STTA: Houston
2024 Writing Competition
Brief Overview
The Stories Through the Ages 2024 Writing Competition is a creative writing contest that consists of three categories where students can submit their original work. Two of the categories are fiction; one category is non-fiction researched essay. Make sure to check out the student guide at the bottom of the page!.
Winners
Congratulations to all winners of the Spring 2024 Stories Through the Ages Writing Competition!
Short Story
1st Place: Kathleen Yan, “Fall Leaves, Returning Roots”
Poetry
1st Place: Mia Ashley, “A Mother’s Garden”
Essay
1st Place: Khushi Patel, “Lost in a Book”
Details
The competition
Short Story
Students submit creative writing in the form of a short story. No word length or topic requirement. Must be a complete story and must follow standard English conventions. Can be over any subject.
What Qualifies as a Short Story?
A short story is a form of creative writing shorter than a novel that has a complete plot line. Short stories can be written in various genres, such as realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, science fiction, mystery, and many others. Short stories often explore themes, characters, and settings that are unique and original. All fiction pieces that are not poetry will be submitted into the short story category for this competition.
Poetry
Students submit creative writing in the form of a poem. No word or topic requirement. Must be a complete poem and express a complete thought. Can be over any theme.
What Qualifies as Poetry?
Poetry is a literary form that uses language to evoke emotion, paint vivid imagery, and convey complex ideas. Many poets draw inspiration from nature, history, personal experiences, and other poems. It is often seen as a more challenging form of writing than short stories, but it can be a very rewarding and powerful form of expression. All forms of poetry will be submitted into the poetry category for this competition.
Essay
Students submit a essay responding to a prompt pertaining to the current world. No word length requirement, but should communicate clear ideas. Must follow standard English conventions.
What Qualifies as an Essay?
An essay is a written composition that explores and analyzes a topic, presenting arguments, evidence, and insights to convey understanding and provoke thought. Writers draw from personal experiences, research, and critical thinking to engage readers across various subjects and disciplines. All nonfictional essays will be submitted into the essay category for this competition.
Rules
- Entries must be original pieces of work.
- Up to three entries per author are allowed.
- Entries must be written in English but may be translated into another language.
- Entries must be submitted as either a .docx and .pdf format through a shareable Google Drive link.
- Entries must be submitted with consent forms for publication.
- Entries must be received by May 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
- Entries submitted by the original deadline of April 21, 2024 will be eligible for special prizes.
Formatting
Whether you’re writing on a on paper or typing on a Google/Word document, please follow these guidelines for your submission:
- Font: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing.
- Margins: 1-inch margins on all 4 sides, 8.5”x11” paper size.
- Title: All entries must have a title on the first line of the document. Font must be bolded, Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing.
- Ensure that your entry has consistent indentations (single tab-button)
- No page numbers.
- Maximum of 10 pages for all categories. After 10 pages, the submission will not be read.
- Please do NOT include any personal or identifying information in your entry, including but not limited to: name, school ID number, grade level, teacher, advisor, editor, email, phone number, address, etc.
Submission
Click the button below to submit your work!
Awards
Recognition
By participating in the competition, every student will receive recognition from Stories Through the Ages with a certificate. Every student will also have the opportunity to have their original work published (with consent) on the Stories Through the Ages website and in future Stories Through the Ages publications.
Grand Awards
In each category, the first place winner will also receive a grand award of $100 via Visa gift card.
Remember: To be eligible for the grand awards, you must have submitted the Minor Consent Form in your submission.
