The Ampersand Review
Essay Contest 2024
It is time for the second annual Ampersand Review Essay Contest! The Ampersand Review is seeking innovative and thought-provoking creative non-fiction or a personal essay for this prize. Stay tuned for more information on this year’s guest judge.
Submission Guidelines
Who: Any Canadian writer or writer living in Canada. At this time, we are unable to consider international submissions. Please note that we do not consider or publish work written by current students, staff, and faculty at Sheridan College.
What: Creative non-fiction or personal essay that is 3000 words maximum.
When: Submit your essay from May 1st - June 30, 2024, at 11:59pm ET.
How:
Please complete the entry form on our website and pay the entry fee. Submissions that are not accompanied by an entry fee will not be considered.
Once your entry fee has been paid, submit your essay as a Word document and PDF file to ampersandreview@sheridancollege.ca. Essays should be double-spaced and should include the total word count in the submission.
Entry Fee: $29.95. All entrants will receive a one-year subscription to The Ampersand Review.
Prize: The winner will receive $500 and publication in Issue No. 7 of The Ampersand Review. The runner-up will receive $100 and publication in Issue No. 8 of The Ampersand Review.
FAQ
Q: Can I submit more than one essay?
A: Yes, however, each entry will require its own entry form and fee.
Q: Can I submit my essay elsewhere?
A: No. All essays submitted to this contest must be exclusively submitted to The Ampersand Review for the duration of the contest. If you need to withdraw your submission at any time, please let us know immediately.
Q: When will the winner be announced?
A: November 2024. Details coming soon!
SuBMISSION FORM
The Ampersand Review Essay Contest Winner for 2024:
First Place:
"What You Carry" by Kim Fahner
Second Place:
"Go Play Outside" by Caitlin Stall-Paquet
The Ampersand Review Essay Contest SHORTLIST for 2024:
"I am Corn Starch" by Tamara Thompson
"What I Think About While Not Working at the Office" by Eugénie Szwalek
"Control" by Conor McDonnell
"Anti-Hospital Poetic Love Letter" by Shane Neilson
"Marantha" by Ceilidh Michelle
"A Perfect Serve" by Margaret Lynch
"Go Play Outside" by Caitlin Stall-Paquet
"What You Carry" by Kim Fahner
"Framing an Escape Artist" by Darby Huk
"The Sky Has No Answers" by Alina Mitrofanova
The Ampersand Review Essay Contest Winner for 2023:
First Place:
“ggirl in five acts” by Vange Schramek
Second Place:
“Bodymagic: An Anatomy of My Integumentary System” by Mieke de Vries
Third Place:
“Driver’s Test” by Kelsey Gilchrist
The Ampersand Review Essay Contest Shortlist for 2023:
“Orange Juice” by Nilanjana Ray,
“Death is a Deer, Death is a Wolf” by Jess Housty
“Going Down for Air” by Adam Cavanaugh
“The Knot We’re Tied Up In” by Alanna Schwartz
“Bodymagic: An Anatomy of My Integumentary System” by Mieke DeVries
“Must it Be?It Must Be!” by Cecilia Martell
“Black Sheep” by Kathleen Lynch
“ggirl in five acts” by Vange Schramek
“Follow the Arrows” by Chris Banks
“Driver’s Test” by Kelsey Gilchrist"