Each November is National Novel Writing Month, an opportunity for everyone to challenge themselves and write as much as possible in 30 days. This annual event is aimed towards all individuals, from trained writers to amateurs, from people with vivid stories already in mind to those who simply want to try something new. The guidelines are very simple and offer a great chance to reach out and share your work with similarly motivated writers and artists.

Creative writing is one of the most popular subcategories in which students choose to specialize as English majors.  From fiction to nonfiction to poetry, there are a plethora of literary genres for students to explore--and with several strong creative writing professors in the department, students are guaranteed to experience a wide range of styles and techniques.

Check out some of the links below for guides to writing, story contests, and even steps toward being published.

There are contests for all sorts of writing, including short stories, poetry, and essays. Here are a few of them:

• Glimmer Train is a monthly creative writing fiction magazine which accepts submissions from all authors, particularly amateurs hoping to break into the business. Each month features a new theme, challenging writers to expand their potential with different genres and story lengths. Prizes for accepted stories range from $300 to $1,500, and many winners have gone on to become well-recognized writers.
• Writing Contests, Grants & Awards is a database of available creative writing contests to which you can submit your work.

• If you are interested in joining a writing contest, be sure to check out the many online competition listings to find the one that best suits your personality and style.
  • Freelance Writing