summer SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Member Exclusive
A Page. A Pen. A Winner.
Deadline August 25, 2025
Sharpen your pencils and fire up your imagination!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Summer Short Story Competition around the theme of
HUMOUR
OIW members are welcome to submit their best humorous short stories or personal essays.
Whether your wit is dry, dark, wacky, or wonderfully absurd, we’re looking for entries that embrace the spirit of humour with engaging, expressive, and well-crafted writing. Tell us a funny story. Or delve into the intricacies of why humour is important. How has it made your life better?
Three prizes up for grabs!
First Prize: $100
Second Prize: $75
Third Prize: $50
If you're just starting out or already well on your writing journey, this is your chance to craft something remarkable and gain recognition.
Submissions open JUNE 1 and close AUGUST 25—you have all summer to write, revise, and polish a short piece (word count between 600 and 1,000 words).
Winners will be announced at the 2025/2026 Season Opening meeting September 16th, 7pm.
READ BELOW FOR GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY BELOW.
A page. A pen. A winner.
Let your story be the one that stands out.
Guest Judge
We are delighted to welcome two-time Governor General Award winner and acclaimed storyteller, Tim Wynne-Jones as our guest judge.
Tim brings a keen eye and deep literary insight to this year’s contest.
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Who do we think we are, anyway?"Welcome to Ottawa Independent Writers. We are the largest writers association in the National Capital Region. Our mandate is to assist all writers at all stages of their writing careers through informative monthly presentations, networking, writers retreats and organizing literary events. We are a fun and inclusive group.
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Where to meet us?Currently hosting virtual meetings on Zoom. To participate, simply register for a membership and details on the next meeting will be provided over email.
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Elligibility- Entrants must be OIW members with an active membership. - Submissions must be unpublished and the author's own work. No AI can be used. - Submissions are anonymous.
Ready to Submit?
Fill in the details below and upload your file.
Contest closes August 25, 11:59pm.
Good luck!
Not a member yet?
Visit our Membership Page to learn all about the benefits of being an OIW member, including the opportunity to get published!
OUR MEETINGS
MONTHLY MEETINGS
OIW holds nine monthly program meetings from September to June each year on a wide variety of writing related topics, normally with a speaker and plenty of opportunity for questions.
CURRENT MEETINGS
OIW gathers every third Tuesday of the month with presentations starting at 7 pm, lasting until 8:30 pm. The meetings currently take place on the Zoom virtual platform.
Visit our membership page to sign-up now!
September
Guest Speaker- via ZOOM
Pamela Molloy
Tuesday, September 16, 7 PM
Grabbing the Editor's Attention
What Makes a Story Stand Out?
A Conversation with Pamela Mulloy.
Join us for an illuminating evening with Pamela Mulloy, Editor-in-Chief of The New Quarterly, one of Canada’s most respected literary magazines. Recently nominated for the prestigious Editor Grand Prix award for her outstanding impact on the magazine world, Pamela brings a wealth of insight into what catches an editor’s eye. She’ll share what makes a submission stand out, what keeps her reading, and what causes a promising piece to fall flat. Whether you're preparing to submit your work or simply want to understand the editorial process, this is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the leading voices in Canadian publishing.
Details will be emailed to OIW members.
OIW Workshop In-person
Tamara Miller
Saturday, September 20th
Querying Agents: Tips & Tricks
You have a manuscript and a dream of publication. What comes next?
Back by very popular demand, Tamara returns to share with us the ins and outs of querying literary agents. In this lively and informative workshop, Tamara will offer hard-won insights from her own journey to publication. Drawing from her experience landing representation and publishing her first novel "Into the Fall", Tamara will demystify the querying process with practical tips, candid anecdotes, and a generous dose of humour. From crafting a compelling query letter to researching the right agents and staying resilient through rejection, this is a workshop not to be missed!
Details will be emailed to OIW members.
OUR BOARD
Meet some of the OIW Board Directors!
Bob Barclay
Member-at-Large
During my professional career I published a great many technical works, but on my retirement some 15 years ago I decided to turn my hand to fiction. With a nascent novel in hand, a quick search of resources led me to Ottawa Independent Writers, which proved to be a turning point. With the wide expertise available among the OIW membership, I was able to complete my novel, see to the formatting and cover design, and get it into print all in good order. I soon became a board member of the organization, and it is from that vantage point I can now help others who were in my situation 15 years ago. Board membership allows me to give back to the community, and I feel that many OIW members who have followed my path would find great satisfaction in membership on the board, sharing their expertise, and watching all aspects of the creative writing process from the first words on the screen to the completed published work.
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Lena Samson
Vice President
As an OIW board member, I engage with prolific writers and literary professionals whom I would never meet otherwise. My writing and editing have benefited greatly from their experience and expertise. The Board is a friendly, sage and collaborative group from which I've learned enormously and to to which I'm grateful to contribute. Every volunteer on the Board brings a new perspective, unique background and helps OIW continue to thrive.
Interested in joining the Board and giving your writing career a boost? Let us know!
Email us at: members@ottawaindependentwriters.com