National Writers Series Scholarships

It is the goal of the Writers Series of Traverse City, in partnership with the Community Foundation, to support young writers by recognizing their work and awarding scholarships. A total of at least $4,000 will be available each year to be distributed at the Writers Series’ discretion in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, journalism and poetry. Multiple scholarships may be awarded.

Eligibility

Eligible writers must be an 11^th or 12^th grader during the 2024/2025 school year with a permanent residential address in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, or Leelanau County; and attend public, parochial, private or home school.

Submission Guidelines

Students may submit only once and in one category. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. If submitted work has been previously published, the author must affirm that he/she holds clear copyright to the material.

General Guidelines for Fiction, Nonfiction and Journalism Submissions
- The title page must have the title of the work in the center. Under the title, indicate if the submission is fiction, nonfiction or journalism. There should be no identifying information (e.g. your name, grade, or school) on the title page or anywhere in the submission. All written pieces are reviewed anonymously to ensure fair and equitable judging.
- Double-space the text of your submission and use Times New Roman font. The font size should be 12 pt.
- Your first page (following the title page) should have the title of the work at the top.
- Create a footer that includes your title and the page numbers. Do not include your name.
- Maximum length: 2,000 words. If your work is longer, you may submit an excerpt.
General Guidelines for Poetry Submissions
- Only one poem per page. Start each new poem on a new page. Maximum three pages of poetry. For example, if a poem is two pages long, you can add one more one-page poem.
- If a poem exceeds one page, continue on second page. Make sure poem title is in a footer.
- Use Times New Roman, 12 pt. font.
- The title page must have the title of the work in the center. The word “Poetry” should be under the title. No other identifying information should appear on the title page or anywhere else in the manuscript.

How to Apply

Submissions were accepted from January 15, 2025 to March 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm. The deadline has closed for 2025.

Judging & Awards

Manuscripts will be read in March by the National Writers Series scholarship committee, comprised of Michigan writers who are specialists in the genres they are judging. All applicants will be contacted by the Community Foundation and the National Writers Series by mid-April. Winners will be recognzied at an NWS author event in May. By accepting a scholarship, the winners agree to an editorial revision process with the National Writers Series for the National Writers Series Literary Journal.