WAR OF THE WORDS

WRITING COMPETITION 2026

2026  THEME
the View from Within and Beyond

The War of the Words writing competition is open to writers across Canada, the US, and attendees of When Words Collide 2026. Whether you're an experienced writer or new to the craft, we invite writers of all ages to showcase their creativity and storytelling abilities.

Created in loving memory of Darlene Louka
Darlene Louka was a member of the Alexandra Writers' Centre Society and When Words Collide. She stretched her literary fingers in poetry and later transitioned to science fiction and fantasy. A writer, a teacher, a creator. We created this contest in memory of her and the organizations she loved so much. ​

Contest Details

Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026, by 11:59 PM MT
Submission Fee: $10 CAD
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Eligibility: Open to residents of Canada and the US, as well as attendees of When Words Collide 2026. You do not need to attend the festival to participate.

Guest Judge: paolo da costa
Editor: Kiki Yee​

PRIZES

PROSE  |  POETRY
1st Prize: $250 | 1st Prize: $250
2nd Prize: $150 | 2nd Prize: $150
3rd Prize: $75 | 3rd Prize: $75
3 Honourable Mentions: $50 each | 3 Honourable Mentions: $50 each
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The top 10 winning entries will be published in War of the Words Anthology Volume 3. Authors will receive a free copy. The winners will be celebrated at a special event during When Words Collide 2026 in August 2026.

Submission Guidelines

To participate in the 2026 War of the Words Writing Contest, please carefully follow these guidelines to ensure your submission is eligible.

• Submissions must be original, unpublished works.
• Only one entry per author.
• Submit to prose or poetry – not both.
• Stories must not be submitted elsewhere during the contest period.
• All forms of prose or poetry and genres are accepted.

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The theme for the contest is: The View from Within and Beyond.

• Submit in .doc or .docx format only. PDF files will not be accepted.
• Pages must be numbered, and the title of prose or poetry should appear in the header. Do not include your name anywhere on the document.
• Submissions of prose should be typed, double-spaced, using an 11 or 12 pt font (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial) with a maximum of 2500 words.
• Submissions of poetry may be single-spaced but no longer than 2 pages.
• Authors retain all rights to their stories.
• Please use your legal name when submitting. You may put a pen name in your bio.

​Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026, by 11:59 PM MT.

Pay submission fee: $10

SUBMIT YOUR STORY

If you have questions or are have difficulty uploading, please email your story to [email protected] (SUBJECT: War of the Words ENTRY)

Please note: The AWCS and When Words Collide proudly supports creative writers. We will not accept submissions created with the use of AI such as ChatGPT. If your story is found to be created by AI in any facet, either before, during or after the contest, your submission will be disqualified.  We want to protect the intellectual property and copyrights of all writers and currently the use of AI in this form is unethical and an infringement on those rights.

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​2025 edition - Buy your copy now!

2025 Winners

FIRST PLACE:   
La Minotauromaquia, Tanya MacIntosh
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2ND PLACE:      
HOLOLifeTM, Stephen James 
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3rd PLACE:      
Inedible, Andrea Lukatela 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

​Breadcrumbs | Dana Goldstein 
Stolen Cadillacs | ​Jodi MacAulay
Dispossessed |​ Shane Kroetsch
The Protector | ​Linda Sanche
The Plainest Door | ​Cait Yaga 
Somewhere Bright | ​Emily MacKinnon
The Liar and the Thief | ​Jennifer Labelle
Labyrinth |  Helen Gowans
I’m Leaving you Today ​| Jennifer Glass ​