Warm up your pencil or keyboard and let the written word flow! Henderson Libraries is pleased to present the Adult Writing Contest from May 4 – 30, 2026. This year’s theme is Pathways. Start writing now so you have plenty of time to write, edit, and submit your short story, poem, or nonfiction piece before the submission deadline of May 30 at 11:59 p.m.
“As a literary theme, ‘pathways’ reflects on the journeys, choices, or directions that characters take in life,” explains Henderson Libraries Adult Programming Librarian Renee Hudacek. “Pathways can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. I can’t wait to read what our participants come up with!” Writing about this topic may involve the exploration of human experiences of personal growth, destiny, or the consequences of the decisions we make.
The Adult Writing Contest is open to participants age 18 and older who reside in Clark County, Nevada. All entries must clearly connect to the Pathways theme, be original, previously unpublished work (not in print or on any digital platform), and written by a human author (AI-generated content does not qualify). Only one entry per person, please!
For additional details on the contest, including word counts for each category and other rules, please visit https://hendersonlibraries.com/adult-writing-contest. Because of the large number of entries anticipated, library staff are unable to respond to questions about whether an entry was received. The online submission form will send a confirmation email, and winners will be contacted directly and then announced via social media.
Previous winners include these 2025 submissions:
- FICTION – Matthew Stedman for “They Come Knocking”
- NONFICTION – Zachary Parker for “101 Days”
- POETRY – Shelby Arr for “Broken Social Code”
Established in 1944 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates five locations in Henderson, providing free access to materials, programs, and services to meet the diverse and varied needs of the community throughout Southern Nevada. For additional information on Henderson Libraries, visit www.hendersonlibraries.com or call 702-707-2665.
