Current News from the Kansas Authors Club

Last Week for Entering 2025 Writing Contest

6/8/2025

Kansas Authors Club
Annual Writing Contests
Open for Submissions April 1 through June 15

All residents of the state of Kansas are invited to enter the annual literary contests of the Kansas Authors Club. Entries in 18 categories of prose and poetry are accepted April 1 to June 15 with cash prizes presented at the Kansas Authors Club Writing Retreat on October 5, 2025. Winners who cannot attend the awards ceremony will receive awards by mail after the event. All residents of the state of Kansas are welcome to enter, and those who are members get discounted entry fees. Members of the club may reside anywhere in Kansas and beyond.

Read the guidelines.

2024 Participants in the Annual Writing Contests Garner Awards

Submission Reminder: Deadline for Entering our 2025 Writing Contests is June 15

5/31/2025

Ekphrastic Poetry category added
Short Story category now accepting fiction up to 2,500 words
Youth Contest has added a Visual Arts category

Read the complete guidelines for details.

Contest Reminder: Deadline for Entering is June 15

4/30/2025

18 Categories in Prose and Poetry

Poetry Categories in our Adult Writing Contest

Theme Contest
Classical Poetry
Free Verse
Narrative Poetry
Whimsy
Japanese Poetry
Ekphrastic Poetry
New Poets
Rural Voices

Prose Categories in our Adult Writing Contest

Theme Contest
Humor
Memoir or Inspirational
Flash Fiction
Stories Written for Young Readers
Short Story
Playwriting
First Chapter of a Book (unpublished)
Rural Voices

Always Read the Guidelines Before Entering

We Have Writing Contests for All Ages

3/31/2025

Our contest for young writers, grades 3-12, includes categories in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and—new in 2025—visual art. There are no fees for youth entries. The awards ceremony for young writers will take place this year at the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka on September 20, 2025.

Youth Writing Contest Guidelines

Adult Writing Contest Guidelines

Writing Contests Open on April 1!

3/30/2025

Kansas Authors Club Announces Annual Writing Contests Opening April 1 through June 15

All residents of the state of Kansas are invited to enter the annual literary contests of the Kansas Authors Club. Entries in 18 categories of prose and poetry are accepted April 1 to June 15 with cash prizes presented at the Kansas Authors Club Writing Retreat on October 5, 2025. Winners who cannot attend the awards ceremony will receive awards by mail after the event. All residents of the state of Kansas are welcome to enter, and those who are members get discounted entry fees. Members of the club may reside anywhere in Kansas and beyond.

The contest for young writers, grades 3-12, includes categories in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and—new in 2025—visual art. There are no fees for youth entries. The awards ceremony for young writers will take place this year at the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka on September 20, 2025.

“More Than a Manuscript: Words Take Root” is the fall event theme for 2025. In prose, theme entries can be fiction or nonfiction, with a limit of 1,500 words, any genre. In poetry, the theme entries can be of any poetic form. Full guidelines and all category descriptions for adult and youth contests can be found at www.kansasauthorsclub.org
(menu – Writing Contests – All Ages).

As well as short form writing contests, the Club hosts seven categories for books published by its members, including awards for fiction / nonfiction / poetry, books on Kansas history, books for children, and a book design award. The chapbook contest, for books of poetry 49 pages or less, is open to any resident of the state of Kansas, regardless of membership.

Anyone with an interest in writing is invited to become a member of Kansas Authors Club. Organizations such as libraries and businesses that have services for authors may also be interested membership and monthly programs, which are available via Zoom with accessible recordings for those who are not available to attend during the live program. Learn more at www.kansasauthorsclub.org.

Annual Writing Contests - All Ages

Published Book Awards

Q&A: Book Contest vs. Literary Contests

3/14/2025

The following question came up during our 2nd Tuesday Social. It is an important distinction and we wanted to clarify for new members.

Q: I was waiting to submit my published book to the contest on April 1, and now I see that the "preferred deadline" for submission was March 1. Am I too late to enter?

A: Good question! This is an important change to the 2025 contest guidelines.

First, members need to be aware that there are two sets of contests that Kansas Authors Club sponsors annually.

The first is our Book Awards. We have eight awards for PUBLISHED books. In 2025, eligible books were published between June 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. We are honoring the June 15 deadline, but as we are introducing the announcement of finalists for this contest, we would prefer to receive your entries ASAP. Click here for Book Awards guidelines. Read the whole thing before entering!

ONLY Kansas Authors Club members are eligible for the Book Awards contests. It is OKAY to join today and submit your book for the competition.

The second set of contests are our Annual Literary Contests with categories for youth and adult writers. These contests are open to all Kansas Authors Club members (regardless of where you live) and to ANY Kansas resident. If you live in the state of Kansas, you do not need to be a member, but adults will have to pay a little more to enter the contest. There is no charge for youth to enter the contests.

Eligible entries for this contest are short, never-before-published pieces of prose and poetry (there are several categories, review the guidelines for specifics).

Submissions for the Literary Contest are always open from April 1 to June 15. Start on this page and take the time to read the guidelines before you submit. Check out the video at the bottom of the page that walks you through the submission process.

Book Awards

Annual Literary Contests - All Ages

Announcement: 2025 Literary Contest Guidelines are now LIVE!

1/31/2025

For those who like to plan ahead, the guidelines for our 2025 writing contests have been updated and are now available on our website.

Note that our literary contests are for short form, never-before-published work. If you are looking for details about our published book awards, click here.

Read the 2025 Literary Contest Guidelines

New in 2025

Ekphrastic Poetry category added
Short Story category now accepting fiction up to 2,500 words
Youth Contest has added a Visual Arts category

Read the complete guidelines for details.

18 categories in prose & poetry

Share our Press Release!

District 7 Invites Adult and Youth Writers to enter District Writing Contest

5/1/2023

Note: This is a district-sponsored contest, not to be confused with the state contest. Entering one contest does not preclude a member from entering the other.

ADULT CONTEST

District 7 of the Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all writers, 18 and older, living in Kansas or members of KAC living in another state. The contest runs from May 1 to August 15, 2023. You do not need to be a member of District 7 to enter the contest.

Writers should follow the Literary Contest rules on the website www.kansasauthorsclub.org and click on contests. The theme of the contest is “A Moment to Write.” Writers of prose or poetry are encouraged to follow the theme but do not have to adhere to it. There are only 4 categories for this contest: Prose Theme and Non-Theme, Poetry Story-form and Non-Story-form. Writers may not enter more than two entries in any one category.

The fee for each entry is $5.00 and only typed copies will be accepted; do not send e-mail. Prizes in the amount of $25, $15 and $10 will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners in each of the 4 categories. Honorable Mention in each category will receive certificates.

Mail entries to:
Sheryl Brenn, 892 Country Road O, Levant, KS 67743.

YOUTH CONTEST

District 7 of the Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all children from Grades 5 through high school. The age categories are grades 5-6, 7-8, 9-12. The contest runs from May 1st through August 15th. Writers should follow the requirements for the Youth Literary Contest on the website www.kansasauthorsclub.org and click on contests.

The theme of the contest is “A Moment to Write.” Entries should be separated into these categories in each age group: Poetry, Fiction and Non-Fiction. Any youth should have no more than 3 entries.

There is no charge for entering but prizes in these amounts will be awarded $25, $15 and $10 will be awarded to the first, second and third place and Honorable Mention winners in each category. Only typed copies will be accepted. Do not send entries by e-mail.

Mail entries to:
Sheryl Brenn, 892 Country Road O, Levant, KS 67743.

Writing Contests Open April 1

3/29/2023

Kansas Authors Club holds annual contests for writers of all ages. All residents of the state of Kansas are invited to enter. Members of Kansas Authors Club may reside anywhere (and get a reduced entry fee). ALWAYS read the guidelines before entering writing contests. Our guidelines can be found at https://www.kansasauthorsclub.org/writing-contests---all-ages.html

We accept entries April 1 – June 15.

Yes, we do charge fees for our adult writing contests. We are a 501(c)3 organization and our fees go to cover awards, honorariums for judges, and youth contests (there are no fees for our young writers to enter our contests).

KAC Annual Literary Contests Open on April 1st!

3/15/2021

Members,

Take some time to review the contest guidelines for 2021. We open for submissions on April 1.

This year's theme is "Writing Through Difficulties." The contest features eight prose and eight poetry categories, with cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awarded at the 2021 Convention in October.

We also have youth writing contests. Please share this opportunity with your young people and friends and teachers who work with youth.

Our annual writing contests are open to individuals residing in Kansas and current members of Kansas Authors Club, regardless of residence. Members receive a discounted rate on entries.

District 7 sponsors contest: May 1 to August 15 entry period

4/26/2020

Note that this contest is in addition to the state contest. It is not the same contest. All writers living in Kansas are invited to enter, as are Kansas Authors Club members who live in other states.

Contact Person:
Sheryl Brenn
892 County Road O
Levant, KS 67743
e-mail

News Release:
District 7 of the Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all writers, 18 and older, living in Kansas or members of KAC living in another state. The contest runs from May 1 to August 15, 2020. You do NOT need to be a member of District 7 to enter the contest.

Writers should follow the Literary Contest rules on page 68 of the 2019 KAC Yearbook or can find these rules at https://kansasauthorsclub.weebly.com/adult-literary-contest-guidelines.html

The theme of the contest is “Writing (riding) Across Kansas”. Writers of Prose or Poetry are encouraged to follow the theme but do not have to adhere to it.

The fee for each entry is $5.00, Only typed copies will be accepted: do not send via e-mail. Prizes in the amount of $25, $15 and $10 will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners in both prose and poetry. Honorable Mention in each category will receive certificates.

Send entries to: Sheryl Brenn, 892 County Road O, Levant, KS, 67743 phone 785-586-2384. If you’d like your submissions returned, send a self addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate postage. You may send all your submissions in one envelope. Include a cover sheet listing your name and contact information. Do NOT have your name on your prose or poetry submission pages.

2020 Contest Guidelines available

1/19/2020

Kansas Authors Club has annual contests for unpublished work by adults and youth, as well as published book contests.

The guidelines for 2020 contests have been posted.

Adult Writing Contests

Youth Writing Contests

Book Awards

2019 Prose Writer and Poetry Writer of the Year

10/7/2019

Congratulations!

At the 2019 Annual Convention in Wichita, Roy Stucky (D5 member) was named Prose Writer of the Year with eight awards in four prose categories.

The 2019 Poetry Writer of the Year Award went to Roy J. Beckemeyer (D5 member) for eight awards in four poetry categories.

KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB DEFINITION WRITING CONTEST SPONSORED BY DON MARLER

8/7/2019

In an attempt to improve our ability to write with clarity and communicate convincingly with our fellow authors, as well as our readers, I am posting the following challenge to all members of KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB. (I plan to learn a great deal from your responses to my challenge.)

Please take into consideration that all excellent definitions of concepts contain both a genus and differentia, when you compose and send me your own definition of the concept, “IRONY.” Also, include your best written examples of: (1) verbal irony (2) situational irony and (3) dramatic irony. All entries must be sent to my email box, [email protected] by August 31, 2019 at midnight.

I will judge the Kansas Authors Club members entries and award the winner of this exercise with a plaque at our Kansas Authors Club, monthly meeting at Larksfield Place, 7373 E. 29th, Wichita, KS, 67226 on September 14, 2019 at 1:30 pm. (For out of towners, I will give the winner of the award their plaque at the Convention in Wichita on October 4-6, 2019 if they can’t come to town on 9-14-19.)

PLEASE SHOW ME YOUR INGENUITY AND WRITING SKILLS CONFINED TO ONE 8”x10” PAGE!

Don Marler (District V)

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers

6/4/2019

Greetings from Nimrod International Journal. I’m writing with some information about the Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers. This contest offers prizes of $500 and publication in both the poetry and the fiction categories, and it is open only to writers who have had no more than two previous publications in the genre in which they are submitting.

One of the oldest “little magazines” in the country, Nimrod has continually published new and extraordinary writers since 1956. We have always been dedicated to the discovery of new voices in literature, and we offer the Francine Ringold Awards as an opportunity for writers at the same place in their writing careers to compete only against each other.

I am including the contest rules with this email, and hope that you will make them available to the members of your group. Feel free to pass the information along in any way you like—be it in emails, newsletters, or on your website. For more information about Nimrod, please visit our website at https://nimrod.utulsa.edu.

The postmark deadline for submission is July 15th. Thank you for your help in spreading the word about the Francine Ringold Awards to the writers in your writing group. We hope to see your submissions soon!

Best,
Eilis O’Neal
Editor-in-Chief
--

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers.

Prizes: $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.

Contest Rules

Eligibility: Open only to writers whose work has not appeared or is not scheduled to appear in more than 2 publications in the genre in which they are submitting. (Self-published works or works with a distribution of less than 100 copies are not considered toward the count of 2 publications.)

Poetry: Up to 5 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems)
Fiction: 5,000 words maximum (one short story or a self-contained excerpt from a novel)

All work submitted must be unpublished.
Work submitted may be on any theme, any subject.
The contest is open internationally.
Include a cover sheet containing title(s), author’s name, full address, phone, and email.
Omit author’s name on manuscript.

Dates: Contest opens May 1st, 2019. Postmark Deadline: July 15th, 2019.

Online Submissions: Work may be submitted online using our online submission manager system: https://nimrodjournal.submittable.com/submit.

Postal Submissions: Clearly indicate “Ringold Contest Entry” on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Staple manuscript if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Include SASE for results only; manuscripts will not be returned. The results will be posted on Nimrod’s website.

Mail to:
Nimrod International Journal
Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers—Fiction or Poetry (indicate the appropriate category)
The University of Tulsa
800 S. Tucker Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74104

Entry Fee: Each entry must be accompanied by a $12 fee, which includes both the reading fee and a copy of the spring issue of Nimrod. Make checks payable to Nimrod. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each entry must include its own $12 fee.

Literary Contests are now open!

4/4/2019

Every year, all writers in Kansas, as well as any KAC member regardless of residence, are invited to submit work to the literary contest. There are divisions for young writers as well as adults. This year’s contest opens April 1. All entries must be received by June 15.

The youth contest is open to all Kansas students and to student members of KAC. Writers will compete with others at their age level in five divisions, Grades 1-2; Grades 3-4; Grades 5-6; Grades 7-8; and Grades 9-12. The categories include, Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Spoken Word Poetry. The winning entries (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention) of each category and age division will be published in a book. Each writer with work included will receive a copy. Additionally, awards will be presented during a special ceremony at the October convention in Wichita.

The adult contest offers a Poetry division and a Prose division. 2019 Poetry categories include Theme (“Hook ‘em and Book ‘em!), Classical forms, Free verse, Narrative poetry, Whimsy, Japanese forms, Performance (spoken word), and a special category for New Poets.

The 2019 Prose categories include Theme (“Hook ‘em and Book ‘em!), Humor, Memoir or Inspirational, Flash Fiction, Stories Written for Teenagers, Short Story, Playwriting, and First Chapter of a Book–unpublished.

For the first time, there is a special category available for Author’s Blogs or Web Sites. To enter this contest, authors must submit the URL of a website they maintain, a “mission statement” describing the purpose of that website, direct links to at least 3 entries or pages that the author would like to highlight, and a short paragraph detailing how and where the site is publicized and promoted.

Each year Kansas Authors Club also sponsors contests for members who have published books during the previous months. Winners of each book contest are awarded cash prizes of $100.

The Kansas Authors Club Children’s Book Award was created in 2018 to honor the best book written with an audience of children in mind.

“It Looks Like a Million” is an award which focuses on the aesthetics of a book published by a Kansas Authors Club member. The book will be judged on cover design, interior formatting and design, and over-all look and feel of the book.

The Martin Kansas History Book Award was created in 2018 as a tribute to Gail Lee Martin, who was KAC State Archivist from 1995-2005. This book award is open exclusively for books about Kansas history by KAC members.

Created by Raymond and Margaret Nelson in 2002, the Nelson Poetry Book Award recognizes the year’s best poetry book by a Kansas Authors Club poet.

The J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award was established by Mrs. Bertha Coffin to honor the memory of her husband after his death in 1978. It is intended to honor the best published book for the year written by a member of Kansas Authors Club.

What are you waiting for? Write, write, write!

Kansas Authors Club–Like us on Facebook!

Hotel information:
KS Authors Club

This entry is cross-posted at: annchristinefell.com

District 7 Contest Open to all kansas residents, both members and non-members

4/3/2019

District 7 of Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all writers above the age of 18 and living in Kansas, unless they are a member of KAC who lives in another state. You do not need to be a KAC member to enter. Entrants may write about any subject they choose in either prose or poetry. Small money prizes will be awarded. For rules for prose and poetry and length of entry go to <www.kansasauthors.org> and click on contests. Fee for entering is $2 per entry. Only, typed copies of entries will be accepted. Do not send by email. Send entry to Sheryl Brenn, 892 Country Rd. O, Levant, KS 67743-9200. Final date to enter is May 18, 2019. Call 785-586-2384 or 785-269-7123 for more information.

District 7 Announces Writing Contest - Open to all members and writers residing in kansas - deadline for entry may 18, 2019, postmarked

2/17/2019

ANNOUNCING WRITING CONTEST

Members of the 7th District of Kansas Authors Club will be sponsoring a writing contest for the 7th District Gathering to be held in Colby on Saturday, June 8 in the Pioneer Memorial Library at 11:00 a.m. The Library is at 375 W. Fourth Street in Colby. It will be a catered luncheon meeting and contest winners will be invited to attend and read their winning entries to the group.

Ronda Miller, president of Kansas Authors Club, will be the featured speaker at the meeting.

Contest Chairman is Sheryl Brenn, at 892 Country Rd. 0, Levant, KS 67743-9200, Phone 785-586-2384.

The contest is for either prose or poetry entries and is for writers 18 years of age or older. It can be about any subject the entrant wants to write about and must be their own work. Entries must not have been published in any other source.

District 7 includes most of Western Kansas but entrants don’t have to be a member of Dist. 7 or even a member of Kansas Author’s Club, but they do have to be living in Kansas unless they are a member of Kansas Author’s Club who has moved away.

They will be using the rules set by Kansas Authors Club for prose and poetry. Those rules can be found in the Kansas Authors Club year book or on the website. Small money prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners in both divisions and honorable mentions will receive certificates.

Judges will not be members of Kansas Authors Club. You can enter both prose and poetry but a charge of $2.00 must accompany each entry. Make checks payable to Dist. 7, Kansas Authors Club. Do not send cash.

Due to computer problems with last year’s entries, they are asking for a hard copy of your typed entry to be sent to the contest chairman by U.S. Mail no later than Saturday, May 18, 2019. Entries must be postmarked by that date. No email entries will be accepted. Do not put your name on the entry. Use a face sheet with your name, address, and phone number on it so it can be removed and your name will not be seen by the judges.

18 categories in prose & poetry

ADULT CONTEST

YOUTH CONTEST

Congratulations!

Categories

Archives