Napa Valley College Jessamyn West Writing Contest
JESSAMYN WEST
Creative WRITING CONTEST
The English Department of Napa Valley College invites unpublished works of short fiction,
poetry, creative nonfiction, and multilingual writing for the 2025 Jessamyn West Creative Writing Contest. The contest is open to any Napa Valley College student enrolled on a full or part-time
basis during the last twelve months.
All winners will be invited to read from their winning submissions at the Jessamyn
West Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 7 from 5:30-7:30 pm in the Community Room of the McCarthy Library at Napa Valley College.
A first prize of $150 and a second prize of $100 will be awarded in each category.
In addition, winners receive free entry to the public craft lectures and readings
presented at the Napa Valley Writers’ Conference.
The deadline for receipt of entries is FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
Entries will be screened by the English Department with final judging done by professional
writers.
Click on the flyer below to get to the online entry form and submission guidelines.
You will need to sign in using your NVC student email address to fill in the form.
Direct any questions to Andrea Bewick (abewick@napavalley.edu)
2023 Jessamyn West Award Winners:
Fiction: Lucy Corin, Fiction Judge
1st place Alice O’Neill “Café Von Kleef”
2nd place Christina Martinez “The Worst Little Widow Ever”
Honorable Mention Elizabeth Roth “Dregs of Decadence”
Poetry: Elizabeth Herron, Poetry Judge
1st place Joshua Guerrero “In Pursuit of Shadows Lost”
2nd place Lena Randall “Five More Minutes”
Honorable Mention Kenya Williams “Irony”
Creative Nonfiction: Pam Houston, Creative Nonfiction Judge
1st place Yiellsee Chavez “Again and Again”
2nd place Geoffrey Weber “Onyx and Sterling”
Multilingual Writing: Iris Dunkle, Multilingual Writing Judge
1st place Amanda Fuentes “Sábado”
2nd place Karolina Weiss “Řeka Myšlenek”