Literary Essay & Creative Writing Contests & Awards

The winner of this prize is chosen from among submissions to North Star, SUNY Plattsburgh’s literary magazine

Submissions to this contest are due in March. Please see the English department administrative assistant for further details, or keep your eye out for flyers around Champlain Valley Hall.

The winner of this award is chosen from among submissions to North Star, SUNY Plattsburgh’s literary magazine.

Eligible papers are those written for any English literature course between April of the previous year and March of this year.

Authors should submit two clean, typed copies of their essay and of the assignment sheet. The title should appear on the essay’s first page, but neither the author’s name nor the instructor’s name should appear on the submitted copy. Both author and instructor must sign a submission form, available in the English department office.

Eligible essays include any essay or short story related to the subject of nature or the environment. Authors must be English majors. The essay or story must be written during the current academic year but need not have been written for a course. The award will go to the best essay or short story submitted. If possible and appropriate, preference will be given to essays that are written in lucid prose rather than “lit-crit” jargon.

Eligible papers are those written for an English composition course (ENG 101) or English writing skills course (ENG 100) during the spring or fall of the previous year.

The award will go to the best composition essay submitted. Authors should submit two clean, typed copies of their essay and of the assignment sheet. The title should appear on the essay’s first page, but neither the author’s name nor the instructor’s name should appear on the submitted copy. Both author and instructor must sign a submission form, available in the English department office.

Nominated by English department faculty, the winner of this award must be an English major demonstrating financial need.

Nominated by English department faculty, the winner of this award must be an English or English adolescent education major who has “demonstrated outstanding achievement in the study of literature and/or in expository, creative, or journalistic writing.”

Nominated by English department faculty, the winner of this award must be an English major with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 who has “demonstrated outstanding effort and achievement” and “unusual perseverance in pursuit of a degree in English.”