The contest began in 1981, the brainchild of newly arrived UAA English professor Ron Spatz. This 2020-2021 contest is the 38th since the beginning with only three breaks. In 2010, the Alaska Center for the Book took on the role of coordinating partner, providing hundreds of volunteer hours to manage entries, recruit and coordinate judges, communicate with winners, and distribute certificates to winners.
More than 500 entries were submitted for the 2019-2020 contest from writers aged 8 to 82. As everyone stays home or close to home during the pandemic, it is a perfect time to get creative and write. Teachers and parents can help children and teens work on refining their writing. All entries are submitted electronically, so there is no need to leave home. Last year entries arrived from writers in Anchor Point, Anchorage, Barrow, Big Lake, Caswell, Chignik Lake, Chugiak, Cordova, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright, Fort Richardson, Haines, Healy, Homer, Houston, Juneau, Kake, Kasilof, Kenai, Ketchikan, King Salmon, Kotzebue, Nikiski, North Pole, Palmer, Port Alsworth, Seward, Sitka, Soldotna, Talkeetna, Tenakee Springs, Tok, Valdez, Wasilla, Willow, and Wrangell.
The 2020-2021 Statewide Creative Writing Contest will open for entries on Monday, November 16th and close on Monday, February 15th.
Grade K-2 ..... $25
Grade 3-5 ..... $25
Grade 6-8 ................ $25
Grade 9-12 .............. $50
Open to the Public ........ $50
Grade 3-5 ..... $25
Grade 6-8 ................ $25
Grade 9-12 .............. $50
Open to the Public ........ $50
Grade K-2 ..... $25
Grade 3-5 ..... $25
Grade 6-8 ................ $25
Grade 9-12 .............. $50
Open to the Public ........ $50