2025 DWR Award 1st Place Winners

The 2025 Detroit Writing Room Awards celebrated the talented writers of all ages from Metro Detroit. Writers and photographers submitted their work in nine categories. Award-winning authors, journalists and photographers as well as Detroit Writing Room and Coaching Detroit Forward coaches judged the submissions. Finalists were published in the 2025 edition of the anthology “Detroit Voices.” All proceeds from the publication and ceremony at Detroit Public Theatre supported the DWR’s nonprofit arm Coaching Detroit Forward, which offers free writing and photography programs for Detroit youth.

Check out the 1st place winners below, and get your copy of “Detroit Voices” to see the writing and photography of the 35 finalists.