Supporting Emerging Writers

We partner with the Rotary Club of Stratford to support emerging writers, indie authors and literacy in an annual Short Story Contest where winners are announced during the Stratford Writers Festival each October.

Writers of all citizenships may enter multiple submissions and there is no fee to enter or submit. There are two categories in which you can submit your story: Teen (Age 19 and under) with a cash prize up to $300 and Adult (Age 20 and over) with a cash prize up to $500.

Rotary Stratford Short Story Contest winners receive plaques and cash prizes. 

Submit Your Writing to the Short Story Contest


The FREE Short Story Contest winners celebration is hosted at the Festival where the Rotary Club of Stratford presents cash prizes to the various winners followed by photos, sandwiches and refreshments. View the past winners to see if you know someone on the list!

Short Story Contest Winners

Youth Category

Winner: Tristin Barker, Fowl Play

Second Prize: Kitsch, Stalked Emma

Third Prize Tie: Elysha Vorstenbosch, The Reserve

Third Prize Tie: Beatrice Marks, The Mouse

Honourable Mention: Jole Horn, Yammabunki: Rebooted

Adult Category

Winner: Tristan Marajh, Taste of Memory

Second Prize:  David Simon, Treetown

Third Prize Tie: Laura Leavens, Dark Choices In A Remote Evergreen Forest 

Third Prize Tie: Gloria Bishop, One Moment in Time 

Honourable Mentions:

Joseph Pelletier-Doyle, Disaster at the Flushing County Festival of Frozen Pipes 

Kevin Craig, Helen Finds Her Way To After 

Youth Category

Winner: Gareth Arturo Marks, The Library

Second Prize: Emma Lim, Here Be Dragons

Third Prize Tie: Elysha Vorstenbosch, Trapped

Honourable Mentions:
Maia Stephan, Missing In Action
Maria Guo, Cracked
Penny Duran, 3 stories

Adult Category

Winner: Sharon Overend, Driveway Weeds

Second Prize:  Connie L. Cook, For The Love of Sweet Rose

Third Prize Tie: Denise Beaton, Birds On A Wire 

Honourable Mentions:

Helen Mary Orr, Sunshine On A Cloudy Day 

Richard Arthur Hundey, Guilty 

Chris Vetterli, Spiritus Culina 

Alan Macleod, Two Pianos 

Short Story Contest Shortlist

Youth Category

Makenna Wormington, Time Of Your Life
Penelope (Penny) Duran, The Gauntlet
Penelope (Penny) Duran, Always Present
Penelope (Penny) Duran, Collage
Amie Aubie, Ten Letter Word
Maia Stephan, Missing in Action
Gareth Arturo Marks, The Library
Emma Lim, Here be Dragons
Anna Klassen, This Is It
Amy Bradley, Sisters Before Misters
Maria Guo, Cracked
Kristin Vleeming, Trapped

Adult Category

Denise Beaton, Birds on a Wire
Sharon Overend, Driveway Weeds
Lindsey Anstett, The People We Think We Know
Richard Arthur Hundey, Guilty
Alan Macleod, Two Pianos
Gloria C Bishop, The Symptom or The Disease
David M. Simon, Snipe Hunt
Connie L Cook, For The Sake Of Sweet Rose
Chris Vetterli, Spiritus Culina
Helen Mary Orr, Sunshine on a Cloudy Day