Big Snowy Prize

Big Snowy Prize

A contest for young writers

Starting in 2014, Montana Quarterly began handing out two prizes annually to young Montana writers (30 or younger), one in nonfiction and one in fiction.

Winners in each category receive $650 and publication in the summer issue of the magazine. Entries for the 2026 Big Snowy Prizes will be accepted next spring. Watch here for details.

Past winners

2014: Laura Jean Schneider, fiction; Todd Burritt, nonfiction.

2015: Kelly McClorey, fiction; Joel Harris, nonfiction.

2016: KJ Kern, fiction; Tess Fahlgren, nonfiction.

2017: Holden Sieler, fiction; Nicholas Littman, nonfiction.

2018: Matt Stevenson, fiction; Madeline Hope-Rissman, nonfiction.

2019: Nick Pavelich, fiction; Chase Koenig, nonfiction.

2020: Christopher Munson, fiction; Rebecca Swanberg, nonfiction.

2021: Cody Wallace, fiction; Emma Swanson, nonfiction.

2022: Sam Dunnington, fiction; Margaret Grayson, nonfiction

2023: Stephen Brown, fiction; Loran Schneiter, nonfiction

2024: Paige Coh, nonfiction; Rebeca Strong Garcia, fiction

2025: Jackson Holte, nonfiction; Dylan Running Crane, fiction