The 2024 Writing Contest is Now Closed
The Writing Contest
Show us your best writing!
This year’s theme is Movement. You are encouraged to interpret this theme as literally or figuratively as you desire. Submit entries for prose, poetry, or both in either the teen or adult categories.
Final judges for the Books by the Banks writing competition will be distinguished local writers. Awards and prizes will be presented in-person at Books by the Banks. Winning entries will be shared in a print compilation at the festival.
Check back here soon to see results.
Cash Prizes
Adult Prose & Poetry Prizes
1st place: $400
2nd place $200
3rd place $100
Teen Prose & Poetry Prizes
1st place $150
2nd place $100
3rd place $50
Contest Rules
- Participants must be residents of Indiana, Ohio or Kentucky, or be attending school in one of these states at the time of submission.
- Participants may submit only one manuscript per category.
- Entries should not exceed 10 pages.
- All entries must be uploaded by Monday, September 30, 2024.
- Submitted work must be original and unpublished, either in print or online, at the time of entry.
- Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- To ensure anonymous judging, remove all identifying information from your manuscript.
- Teen participants must be 13 years old by November 16, 2024.
- Entries generated in any part through the use of artificial intelligence programs (AI) will be disqualified.
