Personal Essay Awards
CLOSED. Winners will be notified by December 31, 2024.
We’re looking for personal essays! Think you can write a winning essay in 2,000 words or fewer? Enter the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards for your chance to win $2,500 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
- Preparing Your Entry
- Pricing and Deadlines
- Judging and Notification
- FAQ
- Easy to follow PDF
PRIZES
One Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- $2,500 in cash
- An interview with them in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2025 issue and on WritersDigest.com
- Their essay published on WritersDigest.com
- A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
- A coveted pitch opportunity where the winner will receive one-on-one attention from editors or agents
- A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
- 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
- A special graphic recognizing their winning status
The Second Place Winner will receive:
- $1,000 in cash
- Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2025 issue and on WritersDigest.com
- A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
- 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
- A special graphic recognizing their winning status
The Third Place Winner will receive:
- $500 in cash
- Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2025 issue and on WritersDigest.com
- A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
- 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
- A special graphic recognizing their winning status
Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:
- $100 in cash
- Their name and essay title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2025 issue and on WritersDigest.com
- A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
- 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
- A special graphic recognizing their winning status
Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:
- A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
- Their essay title published on WritersDigest.com
- A special graphic recognizing their winning status
How to Enter
ENTERING IS EASY!
Create your free Submittable account by clicking the SUBMIT button. If you already have a Submittable account, simply log in!
*NEW* You can now compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login! Check back often for an updated list of competitions.
When you are ready to submit your work to the WD Personal Essay Awards readers, you’ll want to have the following information available:
Your contact information (be careful that the information provided is accurate). Contact information is to be provided only on the submission form (not on the submission’s file upload). Time sensitive information such as credits and contact information (for prize distribution) is taken directly from the submission form. Due to the nature of deadlines, corrections to this information are not guaranteed.
Your PERSONAL ESSAY AWARDS submission file (see the PREPARING YOUR ENTRY tips for more information).
Your method of payment (see the ENTRY PRICING, SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WINNER NOTIFICATION page for tips for all pricing and deadlines).
Special Guest Judge Estelle Erasmus
Estelle Erasmus, author of Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published (June 2023), is a professor of writing at New York University, the host of the Freelance Writing Direct podcast, a contributing editor for Writer's Digest, an instructor at Writer's Digest, and the final judge for the 2024 Writer's Digest personal essay contest.
Her articles for the New York Times and The Washington Posthave gone globally viral. She has appeared on Good Morning America and has had her articles discussed on The View. She has also taught, coached, and mentored many writers who have gone on to be widely published. Her book was named one of Poets & Writers "Best Books for Writers"; she received a Zibby Award for "Best Book for the Writer"; a 2023 NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award, is an American Society of Journalists and Authors award winner, and was a cast member in the inaugural New York City production of the Listen to Your Mother storytelling show. Learn more at www.EstelleSErasmus.com (and receive a free pitching guide). Also, follow Estelle on Instagram, TikTok, and X, at EstelleSErasmus and sign up for her Substack (of craft advice, stories and opportunities) at estelleserasmus.substack.com
