Write the Rockies

A Teen Writing Contest

Calling all teen writers in the Rocky Mountain region! If you're between the ages of 13 and 18, this is your chance to showcase your storytelling skills and connect with other young creatives!

Creative people are interesting.

Eligible Participants: All public, private, parochial, and home school students who live in the Rocky Mountain region and are ages 13-18.

How to Enter: Submissions must be received no later than December 15, 2025, via the submission link. Hard copies can be submitted if desired.

Genres & Themes: All genres and themes are welcome.

Categories:

  • Short stories / Books: Short stories may be submitted .pdf or Word format. Recommended 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced. Stories must be a minimum of 1,500 words. Chapter books have no maximum length.

  • Theater plays / Screenplays: Plays or movie scripts should be no less than 10 pages (approximately 10 minutes in length), up to full-length plays and movies. Recommended 12-point Times New Roman font in playwriting format.

    Theater plays should include no more than four characters. If five characters or more are used, authors should provide actor doubling recommendations. Movie screenplays have no character limitations.

  • Miscellaneous category: If you have a story to tell, we’ll read it. Possibilities include poetry, songs, or other artforms. Depending on the number and quality of entries, the contest board reserves the right to award or not award a winner in the Miscellaneous category.

Each participant is allowed to make one submission per category (three entries total). Entries that are written as an assigned school project are eligible for submission as long as they fulfill contest requirements.

Contest Rules

Judging Criteria

Stories will be judged on the following (1-10 in each category):

  • Storytelling/plot

  • Originality/creativity

  • Emotional impact/engagement

  • Clarity/writing skills

  • Overall impression

Winners are selected by Write the Rockies judges. All decisions are final.

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Prizes

Short Stories / Books

First place, $100. Second place, $50. Third place, $25.

Theatre Plays / Screenplays

First place, $100. Second place, $50. Third place, $25.

Miscellaneous

First place, $50. Second place, $25. Third place, $10.

Readings: First place winners in each category will receive a reading in the Denver Metro area at a date and location to be determined.

Contest organizers reserve the right to change the number of winners based on the quantity and quality of the submissions.