Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest is currently accepting entries from writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry who have not yet published or self-published a book.
Literary magazine Ploughshares was established in 1971 and is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious magazines in the United States. Its writers have frequently been recognised by The Pushcart Prize and selected for The Best American Short Stories.
The winning story, essay and poems from the Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest will all be published in the Winter 2019-20 issue of the magazine, with each winning author receiving US$2000 and a review from Aevitas Creative Management.
The contest is open to fiction and nonfiction pieces up to 6000 words; poetry entries must be between 3 and 5 pages. The 2019 contest judges are Ottessa Moshfegh in fiction, Leslie Jamison in nonfiction, and Fatimah Asghar in poetry.
The editors advise that “The Emerging Writer’s Contest was started to specifically highlight writers early in their careers. Ploughshares goes out of its way to attract judges who are writers from diverse literary traditions. As such, we have no specific recommendations for style or voice, but we hope all writers who are interested in seeing their work published submit.”
The winning entries from last year’s contest can be read in full online with judges comments: Anne de Marcken’s Foil (fiction), Laura Price Steele’s These Bodies Will Undo Us (nonfiction) and Alycia Pirmohamed’s collection of four poems.
Entries for the Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest close at noon (North American Eastern Standard Time) on Wednesday 15 May. Entry is free for current subscribers to Ploughshares or non-subscribers receive a one-year subscription to the magazine with their $24 entry fee. For full entry details visit the Ploughshares website.
Writers are also encouraged to subscribe to the magazine’s email newsletter for advice and prompts from the Ploughshares blog to help in the writing process.