Joy of the Pen is proudly sponsored by The Cryer Online,  The Friends of the Topsham Public Library, The Crowbait Club, and TPL Teen Room.

The Cryer sponsors the following awards:

The Verdi L. Tripp Fiction Award
Named after founder of The Topsham Cryer, now The Cryer, who passed away in May 2007.

Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award
Named after co-founder of The Topsham Cryer and monthly columnist, who resides in Brunswick.

Richard F. Snow Nonfiction Award
Named after history teacher and local historian, who lives in Topsham. Richard Snow was also a Topsham Selectman and Sagadahoc County Commissioner.

The Crowbait Club sponsors the following awards:

The Crowbait Short Play Award
For 10-minute plays. Maine prize and honorable mention.

Just Write Books sponsored the following awards until 2021:

Maine-related Nonfiction
Main prize and honorable mention.

The TPL Teen Room sponsored the following awards until 2022:

TPL Teen Poetry Award
Main prize only.

TPL Teen Fiction Award
Main prize only.

The TPL Children’s Room sponsored the following awards until 2022:

TPL Kids Poetry Award
Main prize only.

TPL Kids Fiction Award
Main prize only.

Pandemic Reflections
Main prize and honorable mention. This was a special prize awarded in 2020 only.

The Friends of The Topsham Public Library sponsors the Honorable Mention Awards in the Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction categories and raises money that supports virtually all Topsham Public Library programming.

In 2014, an additional Honorable Mention in Poetry was made possible by an anonymous donation.