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The Wyoming County Planning Commission is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Wyoming County Literature Fund Writing Contest, recognizing talented writers from across Wyoming County and celebrating the stories, voices and creativity found within our community.
Now in its sixth year, the Literature Fund awards encourage both new and established Wyoming County writers to share their work through fiction, nonfiction and poetry. The awards are made possible through the generosity of Wyoming County author Lonnie Bailey, who established the Literature Fund for Wyoming County at the Beckley Area Foundation (BAF).
Congratulations to the 2026 winners!
First Place – $500
Tina Wallen
The Little White Church on the Hill
Second Place – $400
Lori Blevins
Snowed In
First Place – $200
Hannah Laxton, Westside High School
The Sound of Wyoming County
Second Place – $150
Hannah Laxton, Westside High School
Beneath These Hills
Third Place – $100
Bella Frazier, Westside High School
I am the River
Special Recognition – $50
Katie Kennedy, Westside High School
Define Perfect
First Place – $200
Brantley Bailey, Herndon Consolidated Elementary and Middle School
Home
Second Place – $150
Logan Blankenship, Herndon Consolidated Elementary and Middle School
Twilight
No entries were submitted in the elementary division for the 2026 contest.
The Wyoming County Writing Contest was created to encourage and recognize writers while helping preserve and inspire new historical and cultural endeavors through the craft of writing. Open to Wyoming County residents in grades 1–12 as well as adults age 18 and older, the contest provides local writers with an opportunity to have their original work recognized and rewarded.
The Literature Fund was created by Lonnie Bailey, a Wyoming County writer whose own body of work includes 22 books, 21 of which are collections of poetry. His poetry has appeared in more than 100 anthologies, his songs have been featured on numerous CDs, and his work has received national and international recognition. Through the Literature Fund, Bailey continues to encourage new generations of Wyoming County residents to tell their own stories and explore the written word.
The Wyoming County Planning Commission congratulates all of the 2026 Literature Fund winners and thanks everyone who participated in this year’s competition. Each entry helps continue Wyoming County’s tradition of storytelling, creativity and appreciation for the people, places and experiences that make our community unique.