CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: WANL’s 2023 Romance Writing Contest

January 10, 2023

Our highly anticipated annual romance writing contest is back and open to all WANL Members in good standing! The assignment is simple – Use your writing talents and skills to tell us a love story in your preferred genre of storytelling, then record a reading of your original creation – audio only.

Writers of the top five selected submissions will take home the coveted first, second, third place + runners-up titles (and the accompanying financial prizes), and we’ll show your work off to all WANL Members via a special edition Valentine’s Day E-Zine, as well as via a series of audiobook readings on YouTube.

We are ecstatic to announce that this year, WANL is offering financial prizes that are bigger and better than ever!

The 2023 Romance Writing Contest prizes are:
 1st place: $250
 2nd place: $200
 3rd place: $150
 Runner Up x2: $50 each

This writing contest will be juried by a panel of professional authors – full details TBA!
Jurors (x3) will be paid $100 each.
Jurors are ineligible to submit to the 2023 writing contest.

How to enter the 2023 Valentine’s Day Writing Contest:

1) Write an original romantic scene up to 500 words.
Genre is open to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwrighting, film/TV script, sci-fi, children’s/young adult, mystery, comedy, thriller.
*One entry per person*

2) Record an audio file of yourself reading your original works. This audio clip will be premiered on WANL’s YouTube page as an audiobook presentation, giving greater accessibility to your piece.

3) Ensure there are no identifying markers such as your name, contact info, etc. in your written submission and audio clip, as a jury will be selecting our top submissions.

4) Submit your work to WANL via email: with the written portion in a .doc file format and the audio clip in an .mp4 format.

Note: 2022 Romance Writing Contest winners and 2023 Jurors are ineligible for the 2023 contest.

Send your submission to info@wanl.ca using the subject line
“WANL Valentine’s Day Submission 2023.”

Deadline for submissions is February 3, 2023 at 5 p.m. NST.

The E-Zine is set to be released on February 14, 2023, just in time for the holiday of love!

Submission details are available on the WANL website by clicking here.

Times and Locations