The submission deadline for the Langston Hughes writing awards co-sponsored by the Lawrence Arts Center and Raven Book Store has been extended to Friday.

Two awards of $500 are given to the winners of the contest: one for poetry and another for fiction writing. This award seeks to support individuals who express their understanding of life experiences in a creative way by writing poetry, prose or nonfiction narrative works. The original submission deadline was Dec. 10.

No more than 5,000 words are accepted, and multiple pieces should be submitted in one document. Published writers of book-length works are not eligible. Self-published works are exempted.

Submit entries to langstonhughesaward.submittable.com.