I’ve been a judge for a number of different writing contests for young writers and for adults. I’ve even been the prize in a mentorship contest. As a judge, however, each competition is different in what it will ask of you personally—how much time, thought, and perhaps even research you will have to put into it. Some contests are less organized than others. Some are very well organized, such as the Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA). Some require in-person, or … Read More »

As a teacher of writing, I have had the pleasure of working with some creative, ambitious young authors who write with passion and originality. However, their fan base generally resided within the walls of our classroom. If you are a young author, and you would like to take your writing to the next level, this post is for you. Read the advice and check out the list of publications and contests. Take a step toward seeing your work in print! … Read More »

Drum roll! The scores are in, and the finalists have been named for the 2021 Royal Palm Literary Awards competition. RPLA is a service of the Florida Writers Association established to recognize excellence in members’ published and unpublished works while providing objective and constructive written assessments for all entrants. RPLA covers some 26 genre-categories for adults and 5 for youth. The categories cross the broad areas of fiction and nonfiction—short works and book-length, as well as poetry and submissions in … Read More »

Who likes holiday writing contests?! Our sister organization, the Florida Writers Foundation, is holding a holiday writing contest as a fundraiser. So get those fingers ready to dive in to some fun! Contest Details Submissions are open from November 1st – November 30th. Start by giving a donation to the Foundation here. The recommended amount is $10. Then you can write either a 1,000 word or less short story or a poem with a max of 40 lines for your … Read More »

The results are in, and we have the finalists all rounded up! We had incredible entries this year, proving that writers in our organization are truly talented. On behalf of the RPLA team, we’d like to congratulate all our finalists and semifinalists. Winners will be announced at the RPLA ceremony during the Florida Writers Remote Conference October 15th – October 18th from the comfort of your home. 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award Finalists *Pen names used when given A. R. … Read More »

It’s that time again—submitting entries, monitoring email, planning the perfect outfit, imagining the feel of that engraved trophy, practicing your handshake for Chris Coward. Just me? The excitement surrounding the Royal Palm Literary Awards is palpable at each stage of the process from sending in your work to getting notifications of advancement to that glorious banquet day. In order to save you time and possible frustration with the process, we’ve gathered a list of do’s and don’ts to help you … Read More »