Creative Writing Contests Entry Form

How to Enter

  • Authors' names must not appear anywhere in the submitted files or the filenames.
  • Submit one file for each contest you are entering. Each file must be a PDF or Word document (.pdf, .doc or .docx) following this format:
    • 12 pt font
    • black text
    • single spaced for poetry, double spaced for prose
    • 1" margins
  • Fill out this form only once per year. If you are entering multiple creative writing contests, you should submit all of your materials at the same time.
  • The deadline for 2022-23 will be announced in spring on this page and on the Writing Contests page.

Please note that this form is for creative writing contests only. (The Undergraduate Gaffney Scholarly/Critical Essay contest, for example, uses a different form.) Refer to the links and details for each contest on the Writing Contests page.

Eligibility

  • Contests are open only to currently enrolled UNL students.
  • Graduate contests are open only to UNL English graduate students.
  • Graduate students are eligible to submit to contests they’ve won in previous years.
  • Undergraduate contests are open to UNL students of any major unless specified
  • Undergraduates are not eligible to submit to contests they have already won in previous years.
  • No more than one prize award will be given to any individual in the same year.
  • Students who are UNL employees will have federal and state withholding deductions reflected in their award check.
Entrant
Academics and Employment
Rank
Graduate Contests
Indicate which contests you wish to enter (check all that apply)
Undergraduate Contests
Indicate which contests you wish to enter (check all that apply)

Please note that the Wilbur Gaffney Scholarly/Critical Essay Contest requires a different entry form.
The Vreeland Awards - Poetry

Required materials: A portfolio of representative creative writing in a single genre. Poetry portfolios are limited to 20 pages or 20 individual poems

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
The Vreeland Awards - Prose

Required: a portfolio of representative creative writing in a single genre. Prose portfolios (fiction and/or creative non-fiction) are limited to 50 pages, double-spaced (approx. 12,000 words)

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Mari Sandoz/Prairie Schooner Awards for Short Story

Required: One short story, 7,000 words or less

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
The Susan Atefat Peckham Fellowship

Required: A creative nonfiction piece (limited to 20 pages of prose - approximately 5,000 words) or a maximum of 200 lines of poetry in any combination

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Gaffney/Academy of American Poets Award for Poetry

Required: maximum of 200 lines of poetry in any combination

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Sunita Jain Literary Award

Required: maximum of 200 lines of poetry in any combination

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Vreeland Undergraduate Poetry

Required:

  1. A portfolio of representative creative writing in a single genre.
    1. Poetry portfolios are limited to 20 pages or 20 individual poems.
  2. A brief cover letter that offers insight into your experience with creative writing at UNL.
    1. While your portfolio must be either all prose or all poetry, you may speak in your cover letter of your work in multiple genres.
One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Vreeland Undergraduate Prose

Required:

  • A portfolio of representative creative writing in a single genre.
    Prose portfolios (fiction and/or creative non-fiction) are limited to 50 pages of text, double-spaced (approximately 12,000 words).
  • A brief cover letter that offers insight into your experience with creative writing at UNL.
    While your portfolio must be either all prose or all poetry, you may speak in your cover letter of your work in multiple genres.
One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Marjorie Stover Awards for Short Story

Required: One short story limited to 20 pages (approximately 5,000 words)

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Undergraduate Student Awards for Poetry

Required: A maximum of 200 lines of poetry in any combination

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Wilbur Gaffney Personal/Creative Non-Fiction Essay Contest

Required: One essay (5,000 words or less)

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.