Personal Essay Awards
LEARN MORE! Writer’s Digest’s newest competition, the Personal Essay Awards, is not currently accepting entries. Winners of the competition are announced annually in our May/June issue of Writer’s Digest.
OPENING SOON. EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: September 2, 2025
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!
PRIZES
One Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- $2,500 in cash
- An interview with them in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2026 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 2026 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 2026 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 2026 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!
You can 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).
William Kenower is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion. William is the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine and a sought-after speaker and teacher. In addition to his books, he’s been published in The New York Times and Edible Seattle and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.
