Southern Literary Festival Competition

The Southern Literary Festival Competition is a free, in-person regional contest for undergraduate students from Southern U.S. member institutions, recognizing excellence in creative writing across multiple genres. Organized by the Southern Literary Festival Association with leadership from the University of North Alabama, winners earn awards, anthology publication, and presentation opportunities at the annual festival.

The Southern Literary Festival Competition is an annual regional creative writing contest organized by the Southern Literary Festival Association, a consortium of Southern colleges and universities led by the University of North Alabama. It honors outstanding creative writing by undergraduate students enrolled at member institutions in the Southern United States, promoting excellence in multiple genres such as poetry, fiction, one-act play, formal essay, creative nonfiction, and literary magazines and e-zines. Winners receive awards, publication in an anthology, and opportunities to present at the annual in-person festival, fostering community and development among emerging Southern writers.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Submissions are evaluated anonymously by a review committee typically composed of established writers, faculty, and festival organizers. Judging criteria include creativity, originality, writing quality, style, voice, thematic depth, structure, and overall literary merit. Judges assess adherence to submission guidelines and the potential impact of the work. The process results in ranking entries per category with first, second, and third place winners selected. Winning entries are published in the festival anthology and authors invited to present their work at the festival.