Writers and Illustrators of the Future names 2nd-quarter winners

The L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests announced its second-quarter winners for 2026 and added Egypt and Thailand to its list of winning countries. The contest will bring the winners to Hollywood for a workshop and awards ceremony, underscoring the program’s reach in science fiction and fantasy.

Why it matters: - The contests added two more countries with winners, expanding the combined total to 54. - The winners join a long-running program that has helped launch writers and illustrators into published books, comics and screen projects. - The contest’s scale remains notable: 583 writing winners and published finalists have produced more than 8,000 novels and short stories with sales topping 60 million copies. - The 430 illustrating winners have contributed to more than 700 books, 500 comics and 130 major motion pictures, gaming feature films, TV shows and documentaries.

What happened: - L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests announced the second-quarter winners for Year 43, covering Jan. 1 through March 31, 2026. - The Writers of the Future winners are Richard Kirby of Thailand in first place, Scott R. Dantzler of Florida in second place and C. M. Andrews of Utah in third place. - The Illustrators of the Future winners are Gilbert Rodriguez of Florida, Rowan Salah of Egypt and Josh Vieira of Connecticut. - The complete list of finalists, semi-finalists, silver honorable mentions and honorable mentions is available at writersofthefuture.com. - Contest Director Joni Labaqui said Egypt and Thailand were new additions to the list of countries with winners, bringing the total to 54.

The details: - The winning writers and illustrators will be flown to Hollywood for a week-long workshop with contest judges and an awards ceremony. - Writer judges include Kevin J. Anderson, Doug Beason, Gregory Benford, Orson Scott Card, Brian Herbert, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Hugh Howey, Nancy Kress, Katherine Kurtz, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Todd McCaffrey, Rebecca Moesta, Larry Niven, Jody Lynn Nye, Nnedi Okorafor, Tim Powers, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Brandon Sanderson, Robert J. Sawyer, Robert Silverberg, Dean Wesley Smith, S.M. Stirling and Sean Williams. - Illustrator judges include Echo Chernik, Lazarus Chernik, Ciruelo, Vincent Di Fate, Diane Dillon, Bob Eggleton, Craig Elliott, Larry Elmore, Laura Freas Beraha, Brian C. Hailes, Brittany Jackson, Val Lakey Lindahn, Stephan Martiniere, Sergey Poyarkov, Rob Prior, Irvin Rodriguez, Dan dos Santos, Shaun Tan, Tom Wood and Stephen Youll. - The contests launched in 1985 with the first volume of the series. - L. Ron Hubbard said the contest was created so new and budding writers could have their creative efforts seen and acknowledged.

Between the lines: - The contest is using international winners to signal broader global reach, especially with first-time winning countries Egypt and Thailand. - The heavy bench of judges suggests the program is positioning itself as a serious industry pipeline, not just a fan contest. - The publication and sales figures are meant to show long-term career impact, not just one-off recognition.

What's next: - The winners will attend the Hollywood workshop and awards ceremony. - Readers can find the full list of honorees and more information at the contest website. - The contest will continue through the rest of its 43rd year with additional quarters still to come.