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Are you working on a dissertation or research paper with a topic particular to the American West? Do you work on Western water issues? Are you exploring Native American rights issues? Have you composed a poem, short story, novelÌýor screenplay that takes place in the West? Do you have a blog in which you document your trips to National Parks?Ìý

Any of these projects could potentially win a cash prize in the 18th annual Thompson Awards for Western American Writing.ÌýIn many ways, it is up to the author to decide how he or she will interpret the topic of Western writing.

So, what are the Thompson Awards? Every year the Center of the American West hosts a writing contestÌýfor ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ graduateÌýand undergraduate students in a number of categories, including academic non-fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, memoirÌýand fiction. Contestants can enter work in all of the categories and have theÌýpotential to winÌýfirst place in multiple categories. With no entry fees, there's nothing to lose.

First-place prizes of $500 cash are awarded in each category, as well as $100 honorable-mention prizes. The Center of the American West alsoÌýhosts a banquet for winners and their guests, featuring a regional author as the keynote speaker and readings by the first-placeÌýwinners. PastÌýwinners have come from a range of programs on campus, including environmental studies,Ìýethnic studies,Ìýphysics, biology,Ìýjournalism, history, English, law and more.

Entries are now being accepted, and the deadline for submittingÌýis Tuesday, March 21. For more informationÌýand to browse the winning entries of prior years, .