our Past: Commemorate Wyoming’s history, places, and people.
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Examining Our Present: Review Wyoming’s role in America today.
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Imagining Our Future: Plan for Wyoming’s leadership in America’s future.
Rules and restrictions:
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Submission of work to contest confers permission to Wyoming Writers, Inc. and the Wyoming Arts Council to publish winning title and author’s name promotional materials.
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Entries must be original, unpublished work, and the author’s sole and exclusive property.
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Submission to our contest must not violate any copyright, trademark, privacy, or publication right.
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Simultaneous submissions accepted.
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Entrant retains all rights except for award announcements.
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Authors are prohibited from using generative AI to craft their entries. Assistive technology such as spell check, grammar check, and speech-to-text are not generative AI and are allowed.
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Judges reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not follow submission guidelines.
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Submissions must indicate which one of Wyoming’s Semiquincentennial themes their work is addressing:
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Honoring Our Past
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Examining Our Present
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Imagining Our Future
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Judging:
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Judges will receive materials without identifying information.
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Entries will be judged anonymously.
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All judges’ decisions are final.
Awards/Prizes:
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Three (3) first place winners in the Children’s categories will receive $100
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Three (3) first place winners Young Adult/New Adult categories will receive $100
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Three (3) first place winners in Adult categories receive a prize of $250
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Winners’ certificates and prize money will be awarded at the Wyoming Writers Inc. Annual Conference in Casper on June 5-6, 2026. Winners unable to attend will be mailed award payments and certificates following the Conference.
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Winners will be asked to submit an excerpt, bio, or other material for publication and marketing purposes.
Ages, Category Definitions, Word Count Limits, and Entry Limits
Entry Age Categories
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Children (aged 12 and under)
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Young Adult/New Adult (ages 13-22)
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Adult (aged 22 and up)
Winner Categories
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Children
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Flash Fiction ($100)
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Non-Fiction ($100)
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Poetry ($100)
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Young Adult/New Adult
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Flash Fiction ($100)
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Non-Fiction ($100)
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Poetry ($100)
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Adult
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Flash Fiction ($250)
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Non-Fiction ($250)
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Poetry ($250)
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Entry Categories Explained
Prose Categories
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Flash Fiction:
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1000-word limit per entry
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All genres accepted
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Non-fiction:
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2500-word limit per entry
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Memoir, opinion/essay, creative non-fiction, historical monograph all accepted
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Poetry Categories
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Traditional poetry:
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Formal, regular meter, rhymed, etc. are accepted.
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Specify the form of each poem: i.e. sonnet, limerick, ballad, ode, haiku, etc.
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40 lines maximum per poem.
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One submission per poet.
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Free verse:
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40 lines maximum per poem.
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One submission per poet.
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Required Format
All Submissions:
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No pictures or illustrations will be accepted, only text.
Prose:
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Only online entries accepted.
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Online entries must use the following format for the file names: Title, Category, ### Words
(Example: A Christmas Carol, Adult Fiction, 1,500 Words)
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Place title and page number in the header on each manuscript page.
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Use standard (e.g., Arial, Courier, Times New Roman) 12-point font, double spaced.
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One-inch margin minimum.
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Author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript to be judged.
Poetry:
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Only online entries accepted.
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Online Entries must use the following format for the file names: Title, Category, ### Words. (Example: The Canterbury Tales, Traditional Poetry, 1,073 Words)
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One poem per page preferred, but 40 lines may require a second page.
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Place title and page number in the header on each page.
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May use various spacing.
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No fancy fonts; no colors.
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Author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript to be judged.