English Writing Prizes
In the spring semester of each year, the English department posts a call to all Bowdoin students for submissions of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and critical analysis for its competitive writing prizes.
Submissions for writing prizes are reviewed by faculty judges. The department awards the winners during the college's Honors Day program in May, and prize winners’ names are also printed in the commencement program.
A competition for the Brown Prize for Extemporaneous Composition is held in the spring, and it's open to all seniors.
Fiction Prizes:
- Hawthorne Prize: for best short story written by a sophomore, junior, or senior
- Sinkinson Prize: for best short story written by a junior or senior
Non-fiction Prize:
For best work of creative nonfiction, open to all classes.
Composition Prizes:
- David Sewall Premium: to a member of the first-year class, for excellence in English composition
- Pray Prize: to a senior for excellence in English literature scholarship and original English composition
Poetry Prizes:
For best work of poetry, open to all classes
- The Academy of American Poets Colette Inez Poetry Prize
- Forbes Rickard Poetry Prize
- Nathalie Walker Llewellyn Poetry Prize
- Poetry Prize
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Thursday, March 7th, 2024
by 5:00 PM.
Instructions for Submission
- Click here for a fillable submission form and manuscript requirements.
- Complete the submission form, print it out, and staple it to the front of a printed copy of your manuscript. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and the submission form is separated from your manuscript before judging. Make sure your title is on your manuscript, but do not put your name or class year on your manuscript. Your name and class year should appear only on your submission form.
- Drop your submission off in Massachusetts Hall outside room 102 before the deadline. Emailed submissions will not be accepted this year - you must submit a printed copy. Questions? Email the English department coordinator at s.lawless@bowdoin.edu.
Competition for the
Brown Prize
for Extemporaneous Composition
open to all Bowdoin seniors
Friday, April 5th, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Massachusetts Hall