A program celebrating works of original writing by local literary artists of all ages

Presented by Almonte Readers & Writers

DEADLINE: September 30, 2026

The 3rd Annual Lanark Lit Writing Competition will open for submissions on April 30, 2026!

The genres for 2026 are works of short fiction, and poetry.

Submissions are in 3 categories:

Fiction - 2 categories - ages 17 and under, and adults 18+

Poetry - 1 category - all ages

The competition is open to anyone who lives in Lanark County and the surrounding area.

Deadline for entry is September 30, 2026, by 11:59 p.m.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Must abide by our Contest Rules

  • Must be written in English

  • Maximum of 2,500 words (no minimum); Title is not included in the word count

  • Formatted in Times New Roman, 12 pt, double-spaced.

  • Title page includes: author’s first and last names, title, mailing address, email, age category of entry (WHERE APPLICABLE), word count

  • Pages must be numbered

  • Author’s name must not appear throughout the manuscript (except on the title page)

  • Title is included in the header or footer on every page

  • Submitted as a .doc or .docx

  • Submitted work must be previously unpublished, must not have won any previous awards, and must be an original piece written by the applicant

PRIZES

$300 per category, per genre. $900 total in prize money available.

Prizes will be awarded to the winning entry in each age category (WHERE APPLICABLE), as determined by a guest jury selected by Almonte Readers & Writers.

The winning entries will also be offered the opportunity of public distribution. Details forthcoming.

ELIGIBILITY

The geographic boundaries for this program are rural, and are visually illustrated below — stretching as far west as Middleville, as far south as Westport, east as far as Oxford Mills, and as far north to Arnprior.

If you are unsure if you’re eligible, please reach out to info@almontereadersandwriters.org to determine if your location falls within the program area.

HOW TO ENTER
STEP 1: Read the Contest Rules.

STEP 2: Complete the Submission Form, available below, which now includes

  • uploading your submission of writing to the 2026 Lanark Lit Writing Competition (.doc or .docx)

  • uploading a brief 50-100 word biography (.doc, .docx or .pdf)

  • uploading a headshot/profile picture (.jpg, .p

We regret that we can only accept submissions electronically. No hardcopy submissions please.

Once your submission is received, a “SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED” message will appear. ARW will confirm your eligibility and communicate with you again closer to the deadline date.

Watch for our messages, and stay tuned for contest announcements in Fall 2026.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, please reach out to ARW at info@almontereadersandwriters.org.

SUBMISSION FORM

This program is presented by Almonte Readers & Writers, with funding generously awarded by the Elizabeth Kelly Foundation.