2025 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to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three poems of one page each), for works that are unpublished, have not previously won another contest, and are not currently entered in another contest.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, 2025, and submissions can be emailed up to midnight Pacific time, January 31, 2025.

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), a 2025 festival registration package, and a certificate for registration in one of the online writing courses presented by Simon Fraser University and the Writer’s Studio at SFU
$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 2025 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 2025 anthology, along with anthologies from previous years, will be available 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 [email protected]. For more information on the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival, see the festival website.

Any queries about the contest should be directed to [email protected] with ‘Writing Contest Questions’ in the subject line of your email.

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.

The Winners of the 2024 Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest

In the fiction category, judged by David Brown:

First Place: “For the Forest” by Sherry Cassells
Second Place: “For King and Conscience” by Juliet Hill
Honourable Mention: “The Canary’s Cry” by Jack Dowd

In the nonfiction category, judged by Chris Brauer:

First Place: “Beyond Time’s Reach” by Matthew Heneghan
Second Place: “Rainy Day Treasures” by Jill Martin
Honourable Mention: “Invisible” by Kristine Laco

In the poetry category, judged by Sheri-D Wilson:

First Place: “A House of Doors” by Pamela Medland
Second Place: “In St Mary’s Parish” by Lindsay Curry
Honourable Mention: “It Depends on How You Look at It” by Charlotte Blair