Saint Louis University's 1818 Writing Competition honors literary achievement in grades 9-12 in three genres: short fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
2023-24 Competition Guidelines
Genre
This year, the committee will be accepting short fiction submissions.
Submission Requirements
Submissions must be in Times New Roman, may not exceed 5,000 words, and should be saved as a Word document or PDF. Each student may only submit one piece for consideration. The document title should include the student’s last name and piece title. Finally, please include a header at the beginning of your submission that contains the following information:
- Student's First and Last Name
- Student's Email
- 1818 Teacher Name(s)
- School Name
- Title of Submission
To participate in this contest, please email your creative nonfiction piece to savanah.warners@slu.edu with “1818 Contest Submission” in the subject line. The submission deadline is March 22, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Judging will begin the following week, and winners will be announced via email.
Eligibility
All students enrolled in Saint Louis University's 1818 high school dual credit courses are eligible to participate in the SLU Undergraduate Writing Award: 1818 High School Edition.
Prizes
- First Prize: $200
- Second Prize: $150
- Third Prize: $100
First-, second- and third-place winners will also receive a certificate and St. Louis Literary Award merchandise. The winners must respond to their email to receive these winnings.
Assistance
If you have questions, please email savanah.warners@slu.edu.
2023-24 Contest Judges
Entries are judged anonymously by the following panel:
- Panel of graduate students in the SLU English department to screen initial admissions.
- Ron Austin is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at SLU and the author of Avery Colt Is A Snake, A Thief, A Liar (2019).
- Paige Chant is a University Core librarian at SLU. She earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Washington in Seattle and is chair of the Undergraduate Writing Award Committee.
- Andy Harper is an assistant professor of English at SLU, teaching and writing about 19th- and early 20th-century American literature and creative nonfiction.
- Edward Ibur is the executive director of the St. Louis Literary Award Programs at SLU and a former English and creative writing teacher.
- Sheri McCord is the faculty liaison support coordinator for English in the 1818 Accelerated College Credit Program.
- Frances Pestello has a Ph.D. in Sociology and teaches for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at SLU.
- Maryse Jayasuriya is a professor of English at SLU. teaching and writing about postcolonial and 20th- and 21st-century British literature. She is the author of "Terror and Reconciliation: Sri Lankan Anglophone Literature, 1983-2009," editor of "Critical Insights: The Immigrant Experience," and associate editor of South Asian Review.