Short Story Contest, Writer’s Workshops at Champaign Library

The Champaign Public Library is hosting a Writer’s Workshop series again this spring, including hands-on workshops taught by experts, a panel discussion on Celebrating Women Writers, and a Short Story Contest for community members.

Writer's Workshops, Spring Series 2020

Workshops meet on Wednesdays from 6:30–8 pm

• Feb 19,   Where to Begin – Molly MacRae, 6:30 pm
• Mar 4,   Creative Writing – Jim O’Brien, 6:30 pm
• Mar 18,   Character Development – Ekta Garg, 6:30 pm (cancelled)
• Mar 22,   Celebrating Women Writers, – Panel Discussion with 6 local writers, 2–4 pm (cancelled)
• Apr 1,   Copyediting 101 – Dane Torbeck and Lori Martinsek, 6:30 pm (cancelled)
• Apr 15,   Finishing Your Story – Jason Nafziger, 6:30 pm (cancelled)
• Apr 29,   Short Story Contest Awards Ceremony & Reading, 7 pm (rescheduled for Fall)

2020 Short Story Contest

** Rescheduled. Entries will be due November 6, 2020. **

Enter to win! Stories can be up to 2500 words. Guidelines + entry form »

Grand Prize – One-on-one consultation with Ted Sanders, Department of English, University of Illinois. Professionally taken headshot for your author’s portfolio. Opportunity to read your story, or have an actor read it for you, at our Awards Ceremony, and have your story published on our website for the community to read.

2nd + 3rd Place – Opportunity to read your story, or have an actor read it for you, at our Awards Ceremony, and have your story published on our website for the community to read. One-year subscription to Writer’s Digest Magazine.

First Short Story Contest in Spring 2019

Champaign Public Library’s first Short Story Contest drew a pool  of wonderful entries by community members, including participants in the Writer’s Workshops series. In April, as part of National Library Week celebrations, the top three stories were read publicly and the awards were announced. Congratulations to the winners!

• 1st Place Winner – Jessica Launius, “To the West” | Read story »
• 2nd Place Winner – Murillo Soranso, “Questions” | Read story »
• 3rd Place Winner – Julie Wagner, “First Haunt” | Read story »

Winners of Champaign Public Library’s 2019 Short Story Contest (from left): Murillo Soranso, second place; Julie Wagner, third place; and Jessica Launius, first place.

Coming this summer:

• July 15,   Explore More! Local Authors Fair, 6 pm