Marathon County Public Library Looking for Creative Writers

Thursday, June 25th, 2026 -- 10:01 AM

Calling all creative writers!

The library has collected Unearth a Story illustrations and now it’s time to get inspired. Writers of all experience levels are invited to pick one of the Marathon County Public Library’s illustration contest submissions and write a story dreamed up based on the drawing.

This writing contest will begin on July 6 and run until August 31, and it will have teen and adult categories. Winning artwork selections will be posted on www.mcpl.us early July for viewing and inspiring.

Entries for both the illustration and writing contest will have an opportunity to participate in a recognition ceremony as part of the Central Wisconsin Book Festival the last weekend of September.

Winners of the contests will receive some library swag as well as a gift card! (Applicants must be able to receive their prize in person.) Submissions must be original, unpublished work using no AI and relevant to the Unearthing a Story theme.

Stories should be under 5,000 words and submitted digitally without any identifying names in the document itself. This contest is open to all residents of Marathon County, and all writers from amateur to experienced are encouraged to apply.

Written work should be uploaded as a Microsoft Document or Google Doc and emailed to [email protected] with the subject heading: Creative Writing Contest 2026 – (Your Age Group Here). This event is open to ages 13-18 and adults 19+.

This event is free and open to the public with no registration required. For more information, call 715-261-7230.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.