Contests

Harrison, Meyer and Whyman
2006 Washington Writing Prize Winners

By Beryl Lieff Benderly, Washington Writing Prize Committee Chair

WIW awarded its 2006 Washington Writing Prizes to members Mimi Harrison, Eugene L. Meyer and Paula Whyman June 10 at the gala reception culminating the annual Washington Writers Conference. Rachel S. Cox, Susan Mandel, Mark Tarallo and David A. Taylor received honorable mention.

Meyer, who won in the reported nonfiction category, scored a first in the history of the Prizes by having two entries named co-winners of first place in the same category. The judges praised "Down by the River," published in Washingtonian, and   "Easy Come, Easy Go," published in Chesapeake Bay Magazine, for deft and engaging writing that makes skillful use of historical narrative to produce evocative accounts of distinctive features of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Harrison's "Looking at the World Through Paxil-Colored Glasses," published in The Washington Post Magazine, won in the personal essay category. The judging committee admired the essay's combination of memoir and expository writing exploring the emotional and practical aspects of a complex experience that changed the author's life.

Whyman's "Driver's Education," published in Hudson Review, took first place in the short fiction category. The judging committee honored her for skillfully conveying what lies beneath the surface details of a multi-layered story by examining the lives of young people learning to drive—figuratively and literally—and subtly suggesting the wounds they will suffer as they grow older.

Tarallo also scored a first in the competition's history by gaining honorable mention in two different categories in a single year, in the poetry category for "Amtrak Sonnet," published in Angel Face, and in the newsletter category for Arlington Newsletter and Stafford Newsletter.

In the reported nonfiction category, honorable mentions went to Cox for "A Movement to Bring Grief Back Home," published in The Washington Post ; to Mandel for "The Education of Daniel Hudson," published in Washington City Paper ; and to Taylor for "Man of the House," published in The Washington Post.

The Washington Writing Prizes are awarded annually to members of Washington Independent Writers for freelance work published during the preceding year. The 2006 judging committee included Washington writers Lester Reingold, Jeff Richards, John Pulle y, Linda Thornburg, Michele Wolf and Beryl Lieff Benderly, Prize committee chair, who also made the presentation. All WIW members in good standing are eligible to enter the 2007 competition, which will be announced in the fall.

Read the 2006 Award-Winning Pieces Here

Read the 2005 award-winning work

Read the 2004 award-winning work

Read the 2003 award-winning work