Magazine Archive

The centerpiece of the Writers’ Festival has always been a statewide writing contest for college and university students. Selected by first-round judges, finalists’ works are published in the Festival Magazine, and the Writers’ Festival guest writers select the prizewinners in each genre. At the beginning, the competition was in the genres of short fiction and poetry, exclusively; in the 1990s, the genres of creative nonfiction and dramatic writing were added.

In the menus below, you will find digital copies of the Writers Festival Magazine from the archives of the Agnes Scott English Department. We have also indicated the prizewinners for each year, when that information was available to us. We hope you enjoy looking back at these amazing works across the years as much as we have! If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bobby Meyer-Lee, Associate Professor and Chair of English at Agnes Scott College, at rmeyerlee@agnesscott.edu.

All writers preserve the copyrights to their own works.

2023 Winners

Nonfiction: Kai Robinson, “morning routine,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Frances Taylor, “The Girls and the Not-deer,” Spelman College

Poetry: Cindy Nguyen, “Psyche and Her Sisters,” Agnes Scott College

Playwriting & Screenwriting: Julian Uhlman, “Until I Set Her Free,” Agnes Scott College 

2022 Winners

Nonfiction: Eliza Moore, “Images of My Mother,” Mercer University

Fiction: Lyrik Courtney, “Cloudland,” Agnes Scott College

Poetry: Kain Kibodeaux, “My Father Comes Home Drunk,” University of West Georgia; Summer Rand, “What I Wanted To Tell You the Night We Almost Split,” University of West Georgia

Playwriting: Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson, A Moscovite Opera, Columbus State University

2021 Winners

Nonfiction: Bella Braxton, “Ducks for Ducks,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: “The Pioneer,” Mike McClelland, University of Georgia

Poetry: “Body Image,” Ivy Clark, Mercer University

Playwriting: 1) Bones Under the Magnolia Tree, Maya Gelting, Agnes Scott College

2) Blood & Blackberries, H. Wagner, Emory University

2017 Winners

Nonfiction: Anna Lachkaya, “Coffee Conversations,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Soniah Kamal, “Fossils,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Terrence Daye, “Blessed,” Morehouse College

Drama: Christell Victoria Roach, The Book of Life, Emory University

2016 Winners

Nonfiction: Caroline Schmidt, “Reflections on a Face” and “Inertia”

Fiction: Rebecca Kumar, “Strategies of Containment”

Poetry: Molly McDaniel, “family ties,” Agnes Scott College

Drama: Robby Nadler, onix, UGA

2015 Winners

Nonfiction: Doron Nadler, “Being Robby: My Life/My Death,” UGA

Fiction: Ana Marcela Fuentes, “Witch Luck,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Andrea Rogers, “How to Tell a Man You Love Him When You Don’t,” “I Can Set Myself Right Here and Drown,” and “Pinching the Skin at the Ribcage,” Georgia State University

Drama: Shanice Bennerson, Old Woman Does Walk, The Youth Does Talk, Agnes Scott College

2014 Winners

Nonfiction: Vivian K. Phillips, “Fit as a Thimble,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Christopher Hayter, “Dig,” Georgia State University

Poetry:  Jessica Melilli-Hand, “Hole in the Wall Diner” and/or “13 Black Birds Looking at Away,” Georgia State University

Drama: Stella Lingcong Zhou, MATILDA, Agnes Scott College

2013 Winners

Nonfiction: Kristy Rutland, “Metamorphosis,” Georgia College and State University 

Fiction: Stephanie Devine, “Roadside Memorial,” Georgia State University 

Poetry: Megan Bell, “Haircut,” “Demeter,” “Anti-Ghost,” The University of West Georgia

Drama: Najah Yasin, Biscuits: A Tragedy, Wesleyan College

2012 Winners

Nonfiction: Anna Cabe, “Two Fountains,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Robert Mynatt, “That Sounds like a Great Band Name,” Oglethorpe University

Poetry: Christine Swint, “Learning to Pray in Spanish.” Georgia State University

Drama: Phoebe Perry, The Qi To Success, Agnes Scott College

2011 Winners

Nonfiction: Joanna Carver, Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Jen Pirkle, Georgia College & State University

Poetry: Jessica D. Hand, Georgia State University

Drama: Brittani Banks, Agnes Scott College

Songwriting (Bonus Category): Roger Sollenberger, Georgia College & State University

2010 Winners

Nonfiction: Megan D. Scott, “Elapid,” Berry College

Fiction: Benjamin M. Solomon,, “Grief Station,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Michael S. Dockins, “Letter to Bonczek from Brockport” and “Channeling Dockins, Iredell Replies from Breadloaf,” Georgia State University

Drama: William M. Carter, Line Please, Oglethorpe University

2009 Winners 

Nonfiction: James Davis May, “Elegy for Joe Magarac,” Georgia State University

Fiction: Karen L. Gentry, “The Forgiveness Project,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Cheryl Stiles, “No Anointing,” Georgia State University

Drama: Louisa V. Hill, Child’s Pose, Agnes Scott College

2008 Winners

Nonfiction: Hika Anani, “Blend with Ours Your Voices,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Agie Ebrahimi, “Let’s See What Is Happening Out There,” UGA

Poetry: Jessica Hand, “Jesus Mirror,” Georgia State University

Drama: Emilie Jones, The essay formerly known as craft: A Play in One Act, Agnes Scott College

2007 Winners

Nonfiction: Eric Betts, “A Thousand Faces,” Emory University

Fiction: Christopher Bundy, “You Can Have It All,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Elizabeth (Liz) Ott, “Paperweight” and “The Yellow Umbrella,” Agnes Scott College

Drama: Brenna Rosenstein, Asphalt, Agnes Scott College

2006 Winners

Personal essay: Jennifer Pennington, “Claiming My Grandmothers,” Agnes Scott College

Short Story: Michael Cooper, “Life in the Smallest Things”

Poetry: Kathy B. Kincer, “Driving to Italy,” “In My Neighborhood,” and “Juanita Kincer (1922-2001),” Georgia State University

One act play: Kristin Hall, Booth, Agnes Scott College

2005 Winners

Personal Essay: Christy Byrd, “Black, White, Gray,” Agnes Scott College

Short Fiction: Christopher Bundy, “Early One Morning the Sun Was Shining,” Georgia State

Poetry: Alex Quinlan, “Arabesque,” “Dismantling the Heavens,” and “Grief and the Ocean,” Berry College

One act play: Kristin Hall, Phantom Dog, Agnes Scott College

2004 Winners

Personal Essay: Travis Wayne Denton, “Marbles”

Short Story: Kerin Flatley, “Driving Ed,” GSU

Poetry: Michael Fournier, “Postcard, “Triple Play,” and “Corona,” GSU

One act play: Kristin Hall, Brief Candle, Agnes Scott College

2003 Winners 

Personal Essay: Joy Tadaro, “Where Do You Cash Reality Checks?” Agnes Scott College

Short Story: Dan Marshall, “Burnt Air”

Poetry: Michele Rozga, “Forgot,” “The Meeting,” and “After Listening to Billie in the Country,” Georgia State

One act play: Layla Cantlebary, My Brother, Agnes Scott College

2002 Winners

Personal Essay: Jenny K. Pirkle, “Flicker”

Fiction: A.J. Hill, “Fear of Niggers,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Katie Chaple, “In the British Library Repository,” “Saving Eve,” and “Rising: New Delhi, 2001,” Georgia State University

One-act play: Lauren M. Gunderson, Background, Emory University

2001 Winners

Personal Essay: Kelly Daniels, “In Honor of Gerrick Thunstrom, Now That He’s Dead,” GSU

Fiction: Caroline A. Murnane, “Bright Flashes,” Agnes Scott College

Poetry: Wende Crow, “February 15, 1934–August 9, 2000,” “My Ear to the Ground at My Father’s Grave,” and “Some Moments,” GSU

One-act play: Sarah E. Worden, Double Feature, Agnes Scott College

2000 Winners

Personal Essay: Hannah R. Slagle, “Girl in a Warehouse,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Kelly DeLong, “We Are Good,” Georgia State University

Poetry: Sharie McCune, “Meditation,” “Tea Ceremony,” and “Windstone,” Georgia State University

One-act play: Dorothy Lee Hayes, Because We Are Many, Agnes Scott College

1999 Winners

Personal Essay: Jill Russell, “Dysfunctional Family of God,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Anthony Tambakis, “Death of an Olympic Hopeful” and “See Rock City”

Poetry: Maudelle Driskell, “The Orchard,” “Talismans,” and The Propaganda of Memory”

One act play: Jill Russell, The One She’s Been Saving, Agnes Scott College

1998 Winners

Personal Essay: Angelina K. McCormick, “Watching the Ants,” Agnes Scott College

Fiction: Cheryl Reid, “My Banishment,” (ASC ‘95) Georgia State University

Poetry: Delisa Mulkey, “How the Monk Seal Betrayed Herself,” Georgia State University

One-act play: Pat Turner Josey, The Pecan Tree

1997 Winners

Personal Essay: Marisa P. Clark, “Fire,” Georgia State University

Fiction: Jill Russell, “The Silver Jet,” Agnes Scott College

Poetry: Kamilah Aisha Moon, “Tough Love,” “Me & My Friends Circa 1091,” and “An Afternoon at the Mall,” Paine College

1996 Winners

Personal Essay: unknown

Fiction: Marisa P. Clark, “Ebo Rolled Over,” Georgia State

Poetry: unknown

1995 Winners

Personal Essay: William King, “Reconstructing Lost Mountain”

Fiction: Gordon Johnston, “The Merlinda Pictures”

Poetry: Liz Peterson, “Daily Elephant”

1994 Winners

Personal Essay: unknown

Fiction: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1993 Winners

Personal Essay: unknown

Fiction: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1992 Winners

Short Story: 1) MaryClaire King, “So Black No Sky Could Squeak Through,” Agnes Scott College

2) Steve Redford, “Helping Yoshihiro”

Poetry: 1) Rick Rohdenburg, “Butcher’s Heaven”

2) Megan Sexton, “The Folklore of Waitresses”

1991 Winners

Short Story: Nancy Ellen Sherrod, “Jilly’s Song”

Poetry: Anjail Rashida Ahmad, “the thorn in the side of the road,” Agnes Scott College

1990 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1989 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry:  unknown

1988 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: Tim Briggs, “Heat and Dust”

1987 Winners

Short Story: 1) Keith Hulett, “Souvenirs”

2) Rick Barnett, “Sticks & Stones”

Poetry: Julie Kalendek, “Falling Short of Johnny,” Agnes Scott College

1986 Winners

Short Story: Elton Manzion, “Shadow People”

Poetry: 1) Theodore Worozbyt, “The Fifth Force”

2) Dorothy Coffin Sussman, “At Clairemont Lodge,” Agnes Scott College

1985 Winners

Short Story: D. M. de la Perriere, “Return to the Scene”

Poetry: Dorothy Coffin Sussman, Agnes Scott College

1984 Winners

Short Story: Robin Perry

Poetry: 1) Lilian P. Turner,  “My Grandmother’s Dream”

2) Olivia Robinson, “Arlington House”

1983 Winners 

Short Story: 1) Jane Zanca, “Timepiece,” Agnes Scott College

2) Tyre Harris, “The Pirate I Found on My Porch,” GSU

Poetry: Kevin Cantrell, “Last Patch of Sun,” GSU

1982 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1981 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1980 Winners

Short Story: Robin Wagner, “Problems That Arise Because I Don’t Sleep As Late As He Does”

Poetry: Jane Quillman, “Blank Pillow” and “Uncle Charles,” Agnes Scott College

1979 Winners

Short Story: Frank Gannon, “Genghis Khan”

Poetry: 1) Jane Quillman, “The Rabbit,” Agnes Scott College

2) Edward Wilson, “For the Woman in her Station Wagon Weeping at a Red Light”

1978 Winners

Short Story: Frank Gannon

Poetry: John Thomas White

1977 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1976 Winners

Short Story: James Zorn, “The Visit,” Emory University

Poetry: Ellen Fort, “Year One,” Agnes Scott College

1975 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: unknown

1974 Winners

Short Story: unknown

Poetry: Marta Powell Harley, “Afterlife,” Agnes Scott College

1973 Winners

Short Story: Cindy Percival, “The Good-Humor Man,” Agnes Scott College

Poetry: Marta D. Powell, “Ice-Trapped,” Agnes Scott College

1972 Winners

Short Story: Miriam Patisaul, “Sugar County Carnival,” Georgia College at Milledgeville

Poetry: Gary Kerley, “Ode to the Vietnam Dead,” UGA

Our records are incomplete! If you know the winners of one of the years for which we are missing information, please contact Dr. Nicole Stamant at nstamant@agnesscott.edu.