a PHC Arts COuncil Event
The Eugene Gulish
Writing Competition
A literary competition for anyone located around Paris-Henry County and beyond. Entries are submitted online, with prize money distributed to honor award winners.
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Our 2025 Event
The Eugene Gulish Writing Competition
Theme: “Voices of Tennessee: A Historical Journey” — explore Tennessee's history through storytelling, essays, or fiction, focusing on key events, figures, or cultural changes. Stories must not exceed 1,500 words
When: Monday, February 18th
Where: In-Person Reception, TBD
Awards: winners announced with prize money for various awards described below
Categories: Adult Division (18+) and Youth Division (14-17 years old)
Average # of Entries: 10-20
Sign Up Deadline: February 18th, 2024
Writers Enter Here
Show off your creative writing skills and earn big! Prize money will be awarded in both the Adult and Youth Divisions. This is an online event with no in-person reception. All stories will be published on our website for your viewing pleasure.
Follow the link to submit your story, or simply send submissions to phcarts@gmail.com
Official Entry Rules
THEME: “A Journey of Self-Discovery”, Stories must not exceed 1,500 words.
SUBMISSIONS: Authors may submit up to three stories, but the prize money will only be awarded to one story. Stories with course obscenities or erotica will be disqualified.
PRIZE MONEY: This will be given to the top three entries:
Adult Division (18 years old and above):
First place: $100
Second place: $75
Third place: $50
Judges’ Choice for the best overall story: $150
Youth Division (14-17 years old):
First place: $75
Second place: $50
Third place: $25
QUALIFICATIONS: Judges will consider the plot, story structure, character development, setting, grammar, and sentence structure during judging.
LOCATIONS: In addition to Henry County, manuscripts from these counties will be accepted: Benton, Carroll, Weakley, Gibson, Dyer, Obion, Stewart, Montgomery, and Houston counties in Tennessee, along with Calloway and Marshall counties in Kentucky
DEADLINE: Your complete entry must be received no later than 11:59 pm, February 16th, 2024.
Can be sent via word document or email.
You must include the title of the manuscript you are submitting.
You must include your name, permanent address, phone number, and e-mail. Include parents’ or guardians’ names for youth authors.
The contact info provided will be used to contact winners.
introducing
Our 2024 Judges
Jachary Aaron
Zachary Aaron is a historic consultant with the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area (MSNHA) where he is a managing editor and contributor to the Hidden Spaces project—a photo-journalistic collaboration between the MSNHA and the University of North Alabama Public History Center. He holds a Professional Writing Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Alabama and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree from Mississippi State University in Historic Preservation. He has received numerous honors for poetry and non-fiction essays that have been published in Southern Literary Association award-winning journals.
“I was thrilled to be included, and I want to strongly encourage everyone who entered submissions to this competition to keep working on developing your stories— I read so many creative pieces and cannot wait to see where your writing may take you.”
Melanie Howard
I am a freelance writer who has worked the past 16 years writing study guides for BookRags, a company based in Seattle, Washington. Previously, I worked as a reporter for The Paris-Post Intelligencer. I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a Bachelor’s Degree in English.
“All of the entires in this year’s contest were exceptional, it was hard to decide which ones were best. I admire all the writers for being brave enough to put their work, which often represents their most emotional experience, in front of judges. I encourage all of them to keep writing and honing their craft."
The Writing Competition
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