“I’ve found that the more uncertain life is, the more solidity and structure War and Peace provides,” writes Yiyun Li in Tolstoy Together, which encapsulates the virtual book club the author began in 2020 inviting readers around the world to discuss Tolstoy’s epic novel with her. The book includes Li’s daily reading journal that comments on craft and technique, historical context, and character studies, as well as contributions from writers such as Garth Greenwell, Carl Phillips, and Alexandra Schwartz, among hundreds of other readers. Featuring a schedule and framework for following along, Tolstoy Together is both a guide and motivating companion that illustrates the power of reading together.
Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.