The deadline for non-fiction submissions in Chattanooga Writers’ Guild’s monthly contest is June 30, 2025. Writers are invited to interpret the theme Apex as loosely or closely as they wish. There is a 1500 word limit per work.
This contest is available to members only. Once logged in to your account, the submission form is under the “Members” tab on our homepage. If you need help logging in, please contact tech-support@chattanoogawritersguild.org.
Submission Guidelines
- Follow the genre and theme for each month. The Monthly Contests rotate through a pattern of Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction throughout the year.
- Original works should not be previously published or under consideration by another publication or contest.
- Title each entry at the top of your submitted document as well as in the entry form.
- Do not include any identifying information in the uploaded document as the contest entries are judged blindly.
- Word Limits: for Fiction and Creative Nonfiction, the word limit is 1,500. You may submit up to three stories.
- Line Limits: For Poetry, the line limit is 60. You may submit up to three poems
- Single document: Upload your work as one document with each entry beginning on a new page.
- Limitations: We request first place winners in any genre wait six months before entering in the same category again. For example, a first place Poetry winner in January may enter a contest in another genre, but is asked to skip entering Poetry again until July’s poetry contest.
Our Monthly Contests open on the 1st of each month and close on the last day. Provided enough qualifying entries are received, one winner and one runner-up announced the following month. Other honors may be announced per the judge’s discretion. The first-place winner receives $50. The work of the winner and runner-up will be submitted for publication in The Pulse and considered for publication in our anthology. Writers included in the anthology will receive one free copy, available the following year. Monthly Contests are available to current members of the Chattanooga Writers’ Guild only and are free to enter. To become a member, click HERE
The Monthly Contests rotate through a pattern of Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction throughout the year, with a new theme each month. Go to the 2025 Monthly Contest Series page to view the genre and theme for each month. Next up in July will be Poetry with the theme: Showers.