Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2025
High school students are invited to submit original writing pieces for the Department of English’s annual Creative Writing Contest. Winners will have a chance to participate in a college workshop, give a public reading and receive an award on Westminster’s campus for their storytelling. The deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 1.
This year’s contest includes two categories. Students may submit an original poem or a work of fiction or creative non-fiction. Poems must be 24 lines or less and reflect on an athletic or physically artistic performance. Original fiction or creative non-fiction pieces must be less than 1,500 words and engage with the supernatural. Students may submit a piece in both categories.
All submissions will be judged by Westminster faculty and students on their ability to avoid a cliché storyline and have their subject be seen, heard and felt by the reader. The top three winners in each genre are invited to a workshop class dedicated to sports or supernatural writing styles.
Winning authors will read their work alongside Westminster students on Thursday, Oct. 23 at the annual Bleasby Colloquium. All first-place winners will receive the James Ashbrook Perkins Creative Writing Award.
The late Dr. Perkins, who passed away in 2022, taught English, writing and public relations at Westminster College from 1973 until his retirement in 2008. During that time, he served as department chair, won the Distinguished Faculty Award, earned four NEH fellowships, was a Visiting Fulbright Professor in Korea and published widely as a poet, short fiction writer and literary critic.
The Westminster College George Bleasby Colloquia series of literary events is an event in honor of the late Dr. Bleasby, who chaired the Westminster College Department of English from 1954-1975. These programs are presentations by department faculty, featured speakers and majors on individual scholarships, interests and creative projects.
Direct any questions to Dr. Kristianne Kalata at kalatak@westminster.edu or visit the creative writing contest page to submit your work.
