NCLR considers creative nonfiction submissions only through the Alex Albright Creative Nonfiction Prize Competition, named for NCLR‘s Founding Editor. Submission period: January 15 through March 1.
The 2024 Final Judge is Rebecca McClanahan.
The winning essay will be published in NCLR and nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Finalists will also be considered for publication in NCLR or NCLR Online and for editors’ nominations for various competitions.
We have $1000 for this competition’s prize(s), with the prize for first place being at least $250 and up to the full $1000, depending on how many pieces are selected for publication (one in 2019 and 2015, for example, four in 2018 and 2020).
Eligibility Criteria & Submission Guidelines
- Writers may submit creative nonfiction (including memoir, personal essays, travel writing, and other forms of cnf) of up to 7500 words, from January 15 through March 1. This deadline may be extended if we do not receive at least 50 submissions.
- NCLR reserves the right to extend the deadline if deemed necessary.
- The topic is open.
- Submissions may but do not have to relate to the forthcoming issue’s special feature topic.
- NCLR publishes only “North Carolina writers.” Our definition of a North Carolina writer is anyone who currently lives in North Carolina, has lived in North Carolina, or uses North Carolina as subject matter.
- Previously unpublished submissions only.
- Published means the work has appeared for public consumption in any form, including on blogs and social media.
- In lieu of a submission fee, writers must be NCLR subscribers to submit to this competition.
- You may subscribe after you submit, by the submission deadline.
- The subscription requirement is waived for members of the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association.*
- Join the NCLHA at this link.
- *Members of the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association receive both the NCLR and the North Carolina Historical Review as part of their membership fees.
- Funding for this competition comes from the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association’s contribution to NCLR‘s budget.
- Submit electronically via Submittable in a .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf file.
- Name the file with the title of the submission.
- The author’s name must not appear in the file.
- Multiple submissions are accepted (two with a 2-year subscription, three for members of the NC Literary and Historical Association).
- Please include multiple essays in a single Submittable submission.
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
- Please notify us immediately, through Submittable, if your submission has been accepted for publication elsewhere. It will be withdrawn from the prize competition.
- All who submit will receive notification of the competition results via Submittable within 3-4 months of the deadline, and a press release will be posted on the NCLR website and on social media, as well as sent out to the media.
- The authors of the essays selected to be published in the annual print issue will receive a complimentary copy of the issue in which their writing appears (in addition to their subscription copy).
- Finalists accepted for publication in one of the online issues will be notified upon release of the issue in which their essay appears.
Past Winners
(published the following year)
2023
LAURA HOPE-GILL
James Tate Hill, Judge
2022
AUDREY JENNIFER SMITH
David Cecelski, Judge
2021
STEVE MITCHELL
Michael Parker, Judge
2020
ANDREW SCRIMGEOUR
Philip Gerard, Judge
2019
FAITH S. HOLSAERT
Tony Earley, Judge
2018
NANCY WERKING POLING
Randall Kenan, Judge
2017
JOHN THOMAS YORK
Elizabeth Hudson, Judge
2016
TRACE RAMSEY
Jim Grimsley, Judge
2015
ZACKARY VERNON
Alex Albright, Judge
North Carolina Literary Review
East Carolina University
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