Call for Submissions for the 2023 Veterans Writing Award

In keeping with Syracuse University’s longstanding commitment to serving the interests of veterans and their families, Syracuse University Press, in cooperation with Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, is accepting manuscripts for consideration for the 2023 Veterans Writing Award. Submissions should be sent to vwasubmissions@syr.edu by Feb. 15, 2023.

The award includes a $1,000 cash prize and a publication contract with Syracuse Uni­versity Press. Manuscripts of high merit not selected for the final award may receive honorable mention.

The Veterans Writing Award was established in 2019 to recognize the contributions of veterans to the literary arts, shine a light on the multivalent veteran experience and provide a platform for unrecognized military writers.

Unpublished, full-length manuscripts are accepted for consideration. This biennial contest alternates between fiction and nonfiction each award cycle, with the 2023 award open to memoirs, nonfiction essays and creative nonfiction.

The award is open to U.S. veter­ans and active-duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate fam­ily members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents and children. Women veteran writers, veterans of color, Native American veterans, LGBTQ veterans and those who identify as having a disability are encouraged to submit.

Although work submitted for the contest need not be about direct military experience, original voices and fresh perspectives are sought that will expand and challenge readers’ understanding of the lives of veterans and their families. Posthumous submissions are eligible.

Finalists will be read by writer, activist and veteran of the United States Marine Corps Anuradha Bhagwati, and the winning entry will be announced in November of 2023.

Complete rules and submission guidelines can be found on the Syracuse University Press website.