ILLINOIS EMERGING WRITERS COMPETITION

General Information

Created by Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award promotes creative writing while providing a unique opportunity and outlet for recognizing new literary talent in the state.

The competition is open to unpublished Illinois residents age 18 and over. Cash prizes will be awarded for the winning entries: $500-first place, $300-second place and $100-third place. Winning poems also will be submitted for possible publication in Ninth Letter, RHINO, and Quiddity magazines and Poetic License Press publications.

We gratefully acknowledge Illinois Poet Laureate Kevin Stein for his continued support of this competition. Kevin will be the final judge of the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award.

Questions

If you have any questions about the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition, please contact Bonnie Matheis, the Coordinator of the Illinois Center for the Book.

2013 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

The competition will, once again, welcome poetry entries. Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2013. Winners will be officially announced in early November 2013.

• Emerging Writers Competition Entry Form
• Emerging Writers Competition Flyer

2012 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award winners

1^st -- Greg Harrell of Homewood for his poem Rum Runner
2^nd  -- Dane Hamann of Steger for his poem Daniel Hudson Burnham
3^rd -- Hannah Kucharzak of Chicago for her poem Anatomy Index
Honorable Mention –- David Lipowski of Tinley Park for his poem The Heart

Beginning in 2012, the Illinois Secretary of State's office will only sponsor the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award of the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition. This decision comes with the narrowing of government activities in the Secretary of State's office and is consistent with the hiatus of several other important continuing programs of the Illinois State Library.

2011 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award winners

1^st -- Christine Pacyk of Arlington Heights for her poem Postcards from Paris, Valdosta
2^nd  -- Jonathan R. Veach of Carbondale for his poem A Death in Baton Rouge
3^rd -- George Tanner of Yates City for his poem A mercy killing

James Jones Short Story Award winners

1^st -- Paul Heinz of Elmhurst for his short story Water Music
2^nd -- Irene Sedeora of Morton for her short story Arenal
3^rd -- Camille Bromley of Bloomington for her short story The World is Made of Hello and Goodbye

2010 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award winners

1^st -- Keli Stewart of Oak Park for her poem after birth
2^nd  -- Elizabeth Ziglinski of Marion for her poem Echoes
3^rd -- Andrew Galligan of Chicago for his poem Leaf Dried to Muddy Drain

James Jones Short Story Award winners

1^st -- Cristina Carrera of Summit for her short story Stray Dogs
2^nd -- Tacuma R. Roeback of Chicago for his short story Catharsis/Cox
3^rd -- Janice Croom of Bloomington for her short story Twenty-five Years is Silver

2009 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award winners

1^st -- Vincent Francone of Chicago for his poem Chicago
2^nd  -- Valerie Wallace of Chicago for her poem The Poem Stays
3^rd -- Mary Hotlen of Rockford for her poem Year of Psalms

1^st -- Baird Harper of Chicago for his story Futures
2^nd -- Colby Cuppernull of Chicago for his story At the End of the Day
3^rd -- Deanna Sue Cording of Galena for her story Driving Lessons

Past Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Winners

• View Past Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Award Winners