Important 2026 Dates Submissions Open: Sunday, March 1, 2026 Submissions Close: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Awards Ceremony: Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Pickens Library in Jasper, GA
Who Can Enter Anyone over the age of 18 that lives or works in Pickens County, Georgia
Prizes for Each Category 1st: $100.00, Certificate of Achievement, and Personalized Marble Plaque 2nd: $50.00 and Certificate of Achievement 3rd: $25.00 and Certificate of Achievement Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement
All writers will be submitted for a gift card drawing. Each writer will receive one entry per admissible submission, up to two. Prizes will drawn at random during the award ceremony. Must be present to win.
Contest Rules
How To Submit
Each submission must be submitted digitally through the online form OR as a paper copy.
If you have not created an online an account, begin by clicking the CREATE LOGIN button below.
Each hard copy submission must have a completed Entry Form stapled to it. If you are submitting to more than one category, each submission must have its own entry form. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON PHYSICAL ENTRIES, ONLY THE TITLE.
Hard copy submissions may be turned in directly to the President of Sassafras Literary, Jessica Bowers. Please reach to sassafraswriters@gmail.com. Online submissions will NOT be accepted through the email.
Winners for the Adult Writing Contest and the raffle will be announced at the award ceremony. Award Ceremony will be hosted on Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Pickens Library in Jasper, GA
Requirements
– One Submission Per Category, Per Person in up to Two Categories – No use of AI or assistive writing software or tools is permitted – Put the title of the story or poem at the top of the work being submitted – Do not put your name on the story or poem. Submissions are judged anonymously. – 1500 word limit for fiction or non-fiction. – 50 line limit for poetry. – Entries must be typed, double spaced, Times New Roman or Arial font, 12 point font.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Sassafras Literary by reaching out to email sassafraswriters@gmail.com. Please note that online submissions cannot be sent to this email.
Winners for each category will be announced at the Award Ceremony. Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026 Time: 6:00pm to 7:30pm Location: Pickens Library, 100 Library Lane, Jasper, GA 30143 *this event is not sponsored by the library
Featuring Guest Speaker, Lydia Kennedy
This mother of three helped her children publish their own book, Three Peas in a Pod. More info to come.
Past Youth Literary Contest Winners
Register to participate in the writing competition.
