In May 2026, WriterHouse and C-VILLE Weekly presented WriteNow! – a community campaign to inspire creative writing. Free events were held at Jefferson-Madison Regional Library branches, culminating with First Page, a contest for fiction writers. The winner and runner-up of First Page will be announced on our homepage soon!

First Page Judge: Bruce Holsinger

Eligibility for First Page

• Ages 18+ (turning 18 by May 1, 2026 qualifies)
• Must reside in Central Virginia (city of Charlottesville or counties of Albemarle, Greene, Augusta, Fluvana, Louisa, Nelson, Buckingham or Madison)
• Submissions must be the contestant’s original, unpublished work (no previous print or online publication)
• WriterHouse and C-VILLE Weekly employees are not eligible to participate
• By entering the contest, contestants give permission to the sponsoring organizations to read, display, or otherwise publicize the content of their contest submissions.

How Do I Enter FIrst Page?

• Submit the first page ONLY of a fictional story you’ve written to programs@writerhouse.org.
• Submission Period: May 1, 2026 through May 31, 2026. ONE submission only per contestant

Formatting Requirements

• Entries must be typed, double-spaced, 12-point-sized text, on unlined, white paper using Times New Roman font
• Submissions should be no longer than 250 words.
• Include your title at the top of your entry. No names or other identifying information, please. The title will not be counted in the 250-word limit. Include your preferred email, street address, and contact phone number in the body of the email used to submit your entry page.

HOW WILL THE WINNERS BE CHOSEN?

Best-selling author Bruce Holsinger will select the winning entry and a runner-up. Judge’s decisions are final. To learn more about Bruce, visit his website at bruceholsinger.com.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN?

• The winner will receive a $200 Visa gift card, and the runner-up will receive a $100 Visa gift card compliments of WriterHouse.
• The winners of this contest will be contacted directly and a public announcement will be posted online at www.writerhouse.org and by C-ville Weekly, with links to the winning entries. Winners will receive their prizes by mail.