Emerging Writers Essay Contest: Submission Window Open Until March 15!

Emerging Writers Essay Contest: Submission Window Open Until March 15!

Each spring, the Waterman Fund holds an essay contest for Emerging Writers. There is no submission fee; the prize money is substantial: $3000 for the first-place selection, $1000 for a runner-up. Both essays are published in Appalachia, the journal of the Appalachian Mountain Club. The submission window is open until March 15.

(Photograph by Jason Mazurowski)

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For 2026, we invite essays that address any or all topics related to: our relationship to the natural living world, land and place, preservation/conservation, alpine ecosystems, wild(er)ness and the deep woods.

We welcome essays that span genres of memoir, scientific, and personal adventure; fiction, poetry, plays, and songs are not eligible for this contest. Submissions should be 2,000-3,000 words. Please include contact information, a few lines about why you feel your essay is appropriate for the contest, why you believe you are an emerging writer, and a list of all publications as a brief annotated bibliography (with links when possible). Send your online submissions as a Microsoft Word (or Word-compatible) document, double-spaced, in 12 point, Times New Roman. Do not insert photographs or other graphics in the document. If submitting by mail, please include an email address.

Email your submission to the Waterman Fund essay account ([email protected]), as well as Appalachia Editor-in-Chief, Christine Woodside ([email protected]).

Please share with anyone you think might be interested. Visit watermanfund.org to read essay selections from previous years, ask inquiries, and review the full conditions and limits of the contest.