Annual Writing Prizes
The English Department administers several prizes to honor student writing, both at the undergraduate and the graduate level. Students can submit their work to prizes for fiction, poetry, playwriting, and critical essay. See below for guidelines, deadlines, and submission forms.
AI Use Policy for All Writing Prizes: All entries must be the original, unaided work of the student author. The use of any Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Large Language Model (LLM) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) is strictly prohibited for generating, rewriting, paraphrasing, or substantively editing any portion of the writing submitted. The judges for all writing prizes reserve the right to employ AI detection tools and require a student to demonstrate their drafting process to verify originality. Violation of this policy will result in immediate disqualification.
The Frank and Helene Crohn Edna St. Vincent Millay Prize in Poetry
Judged by an external poet of national repute, the Millay Prize awards first, second, and third prizes, as well as honorable mentions, for a manuscript of original poetry of no more than twenty-four pages by a graduate student. First, second, and third prize winners read with the judge in the New Writing Series late in the fall semester.
Eligibility: University of Maine graduate student in good standing currently enrolled in the English MA program or an applicant to the program who has accepted admission.
Rules: Contact the Director of the Center for Poetry & Poetics for rules and guidelines.
Submissions open: Beginning of fall semester
DEADLINE: September 30
Steve Grady Competition for Creative Writers
Judged by external writers of national repute, the Gradys award first and second prizes in both undergraduate and graduate divisions for fiction and poetry. No student shall receive the award for more than two years. Winners will be invited to read in the spring New Writing Series.
Eligibility: Division I is open to currently enrolled University of Maine undergraduates who have completed at least two academic years of study and who have indicated an intention to continue their studies in English. Division II is open to currently enrolled graduate students in English.
Rules:
No more than one entry in each genre.
Poetry entries should consist of a portfolio of 3-5 pages (no more than one poem per page).
Fiction entries may consist of a story or stories, or a novel excerpt to total no more than 25 pages.
Fiction entries must be double spaced, pages numbered.
Entries must be labeled with the title, the genre, and the division number (e.g. Heart Beats_Poetry_Division I).
Submissions are judged blind. Do not write your name on the manuscript.
Submissions open: December 1
DEADLINE: December 18
Clarine Coffin Grenfell ’32 Student Poetry Prize
Two first-place prizes awarded in the categories of 1) a poem written in a traditional form, and 2) a poem written in open or experimental form. Second and third place prizes in either traditional or experimental form are also awarded when warranted.
Eligibility: Any undergraduate student currently enrolled at the University of Maine.
Rules:
Entries should consist of a portfolio of 3-5 pages (no more than one poem per page).
Only one entry per person.
Submissions may include both traditional and open-form poems, but still to a maximum of five pages.
Entries must be labeled with the title and student I.D. (e.g. Heart Beats_123456).
Submissions are judged blind. Do not write your name on the manuscript.
Submissions open: December 1
DEADLINE: January 30
Robert C. Hamlet Playwriting Contest
First prizes awarded to the best play at both the undergraduate and graduate level
Eligibility: Any undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled at the University of Maine.
Rules:
Submissions must be formatted in rehearsal draft form and include a character page.
Mention and list any production requirements.
Performance texts should include a brief description of all images and dances.
Submissions open: December 1
DEADLINE: January 30
Albert Morton Turner Essay Writing Contest
First prizes awarded at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for the best critical essay or research paper.
Eligibility: Any undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled at the University of Maine.
Rules:
One one entry per person.
Essays must be double-spaced and each page numbered.
Entries must be labeled with the essay title and student I.D. (e.g. Hamlet_as_Existentialist_123456).
Submissions are judged blind. Do not write your name on the manuscript.
Submissions open: December 1
DEADLINE: January 30