2026 Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the annual Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you!

Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three poems of one page each), for works that are unpublished, have not previously won another contest, and are not currently entered in another contest.

The contest submission period opens on January 2, 2026, and submissions can be emailed up to midnight Pacific time, January 31, 2026.

The contest offers prizes for nine winners overall, thanks to the generosity of contest sponsor Askew’s Foods:

$200 for First Place in each category (short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry) and a 2026 festival registration package
$125 for Second Place in each category, plus a festival banquet package
$100 for Honourable Mention in each category, plus a festival banquet package

All winning entries will also be published in the 2026 edition of the Askew’s Word on the Lake Anthology. Everyone who enters the contest will receive a copy of the anthology in ebook format (epub, mobi, and PDF), and each contest winner also receives the anthology in print. The 2026 anthology, along with anthologies from previous years, will be available for sale at the festival and online.

Each entry to the contest has a $15 Canadian entry fee, one hundred percent of which goes directly to supporting the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival.

Full contest rules and guidelines are available for download. You must download and read the full contest guidelines (not just this webpage) before submitting. Submissions that don’t meet the guidelines may be rejected.

If you’d like to get on the contest mailing list for updates, drop a line to WotLContest@gmail.com. (Please note! This is the new email address for the Word on the Lake Writing Contest.)

Any queries about the contest should be directed to WotLContest@gmail.com with ‘Writing Contest Questions’ in the subject line of your email.

For more information on the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival, see the festival website.

Pay Your Entry Fee Through Paypal

If you wish to pay your contest entry fee through PayPal, you can do so here using your PayPal account or a major credit card.

Payment can also be made through Interac e-transfer or by cheque. See the downloadable contest guidelines for information.

Announcing the Word on the Lake Youth Writing Contest!

The Shuswap Association of Writers is pleased to announce the inaugural Word on the Lake Youth Writing Contest! Running alongside the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest and part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival, the youth contest is open to student writers within School District 83 K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcúl’ecw (North Okanagan–Shuswap) in two categories: Junior Writers (grades 7 to 9) and Senior Writers (grades 10 to 12).

The Word on the Lake Youth Writing Contest has a separate submission process, so check out their web page for information.

The Winners of the 2025 Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest

In the fiction category, judged by Eileen Cook:

First Place: “Summit of Promises” by Matthew Heneghan
Second Place: “Olek and Lina” by Jaime Gill
Honourable Mention: “H” by Douglas Cochran

In the nonfiction category, judged by M.D. Jackson:

First Place: “An Omelette for Mama” by Carol Tulpar
Second Place: “For Life” by Nicki Walker
Honourable Mention: “Look a Little Closer” by Ruth Stella MacLean

In the poetry category, judged by Brianna Ferguson:

First Place: “Meant to Be Here” by Meg Freer
Second Place: “You Moved a Long Way Away But It Stuck” by Charlotte Blair
Honourable Mention: “The Pitcher” by Jaki Sawyer