Announcing the TAIH Y'all Write Program & Contest
Calling all Texas writers! The Texas Authors Institute of History (TAIH) is excited to announce a special contest designed to showcase the incredible talent of Texas authors. This March (2025), as part of the Texas Independence Day Month we are launching the first TAIH Y’all Write program and contest: to encourage Texas writers of all ages to share their stories and creativity.
Why Y’all Write?
March is an exciting time for authors around Texas to challenge themselves to write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. It's a month dedicated to creativity, perseverance, and storytelling. At TAIH, we believe that Texas writers have some of the most compelling stories to tell, and we want to shine a spotlight on them.
Our contest is a perfect way for writers to not only complete their novel but also to gain recognition and support from the Texas writing community. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your writing, receive feedback, and potentially win great prizes that will help further your writing career!
Pre-Registration
Please pre-register using this form. In the Message section, please let us know what genre you write in.
We are creating a unique website just for this event, and those that pre-register will first get access to the Community we are building.
We will keep you posted on updates, and general information you will need to have a great and successful month of writing.
Y'all Write Sponsors
Texas Authors Institute of History, Inc.
TAIH is a museum dedicated to saving the rich history of texas Authors while encouraging and educating them on how to succeed and inspiring future writers of Texas.
Atmosphere Press
Author-friendly hybrid book
publisher based out of Austin, Texas.
Your book, published by professionals. Atmosphere Press is a best-in-class Texas-based hybrid publisher endorsed by the Writers' League of Texas. Founded in 2015 by a UT-Austin PhD in Literature, Atmosphere Press has since published more than 1200 books. Atmosphere has long been dedicated to transparency, honesty, and serving the writing community at large, and they provide authors like you with exceptional editorial, design, distribution, and book promotional services. Enter their free book giveaway, or submit your manuscript for selective consideration, at atmospherepress.com.
How the Contest Works
After the Y’all Write wraps up in March, participants are encouraged to submit their manuscripts to TAIH by April 5, 2025. From these submissions, a panel of professional authors, editors, and literary experts will carefully review and select the top six manuscripts.
But here’s the twist: Readers get to help choose the winner! The first three chapters from the top six manuscripts will be posted online for a public vote. Readers, authors, and supporters from across Texas will be able to read excerpts and vote for their favorite.
The manuscript with the most votes will be crowned the winner of the TAIH Y’all Write Contest.
Prizes for the Winner
While we continue to work on a list of prizes, we do want to make sure that the prizes help authors to promote their books. Thus, a comprehensive promotional package, including marketing and social media support, to help launch their book will be part of the first and second place winnings, along with membership to TAIH.
Scoring Criteria
To ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation, manuscripts will be scored based on the following criteria:
- Storytelling & Plot Development (25 points): Is the plot engaging and well-structured? Does the story keep readers invested?
- Character Development (20 points): Are the characters well-developed and dynamic? Do they grow throughout the story?
- Writing Style & Voice (20 points): Is the writing clear and compelling? Does the author's voice stand out?
- Theme & Message (15 points): Does the story have a clear theme or message? How well is it integrated into the narrative?
- Originality & Creativity (15 points + 5 Bonus Points): Does the story offer something new and fresh? Are the characters, plot, or setting unique? Exceptional creativity earns up to 5 bonus points!
- Grammar, Punctuation & Mechanics (10 points): Is the manuscript well-edited with minimal grammatical errors?
Total possible score: 100 points, plus 5 bonus points for outstanding originality.
This scoring system ensures that creativity and originality are rewarded, while also considering the technical and narrative aspects of each manuscript.
Timeline & Important Dates
- Y’all Writing Period: March 1 – 31, 2025
- Contest Submission Deadline: April 5, 2025
- Public Voting Period: May 1 - 15, 2025
- Winner Announcement: June 7 & 8 2025 at the Lone Star Festival
How to Enter
Entering the contest is simple:
Participate in Y’all Write and write your novel!
Submit your finished manuscript to TAIH by April 5, 2025. Submission details will be shared on our website and social media pages.
Get Involved!
Even if you’re not participating as a writer, you can still get involved by voting for your favorite manuscript once the top 6 entries are revealed. Your vote could help a Texas author take their next big step toward publication and success!
At TAIH, we believe that great stories deserve to be told and celebrated. This contest is not only about recognizing the hard work of Y’all Write participants but also about encouraging and uplifting the Texas writing community. We’re excited to see the creativity and originality that comes from our local writers and can’t wait to spotlight the best of the best.
Join the Conversation
Follow us on social media for updates, tips for Y’all Write success, and all the details about the contest. We’ll be posting weekly writing prompts, motivation, and behind-the-scenes stories from Texas authors who’ve completed Y’all Write in the past.
Whether you’re a first-time writer or a seasoned novelist, the TAIH Y’all Write Contest: Texas Writers in the Spotlight is your chance to share your story and become part of Texas literary history.
Prizes:
Level 4 Membership in TAIH $250 Value
Editing Package for the top two manuscripts
More will be added before March.