Formerly Five College PoetryFest, the Five College Prose and Poetry Prize is now open to creative writers of all genres. Send us your stories, your creative nonfiction, your poetry, your novel excerpts, your hybrid pieces! Two selected writers from each campus will be honored with a reading and reception, and their work will be bound and distributed in a celebratory chapbook.
Who can participate?
Any undergraduate student from Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, UMass Amherst, or the Care Center is invited to submit their work.
What should you send?
Any original piece of creative prose or poetry is eligible for the prize. We ask that your work be previously unpublished, however if it is accepted for publication elsewhere after it is submitted to us, but before the winners of the Prize are announced, you do not need to notify us and the work is still eligible.
Please note that we cannot accept genres such as academic writing, criticism, or journalism.
Your piece(s) may be up to five pages (12pt, double spaced), or five minutes when read aloud.
One submission per writer.
Attach a cover sheet with: the title of your piece, your name, your email, school, and class year.
When should you send it?
Deadline for submissions: 11:59pm, Monday, December 16, 2024.
Selected students notified: Early February 2025.
Reading by selected students and celebratory reception: 7pm, Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Where should you send your pieces and questions?
Please use this form to submit your work.
Contact @email with questions.
History:
Since 2003, Five College PoetryFest has been a showcase for excellence in student poetry across the five campuses. Now a platform to recognize creative writing of all genres, the newly named Five College Prose and Poetry Prize has been reimagined in the interest of openness and inclusivity. Previously, students were nominated to participate in the event at the discretion of faculty, submissions are now open to all students, and selections will be made by a committee of MFA candidates from the MFA for Poets & Writers at UMass Amherst.
Don’t miss this chance to share your work and be recognized by the incredible Five College writing community!