Category: Contests

Iron Pen 2025 Results / Info for Awards Ceremony on 3/22

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in Iron Pen 2025. We received many terrific entries, and our excellent judges— Kristin DeMarr (nonfiction), Peter          Hadlandsmyth (fiction), and Jacob Duncan (poetry), who are last year’s winners in each category—had very difficult decisions to make in their evaluations and wonderful things to say about so much terrific writing. We appreciate everyone’s time and talents in making this year’s contest one of the most competitive we’ve ever had.

Without any further ado, here are the winners of the 2025 Iron Pen Contest, by category…

Iron Pen 2025: Rules, Info, Prompt Announcement 

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Thank you all very much for participating in the fastest writing contest in the Midwest! We appreciate your writing courage & quick imagination, and we look forward to seeing all of your terrific submissions. 

Before we get to the prompt (which will also be available via phone on the MWC’s outgoing voice message at 309-732-7330, via the home page and the Iron Pen page on the MWC website, and on our Facebook page), a few guidelines and other important bits of information:

Being Human in the Age of AI — New Anthology Project: Submissions Open Through 12/1

Posted on by Ryan Collins

St. Ambrose University College of Arts and Sciences, Galvin Fine Arts, and the Midwest Writing Center (MWC) are partnering on a series of events and a publication around the theme of “Being Human in the Age of AI.” (more on the theme below, including the prompt).

For this project, we are looking for submissions of poetry (30 lines max.) and flash prose (fiction or nonfiction, 500 words max.). Submissions are open September 1, and close on December 1 (see complete guidelines below). MWC will select the strongest works (approx. 20-30) for publication in an anthology, to be published by MWC Press in April 2025. All contributors to the anthology will receive $100 for their work in addition to two copies of the anthology, and the opportunity to record their work for a podcast. Selections will be announced in early January 2025.