Summer Fun Adult Writing Contest

About This Project

The New Orleans Public Library wants your short story or poem for our 2024 Summer Fun Adult Writing Contest. This year's theme  is "Adventure." You’re invited to interpret the theme any way you like. Adventure could mean a camping trip or a trip to Mars, forging a trail through a magical realm, or turning towards a new path in life. 

Winning entries will be selected on originality, quality, and relevance to the theme. Three winners in each category will receive an Amazon Gift Card: 1st place $100, 2nd place $50, 3rd place $25.  

The top 10 submissions in each category will be published in the 2nd edition of RENEWED: A New Orleans Public Library Anthology in 2025.  

Prizes and publications are made possible by Friends of the New Orleans Public Library.

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Submission Guidelines

Sharing Your Content

Additional Information

Submission Guidelines:  

  • Entrants must be a resident of Orleans Parish and have an active New Orleans Public Library card. 
  • One entry per person of one piece of fiction or up to 3 poems. One poem per submission will be eligible for prizes and publication.  Entries must be no more than 2,000 words total.   
  • All writing must be the original work of the participant and not previously published.  
  • Do not include your name or other identifying information in the submission document.  
  • Writing should be suitable for a general audience. 
  • Winners will be notified by the email or phone number provided. 

Rights and Permissions:  

Submission to this contest grants the New Orleans Public Library non-exclusive print and electronic rights to all winning entries  and honorable mentions. The author retains all permissions and copyright to the submitted work. Winners will be honored at a celebration and reading, date to be determined. 

Participation in the contest permits the New Orleans Public Library to use winners’ photographs, names, and/or likenesses for promotion of the library without further compensation. All information gathered is for the use of the New Orleans Public Library in administering the contest and will not be shared except to publicize the winners.

Submission Deadline

April 30, 2024

File Types Accepted

EPUB2, EPUB3, PDF, DOCX, JPG

Age Requirements

Open to ages 18 and over