New Voices
A Community College Creative Writing Contest open and free to all Maryland Community College Students.
Welcome to
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Submission form is at the bottom of the page.
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We are very proud and pleased to welcome New Voices as they reveal their gifted originality, depth, and innovative approach on works of literature and media. Every new contributor that submits their own work of art helps us showcase more creative and inspiring designs of the language arts, assisting us with spreading more awareness to the undeniable talent that each and every one of our writers possess.
Open to: All Maryland Community College Students
Cost: Free
Submissions: Accepted September - October each year.
2026 Deadline: 11:59pm Monday, Nov. 2nd
Prizes:
Cash:
1st: $500
2nd: $250
3rd: $100
Publication:
Our top ten finalists will each be invited to publish in the Spring Issue following the close of the contest. If you are under 18 years old, we will need an adult's permission to publish. Other exceptional entries may also be offered the opportunity to publish with the magazine.
Celebration & Campus Visit:
Our top ten finalists will be invited to campus to be celebrated by The Greenspring Review staff and Stevenson English faculty. The night typically includes a rewards ceremony and additional opportunities for feedback and questions about writing, publishing, and their work. Specifics will be emailed to the finalists after their announcement in December, but the ceremony typically takes place the third Monday in February.
Questions: Please direct questions about submissions to Prof. Meagan Nyland, M.F.A at mnyland@stevenson.edu
Sponsored by Stevenson University's English Program:
Funding for the New Voices awards is generously provided by the English Department at Stevenson University. Stevenson’s English program brings together creativity, career preparation, and community, giving students opportunities to develop their voices through creative writing, literature, digital publishing, and hands-on experiences. Learn more about English at Stevenson University.
Past Winners
This is our first year offering a Community College level branch of our contest. However, past High School finalists have been published in the Fall 2023, Spring 2025 & 2026 Issues of the magazine, but you can read all past finalists here.
Rules & Requirements
1. Contest is open to Maryland Community College students in the current academic year.
2. All entries must be original student work. Any works that substantively rely on the use of Generative AI for content will be disqualified from the contest.
3. To be considered for one of the prizes, work must adhere to the length requirements listed for their genre and be submitted by 11:59pm by the deadline date.
Requirements for a Complete Fiction or Nonfiction Entry:
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First and Last name of the Author(s)
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Entry of 500-2500 words (1-5 pages)
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Title should be centered at top of first page
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Must be submitted on a Word Document
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Times New Roman 12pt font
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Single-spaced
Requirements for a Complete Poetry Entry:
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First and Last name of the Author(s)
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1-3 pages (Double column pages are considered two pages.)
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Please provide poem titles clearly on document
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Must be submitted on a Word Document
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Times New Roman 12pt font
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Space for best presentation of poem
4. If an offer of publication is accepted, creators must be 18 years old or have adult permission to give Greenspring Review nonexclusive rights to edit the creator’s work, publish the creator’s work for current or future issues, archive the creator’s work, and include in marketing material.