2025 NAGS Writing Contest

The Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society has worked for over 50 years to help researchers build their trees and discover the stories of their ancestors. We are excited to host our third annual writing contest with a new prompt to inspire your research.

 

Prompt: “New Discoveries”

Have you recently uncovered a surprising ancestor, broken through a brick wall, or solved a family mystery? Perhaps you found an old cache of letters or connected with a distant cousin through DNA. We’d love to hear the story and how it reshaped your understanding of your family.

 

Deadline: August 31, 2025

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Judging Criteria

 

Submissions will be evaluated in four categories, each scored on a scale from 1 to 5:

1 = Does not meet the standard 

5 = Exceeds expectations

 

Evaluation Criteria

 

• Relevance to Prompt – Clearly connects to the “New Discoveries” theme, showing a meaningful breakthrough or insight.

• Quality of Writing – Well-written, engaging, and organized; the narrative flows smoothly and holds the reader’s interest.

• Quality of Research – Demonstrates strong research skills with accurate details, historical context, and (where applicable) sources or citations.

• Creativity – Uses originality and thoughtful storytelling to bring genealogical research to life in a compelling way.

 

Rules

 

Eligibility: Open to all genealogists and family historians, regardless of experience. No entry fee or membership required. NAGS board members and judges are not eligible.

 

Length: Stories should be no longer than 2000 words in length. Source citations, family group sheets / pedigree charts and photos (with captions) are encouraged but not required. Citations, charts and photo descriptions will not be included in the word count.

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Format

● Submit your entry as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx)

● Optional: Attach photos, charts, or graphics separately as high-resolution JPEG files

● All submissions must be original work. Please avoid content involving living individuals.

 

Legal

By submitting, you grant the Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society one-time print and digital rights. Submissions may be edited for grammar or clarity. Copyright remains with the author. Entries must be unpublished at the time of submission.

 

Identification

In your email, include: Your full name, story title, mailing address, phone number, and approximate word count (Your contact information is only used to identify and notify winners.)

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Awards

 

1st prize: 6 month U.S.Ancestry membership and 1 year membership to NAGS

2nd prize: Ancestry DNA test + 1 year membership to NAGS

3rd prize: 1 year membership to NAGS

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Winning entries will be published in future issues of The Backtracker

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Winners will be announced at our October 2025 meeting. We will also publish the winners on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/nwags and our website www.nwagenealogicalsociety.org

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