Thornton Wilder Writing Competition Details Announced: Here’s What To Know

HAMDEN, CT — Entries are now being accepted for the 2026 Thornton Wilder Writing Competition.

The competition is open to all New Haven County public, private, homeschool, and parochial high school students.

The top prize is $800.

Read more from the Hamden Public Library below:

Now in its 40th year, the Thornton Wilder Writing Competition (TWWC) was established by the Friends of Hamden Library to honor longtime Hamden resident and Pulitzer Prize winning author and playwright, Thornton Wilder.

The competition is open to all New Haven County public, private, homeschool, and parochial high school students. We encourage all qualifying teens to take advantage of the opportunity.

Competition Guidelines

1. The competition is open to all students in grades 9-12, or the homeschool equivalent.

2. Entrants must attend school in New Haven County.

3. Students may submit up to one entry each for the fiction and poetry categories.

4. Fiction entries can be short stories, scripts, one-act plays, or excerpts from longer works.

5. Entries may not exceed 2,500 words.

6. Each submission must be accompanied by a completed application.

7. All submissions are due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, February 22.

Download the 2026 application (PDF)

Submission Rules

Entries can be emailed, mailed, or delivered in-person. We encourage participants to email their submissions but understand that may not be possible for everyone.

Email: TWilder@hamdenlibrary.org

Mail: TW Writing Competition | Hamden Public Library | 2901 Dixwell Ave. Hamden CT.

In-Person: Visit the Information Services Desk at the Miller Memorial Library

Prizes

The judges will select a first and second-place winner, as well as an honorable mention, for fiction and poetry.

• First Place -$800
• Second Place – $400
• Honorable Mention – $200