NCW Libraries, Write On The River launch 14th annual high school writers competition

WENATCHEE — NCW Libraries and Write On The River are now accepting submissions for their 14th annual High School Writers Competition, offering cash prizes for original fiction by students in grades 9-12 across five counties in North Central Washington.

The competition, which opened March 14, welcomes entries from students in Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Grant, and Ferry counties, including public, private, home-schooled, and Running Start students. Write On The River will award a total of $200 in cash prizes to three winners selected for excellence in original short fiction.

Eligible submissions must be the student's original work, between 500-2,000 words, previously unpublished, and created without artificial intelligence assistance. Students may submit one piece annually, and there is no entry fee. The submission deadline is April 11.

The competition was established and continues to be sponsored by New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Cain, who visited Wenatchee in 2011 as a speaker at the Write On The River Conference. The organization focuses on connecting regional writers with educational opportunities in fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, while fostering a vibrant writing community in North Central Washington.

NCW Libraries serves the region through 30 library locations, digital resources, a Mail Order Library, and a Community Bookmobile, with a mission to connect residents with resources that promote individual growth and community development.

Interested students can find complete guidelines and submission information at www.writeontheriver.org or www.ncwlibraries.org/writerscompetition, where works by past winners are also available for reading.