The Military Writers Guild (MWG) fosters a community of writers who explore difficult and complex topics related to the military, security, and defense sectors. MWG awards seek to recognize guild member contributions to their relevant fields across various categories, as well as writers outside of the community that engage with military affairs.
Submissions are open from 1 October to 30 November every calendar year, with the announcement of the winners announced in February of the following year.
Submission Categories
Professional Writing: This category is for MWG members only. Submissions can include scholarly articles, in-depth analyses, research papers, policy papers, and historical works from journal articles, books on military strategy, policy briefs, or detailed historical accounts. If the submission has already been published, it must have been published in the last calendar year.
Requirements:
Word Count: Typically between 2,000 and 10,000 words.
Citations: Proper citation of sources is required using a recognized style (APA, Chicago, etc.).
Creative Writing: This category is for both members and non-members. Submissions can include works of fiction, poetry, personal narratives, and other imaginative forms of writing from novels, short stories, memoirs, poems, and screenplays that explore military themes, characters, and experiences. If the submission has already been published, it must have been published in the last calendar year.
Requirements:
Fiction/Non-Fiction Prose: Up to 5,000 words for short stories or essays.
Poetry: Up to 5 poems per submission, not exceeding 200 lines total.
Emerging Writers: This category is for both members and non-members who are new or less-experienced writers making their initial forays into military-related writing. Submissions can include any material that fit into the professional or creative categories above, published or unpublished, as long as they are from first-time authors, student essays, early-career policymakers, and aspiring writers presenting fresh takes on military topics. If the submission has already been published, it must have been published in the last calendar year. Submissions for this category will be evaluated based on potential, creativity, and original perspective, rather than depth, polish, or experience.
Requirements:
Essays and Articles: Up to 5,000 words.
Short Stories and Memoirs: Up to 3,000 words.
Poetry: Up to 3 poems per submission, not exceeding 100 lines total.
