Loudoun County writers called to create for Annual Library Contest

Sponsored by the Loudoun County Public Library, the Loudoun County Public Library Short Story Contest invites teens and adults to curl up with their imaginations this winter and share an original, unpublished short story. 

Submissions will be accepted online through Sunday, Feb. 15, with winners celebrated at awards ceremonies on Saturday, May 9. Along the way, aspiring writers can hone their craft and find inspiration through library-hosted writing workshops led by experts and community members.

The contest is open to middle school, high school, and adult writers who live in Loudoun County or neighboring jurisdictions, and there is no theme—just a wide-open invitation to be creative. 

The area neighbors who are included are: the Cities of Falls Church, Alexandria, Winchester and Washington, D.C. Also, Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Clarke and Frederick Counties are eligible. Jefferson County in West Virginia and Montgomery, Washington Prince Geroge’s, Frederick and Charles Counties in Maryland may enter as well.

In years past, stories have ranged from heartfelt slices of real life to fantasy, mystery, adventure, and even a little horror, too. Entries must be fiction, including stories-in-verse, and must be entirely original and unpublished. Poetry, nonfiction, and fanfiction are not accepted, and the use of artificial intelligence tools to create or modify submissions is strictly prohibited.

Writers may submit one story each, up to 3,000 words, formatted in double-spaced, 12-point Arial font with one-inch margins. Submissions must be uploaded as a Microsoft Word–readable document or PDF, with the file named by category—middle, high, or adult—followed by the story title. 

To keep judging fair, author names, and co-author if they qualify, should not appear in the file name. Complete guidelines and the submission link are available on the library’s website. Questions may be sent to writingcontest@library.loudoun.gov.

Judging will take place in three categories: middle school, high school, and adult. Teen Services librarians will select finalists for the middle and high school divisions, while Adult Services librarians will do the same for adult entries. Finalist stories will then be judged by Nathan Leslie, an English professor, writer and editor for numerous magazines and books.

Awards ceremonies featuring guest author Meg Medina will be held at Eagle Ridge Middle School in Ashburn on Saturday, May 9, with the adult ceremony beginning at 3 p.m. and the middle and high school ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three finalists in each category, with $200 for first place, $100 for second, and $50 for third.

Whether you are a teen discovering your voice or an adult finally writing that story you’ve been thinking about writing, this January is the perfect time to put pen to paper and join a community of local storytellers—one short story at a time—and don’t forget the hot chocolate for inspiration.

Can I submit a story with multiple authors?

Yes, you may co-author your short story as long as all authors qualify to enter the competition. Include a final page for each individual author’s information. If a story with multiple authors wins, prize money will be split evenly among the authors.