Smith Publicity Book Marketing Scholarship Writing & Submission Guidelines

Write a persuasive essay between 1,200-1,500 words in response to the prompt: 

From Wuthering Heights to The Odyssey, the hype around modern film/TV adaptations of literary classics are fueled by press coverage, social media discourse, and viral moments. Why do you think classic adaptations inspire such cultural “events”—and what do they reveal about marketing trends in entertainment today?

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to U.S. high school seniors and undergraduate university/college students with verified enrollment for the 2026 fall semester. 
• Essay must be human-generated. Essays will be submitted to an AI checker and any found to be written with the help of AI will be immediately disqualified.

Application Process

• Deadline: May 15, 2026
• Submission Format: PDF or shared Google Doc to scholarship@smithpublicity.com
• Essay Details: Write a 1,200-1,500 word essay following the specified prompt. Submissions must be human-generated. 
• Include a Cover Page, featuring:
  • Student full name 
  • Name of current school and/or school you’re enrolled for fall 2026
  • High school graduation year 
  • Graduating year (undergrad)
  • Contact information 

Award Details: 

• Prize: $2,500
• Eligible, qualified essays are reviewed by a group of panelists with top essays later shared and voted on by the Smith Publicity team to select a winner.
• Smith Publicity coordinates scholarship funds directly with the award recipient’s school’s admissions office. The award recipient will be notified by late-June to coordinate payment and announcement details.
• Prize will be announced the week of August 3, 2026 on Smith Publicity’s website.

2025 winner: Kristen Amani Curry

Book Marketing Leaders

The annual book marketing scholarship is part of our service to the industry, as well as students we hope discover the rewarding and interesting fields of book marketing and publishing, and the power of persuasive writing for careers and life.  We provide book PR and marketing insight through a unique webinar series that’s available to attend free of charge. Our website and blog have extensive information about how to successfully promote books from non-fiction authors. We work with many major publishers, small presses, and hybrid publishers. Smith Publicity pioneered many innovative and revolutionary book publicity strategies widely used today. Our experienced team of publicists also have expertise in author branding, personality cultivation, and many other services allied to book promotion.