Congratulations 2026 Cascade Award Winners!
We congratulate the following winners and 2nd-place runners-up of the 2026 Cascade Writing Contest!
CASCADE AWARD WINNER! “Speedboats and Suffering”—Laurie McDowell
2nd Place “What the Marigolds Knew Before I Did”—Melissa Mayfair
CASCADE AWARD WINNER! Dead
Have you ever heard the narrative in your head that goes something like this?
By Leann Barna
One of the biggest mistakes new screenwriters (or any writers) make is believing the first draft has to be good. Most first drafts are overwritten, underwritten, confusing, and sometimes embarrassing. That is completely normal. The first draft is not where you
By J Todd McMillan
Yeah, yeah, I know . . . You’re not supposed to get cute with the title of a serious article. But that’s part of my muse construction. It’s part of knowing who I am as a writer and knowing where
by Cher Gatto
A writer’s warning about the subtle power of discouragement
The enemy has a lot of tools in his tool chest.
But the one he wields with the sharpest, finest point is discouragement. With merely the scratch of the blade, often painless, it goes
By KyLee Woodley
As writers, we have an innate need to put to paper what resides within us—our thoughts, emotions, and very essence spilling onto the page. Just as water quenches a thirsty man, writing sustains the author. So, as creators, how can we
