The Missoula Writes Contest, established in 2008 by the Missoula Public Library, was designed to inspire writers of all ages across Montana. Its goal is to encourage creativity, refine writing skills, and provide a platform for recognition. 

“Developed by MPL’s Adult Programming Committee, the contest was created to be a perfect fit for the Missoula community,” explained Mary Wooldridge, Public Relations Specialist for MPL. 

Open to all Montana residents, the contest accepts submissions in three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Entries are divided into four age groups: 8-10, 11-14, 15-18, and 19+, allowing writers at various stages of life to compete fairly. With over 100 entries each year, the contest showcases the diverse and creative talent from across the state.

About half of Angie Hopwood's fifth and sixth grade class from Superior Public Schools decided to take a crack at it, even though submitting was entirely voluntary. 

"I’d never heard of Missoula Writes before," Hopwood admitted, despite this being the 17th year of the contest. "I received an email from our union that said, 'Here’s a cool opportunity for your students,' and I liked it — and they did too."

This wasn't an assigned task; students worked on their submissions in their own time. 

"The papers they submitted had been written for previous assignments. They revised them for the contest using the feedback I had already provided on their grades," she explained. 

These revisions helped elevate their work to a higher level. Among the participants, Mia and Loren Mellen stood out. Loren, who placed second in the 11-14 age group for fiction, and Mia, who earned third place in the 8-10 age group for non-fiction, were thrilled with their achievements.

“The story I sent in wasn’t the story I wanted to submit. There was another story I’d been working on for months, but it was too long,” Loren explained. 

However, even his shorter fantasy story, which he submitted, was six pages long, filled with thick plotlines and plenty of dialogue. Loren’s efforts were rewarded with a $50 prize, which he plans to use for a birthday gift for his baby sister. 

Despite his success, Loren confesses, "I’m not a big-time reader, but I love writing. I can do that anytime." 

In fact, Loren is already working on a project that could become a series, and he's currently on chapter 12.

Mia’s story, which won her $25, was about her experience at the Triple Play Family Fun Park near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 

"It was so much fun!" she recalled excitedly. "When I heard about the writing competition, I decided to enter one of my recent stories. I wasn’t expecting to win anything, but I got third place!" 

Mia loves both writing and reading, enjoying books every night. "I wasn’t trying to get third, but I’m really happy I did!"