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2026 Call for Submissions: SWW Annual Writing Contest

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The SouthWest Writers (SWW) annual writing competition is now open for submissions.

All writers, new and experienced, are welcome to enter the contest.

Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to participate.

First-, second-, and third-place winners will be awarded monetary prizes and the chance for publication in the 2026 contest anthology By Human Hands.

The submission window closes at midnight on June 8, 2026. Fees vary depending on submission date.

This year’s contest offers eighteen writing categories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus one for short screenplay:

◆ Fiction

  • Opening Chapter of an unpublished novel/novella (three subcategories)
  • Short Story (six subcategories including Young Reader/Middle Grade and Young Adult)
  • Flash Fiction

◆ Nonfiction

  • Opening Chapter of an unpublished book (two subcategories)
  • Short Memoir, Article/Essay

◆ Poetry (three categories)

◆ Short Screenplay

Go to the Contest Page for more details and to enter the contest.

Good luck!

SouthWest Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both published and unpublished writers improve their craft and further their careers. In 2026, SWW celebrates forty-two years dedicated to this goal.



SWW’s 2026 Writing Contest Opens May 1

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The annual SouthWest Writers (SWW) writing competition opens for submissions on May 1, 2026.

Hey AI, tell me a story in the style of…STOP! STOP! STOP! No one wants to hear an artificial story imitating the work of someone else, no matter how smart it might be. We want to hear you, your voice, your story, your passion, by your own hands.

The 2026 competition offers seven main contest categories divided into a total of eighteen subcategories for unpublished fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and short screenplay.

All entries that meet the rules for submission will be judged by a panel of experienced writers and/or experts. First-, second-, and third-place winners will receive monetary awards in each category that receives enough entries for judging.

The contest is open to new and experienced writers. Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to enter. Winners have the opportunity to publish their entries in this year’s SWW contest anthology.

For details about the categories and a complete list of rules, please see the Contest Page.

SouthWest Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both published and unpublished writers improve their craft and further their careers. In 2026, SWW celebrates forty-two years dedicated to this goal.



2025 Call for Submissions: SWW Annual Writing Contest

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The SouthWest Writers (SWW) annual writing competition is now open for submissions.

All writers, new and experienced, are welcome to enter the contest. Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to participate.

First-, second-, and third-place winners will be awarded monetary prizes and the chance for publication in the 2025 contest anthology, Beyond Boundaries.

The submission window closes at midnight on July 8, 2025. Fees vary depending on submission date.

This year’s contest offers eighteen writing categories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus a new category for Short Screenplay.

◆ Fiction Categories

  • Flash Fiction
  • Short Story: Adult, Young Reader/Middle Grade, and Young Adult
  • Opening Chapter of an unpublished novel

◆ Nonfiction Categories

  • Opening Chapter of unpublished nonfiction and memoir
  • Short Memoir, Essay, and Article

◆ Poetry Categories

  • Free Verse
  • Haiku
  • Limerick

◆ Short Screenplay Category

Go to the Contest Page for more details and to enter the contest.

Good luck!

SouthWest Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both published and unpublished writers improve their craft and further their careers. In 2024, SWW celebrated forty years dedicated to this goal.



SWW’s 2025 Writing Contest Opens June 1

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The annual SouthWest Writers (SWW) writing competition opens for submissions on June 1, 2025.

The contest is open to new and experienced writers. Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to enter. Winners have the opportunity to publish their entries in this year’s contest anthology.

The 2025 competition offers seven main contest categories divided into a total of eighteen subcategories for unpublished fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. New this year is a category for Short Screenplay. Main categories also include flash fiction, short fiction and nonfiction, opening chapter of a novel, and opening chapter of a nonfiction book.

All entries that meet the rules for submission will be judged by a panel of experienced writers and/or experts in the specific genre. First, second, and third monetary prizes will be awarded in each category that receives enough entries for judging.

For details about the categories and a complete list of rules, please see the Contest Page.

SouthWest Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both published and unpublished writers improve their craft and further their careers. In 2024, SWW celebrated forty years dedicated to this goal.



UNM Craft Fair Entry Form

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Greetings SWW members!

We are offering you an opportunity to sell some books at the UNM Arts & Crafts Fair on November 9. Unfortunately, UNM is restricting the number of tables any crafter can have to two, so we don’t have the space for a separate authors corner this year. The event is from 10am to 4pm. The SWW office staff will handle all set up and sales so no additional bodies are needed at this time.

The entry form below must be filled out and emailed to the SWW office prior to October 20, 2024. You can copy the text and drop it into an email or Word document or use the .pdf version.

All authors are responsible for dropping off their books and picking up those unsold at the end of the event. They can ask a friend to do that for them, but please notate it on the entry form.

Email finished form to:  info@swwriters.com

UNM Craft Fair form

UNM Arts and Crafts Festival – SouthWest Writers Booth

Author Participation Form (copy and paste into email or word doc)

Rules

Author may enter up to two titles. Six copies per title will be allowed.

The author should designate the cost of the book below. Please round the cost to whole numbers.

10% of all sales will be retained by SWW to cover costs associated with this event.

The author should ensure the books get to the UNM Continuing education building on November 9th prior to the opening time of the craft fair and unsold copies must be picked up by 4:45 pm.

The SWW booth is NOT in our usual meeting space. Upon entering the front of the building turn right. Turn left at the first hallway on the left and enter the room immediately to your right (Room 125).

Fill out the information below and email to:  info@swwriters.com

Author/Member Name:

Email:                                                                        Phone:

 

Book Title #1:  ________________________

Sale price of book:   $__________

(For office only:  Number of this title brought to the event________                     Staff initials:
Number Returned to the Author_____________                       Staff initials:

 

Book Title #2:  ________________________

Sale price of book:   $__________

(For office only:  Number of this title brought to the event________                     Staff initials:
Number Returned to the Author_____________                       Staff initials:

UNM Continuing Education Building is located in Albuquerque on University Blvd, north of Indian School Road.

 

For more information contact the SWW office at info@swwriters.com

Food, Fun, Entertainment and great opportunities to snag unique gifts.

 

 

 



SWW Members Win in Local 2024 VA Creative Writing Contest

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Five members of SouthWest Writers have been recognized at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico for their entries into the 2024 VA Creative Writing Contest.

The winners are:

Mark Fleisher
“A Look Over My Shoulder” – Short, Short Story, 3rd place
“Riding the Horse” – Rhyming Poetry, Military Experience, 3rd place
“Sunset on the Trail” – Non-Rhyming Poetry, General Topics, 3rd place

Walter “Butch” Maki
“My Memorial Day Speech 2024” – Personal Essay, Inspirational, 2nd place

Raymund Tembreull
“Boxes” – Personal Essay, General Topic, 2nd place
“Rootless” – Rhyming Poetry, General Topic, 1st place

Jim Tritten
“Death by Chocolate” Personal Essay, General Topic, 3rd place
“There’s a W on the Back” – Short, Short Story, 1st place

Dan Wetmore
“Best Gift Ever” Personal Essay-General Topic, 1st place
“This” – Non-Rhyming Poetry-General Topics, 2nd place
“Unfriendly Fire” – Short Script, 1st place

Veterans enrolled in the VA Healthcare System are eligible to enter this annual contest. The first-, second-, and third-place winners all advance to regional competition. Survivors compete for a spot at the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. This prestigious event, held at a different location each year, showcases the artistic talents of veterans from across the country. Butch, Jim, and Dan have previously won Gold first-place medals at the national level.



2024 Call for Submissions: SWW Annual Writing Contest

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The SouthWest Writers (SWW) annual writing competition is now open for submissions.

All writers, new and experienced, are welcome to enter the contest. Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to participate. First-, second-, and third-place winners will be awarded monetary prizes and a publication opportunity in our annual contest anthology.

This year’s contest offers five main categories divided into a total of twenty-five subcategories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry as well as interior and cover art for the anthology.

Fiction categories include:

  • Opening Pages of published and unpublished novels
  • Stories for Young Reader/Middle Grade and Young Adult
  • Short Stories and Flash Fiction

Nonfiction categories include:

  • Opening Pages of published and unpublished memoirs
  • Essays and Articles

Poetry categories include:

  • Free Verse
  • Haiku
  • Limericks

The Contest Submission Period is June 1 – July 7, 2024. Fees vary depending on submission date.

Go to the Annual Contest page for more details and to enter the contest.

Good luck!



SWW’s 2024 Writing Contest Opens June 1

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The annual SouthWest Writers (SWW) writing competition opens for submissions on June 1, 2024.

The contest is open to new and experienced writers. Contestants don’t have to be members of SWW or live in the Southwest to enter. Winners have the opportunity to publish their entries in this year’s contest anthology.

The 2024 competition offers five main contest categories divided into a total of twenty-five subcategories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry as well as interior and cover art for the anthology. New this year are categories for Young Readers and Young Adult. Subcategories include opening pages of a novel or memoir (published or unpublished), essay/article, flash fiction, and short story.

All entries that meet the rules for submission will be judged by a panel of experienced writers and/or experts in the specific genre. First, second, and third monetary prizes will be awarded in each category that receives enough entries for judging.

For details about the categories and a complete list of rules, please see the Contest Page.

SouthWest Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both published and unpublished writers improve their craft and further their careers. In 2024, SWW will celebrate forty years dedicated to this goal.



2023 Call for Submissions: SWW Annual Writing Contest

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SouthWest Writers’ annual writing competition is open for submissions.

The theme of this year’s contest is Woven Pathways. The SouthWest Writers members’ love of all things writing weaves us together into an inclusive, supportive community regardless of our culture or background. We would like entries and participants that reflect our inclusiveness.

The contest includes twenty writing categories and two art categories with cash prizes in all and the opportunity to be published. Winning entries will be included in the SouthWest Writers’ 2023 Anthology to be released in the fall of 2023. Winners will be announced at the same time the anthology becomes available.

All but one contest category focuses on unpublished writing with the hope of encouraging aspiring authors to participate. A contestant does not have to be a member of SouthWest Writers to enter.

Main Contest Categories:

  • Cover and Interior Artwork
  • Fiction Opening Pages of both published and unpublished works (3000 words or less)
  • Flash Fiction (1000 words or less)
  • Short Story (3000 words or less)
  • Nonfiction Memoir (General, Pets, or Travel; 3000 words or less)
  • Poetry Free Verse (Nature, Spiritual, or Relationships; 1500 words or less)
  • Limericks

Sub-categories within Unpublished Opening Pages and Short Story:

  • General Fiction
  • Mystery/Crime/Thrillers
  • Romance/Rom-Com
  • SciFi/Fantasy
  • Westerns
  • Humor (Short Story only)

Contest Submission Period: April 8 – May 20. Fees vary depending on submission date.

Go to the contest page for more details and to enter the contest.

Good luck!



2022 Call for Submissions: SWW Annual Writing Contest

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SouthWest Writers’ annual writing competition is now open for submissions.

This year’s contest offers five main categories divided into a total of eighteen sub-categories:

  • 2 categories of Art/Photography
  • 6 Book Related categories
  • 4 categories of Poetry
  • 4 categories of Prose/Stories
  • 2 categories of Travel & Memoir

First-, second-, and third-place winners will be awarded cash prizes and a publication opportunity in our annual contest anthology.

All entries must be original, in English, and submitted online only. You do not have to be a member of SouthWest Writers to enter.

The contest accepts work previously published from 2019 to 2022, but submissions can not have won a previous SWW contest. It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that a submission does not conflict with their agreements concerning rights with any other publishing entity.

Contest Submission Period: March 15 – May 15. Fees vary depending on entry type and submission date.

Go to the SWW contest page for more details and to enter the contest.

Good luck!



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