By Paige Auxier —
A cohort of English Studies majors at Miami’s Regional campuses is currently hosting a Halloween-themed creative contest through their student-run website for fellow EGS majors, The Reading Nook.
According to the contest’s specifications as explained on this website, students who opt to participate must be enrolled at one of Miami’s Regional campuses, and can choose to submit one piece of original written work or photography for evaluation at no cost for entry.
The website notes in its outline of the rules for photography submissions that work of any genre is accepted, so long as it’s Halloween-themed. All content is also required to be original, meaning that the use of AI is strictly prohibited. Submissions must also be non-discriminatory and family-friendly. Students who upload a submission must also serve as the original photographer of the photo and obtain consent to share the image from any subjects displayed in it prior to submitting.
In terms of the regulations for written submissions, it’s explained on the website that work must be limited to 100-300 words and can be done in either the form of flash fiction or poetry. Similar to the rules outlined for photography submissions, all content must be original to the student author, which again means that use of AI use prohibited.
Submissions are due at midnight on October 31st, 2025, and winners will be announced on November 7th. Those who place will have their submissions published on The Reading Nook website and earn different prizes based on the rankings they obtain. First place winners will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, along with an EGS swag bundle which includes a tote bag, blanket, tumbler, and padfolio. Second place winners will receive an EGS bundle, which includes a tote bag and blanket; finally, those who place third will receive an EGS bundle with a tumbler and padfolio.
For any creative individuals interested in capitalizing on this opportunity, there are still several days to submit an entry. To do so, simply visit The Reading Nook website, where the link for submissions is available. The website is also a helpful place to visit for those in pursuit of further information on the specifics of the contest, or info regarding the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Writing at the Regional campuses.