1^st Ever, Earth Day Creative Writing Competition

Express the wonder of the natural world, craft a compelling story inspired by Earth’s environmental challenges, or share a personal reflection on your connection to nature.

Competition Details

In an effort to meet our sustainable campus development goals for 2030, Bryant University and the Sustainability Working Group have launched the first ever, Earth Day creative writing competition. This competition asks students to capture the essence of nature by telling compelling stories or sharing their personal reflections on the environment. As part of Bryant’s efforts to promote environmental responsibility, we challenge you to celebrate all aspects of nature, reflect on the pressing environmental challenges we all face, or inspire others to live more sustainably.

Student are free to choose their theme and we invite you to submit your work in one of the three categories:

Poetry: Use your poetic voice to express the wonder of nature or the sorrow of biodiversity loss. Your poem should evoke the beauty and majesty of our planet, highlight the delicate balance that sustains life, or emphasize the threats that impact the Earth.
Non-Fiction Prose: Share a personal reflection on your connection to nature. Whether it's a childhood memory of exploring the woods, a transformative hike that changed your perspective, or an essay on the importance of environmental conservation, your non-fiction piece should offer a heartfelt and insightful glimpse into your relationship with the world around you.
Fiction Prose: Craft a compelling, imaginative, and thought-provoking story that is inspired by nature. Urge readers to ponder the fate of our planet by creating characters and narratives that bring to life the struggles, triumphs, and complexities of our relationship with the environment.

Key Dates

Wednesday, March 5: Info session (optional attendance).
Sunday, March 30: Submission deadline.
Tuesday, April 15: Winners notified.
Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22: Readings by the winners of their works.

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility: Open to all Bryant University students. Each student may submit one piece per category.
Deadline: Submit your entries by 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 23. A panel of reviewers will evaluate each submission by Tuesday, April 15.
- Please note that all entries will be shared publicly unless students—when they submit—clearly note in their submission that they would prefer not to have their works shared.
Winners: Winning authors for each of the three categories will be notified on April 15 so that they can prepare a reading of their works for Earth Day.
- This is optional and winners are not required to do a reading.
Format: Please ensure your submissions are in PDF or Word (docx.) format.
- SUMBIT HERE
Word Limit: Poetry – up to 40 lines, Fiction and Non-Fiction – up to 2,000 words.

Info Session

A Teams info session will be held at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, March 5. Details of the competition and suggested formatting for the submissions will be discussed.
This is an optional info session and teams do not need to attend to participate in the sustainability challenge.
JOIN MEETING

Prizes

All competition entrants will have a chance to meet Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize winner and Earth Day keynote addressee.
Winners in each category will have the opportunity to read their works on Earth Day.
Winners will receive a $50USD Barnes and Nobel gift card.
All submissions will be curated and made available through the Krupp Library.
All participants receive the Earth Day microbadge, part of the Sustainability Badge.

For more information and to submit your entries, please contact rpatalan@bryant.edu.

All submissions can be uploaded HERE.

Join us in celebrating the wonders of our natural world and the power of the written word. Let your creativity flourish, and inspire others to appreciate and protect our environment through your writing. We look forward to reading your submissions!