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Ninth Letter Literary Awards

We are pleased to announce the results of the Ninth Letter Literary Awards for 2026.

The winners in each genre will be published in our Fall/Winter 2026-27 print issue and on our website. Honorable mentions will be published on our website. Online publication will be concurrent with the release of the print issue.

A minimalist design featuring a grid of red and white squares, with a white panel in the center listing the winners of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction categories: Meg Day, T.C. Martin, and Laurie Latham.
A minimalist design featuring a grid of red and white squares, with a white panel in the center listing the winners of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction categories: Meg Day, T.C. Martin, and Laurie Lathem.
A minimalist design featuring a grid of green and white squares, with a white panel in the center listing the honorable mentions of the contest. Leila Farjami, poetry and Philip Schaefer, poetry.

Poetry

Winner: Meg Day

Honorable Mentions: Leila Farjami and Philip Schaefer

Finalists: Maria Isabelle Carlos, Emma De Lisle, Troy Osaki, Margaret Ray, Jeff Whitney

Fiction

Winner: Laurie Lathem

Finalists: Mariah Gese, Matthew Lansburgh, Mimi Manyin, AJ Rodriguez, Rebecca Swanberg, Jennifer Wawrzinek

Creative Nonfiction

Winner: T.C. Martin

Finalists: Lance Larsen, Willi Pascual, Kasey Payette, m. mick powell

Guest Judges

Poetry: Steven Espada Dawson

Fiction: Dantiel W. Moniz

Creative Nonfiction: Angela Pelster