“Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise Contest” calls upon the next generation of writers to celebrate what has been at the Heart of Southwest for 50 years: kindness.
Southwest Airlines continues to mark its 50th Anniversary year by coming together with Wattpad for the Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise Writing Contest, which celebrates what’s been at the Heart of the carrier’s values since its founding: kindness. Wattpad is the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories and leading social storytelling platform. This contest will call upon aspiring and avid writers to share fiction or nonfiction stories of kindness rooted in travel.
“As we look back on 50 years, we remember and celebrate the powerful stories that make up our rich history,” said Brandy King, Director of External Communication, which includes Brand Partnerships and Entertainment Public Relations initiatives. “Kindness and civility are core Southwest Values, and through this partnership, we’re excited to see how the Wattpad community of writers brings these attributes to life in their story submissions.”
“At Wattpad, we’re inspired every day by the powerful, transformative stories published on our platform,” said Chris Stefanyk, Head of Brand Partnerships at Wattpad. “We are thrilled to partner with Southwest to elevate new voices in storytelling and help writers take their writing skills and career to the next level.”
Now through Feb. 28, 2021, U.S.-based writers can submit short stories via the Southwest profile on Wattpad for a chance to win the writing contest. The winning author will receive a once-in-a-lifetime writing mentorship opportunity with Beth Reekles, the author behind the global YA sensation and film franchise The Kissing Booth from Netflix and Komixx Entertainment, alongside additional prizes to help their writing career take off. The winning story will be showcased on Southwest channels later this year.
“I’m really excited to be working on this campaign with Southwest and Wattpad. I think we’re all craving a little escapism right now, and books are a great way to do that,” said Reekles. “I’ve always loved the sense of community that Wattpad and its stories create, and look forward to working with the winner to help encourage them on their writing journey.”
As home to one of the most diverse groups of storytellers on the planet, with five million writers and a community of 90 million readers, Wattpad is the home for Gen Z writers.
The campaign will expand Southwest’s existing On The Rise platform, which currently supports up-and-coming musicians, to a broad spectrum of rising creatives, including filmmakers, writers, producers, and authors. Southwest Airlines hopes to uncover the most powerful stories of transformative human kindness; then bring them to life for travelers around the world.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open to legal residents of 50 United States and the District of Columbia (excluding Alaska) age 19 or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited. Eligible entrants may enter as many times as they wish (with valid, unique, and original Entries) during the Entry Period of Jan. 4-Feb 28, 2021. All fields must be completed. Approximate retail value of prize: $4,500. For complete details and Official Rules, visit Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise Contest Official Rules. By submitting this entry, you agree to the Official Rules. By entering, information collected will be used per Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at policies.wattpad.com/terms. Sponsor: Wattpad Corp., 36 Wellington St. E, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C7. Enter by 11:59:59 p.m. PT on Feb. 28, 2021.