Nonfiction Writing Contest

Midland College (MC) students write nonfiction, and they do it well! They are publishing their research in journals, like the University of Texas at San Antonio's Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Works, and they are submitting work to the Essay section of the Rebecca T. Watson Creative Writing Contest

MC students: Nonfiction writing includes research essays, research reports, memoirs, autobiography, arguments, and analyses. This Nonfiction Writing Contest gives you the opportunity to share the work that you are producing in your coursework and for yourself. Any full-time or part-time student MC student may enter the contest. The contest accepts entries in three categories: 

  • Research Essays/Reports
  • Feature Stories (i.e., profiles of people, places, or businesses)
  • Narrative Nonfiction

Contestants may submit a maximum of three writings in each category. Each category must be submitted separately.

Publication

Selected writings from the Nonfiction Writing Contest will be published in one of the annual Midland College magazines, the Chaparral or the Tableau. A submitted work may also appear on the Midland College website. Material selected for publication will be subject to approval of the President of Midland College.

Formatting Requirements

Each submission should be on a separate page in a Microsoft Word (docx or doc) document. Only submit work in Microsoft Word; do not submit work in PDF, Google Docs, or SharePoint because these are difficult for the conference organizer to work with. Please follow these guidelines in your submission: 

  • Your filename should be the title of the entry.
  • Use 1” margins on all sides.
  • Center the title, capitalizing important letters one inch from the top of the first page.
  • Double-space after the title; otherwise, single-space throughout.

Entering the Contest

The English & Language Arts and Communications faculty invite you to submit your work to this Nonfiction Writing Contest submission link. Contestants may submit a maximum of three writings in each category. Each category must be submitted separately.

Nonfiction Writing Contest Entry Form

Entry deadline

Friday, April 5, 2024

 

Prizes

The 2023 Nonfiction Writing Contest has the following prizes, if warranted: 

  • First Place: $150 and Certificate of Award
  • Second Place: $125 and Certificate of Award
  • Third Place: $100 and Certificate of Award
  • Honorable Mention(s): Certificate of Award

Midland College reserves the right to withhold awards in any category.

Awards ceremony

The in-person awards ceremony for the Nonfiction Writing Contest will be on Wednesday, May 01, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Wagner & Brown Auditorium in the Allison Fine Arts Building of Midland College. 

Questions?

Dr. William Christopher Brown
(432) 685-5568
wbrown@midland.edu

 

Tessa Townsend
(432) 685-4627
ttownsend@midland.edu 

 

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