The Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Contest

2008 Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Contest

Download Contest Flyer
The Waukegan Public Library is pleased to announce the 24th Annual Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Contest. The contest will begin on February 15th, 2008 and will end on March 15th, 2008. The category this year is poetry.


Eligibility: The contest is open to high school students and adults. Library employees and board members and their immediate family are not eligible to participate.

Length: No longer than two pages on one side.

Text: Must be typed, 12 point, double-spaced, on white 8 1/2" x 11" paper, 3 copies. Limit of two entries per individual.

Pen name: To preserve the anonymity of the contestants, each entry must be signed with a pen name or pseudonym and be accompanied by a sealed envelope that will contain the real name of the writer. The outside of the envelope should have clearly printed the pen name, the title of the work submitted, and the school attended, if applicable. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified.

Deadline: All entries must be postmarked on or before March 15, 2008. Poems may be mailed or hand-delivered on or before the deadline. Late entries will not be accepted. No email entries will be accepted.

Judges: The names of the judges will be available upon request before the closing date.

Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to high school students and to adults. The prizes in each category are: $100.00 for 1st place; $50.00 for 2nd place; and $25.00 for 3rd place. At the criteria of the jury, Honorable Mentions may be awarded. The winning writings will be published on the Ray Bradbury Writing Contest page of the library web site.

Mail To:

Attention: Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Contest
Adult Services Department
Waukegan Public Library
128 North County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085


Winners: The winning stories will be announced and the writers presented with awards at the Friends of the Library Annual Dinner, on April 19th, 2008. Winners will be asked to share their work.

If you would like a copy of the rules mailed to you, please call the Adult Services Desk, or email a message to wkgnref@waukeganpl.info.

2007 Adult Contest Winners - Short Story

First Place (Tie):
Magnificent Desolation, by Greg Kishbaugh (Strummer Jones), Westfield, Indiana, and
Plenty More Fish in the Sea, by Terese Bower (Stary Night)

Third Place: Eight Assorted Colors, by Natalie Rompella (Scarlett Rosallini), Elgin, Illinois

Honorable Mention: Discussing Fiction, by Matthew Minnicino (Nick Bottom), Leesburg, Virginia

2007 High School Contest Winners - Short Story

First Place: Requiem, by Anna Waymack (Jill Grim), Evanston Township High School, Evanston Illinois

Second Place: You Must Be a Python, by Eunice Chan , Castilleja High School, Palo Alto, California

Third Place: The Hill, by Nathaniel G. Meserve (Xanatos), Home School, Elkhart, Indiana