Oklahoma City Writers Inc. Contest Categories:

1. Humor: fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Maximum length 2,000 words.

2. Inspirational: fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Maximum length 3,000 words.

3. Juvenile: juvenile fiction, non-fiction, picture books, and book-length fiction and non-fiction for middle grades and up. The maximum length of any submission that is not book-length should be 3,000 words. If your entry is a book-length project, please send only the first 15 pages plus a synopsis or outline. The synopsis/outline should not exceed 750 words. 

4. Essay: any subject that informs, entertains, or persuades. Maximum length 2,000 words.

5. Poetry: any length, style, or theme, traditional or free-verse. Maximum length 20 pages.

6. Short story: any short fiction for adult readers. Maximum length 5,000 words.

7. Flash fiction: an extremely short but complete work of fiction for adult readers. Maximum length 500 words.

8. Feature article: non-fiction article on any subject. Maximum length 2,500 words.

9. Nostalgia: factual story or poem reflecting the past. Maximum length 3,000 words.

10. Book (adult): includes fiction and non-fiction for adult readers. Each entry should include only the first 20 pages (or less) and a separate document containing the book synopsis for fiction or outline for non-fiction, not to exceed 750 words.

11. Crème-de-la-Crème: All first-place winners (regardless if the categories make) will compete for a $50 best-of-the-best award.

​Entry Deadline: The contest opens on September 19 and ends on the October 17, which is the postmark deadline. No entries will be accepted before the September 19 or later than midnight on October 17.

Contest Results Announced at the OCWI meeting on December 19.

Contest Rules:
To avoid disqualification, please follow the rules outlined below before submitting your manuscript(s).
Every entry must contain a cover sheet.

1. Members of the Oklahoma City Writers Inc. who have paid their annual $25.00 membership dues can enter the contest. If entries are co-authored, both authors must be OCWI members. For a single payment of $10.00 a member can can enter all categories.

2. Non-members pay $25 to receive membership benefits and $10 to enter all categories.

3.  If paying at the meeting, please make the check or money order payable to the Oklahoma City Writers, Inc.  (No cash will be accepted).

4. You may enter only one (1) unpublished manuscript per category. The same manuscript cannot be entered in more than one category.

5. Any manuscript that has won a cash prize (1st, 2nd, 3rd place or Crème-de-la-crème award) in any previous Oklahoma City Writers Inc. contest may not be entered again. Manuscripts may have been submitted for publication as long as they have not yet been accepted or published in any format.

6. All entries must be “editor ready” in proper manuscript format. This includes proofreading for grammar, spelling, or any other mechanical and stylistic issue that would cause points to be taken from the entry.

7. Entries may be emailed to: SusanKite@bookscape.net preferred, or OklahomaCityWriters@gmail.com

8. Please indicate 2026 Contest in the subject line, Include only one  manuscript and attached completed cover sheet  for each submission. A cover sheet in either the .docx, doc. or .pdf format will be accepted, and the signature may be typed.

9. Submit files in .docx, .doc, or .pdf  Files in .pages cannot be submitted. Use 8 ½ by 11-inch pages, double-spaced, and printed on one side only. Please use a size 12 font and type all entries using an easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica. 

10. In the upper right header of the first page of each manuscript, include: 
    ● the category name and number
    ● the number of lines for poetry, the number of words for fiction or non-fiction, or the number of pages for books
    All pages must include the manuscript name and page number.  
    Do not include your name, address, or other identifying information on the manuscripts.
    

    Please Note: Judges will provide a completed score sheet for each entry. They are not required to comment on the manuscripts they judge but are encouraged to do so. Feed back for emailed entries will be returned by email.

• First place receives $40

• Second place receives $25

• Third place receives $15

• The Crème-de-la-crème award is given to the best of the best submissions overall. This prize comes accompanied by a $50 cash award.

• Honorable mention awards may be awarded at the judges’ discretion but will not receive a cash award.

Judging: The club will not pay any monetary stipend or payment for services of judging entries in the Oklahoma City Writers Inc. contest. All judging is done on a volunteer basis. We appreciate and thank our judges.

Contest Chair: The Contest Chair is appointed by the President and, at the President’s discretion, a Co-Chair may also be appointed. No one working on the contest, including the chair and the Co-Chair, are permitted to enter the contest.

Cover sheet: The cover sheet will be removed by the chair before the entries are sent to the judges and retained for identifying the winner when the manuscript is returned.

Disqualification: To protect the integrity of the writing contest, any manuscript that is not the original work of the author will be disqualified. The Contest Chair is required to disqualify anyone who is not adhering to the rules and submission guidelines. An ad-hoc committee composed of the Contest Chair and President will convene to resolve any questions that may arise during the contest.