The New Brunswick Writing Competition 

Runs January 1 to March 31 annually 

The program celebrates eight categories of unpublished writing in the genres of novel, short story, single poem, poetry manuscript, books for young people, and stories by teens, as well as unpublished short film script, and narrative non-fiction. The only requirement: You must be a New Brunswick resident to participate in our provincial competition. If you live outside of the province, you must be a member of the WFNB.

The New Brunswick Writing Competition began in 1985, the same year as the WFNB's date of incorporation. It’s been held annually ever since, awarding thousands of dollars in prizes over the decades. Many past winners have since achieved national and international publishing fame. 

Come to the

2025 NB Writing Competition Literary Soiree Reception 


Friday, May 30, 2025, 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Free and Open to the Public

Junior Ballroom, Crowne Plaza, Fredericton


Come help celebrate the winners of this year's writing competition at a literary soiree, as part of WFNB’s annual WordSpring writing festival. This event is free and open to the public, including a cash bar and refreshments, entertainment by Leo LaFleur with cellist Leandra Gold, and a book table.

6:00 to 6:45 pm: Reception

Music By: Leo LaFleur with guest cellist, Leandra Gold

6:45 pm: Welcome by the board

7:00 to 9:00 pm: Award Readings


Winners Announced for the 2025 NB Writing Competition

May 15, 2025 – The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) has announced the winners of its annual New Brunswick Writing Competition. The winners will be celebrated at a literary soiree on Friday evening, May 30, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, as part of WFNB’s annual WordSpring writing festival. This event is free and open to the public, including a cash bar and refreshments, entertainment by Leo LaFleur with cellist Leandra Gold, and a book table.

The program celebrates eight categories of unpublished writing. Peer judges-who are chosen from outside of the province - consistently report that submissions display a diverse spectrum of high-quality writing talent in the province, which make the choice difficult.

The finalists are as follows:

The David Adams Richards Prize for fiction
Judge: Sue Murtagh

First Place:                Kelly Alcorn (Rollingdam), Delilah’s on the Radio

Second Place:           Denise L. McClure (Grand Falls) Helyn of Dumnonia

Third Place:               A.D. MacDonald (Saint John) The Bigness

 

Douglas Kyle Memorial Prize

Judge: Vernon Oickle


First Place:                Erin Brandt Filliter (Fredericton), Some Sunny Day

Second Place:           Casey Shelley (Saint John) Private Number

Third Place:              Gemma Marr (Saint John), Soft Launch

 

Honourable Mentions:

                                    Hannah State (Fredericton) An Immortal Kindness 

                                    Neil Sampson (Durham Bridge) Far Side of the Sun

                                    Ruth MacLean (Riverview) Never Again

                                    Michael De Vos (Quispamsis), The Driving Away Song

                                    Mike McCaustlin (Saint John),The Formula of Sound

                                    Trent Pomeroy (Rothesay), The Ways We Talk

 

The Alfred G. Bailey Prize for Poetry Manuscript

Judge: Kathy Mac


First Place:                Carol Shillibeer (Glace Bay, NS) _language be like_

Second Place:           Melanie Craig Hansford (Hampton),Take Your Wild and Hang It on a Nail

Third Place:               Roger Moore (Island View), Clepsydra


Honourable Mentions:

                                    Frederick Mundle (Moncton), Moments in Time

                                    Gerald Arthur Moore (Moncton), Rat Romeo

 

The Dawn Watson Memorial Prize for Single Poem

Judge: Anita Lahey


First Place:                Susan Dean (Alma), The Door to My Heart

Second Place:           Frederick Mundle (Moncton), Once a Man

Third Place:               Bryn Harris (Grand Manan), The Thing Missing

Honourable Mentions:

                                    Susan Dean (Alma), Reverence

                                    Mira Dietz Chiasson (Sackville), Ulla


The WeyMedia Books for Young People Prize

Judge: Jocelyn Shipley


First Place:                Manju Varma (Moncton), The Mommy Magic

Second Place:           Kyla Brewer (Fredericton), Salmon Seasons

Third Place:               Odette Barr (Petit Cap), The_Tay_Tracks_Trilogy



The Sheree Fitch Prize for Teen Writers

Judge: Jacqueline Halsey


First Place:                Quinn Mallaley Ryan (Johnville, NB), Dooly

Second Place:           Nadirah Enitan-Adelakun (Moncton, NB), She

Third Place:               Mallory Pitzner (Quispamsis, NB), The Gift of Mortality


Honourable Mentions:

Athena Whitman (Lutes Mountain) The Angel and The Devil

Lilyana Page, Murker

Maya Bishop (Moncton), A Journey

Sarah Langille (Grand Bay-Westfield), The Family Tradition

Madeline Bowie (Fredericton), The Corn Maze

Tyler Prasad (Kingsley), Resses and Rex

Athena Whitman (Lutes Mountain), Little Ball of Rage


The Gwen L. Martin Memorial Prize for Non-Fiction

Judge: Jon Tattrie


First Place:                Shane Neilson (Cambridge, ON), McDonaldsing into the Future-Death 

Second Place:           Trent Pomeroy (Rothesay), Inconsequential Souls 

Third Place:               Cheyenne Kean-Lemery (Sackville), Fred’s House


The JL Screenwriting Award

Judge: Kehinde Olorunyomi


First Place:                John Mundle (Mundleville), Patient Watch

Second Place:           Carlee Calver (Fredericton), The Lions are Calling

Third Place:               Nancy Kenny (Halifax), Moncton The Final Frontier


The WFNB congratulates all the winners, and all writers who submitted to the competition. The New Brunswick Writing Competition began in 1985, the same year as the WFNB's date of incorporation. We’ve held it annually ever since, awarding hundreds of prizes over the decades. Many past winners have since achieved national and international publishing fame. It opens every year on January 1.

-30-


How to Submit

  • Review the submission category guidelines 
  • Prepare your submission - word counts are strict! Please include your word count on the first page (not applicable to Screenplay)
  • Wait for the competition to open on January 1
  • Go to the WFNB Writing Competition page (this one!)
  • Select your category (at right)
  • Click the "Pay Now" button
  • Click the "Add to Cart" button
  • Complete the checkout process
  • Email your submission and your cover letter (two separate documents please) to info@wfnb.ca
How to format and submit entries

Guidelines

Entries will not be considered until both the manuscript and payment have been received.
  • The entry fee will not be refunded if your submission is ineligible. 
  • All submissions are final
  • Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
  • PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept AI-generated material

WHEN: The 2025 season will run from January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025

WHO: 

  • Open to New Brunswick residents, and all WFNB members, including those living outside the province of NB. 
  • WFNB members pay a reduced entry fee. 
  • WFNB directors and executive are not eligible.

WHAT:

  • All entries must be original, unpublished works. 
  • Entries must not have been accepted for publication, or previously published in magazines, online magazines, blogs, other online publications, or in self-published works. 
  • For detailed guidelines, see the specific category under "Submission Categories" above

HOW:

  1. Review the submission category guidelines before submitting 
  2. Prepare your submission - word counts are strict! For the judge's comfort, please list your word count on the first page of your manuscript. (Not applicable to screenplay)
  3. Wait for the competition to open on January 1
  4. Go to the WFNB Writing Competition page (this one!)
  5. Select your category
  6. Click the "Add to Cart" button
  7. Complete the checkout process
  8. Send your submission and cover letter to info@wfnb.ca

WINNERS:

  • Only winners and honourable mentions will be notified by telephone or email by mid-May. The news release announcing the winners will be posted here on the NB Writing Competition page shortly after informing winners.  
  • All winners will be invited to read from their submission at the Literary Soirée during WordSpring, where the prizes will be awarded. 
  • Judges will provide brief comments for the first-, second-, and third-place winner.

NOTES:

  • Submit as many texts as you wish in one or all categories. 
  • Each text may be submitted to only one category. 
  • You must complete a separate entry and pay the entry fee for each manuscript entered.
  • Judging is blind. Prizes will be awarded (or not) at the discretion of the judges.
Questions? Email info@wfnb.ca.

What else is New at the WFNB?

Upcoming Events

Territorial Acknowledgement

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick acknowledges that the land on which we live, work and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Peoples, and we honour the spirit of our ancestors’ Treaties of Peace and Friendship. 

"Writers' Federation of New Brunswick" is a registered non-profit organization. New Brunswick, Canada. 


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