Guidelines for The Women Writing the West High School Writing Contest

These guidelines MUST be followed for your entry to be considered. Why, you say? First, if you are going to be a professional writer, you must follow standard formatting rules. And second, it’s difficult for readers if everyone uses a different font, word processing program, etc.

Submissions will be disqualified if Guidelines are not followed

Click here for a formatting example.

Here’s what to do:

Is any of this content AI Written?

1. Make sure your entry is about a WOMAN or GIRL in the WEST ((North American continent west of the Mississippi River, including Alaska and Hawaii, Canada west of Manitoba, and Mexico). 
2. Send ONLY PDF files. Ask your teacher for help if you are not sure how to change your document to a PDF format.
3. TYPE YOUR NAME on the top left side of each page, and enter YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS underneath so we may contact you.
4. On the line below your name and email address, please type the WORD COUNT of your story. Then add another line for the name of your school, your teacher and teacher’s email address.
5. On the first page, skip down about half the page and CENTER the title of your story.
6. Just below the title, also CENTERED, write your NAME or PEN NAME, “By ___”
7. Skip 3 more lines, then start your story. JUSTIFY LEFT with ragged margins on the right side.
8. Use your TAB key once to indent the FIRST LINE of each paragraph.
9. Use a 12-POINT FONT size – Times, Times New Roman, or Courier New.
10. DOUBLE SPACE your entry, with 1-inch margins all around, ragged right margin.
11. When your entire story or poem is finished, skip one line and then write THE END in all capital letters, CENTERED.
12. No foul language, inappropriate slang, violence, hate speech, erotic content, or inappropriate word choice will be tolerated. Your entry will be disqualified if you ignore this.
13. Please be sure the PDF file name is the same as the title of your entry.
14. That’s it! Now go back to the main page, find the “SUBMIT ENTRY” link at the bottom, and follow the instructions to enter your piece in the Women Writing the West High School Writing Contest. Best of luck!

Download a PDF of the Guidelines here

View the WWW High School Writing Contest Rubrics Here

For more information, contact The WWW High School Writing Contest Coordinator – CONTACT

Congratulations to the Winners, Finalists and Honorable Mentions for the 2025 WWW High School Writing Contest

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Thank you to Final Judge Gail Jenner, award-winning author and WWW Past President.

WILLA Youth Award for Poetry / Songwriting

Winner: “Bayou Daughter,” by Madilyn Morris (Caddo Parish Magnet High School, Shreveport, LA)
Finalist:  “What the Land Remembers,” by Addyson Ringo (Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, AR)
Honorable Mention: “Braiding Crow Feathers,” by Emma Arnold (Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, AR)

LAURA Youth Award for Short Fiction

Winner:  “Threads,” by Caitlin Cheng (Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, AR)
Finalist: “The Weight of Gold,” by Sadie Alverson (Little Rock Central High School, AR)

DOWNING Youth Award for Nonfiction / Journalism

Winner: “Across Oceans and Ages: Mary Anning, Annie Montague Alexander and the Two Continents That Could Not Forget,” by Yeseong Na, (Princeton High School, Princeton, NJ)

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