Joy of the Pen Literary Journal features the winners and honorable mentions of Topsham Public Library’s Joy of the Pen annual writing competition. Joy of the Pen complements the already successful Joy of Art and Joy of the Lens art and photography competitions held annually at the library. Maine is a state full of writers, whether it is the natural beauty of the terrain that is inspirational or something within the temperament of the artist that is drawn to the independent spirit of the place, there is a long tradition of authors residing here. We wanted to give local writers a platform to show off their talent and to provide a community event to bring everyone together and have been extremely grateful to receive entries from a wide range of authors throughout the state.

We award prizes in the following categories: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Short Plays. The competition is open to residents of Maine and for unpublished work only.

As with our other “Joy of” events, this competition has only been made possible by the support and help of many, many people. Topsham Public Library would like to thank:

The Topsham Public Library Board of Trustees,
The Friends of Topsham Public Library,
Charles Crosby and all at The Cryer,
The Crowbait Club,
Nancy Randolph and Just Write Books,
Topsham Public Library Staff,
Topsham Public Library Volunteers,
All of our judges, both past and present,
and everyone who entered the competition so far.