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2024 Story of the Year Contest Wrap-Up
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Story of the year contest, laptop, notebook, pencil, coffee

Our 7th annual Story of the Year Contest officially closed on January 13, and the response to the contest has been incredible! We received 1,000 entries in five categories from authors of all ages, all over the world. We are now entering the judging phase, where our team of reviewers will evaluate all of the contest submissions to find the gems that will become our contest winners and our 2025 new releases. 

What makes the Storyshares writing contest special? Here are a few reasons why our contest stands out:

Stories written “for and by”

Storyshares authors bring a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and lived experiences to their work that makes our community more vibrant and helps readers feel seen and represented. The contest creates a gathering of diverse and authentic voices and gives us the chance to shine a light on new talent across the globe — and means that more of our readers can find stories that speak to their own experiences.

A focus on older striving readers

Our contest guidelines emphasize details like short sentences and chapters, familiar vocabulary, and context clues that help with comprehension and readability. Then, the contest entries that are chosen for publication undergo our specialized editing process to make them even more accessible to older readers who are still developing their reading skills. The end result is a growing library of engaging high-interest books that meet readers where they are in their literacy journeys.

Judges who share our passion for literacy

We have assembled a panel of judges who are as passionate about literacy and serving striving readers as we are. From educators to publishers to literacy activists to authors, our judges are well-equipped and excited to review our contest finalists and select the stories that represent the best of each category.

The countdown to find the next batch of “just right” books is on! Contest winners will be announced on April 7, 2025, and will receive a share of $15,000 in cash prizes as well as a place among our 2025 selection of published titles. We are looking forward to sharing new stories and welcoming a new group of writers to our global author community, so mark your calendars for the exciting results of our 2024 Story of the Year Contest!