About the Contest

Awards for excellence to authors and poets

Each year since its inception in 1915, Midland Authors has presented awards for excellence to authors and poets, and this year is no different. Currently Midland Authors presents cash and recognition awards to winners in the categories of adult fiction and nonfiction, history, biography and memoir, poetry, and children’s fiction and nonfiction. The juried competition is open to authors and poets who reside in, were born in, or have strong ties to the twelve-state Midwestern Heartland. In addition, at the discretion of the Midland Authors’ officers and board of directors, lifetime achievement awards are presented to individuals who have donated their time and energies to assist the Midland Authors over a period of years and to authors recognized for their contributions to Midwestern letters.

To enter the competition, see our How to Submit page.

The twelve Midwestern Heartland States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin