The 2025 Wisconsin Writers Awards Winners
Fiction Book Award
Gichigami by Lindsey Steffes
Honorable Mention: Life, Death, & Giants by Ron Rindo
Poetry Book Award
Fablemaker by Mandy Moe Pwint Tu
Honorable Mention: Joy Is My Middle Name by Sasha Debevec-McKenney
Nonfiction Book Award
Wages for Housework by Emily Callaci
Honorable Mention: Guest Privileges by Gaar Adams
Short Fiction Award
"Complications From a Fall" by Linda Falkenstein
Honorable Mention: “Rat and Python” by Margaret Benbow
Essay Award
“High and Dry” by Barrett Swanson
“An Acre of Woods” by Brandon Hansen
Poetry Award
Nick Demske
Honorable Mention: Nina Boals
About the awards
The Wisconsin Writers Awards started as a program of the Council for Wisconsin Writers (CWW) in 1964. The awards honor the best work in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Since 2022, Arts & Literature Laboratory has continued the work of CWW by administering the Wisconsin Writers Awards.
First-place winners in book categories receive $1000 cash prizes and first-place winners in short form contests win $500. All winners and honorable mentions receive a writing residency.
The Wisconsin Writers Awards are sponsored in part by Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts and the Ernest Hüpeden's Painted Forest which provide residencies to the winning writers.
Please note that these awards are not affiliated with the Wisconsin Writers Association (but if you are a Wisconsin writer, you should definitely check out their progams!).
General guidelines, including entry fees, deadlines, and award information.
Best Book of Fiction 2025 Gichigami by Lindsey Steffes
Fablemaker by Mandy Moe Pwint Tu, 2025 Wisconsin Poetry Book Award Winner
Wages for Housework by Emily Callaci, 2025 Wisconsin Best Nonfiction Book
Linda Falkenstein, winner of the 2025 Wisconsin Short Fiction Award
Barrett Swanson, winner of Wisconsin Short Nonfiction Award
Nick Demske, winner of the 2025 Wisconsin Poetry Award