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WRITER'S GAMES 2026
Not your ordinary writing competition.
The Writer's Games is a free competition designed to help you improve your craft fast. Every accepted entry receives honest, unbiased feedback from several judges.
Use the dropdown menu above to access the Games Info (how it works), Games Rules, Games FAQ, and Archive pages.
Writer's Games 2026
Mock Events: April 17 & 24
Registration: CLOSED
Practice Event: June 12/13
Overall Winners: July 24
Judges' Choice: August 8
Vol 13 is available in digital and print
Check this year's changes
Join us on Discord
Read the Rules
Contact Theresa with questions.
Registration is required for participation. 2026 is CLOSED.
Find submissions and formatting information below.
Read the Writer's Games Origin Story on the blog
Mock Event entries will NOT be published.
Look for winners announced in early June.
Mock Event 1: Desperate
First Place: Brian Lockwood
Second Place: Ruthie Stanley
Third Place: Robert Dyer
Mock Event 2: Here Comes the Sun
First Place: Michelle Dornish
Second Place: Moira Richardson
Third Place: Spade Stone
Mock Event Overall Winners
First Place: Ruthie Stanley
Second Place: Moira Richardson
Third Place: Brian Lockwood
First Place overall wins Extended Critique this portion!
OVERALL WINNERS, 2026
First Place: Jacklyn Oh
Second Place: Moira Richardson
Third Place: Logan Roscoe
Fourth Place: Ross Champion
Fifth Place: Brian Lockwood
Sixth Place: Niina Dubik & Hannah Southcott
Eighth Place: H.Y. Motte
Ninth Place: MM Schreier
Tenth Place: R.A. Clarke
Eleventh Place: Anne-Marie Kofoed & Katherine Varga
Thirteenth Place: Robert Dyer
Fourteenth Place: Aalisha Green
Fifteenth Place: Faith
Sixteenth Place: Alex Bollinger
Seventeenth Place: Allison Rott
Eighteenth Place: Will Kelly
Nineteenth Place: Cyril Franck
Twentieth Place: Dominique Goodall
We reject religious, political, and erotic themes. Fanfiction and AI slop are not accepted.
Mock Events are open to everyone.
Writer's Games Events require registration.
Please thank and follow our sponsors on X!
Premier Literary Services: @kuzitiz
2026 Events & Winners
The top five places in each Event will be featured in
Honorable mention entries will not be published
but author names will be included in the anthology.
Practice Event: Tempest
June 12
Practice Event entries will NOT be published but are eligible for Judges' Choice.
First Place: Myzin K
Second Place: Moira Richardson
Third Place: Niina Dubik
Fourth Place: Ross Champion
Fifth Place: Aalisha Green
Honorable mentions: Alex Bollinger & Jacklyn Oh
Event 1: All's Well
June 19
First Place: Logan Roscoe
Second Place: Brian Lockwood
Third Place: Jacklyn Oh
Fourth Place: Sarah Chamberlain
Fifth Place: H.Y. Motte
Honorable mentions:
Alyssa Beatty & Moira Richardson
Event 2: Feel the Power
June 26
First Place: Katie Ess
Second Place: Moira Richardson
Third Place: MM Schreier
Fourth Place: Logan Roscoe
Fifth Place: Aalisha Green
Honorable mentions: Cara Hurst & Jacklyn Oh
Event 3: Perses
July 3
First Place: Josephine Queen
Second Place: KB Jackson
Third Place: Noah Valentine
Fourth Place: Ross Champion
Fifth Place: R.A. Clarke
Honorable mentions: Lexanne Halama & K.M. Shapiro
Event 4: New Worlds
July 10: The People's Choice
First Place: Katherine Varga
Second Place: Jacklyn Oh
Third Place: Lexanne Halama
Fourth Place: MM Schreier
Fifth Place: Allison Rott
Honorable mentions: R.A. Clarke & H.Y. Motte
Event 5: All Right for Fighting
July 17
First Place: Moira Richardson
Second Place: S.A. McNaughton
Third Place: Aalisha Green
Fourth Place: Niina Dubik
Fifth Place: Josephine Queen
Honorable mentions: Michelle Dornish & Logan Roscoe
What people say about Writer's Games:
Submissions & Formatting
All entries must follow these submissions guidelines. During Games, we deduct points for incorrect formatting because many publications reject incorrectly formatted submissions.
All Practice Event entries receive formatting notes to help you keep your points during scored Events.
Interior Formatting:
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Arial or Times New Roman, size 10 or 12pt, black
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Single spaced
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1" empty margins on all four sides
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0.5" or Tab indentations for all paragraphs
Please do not use the spacebar to indent
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Empty line for scene breaks
NEW GUIDELINES FOR 2026:
NO IDENTIFYING INFO IN YOUR FILE.
File Setup and Submission:
Include your story's title on the first line of your file.
Include both your story's title and the Event name as the file name:
Ex: Pride and Prejudice - Act 3.doc
One piece per file
Include your story's title and the Event name in the subject of your email:
Ex: A Worn Path - Just This Once
Include your name/pseudonym in the body of your email for verification. You do not need to include a bio.
Accepted file types: .doc, .docx, .odt
Live, unlocked Google Docs or Microsoft Word links are accepted via email (submissions [at] writersworkout.net). Set your document permissions to "anyone with the link can [comment or edit]" so we can collect it. We will not request access and we are not responsible for locked docs.
Email entries to submissions [at] writersworkout.net.
The Writer's Workout is a global charity working to improve literacy through creative writing. We hold competitions, workshops, open calls, and discussions; provide motivation, tips, prompts, and giveaways; and offer a community rich in culture and skill. Check our donations page to learn more about how The Writer's Workout strengthens the writing community.
Learn what it takes to produce one portion of The Writer's Games.
The Writer's Workout is a registered
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
run by volunteers.
The idea for The Writer's Games (originally dubbed the NaNoGames) came from Heather Glomb. The first Games took place in May, 2014, with a goal to "just write". When the contest finished, writers wanted a stronger challenge and this organization was born.
Read about the first Games here.
