Do you enjoy creative writing? Have you ever had a fun trip outdoors? Could you use some cash? If you answered yes to these questions, then I have the contest just for you! The Mary Austin Writing Contest encourages 10th-12th graders to write about a nonfiction experience outdoors in either the Inyo or Mono County. First place will win $500 or more! You can write about a wonderful life changing moment in the great outdoors, or you can even write a more comedic story about a terrible experience you’ve had. So long as your tale is about 600 words and about an outdoor experience you’ve actually had, you can let your artistic freedom run wild. Entries are due October 4th, 2017. You can find the entry form for this contest on the inyoregister.com.

http://www.inyoregister.com/content/mary-austin-prize-writing-2017-rules-entry-form-last-years-winners

The name behind this amazing contest is the woman who wrote Land of Little Rain in 1903. Mary Austin’s books are still widely read today! She was also an early feminist and a passionate defender of Native American and Mexican American rights.

Last year’s second place winner, Paige Lary, won $500 for her story, Sonder. Paige wrote about a day on her snowboard team when they went and hiked Smugglers and she had “a deep experience with nature”. When Paige found out she had won second place, she was really excited because she thought she had written a great essay and this was confirmation that her essay was indeed well written. Paige’s advice for the participants this year is to “have fun with it because it’s a really good excuse to just free write and do something enjoyable.”

Good luck to all the participants in this year’s Mary Austin Writing Contest!