JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Arts Council is now accepting applications for the 2021 Blanchan and Doubleday Memorial Writing Awards.

The Doubleday Award of $1,000 is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a female writer. The Blanchan Award, also $1,000, is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world.

Both awards are designed to bring attention to writers in Wyoming who have not yet received wide recognition for their work, and to support emerging writers at crucial times in their careers. Poets, fiction writers, essayists, and script writers who have published no more than one book in each genre and who are not full-time students or faculty members are invited to apply by submitting manuscripts and an entry form by the deadline.

Applications are accepted online via https://wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit. The application deadline is March 11.

The juror for this year is Louisa Luna. Luna is the author of five novels, including “Two Girls Down” and “The Janes” from the Alice Vega series. She was born and raised in the city of San Francisco and now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award and the Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Writing Award are made possible through the generosity of a private donor.

A complete list of eligibility requirements and additional information can be found at the application link above. For more information, contact Taylor Craig at 307-274-6673 or taylor.craig@wyo.gov.

Jacob Gore was born and raised in Cheyenne, the capital city of Wyoming. As a proud Wyomingite, he loves to share his home with visitors from around the world. Spending years in Jackson and Alaska as an interpretive nature guide, he remains a photographer, traveler, storyteller, and avid hobbyist of all-things outdoors. Jacob enjoys bridging the connection between Jackson and the rest of the state.