“L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42” will celebrate a milestone of over 1,000 writers and illustrators published in the series.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, February 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Year 42 of Writers and Illustrators of the Future marks yet another milestone in the storied legacy of the international writing and illustrating Contests created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983. With entrants from over 175 countries and winners from 52 countries, Volume 42 will mark the Contests’ having published over 1,000 writers and illustrators in the series. This is an achievement never before attained by any science fiction and fantasy competition.
The event begins streaming live at 7:00 PM PST on www.WritersoftheFuture.com. Winners will be recognized and awarded with a handsome trophy. However, only two winners, one writer and one illustrator, will take home the grand prize trophy and checks for $5,000.
L. Ron Hubbard created the Contest in 1983, writing in the Introduction to Writers of the Future Volume 1, “A culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists. The artist is looked upon to start things. The artist injects the spirit of life into a culture. And through his creative endeavors, the writer works continually to give tomorrow a new form.”
Based on the Writing Contest’s success, its sister Contest, Illustrators of the Future, was created five years later to provide aspiring artists with the same opportunity.
The awards gala culminates a week-long workshop taught by several of the biggest names in science fiction and fantasy writing and illustration. The writers’ workshop will be led by coordinating judge, Jody Lynn Nye (“Mythology” series), and Tim Powers (“On Stranger Tides”), with guest instructors Kevin J. Anderson (“Dune” prequels), Orson Scott Card (“Ender’s Game”), Nina Kiriki Hoffman (“The Thread That Binds the Bones”), Nancy Kress (“Beggars in Spain”), Katherine Kurtz (“Deryni” Series), Rebecca Moesta (“Crystal Doors”), Larry Niven (“Ringworld”), and S.M. Stirling (“Draka” Series).
Illustrators will be taught by Echo and Lazarus Chernik, with guest instructors Ciruelo, Craig Elliott, Brian C. Hailes, Brittany Jackson, Rob Prior, and Irvin Rodriguez.
Year 42 winners are:
Writers of the Future Contest
FIRST QUARTER
1. Zach Poulter
“Shell Game”
2. S.J. Stevenson
“The Triceratops Effect”
3. Kathleen Powell
“Saffron and Marigolds”
SECOND QUARTER
1. Thomas K. Slee
“Form 14B—Application for Certification of Consciousness Transfer (Post-Mortem)”
2. Brenda Posey
“Canary”
3. Mike Strickland
“As Long as You Both Shall Live”
THIRD QUARTER
1. Michael T. Kuester
“In Living Color”
2. Elina Kumra
“Bloom Decay”
3. Joseph Sidari
“A Girl and Her Dragon: A Life in Four Parts”
FOURTH QUARTER
1. Thomas R. Eggenberger
“A Ready-Made Bubble of Light”
2. Mark McWaters
“Ghost Dog”
3. Dorothy de Kok
“Thickly”
Illustrators of the Future Contest
FIRST QUARTER
Art Ikuta
Amuri Morris
Roddy Taylor
SECOND QUARTER
Bafu
Michel El Asmar
Karah Richardson
THIRD QUARTER
Josie Moore
Tray Streeter
Nathan Deiwert
FOURTH QUARTER
Haotian Zhang
Anna Malone
Tracy Eire
The success of the Contest is measured by the success of its winning authors and illustrators. The 583 winners and published finalists of the Writing Contest have published over 8,000 novels and short stories, and their works have sold over 60 million copies.
The 430 past winners of the Illustrating Contest have created art for over 700 books, 500 comics, and 130 major motion pictures, gaming feature films, TV shows, and documentaries.
For more information about Writers and Illustrators of the Future, visit www.writersofthefuture.com.
Emily Goodwin
Author Services, Inc.
+1 3234663310
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