William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition
The William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, organized by The Pirate’s Alley Society, Inc., aims to discover and support talented writers. Open to previously unpublished work, the competition features nine categories, including Novel, Short Story, and Poetry.
Interested in the competition?
Competition Overview
All writers, including international participants
Eligibility
Varies by category and manuscript length, starting from $15
Entry fee
December 1, 2024 – May 15, 2025
Submission deadline
September 25, 2025 (Mr. Faulkner's birthday)
Winners Announcement
Competition Details
1. Overview
The William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition is an annual event sponsored by The Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, Inc., a non-profit literary and educational organization. The 2024-25 competition opens on December 1, 2024, and entries are due by May 15, 2025. Winners will be celebrated at the Faulkner Society’s annual meeting and black-tie gala, part of the “Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner!” weekend.
2. Categories
- Novel
- Novella
- Narrative Non-Fiction
- Novel-in-Progress
- Short Story
- Essay
- Poetry Collection
- Individual Poem
- Short Story by a High School Student
3. Prizes
- Category One (Novel/Short Story Collection): $7,500
- Category Two (Non-Fiction Book): $2,000
- Category Three (Novella): $1,500
- Category Four (Short Story): $1,500
- Category Five (Book-in-Progress): $1,500
- Category Six (Essay): $1,000
- Category Seven A (Single Poem): $1,000
- Category Seven B (Poetry Collection): Publication and $1,500
- Category Eight (Short Story by a High School Student): $750 (plus $250 for the sponsoring teacher)
Submission Details
1. Entry Guidelines
Work must be previously unpublished, including self-published works unless fewer than 500 copies are sold. Works published in full online are ineligible.
2. Submission Requirements
Manuscript Format: Submissions must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
Two Documents Needed:
- Contact Document: Include author’s name, address, email, phone number, category, title, and word count. Title it with the author’s name and “Contact Info.”
- Entry Document: Include a title page, one-page synopsis (if applicable), and manuscript. This document must not include identifying information and should be titled with the abbreviated form of the title and category.
