Last Call for Hal Prize Submissions

2021 Hal Prize mugs made by Clay Bay Pottery

The Hal Prize is still accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and photography at thehalprize.com. The submission deadline is Sept. 16.

Why submit your creative work to the Hal Prize? We’ll let some previous entrants tell you their reasons why. Below are some of the answers we received to our 2020-21 Hal Prize feedback-survey question, “What made you want to enter the contest?”

“I like to support local literary enterprises; I need a deadline to nudge me to write; I appreciate the generous lead time; and I want one o’ them Hal mugs!”

“Great platform to enter a prize-winning category and great judging list.”

“I was recently introduced to Door County, and as a hobbyist photographer, I was thrilled with all the opportunities to take wonderful photos. I have never entered any of my photos in a contest before but felt like this might be the time and vehicle to share my images.”

“I admired what I saw on your website (your mission as an institution), and I appreciate your inclusion of photography as a contest category (even though I submitted only in fiction).”

“Being published is a goal of mine. Door County is a second home to me. I wanted to start there first.”

“I consider it to be a prestigious prize.”

“I wanted to see how my creative works stack up against others’ [works].”

“I regularly submit to literary magazines and was excited to submit to an opportunity closer to home.”

“Brings photography, writing and Door county together – three things I love very much!”

“I liked the localness of it – the accessibility to regular readers, not just other writers.”

 “I have entered previously. I want the darned mug!”