Knox Students Named Finalists in Nick Adams Short Story Contest

Knox College students are once again among the finalists in the Nick Adams Short Story Contest, with both Clare Dietz and CJ Johnson making the cut in 2023. Knox has a long and storied history with the contest, which is held annually. In the last 50 years, Knox has taken home the top prize 12 times, more than any other ACM school.

The Nick Adams Short Story Contest was established in 1973 with funds from an anonymous donor to encourage fiction writing at ACM colleges. The contest is named for the young protagonist of many Ernest Hemingway stories and is open to students currently enrolled at ACM colleges. Entries are judged by a prominent writer; this year, award-winning author and creative writing educator Lan Samantha Chang served as the final judge for the contest. Past final judges have included such literary heavyweights as Joyce Carol Oates, Maya Angelou, John Updike, Audrey Niffenegger, Stuart Dybek, Anne Tyler, Saul Bellow, Scott Turow, and many more.

Dietz’s story, “Singles’ Night,” received an honorable mention. Chang praised Dietz for her humor and called the story “heart-wrenching.” The piece tells the story of Clementine and Meredith, who are pursuing a secret relationship under the watchful eyes of their senior community.

Reading has always been a big part of Dietz’s life, but she didn’t find her voice as a writer until she was in her teens. “In high school, I took a novel writing class where I dove head first into writing, going above and beyond the requirements for the class and falling in love with creating stories,” she said. Writing became an outlet and a passion, eventually becoming one of Dietz’s majors.

Dietz loves being a part of the writing community at Knox. “It has been wonderful to be surrounded by creative writers,” she said. “I know I can always find someone to give feedback on my work. Everyone is so encouraging and engaged with the creative process. It’s very inspiring.”

Johnson’s story, “Community Theater,” made it into the final six. The story focused on several characters’ experiences of a haunted house and the complexities of relationships. Johnson graduated this year with a creative writing major and will spend the summer at the Denver Publishing Institute earning a certificate in publishing.

Although writing is a big part of their life, CJ can’t pinpoint a moment when they first fell in love with writing. “I don’t think I can honestly know why I first started writing, only that for many years, it seemed like the only thing that felt worth doing,” they said. But after four years at Knox, they have become a much more confident storyteller. “I’ve learned to prioritize not just the first draft, but every draft that follows,” they said. “The subjects that I write about are often more reflective than active, and I’ve found that I can’t view a story as finished until it’s hit a subtle note of truth that I find difficult to define outside of the story itself.”

In a fun twist, Knox Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Ben Farrer served as one of two initial faculty readers for the contest. Farrer and his counterpoint, Chuck Lewis, Professor of English and Director of the Writing Program at Beloit College, narrowed the group into six finalists from which Chang selected the winner.

Dietz and Johnson were both part of the final group of six; the winning story was penned by a student from Macalester College.

List of Past Knox Winners

1978 – “Housecleaning” by Sue Rowe, Knox College

1980 – “Sonia Rose” by Anne L. Johnson, Knox College

1982 – “Waiting for Michael” by Sheila McIntosh, Knox College

1983 – “Rosehead” by Kim Hastings, Knox College

1995 – “Looking for Swanny” by Josh Stevens, Knox College

1996 (Co-Winners) – “Planes” by Seth Shafer, Colorado College and “Chrystal’s Room” by Aaron Cohn, Knox College

2001 –  “At Auction: Items Offered by Hannah Elise Montgomery” by Elaine Farrugia, Knox College

2003 –  “Templeton Appeared Stoic” by Ross Kelly, Knox College

2008 –  “Recollection” by Myra Thompson, Knox College

2011 –  “Andrew at Eid” by Adam Sirgany, Knox College

2014 (Co-Winners) – "The Fawn" by Zoey Slater, St. Olaf College and “Infinite” by Alex Zimay, Knox College

2015 –  “Proudly, Unburied” by Evelyn Coffin, Knox College