Unlock Your Writing Potential: Students in Our Writing Competition Preparation Class Are More Likely to Secure Awards
1. What is the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest?
The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is a shortform fiction and nonfiction writing competition, open to all students and adults. This popular, competitive contest has been hosted by Winning Writers since 1991 and received more than 2,400 entries for the 2023 season.
How does the contest work?
The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest accepts submissions of published or unpublished work, and participants compete for an astonishing $12,000 prize pool. There are two main categories for the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest: Story (includes any short work of fiction) and Essay (any short work of nonfiction). The two subcategories for Story are Flash Fiction (with a 1,000 word limit) and Short Story (with a word limit between 1,000 and 6,000 words). The two subcategories for Essay are purely nonfiction Essay and Narrative Nonfiction (both have a 6,000 word limit). Submissions are judged anonymously by Scandinavian-American author Mina Manchester and assistant judge Sarah Halper.
2. Submission Requirements
All writing genres and styles are acceptable for this writing contest, making it perfect for high school students to explore and develop stylistically. Participants may submit multiple entries; there is a $25 entry fee per submission. All entries both fiction and nonfiction may not exceed the strict 6,000 word limit. This competition is not limited to high school students. Anyone from anywhere in the world may submit. Exceptions include submission from Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus. All entries must be written in English.
Acceptable document types:.doc, .docx, .pdf, .odt
Acceptable fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana
To ensure anonymity, remove name/initials, email address, mailing address, phone number, and social media links in your submission.
3. Important Dates
Submission deadline May 1, 2024
Next submission window October 15, 2024 to May 1, 2025
Submit online through an online portal called Submittable (link not yet valid for 2024-2025 season).
4. Awards and Prizes
1st place in Story (fiction): $3,500 cash prize
1st place in Essay (nonfiction): $3,500 cash prize
10 Honorable Mentions receive $500 cash prize each
The top 12 entries will be published online. The top two winners will receive two-year gift certificates from co-sponsor Duotrope—Duotrope is an online resource to help writers and artists find publishers and literary agents.
90% of Aralia Students Win Awards in Writing Contests
Aralia’s writing contest preparation classes have a proven track record of success. Our students consistently win awards, thanks to personalized coaching from award-winning teachers who have years of experience guiding students.
5. Why Participate in a Writing Contest as a High Schooler
Use the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest to prove your passion for creative writing, show off your skills, gain experience for future writing competitions, and build a writing portfolio to include in your college applications. Having your piece published as a winner or Honorable Mention is an excellent opportunity to let Admissions Officers get to know you outside of your Common App essay or school-specific admissions essays.
Additionally, writing contests are priceless opportunities to receive constructive criticism from mentors outside of your school. The second best way to improve your writing—the first being to edit your own work—is to get a fresh pair of eyes for feedback. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest allows students to receive pointers from an expert author with real-world experience publishing work, which is rewarding beyond getting an A on your paper in English class.
Considering pursuing a college major in writing or a potential career as a writer? Entering in writing competitions puts you on the right path to experiencing what that career path may look like. Authors must consistently submit their works to publishing houses and get used to rejections and countless rounds of editing/rewriting. Even if the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest isn’t the right one for you, there are countless other writing competitions for high school students. Try your hand at various competitions to meet likeminded peers, gain valuable feedback, and see where your skills stand in the writing community.
Needless to say, the $12,000 prize pool for the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest also serves as an attractive incentive to participate. While the $3,500 cash prize for winning first place stands out as an exceptionally high reward compared to other competitions, participating in the writing contest is not just about winning first or receiving an honorable mention. The process of thinking creatively and editing/rewriting your work will help you as a student in all areas of subjects.
Whether you’re a STEM student or a humanities student, writing is the most important skill you need in college and beyond. In high school, students are typically limited to learning academic research-based writing. Students aren’t given ample opportunities to exercise their creative writing skills. Writing a non-academic piece of the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is a great way to express yourself as a well-rounded student with an expansive toolbox of writing skills and innovative creative thinking.
Since the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is open to all ages and anyone in the world as well as all literary genres, the competition is intense to say the least. Learn how to stand out in a writing contest as a high school student.
6. Prepare for the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Where do you begin preparing for such a popular writing contest? Start off with reading the past winning essays. In 2023, the winning fiction story was “Sylvia” written by Billie Keplin, and the winning nonfiction essay was “Reflections” written by Jennifer Tubbs. View the full list of entries which received honorable mentions. See what feedback the judge gave for the 2023 winning entries. Skim a few winning entries from 2022 to gain more insights on what this contest typically looks for. Reading advice from a past judge, and the recommended book list can be very helpful as well.
The basic formula for an interesting creative writing piece is a catchy opening, engaging plot, and character development—but your story must have more than the basic formula to stand out in a writing competition. Make sure to avoid other common mistakes high school students make in creative writing.
As all experienced writers say, make your characters complex and show growth throughout the progress of your story. Try putting a bit of yourself in each of your characters. To vary your characters, try interviewing your friends/family to see how they might act differently than your expectations if they were your character.
Read a lot—not just past winning entries, but hailed classics and contemporary pieces too. If you’re writing about a character with mental health issues, do in-depth research on what that realistically looks like. A good example of how an author used research to make a story come to life and gain nationwide recognition is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. On the other hand, fiction doesn’t have to exist in a realistic world. Try defying the laws of physics and see how that can draw your readers in with wonder.
Expand your repertoire of literary tropes. Try using double layer metaphors. We’re used to seeing single layer metaphors in most literary pieces, but what if you deepen your metaphor by alluding to something that then must allude to the actual point? Make your reader curious and think hard on what it is that you’re suggesting. There’re countless ways to improve your writing as a high school student.
Summer is the perfect time for ambitious high school students to brush up on extracurriculars. One of the best ways to improve your writing is simply to write. This summer vacation, always keep a writing tool near you to jot down ideas and note observations of the world/how other people at any time. These tidbits can serve as inspiration for your piece. Writing is a long arduous process with obstacles such as writer’s block, and a winning piece isn’t created until you’ve reworked it innumerable times. It’s better to write an uninteresting paragraph than to write nothing.
“If you want a great first sentence, write it last” (anonymous discussion forum).
7. Take a Creative Writing Class at Aralia Education
At Aralia Education, we offer writing competition preparation classes designed to equip students with the skills and confidence needed to excel in any creative writing contest. Our expert instructors provide personalized feedback and guidance, helping students to refine their unique voice and storytelling abilities. With a curriculum that covers everything from brainstorming techniques to final revisions, we ensure that each student is well-prepared to produce their best work. Join us at Aralia Education and take the first step towards achieving your creative writing goals and standing out in the competitive world of writing contests. Classes include Introduction to Creative Writing and a spring session Writing Competition Class.
