At Story Circle Network, we believe in celebrating the power of women’s voices and stories. Whether you’re crafting your first memoir, polishing a poem, or sharing your experiences online, we want to support and recognize your literary journey.
Writing Competitions
Story Circle Network has been proud to support women writers through our competitions since 2000. What began as a single competition has grown to encompass the diverse ways our members express themselves:
LifeWriting Competition – Running since 2000, this competition celebrates the art of personal narrative and memoir writing that captures the essence of women’s lived experiences.
Poetry Competition – Added in 2021, recognizing the unique voices and perspectives that emerge through verse and spoken word.
Online Writing Competition – Launched in 2022, embracing the digital age and the new forms of storytelling that connect us across distances.
First-place winners of all competitions receive cash prizes and publication in the Story Circle Network Journal.
Second- and third-place winners also receive cash prizes and, if space allows, publication in the SCN Journal. All winners may also be featured with an author interview.
These competitions are open to all Story Circle Network members and provide opportunities for writers at all stages to share their work and receive recognition from their peers, cash prizes, and publication.
Literary Awards
We’re honored to present two prestigious awards that recognize exceptional contributions to women’s literature:
The Sarton Award
Named for May Sarton, who is remembered for her contributions to women’s literature as a memoirist, novelist, and poet, this award continues her legacy. Sarton memoirs, novels, and nonfiction books are distinguished by the compelling ways they honor the lives of women and girls.
The Gilda Prize
Celebrating the spirit of comedian Gilda Radner, this award honors memoirs that make us both laugh and think deeply about life’s complexities. We look for works distinguished by fresh voices, unflinching honesty, and genuine authenticity—books that help us find humor and hope even in difficult moments, just as Gilda did.
The Sarton Award and the Gilda Prize are limited to books published by small, independent, or university presses (including author-published), ensuring we spotlight voices that might otherwise go unheard.
Finalists and winners of both contests receive placement of their books in our exclusive virtual member’s library and are featured with interviews in our Story Circle Network Journal.
Visit our individual contest and award pages for submission guidelines and deadlines, or contact us at storycircle@storycircle.org with any questions.
