Age limit: 14-18 (But we are willing to be lenient if you are just a little bit older or younger)
Started as a local writing contest in Chicago in 1995, the Young Authors Writing Competition has grown into a yearly international contest of high school writers. Sponsored by the English and Creative Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago, the competition has received tens of thousands of submissions from talented writers all over the world. We are thrilled to award top submissions with cash prizes and recognition in the categories of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Creative Nonfiction: Creative essays in all forms, styles, and subjects. (Includes personal essays, memoir, cultural criticism, and other subgenres.) All entries should be double-spaced and in a 12-point font. Preferred fonts are Courier and Times New Roman.
Fiction: Original fiction in all forms (short stories, novel chapters), styles, and subjects. Creative essays in all forms, styles, and subjects. All entries should be double-spaced and in a 12-point font. Preferred fonts are Courier and Times New Roman.
Poetry: Original poetry in all forms, styles, and subjects. Each individual entry may contain 1-5 poems, with a 10-page maximum for each entry. All entries should be double-spaced and in a 12-point font. Preferred fonts are Courier and Times New Roman.

Each individual entry has a limit of ten pages. The number of words is not fixed, but each work cannot exceed 10 pages. If you are submitting multiple entries, each entry must be ten pages or fewer. We do not accept entries that have been previously published.