Winners announced for the 2023 SCWC Writing Awards

The winners of the 2023 SCWC Writing Awards were recognized during the closing ceremonies of this year's Southern Christian Writers Conference annual gathering on June 9-10 at Valley View Baptist Church in Leeds, Alabama.

The awards recognize outstanding published work in the categories of magazine article, newspaper article, blog post, poetry, and short story. The awards were first given in the 1990s when the SCWC was founded by David and Joanne Sloan. The Sloans recognized that writers should be honored for their hard work in getting published traditionally in magazines, newspapers, books and online publications. 

"We want to celebrate our members who've met their dreams and accomplished a goal of getting published in the prior year," SCWC coordinator Cheryl Wray said.

The winners in this year's contest (with links when available are):

Magazine Article

1st place: Linda Lyle, "A Question of Trust," Refresh Bible Study Magazine
2nd place: Shana Buchard, "Apple Picking," Calla Press Literary Journal
3rd place: Catherine Segars, "8 Things Parents Can Learn from a Surivivor of Teen Suicide," Crosswalk
Honorable mention: Sandy Lemoine, "Invested and Transformed," Lifesigns Magazine

Blog Post

1st place: Melissa Hanberry, "Endings," in Leaf by Leaf blog

2nd place: Kristy Ensor, "The Table" in The Well blog

3rd place: Wendy Lanier, "Helping Our Kids Face Fear," in Christian Children's Author blog

Honorable mention: Paige Hamilton, "Sunbeam," in Paige's Pencil blog

Newspaper Article

1st place: Tracy Riggs Frontz, "Seed of Hope," The Alabama Baptist

2nd place: Laura Lee Leathers, "Rosalie Hunt" series, The Alabama Baptist

3rd place: April McCay, "Hope," The Blount Countian

Short Story

1st place: Sandi Herron, "Who is Counting?" in Promises & Prayers
2nd place: Lettie Whisman, "One Text at a Time," in All You Need is Love (from Chicken Soup for the Soul)
3rd place: Katie Dale, "Overwhelming Peace in His Presence" in Strengthened by His Touch

Poem

1st place: Laura Lee Leathers, "With These Hands," Refresh Bible Study Magazine

2nd place: Linda Holloway, "Who Will Speak for Me?" in Little Miss Linda Speaks Out

3rd place: April McCay, "In My Folks Garden," The Cullman Tribune

All winners received certificates, and first place winners received a small cash prize.

Submissions for the SCWC Writing Awards open each year in April at the same time that registration opens for the annual Southern Christian Writers Conference. The awards recognize works published in the previous year between conference times.

Congratulations to all of our 2023 winners, and good luck to everyone in your continued publishing goals!

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