Skip Navigation

Original Writing Competition

About The Competition

This annual competition, established in 1958, identifies and awards Utah writers for works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in the form of short stories, essays, poems, and full-length manuscripts. Submissions must be original works and unpublished or accepted for publication at the time of entry. Manuscripts will be reviewed in a blind process by five to seven judges selected from outside of Utah.

Past award winners have included Ron Carlson, former Utah Poet Laureates David Lee and Ken Brewer, current Utah Poet Laureate Katharine Coles, Pam Houston, Lyman Hafen, Margaret I. Rostkowski, Lance Larsen, John Bennion, Scott Cairns, Rod Carney, and Susan Howe. There is no entry fee for the competition, and it is open to all Utah residents.

Competition Applications & Guidelines

2011 Winners

2011 Original Writing Competition Awardees
Right to left: Dave Jones, Erin Jackson, Lance Larsen, Danielle Dubrasky, Larkin Weyand, James Ure, Ned Snell, Shauna Brock, Mikey Stephenson, Rachel Marston, Dawn Lonsinger, Michelle Stimpson, Larry Menlove and Maximilian Werner

Novel

1st Place - James W. Ure, Salt Lake City, Skywriting
2nd Place - Rachel Marston, Salt Lake City, How to Speak to God
Honorable Mention - Shauna K. Brock, Salt Lake City, Shadows in the Spotlight

Biography/Autobiography

1st Place - Lance E. Larsen, Provo, Seventeen Ways to Float
2nd Place - Maximilian Werner, Salt Lake City, Gravity Hill

Collection of Short Stories

1st Place - Larkin G. Weyand, Lehi, All the Pennsylvania Left to See
2nd Place - David M. Jones, Salt Lake City, O’Connor Court and Other Stories
Honorable Mention - Larry Menlove, Payson, Fur or Feathers, the Teeth or Venom

Young Adult Book

1st Place - Michelle Renee Stimpson, West Jordan, Somalis Don't Say a False Proverb
2nd Place - Erin R. Jackson, Provo, Banyan Trees

Poetry

1st Place - Danielle Beazer Dubrasky, Cedar City, "The Sand Man"
2nd Place - N. Colwell Snell, Salt Lake City, "Withdrawal"

Short Story

1st Place - Lance E. Larsen, Provo, "Ode to Milk"
2nd Place - Adrian E. Stumpp, South Ogden, "Nativity: A Christmas Story"
Honorable Mention - Eirene R. Henderson, Provo, "Burnt Offering"

Essay

1st Place - Erin R. Jackson, Provo, "Amputations"
2nd Place - Dawn Lonsinger, Salt Lake City, "Consonance"
Honorable Mention - Mikey Stephenson, Murray, "Waiting for the Morning Sun to Rise"

Download Judges' Biographies

Past Competitions

 

Questions?

Contact David Pace via email or call 801.533.5760