SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 30 – (11:59PM).

The contest is open only to members of the Tulsa NightWriters. All entries must be unpublished at the time of entry. Members of the Board are not allowed to enter. Each entry must be accompanied by a $5.00 submission fee.

Prose or poetry are accepted. Maximum word limit is 500 words, including the title. Total may be less than 500.

All entries must begin with the following prompt:

While the town slept…

Contest Rules & Submission Guidelines:

Punctuation of the prompt is up to the imagination of the author. Each submission must have a separate title page with the title, author’s name, address, phone number, email, and the first full line of the entry. If the author’s name appears anywhere else on the prose or poem, the submission will be disqualified. The rest of the pages can use the header for an abbreviated title on the upper left, and the page numbers in the upper right corner, starting with Page 2. Words in the header will not add to the total word count.

Prose must be double spaced with no extra space between paragraphs. Poetry may be single spaced. Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Entries must be submitted online and uploaded as either a .docx or .pdf format.

The contest closes at 11:59pm on August 30th. All submissions will be sent to the judge on September 1. The judge will critique each entry and determine First, Second, and Third Place winners. Honorable Mention(s) are at the discretion of the judge. The judge will return all critiqued submissions to the Board on November 30.

Submit all entries no later than 11:59pm August 30th.

Submit & pay online via the button below.

If you prefer to email your submission & pay by cash or check payment:

You may email entries to Merle Davenport by clicking here. (NOTE – If you have trouble with the link, just type “president@tulsanightwriters.org” into the “To:” field of your email application.)

Send $5.00 (cash or check) for each entry with a printed copy of the title page to: Treasurer, PO Box 700182, Tulsa OK 74170. 

Multiple submissions may be enclosed in the same envelope. Submissions that do not have a corresponding entry fee will not be judged. Entry fees must be postmarked no later than August 30, 2026.

Prizes & Award Presentation

Prizes will be awarded at the Annual NightWriters Holiday Party. Prize money is determined by the number of entries and will be awarded as follows: First Place is 50%, Second Place is 30%, and Third Place is 20%. Honorable Mentions will be awarded a certificate only.