Deadline Reminder: Kay Snow Writing Contest – April 19th

The purpose of this annual contest, named in honor of Willamette Writer’s founder, Kay Snow, is to help writers reach professional goals in writing in a broad array of categories.

Entry Dates

Postmark Deadline: April 19th, 2013.

Student Writer (18 or under) – There are three categories of student writers. Students can enter any type of writing, fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Word limit, 1,500 words. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, do not put student or a grade category on the entry form.

Grades 9-12
Students are limited to ONE entry. There is no fee for student writers in these three grade groups. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, they should not put student or a grade category on the entry form. 

Rules:

1. Entries that do not follow all category guidelines and rules will be disqualified.

2. Entries must be typed, double spaced (except poetry and screenplays – follow rules below).

3. All entries should have a title on the top of the first page. Each following page should have the title at either the upper left or right corner with the page number. (Screenplays have title on first page only, top of the page.)

4. Type word count on upper right of first page, except for screenplays and poetry.

5. Number each page except first page.

6. To assure confidentiality, Do Not Put Author’s Name On Manuscript.

7. A registration fee and entry form must accompany each entry. Multiple entries can be mailed in ONE envelope with ONE entry form.

8. Each INDIVIDUAL entry must be accompanied by ONE (1) 3 x 5 card with author’s name, address, phone, and title of entry and category. Place the card in a plain white envelope, seal it, and on the outside of the envelope write the title of your entry and its category. For poetry entry, EACH poem must be accompanied by a 3 x 5 card in an envelope. If you submit TWO poems (or more), you must have a 3 x 5 card in a separate envelope for each poem. If you submit two fiction entries, each entry has ONE 3 x 5 card for EACH entry inside ONE small envelope.

9. Submit TWO (2) copies of each entry. If you submit two poems for one entry, submit TWO COPIES OF EACH POEM. Do not send originals. Entries, registration form, and 3 x 5 cards can be mailed in one envelope.

10. All entries must be original and unpublished or unproduced. Screenplays cannot be an adaptation of a published novel or non-fiction book by someone other than the screenwriter. Being posted on a web site is not considered publication, nor is a non-fiction article appearing in an on-line newsletter if there was no payment involved.

11. To receive a list of winners, send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope).

12. Do not send cash. Send a check, money order, or credit card information with the entry. You may enter more than one category and submit more than one entry in each category. A fee must accompany each entry.

13. Only one prize will be awarded to a winner in any category.

14. Manuscripts will not be returned. Keep a copy of your entry.

15. Submissions will be judged anonymously and judges decisions will be final. Judges reserve the right to withhold prizes in any category if entries do not meet their standards.

16. Fee per entry is $10 per entry for members of Willamette Writers and $15 per entry for non-members. Student entries are free. Note: Contest fees are not refundable.

Go to the printer-friendly Kay Snow Awards entry form.

http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/kaysnow.php

Norman Mailer Writing Award: Entries Accepted Until April 30th

Students may submit work in any of the many subgenres of creative non-fiction: memoir or autobiography, essay, literary journalism, or profiles of people or places. Submissions may be “conventional” or “experimental” and may represent any creative non-fiction tradition. However, the best work will demonstrate compelling literary merit. Open to high school and college levels. Submissions not falling within the guidelines outlined below will not be considered. Late entries will not be accepted.

Entries accepted March 1–April 30, 2013, Noon CST.

High School Creative Non-Fiction Writing Award Competition is open to students currently enrolled in a high school accredited by the US. Students may submit one or more pieces of writing as one file, maximum 10 single-spaced pages, endorsed by a teacher and released by a parent or guardian. The winner will receive:

• Cash award of $2,500
• *Travel and lodging to attend the Colony’s National Award Ceremony

2013 Norman Mailer Student Writing Awards Brochure

Formatting Guidelines

The writing you upload must include a title, your name, and page numbers within your file. Please use a plain, common, and easily readable font, such as Times New Roman, 11- or 12-point. Accepted file types: .pdf, .doc, .docx, and .txt (maximum file size: 8 megabytes).

Prizes

One winner in each category will receive a cash award and will be an honored guest at the Colony’s National Award Ceremony in New York City in the Fall 2013. Winners will be notified in September. Four finalists in each category will be awarded trophies. Up to fifteen semifinalists in each category will be awarded certificates.

Judging

Submissions will be read by national panels of teachers and writers. They will be judged by how well they achieve several qualities, including the artful treatment of subject matter; originality; quality of insight, image, voice, and style; artful arrangement of elements and materials; and overall aesthetic, emotional or intellectual effect.

Call for Submissions: Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship

With leaks of radioactive materials at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the news recently, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is extending the submission deadline for our Hanford-themed 2013 Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship to Wednesday, March 20^th. Any 11^th or 12^th grade high school student in Oregon may enter by submitting an original essay, poem, or narrative work reflecting on the following question:

“The Hanford Nuclear Reservation, on the Columbia River, was a major nuclear weapons production facility. It is where the plutonium was developed for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, and it is now considered the most toxic site in the Western Hemisphere. Why does Hanford matter?”

Follow these links for the entry form, suggested curriculum and resources, and all peace writing scholarship details. Submissions may be sent by email (preferred) or postal mail, and we recently extended the submission deadline to Wednesday, March 20^th, 2013. A panel of judges comprised of noted authors and distinguished community members will select the three winning entries. The first prize winner will receive a scholarship award of $1,000, the second $750 and the third $500. 

Oregon PSR will host an awards ceremony on Friday, May 3^rd at the Ecotrust Building in Portland at which the three winners will be honored. The awards will be given as part of the Opening Reception for the Particles on the Wall art and literature exhibit, which deals with the historic consequences of Hanford and the nuclear age.

Call for Submissions: Young Voices of America Speak

Young Voices Of America Speak of Heroes Among Us Contest Now Open See Details and Rules Below

Category 1 – Grades 7th – 12th $75.00  First Place $25.00  Second Place $10.00 Third Place

Category 2 – Grades 3rd – 6th $75.00  First Place $25.00  Second Place $10.00 Third Place

Category 3 – Grades PreK – 2nd $15.00 First Place $10.00 Second Place $5.00 Third Place

Young Voices of America Speak of Heroes Among Us Students in Grades K-12 are invited to participate. Accepting Submissions Jan 15, 2013 – February 28, 2013 Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation Count Follow ALL the rules for submitting your work. In every contest we have to disqualify a very large number of very good entries because the writer didn’t follow the rules for submitting his or her work. Don’t let that happen to you. Young Voices of America Contest Rules Remember to send your very best work. Have it proofread by someone skilled at writing. Errors can cost you a win. Entries must be original and previously unpublished and include a hero among us, real or fiction. We are seeking fiction and nonfiction short stories, NOT essays. Short stories have a plot, characters, and dialogue as well as a sense of time and place. Give your story a title. We receive hundreds of entries and having a title on your entry helps us identify it. Proofread your work. Proofread it again. Have a teacher or parent proofread it one more time. Send only your best work. Parents of very young writers may transcribe (type) the story for their child. Technical ability must be consistent with grade level. Obvious re-writing by an adult will result in disqualification. Proof reading is not only OK, it’s encouraged. See above. In the upper LEFT corner of PAGE 1 you must include name of author, age and grade level and category (Category 1 = Grades 7-12, Category 2 = Grades 3-6, Category 3 = PreK-2), name of parent or guardian, complete address including street number and name, city, state and zip code, telephone number, and email. We have to be able to contact winners. No Fancy Fonts – No Fancy Formatting – No Colored Text – No Pictures – No Text Boxes. This is a writing contest. We want to see your story written in a normal readable font. Times New Roman 12 is a good choice. Entries containing profanity, violent and/or sexually explicit material are not considered appropriate for this contest and will not be considered. Entries MUST be written in English. Multiple Submissions are  NOT allowed. One story per person. Please: Send your entry via email to contestentries@youngvoicesfoundation.org Entries MUST be received by midnight, February 28, 2013 Entries WILL NOT be returned. It is important that you maintain a copy for your files. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded 30 – 45 days of close of the contest. Information about the awards will be made public on the Young Voices Foundation Website. Decision of the judges is final.

2-Month Reminder: Kay Snow Writing Contest

The purpose of this annual contest, named in honor of Willamette Writer’s founder, Kay Snow, is to help writers reach professional goals in writing in a broad array of categories.

Entry Dates

Postmark Deadline: April 19th, 2013.

Student Writer (18 or under) – There are three categories of student writers. Students can enter any type of writing, fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Word limit, 1,500 words. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, do not put student or a grade category on the entry form.

Grades 9-12
Students are limited to ONE entry. There is no fee for student writers in these three grade groups. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, they should not put student or a grade category on the entry form.Rules:

1. Entries that do not follow all category guidelines and rules will be disqualified.

2. Entries must be typed, double spaced (except poetry and screenplays – follow rules below).

3. All entries should have a title on the top of the first page. Each following page should have the title at either the upper left or right corner with the page number. (Screenplays have title on first page only, top of the page.)

4. Type word count on upper right of first page, except for screenplays and poetry.

5. Number each page except first page.

6. To assure confidentiality, Do Not Put Author’s Name On Manuscript.

7. A registration fee and entry form must accompany each entry. Multiple entries can be mailed in ONE envelope with ONE entry form.

8. Each INDIVIDUAL entry must be accompanied by ONE (1) 3 x 5 card with author’s name, address, phone, and title of entry and category. Place the card in a plain white envelope, seal it, and on the outside of the envelope write the title of your entry and its category. For poetry entry, EACH poem must be accompanied by a 3 x 5 card in an envelope. If you submit TWO poems (or more), you must have a 3 x 5 card in a separate envelope for each poem. If you submit two fiction entries, each entry has ONE 3 x 5 card for EACH entry inside ONE small envelope.

9. Submit TWO (2) copies of each entry. If you submit two poems for one entry, submit TWO COPIES OF EACH POEM. Do not send originals. Entries, registration form, and 3 x 5 cards can be mailed in one envelope.

10. All entries must be original and unpublished or unproduced. Screenplays cannot be an adaptation of a published novel or non-fiction book by someone other than the screenwriter. Being posted on a web site is not considered publication, nor is a non-fiction article appearing in an on-line newsletter if there was no payment involved.

11. To receive a list of winners, send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope).

12. Do not send cash. Send a check, money order, or credit card information with the entry. You may enter more than one category and submit more than one entry in each category. A fee must accompany each entry.

13. Only one prize will be awarded to a winner in any category.

14. Manuscripts will not be returned. Keep a copy of your entry.

15. Submissions will be judged anonymously and judges decisions will be final. Judges reserve the right to withhold prizes in any category if entries do not meet their standards.

16. Fee per entry is $10 per entry for members of Willamette Writers and $15 per entry for non-members. Student entries are free. Note: Contest fees are not refundable.

Go to the printer-friendly Kay Snow Awards entry form. 

http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/kaysnow.php

Call for Submissions: Rising Star Creative Writing Competition

 

 Submit Today!

Rising Star Submission Guidelines

 • The competition is open to writers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho in three age categories: 15-18, 19-25, and 25+.

• Genres include Fiction, Literary Nonfiction, and Poetry.

• Submitting writers who have won in the past may not submit again. 

• Submitting writers may not have published a first book or chapbook, but may have had individual stories, essays or poems in print.

• Poets may submit three unpublished poems (no more than four single-spaced pages, total); prose writers may submit one unpublished double-space piece of no more than 3,000 words per genre. “Publication” includes appearance on any Internet source except a blog.

• Use one-inch margins, Times Roman Typeface, and a 12-point type. Submissions must be in Microsoft Word® format. Entries will not be returned.

• The authors’ name, mailing address, phone number, email address, genre of submission, age category, and word count must appear on the cover sheet with entry.

• Entrant’s short bio should include information about themselves and their interest in writing. Winners, when notified, must submit a photo (headshot preferred) for use in publicity and the annual anthology of student writing.

• Entries must be received no later than 12 midnight on the submission deadline of March 10, 2013.

• Entries dated after this date will not be read.

• For more information email programs@thenatureofwords.org or call 541.647.2233.

Willamette Writers 2013 Kay Snow Writing Contest

The purpose of this annual contest, named in honor of Willamette Writer’s founder, Kay Snow, is to help writers reach professional goals in writing in a broad array of categories.

 

Entry Dates

Beginning Date: November 1, 2012
Postmark Deadline: April 19th, 2013.

Student Writer (18 or under) – There are three categories of student writers. Students can enter any type of writing, fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Word limit, 1,500 words. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, do not put student or a grade category on the entry form.

Grades 9-12
Students are limited to ONE entry. There is no fee for student writers in these three grade groups. Students should not enter adult categories unless paying the adult fee. If a student enters an adult category, they should not put student or a grade category on the entry form.

Rules:

1. Entries that do not follow all category guidelines and rules will be disqualified.

2. Entries must be typed, double spaced (except poetry and screenplays – follow rules below).

3. All entries should have a title on the top of the first page. Each following page should have the title at either the upper left or right corner with the page number. (Screenplays have title on first page only, top of the page.)

4. Type word count on upper right of first page, except for screenplays and poetry.

5. Number each page except first page.

6. To assure confidentiality, Do Not Put Author’s Name On Manuscript.

7. A registration fee and entry form must accompany each entry. Multiple entries can be mailed in ONE envelope with ONE entry form.

8. Each INDIVIDUAL entry must be accompanied by ONE (1) 3 x 5 card with author’s name, address, phone, and title of entry and category. Place the card in a plain white envelope, seal it, and on the outside of the envelope write the title of your entry and its category. For poetry entry, EACH poem must be accompanied by a 3 x 5 card in an envelope. If you submit TWO poems (or more), you must have a 3 x 5 card in a separate envelope for each poem. If you submit two fiction entries, each entry has ONE 3 x 5 card for EACH entry inside ONE small envelope.

9. Submit TWO (2) copies of each entry. If you submit two poems for one entry, submit TWO COPIES OF EACH POEM. Do not send originals. Entries, registration form, and 3 x 5 cards can be mailed in one envelope.

10. All entries must be original and unpublished or unproduced. Screenplays cannot be an adaptation of a published novel or non-fiction book by someone other than the screenwriter. Being posted on a web site is not considered publication, nor is a non-fiction article appearing in an on-line newsletter if there was no payment involved.

11. To receive a list of winners, send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope).

12. Do not send cash. Send a check, money order, or credit card information with the entry. You may enter more than one category and submit more than one entry in each category. A fee must accompany each entry.

13. Only one prize will be awarded to a winner in any category.

14. Manuscripts will not be returned. Keep a copy of your entry.

15. Submissions will be judged anonymously and judges decisions will be final. Judges reserve the right to withhold prizes in any category if entries do not meet their standards.

16. Fee per entry is $10 per entry for members of Willamette Writers and $15 per entry for non-members. Student entries are free. Note: Contest fees are not refundable.

Go to the printer-friendly Kay Snow Awards entry form.

http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/kaysnow.php

United Nations Essay Competition

UNA-USA Portland Chapter announces the

2012 Oregon & SW Washington

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY COMPETITION

on the UNITED NATIONS

The Topic for 2012 is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?  In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world.  Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works.  Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination.  Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.  Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”…….Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Please have your essay address Article 25 of the Declaration to coincide with the theme of this year’s UNA Human Rights Day event on December 5, 2012 where the awards will be presented. Please support your essay with examples from current events.

ARTICLE 25 – Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

 

Essay Requirements:

• Essay must be 250 – 600 words and be double spaced.
• Students must use their own words.
• References must be used for borrowed material.
• A Submission Form with student, teacher, & school information must accompany essay.
• Essay is due November 9, 2012.

Awards:

• The First Prize winner will receive $200. In addition, the First Prize Winner and his or her teacher will receive tickets to theWorld Affairs Council of Oregon’s International Speaker Series.
• The Second Prize and Third Prize Winners will receive $100 and $50 respectively.
• The Seven Honorable Mention winners will each receive a pamphlet about the United Nations.
• All competitors will receive a UNA-USA Certificate of Merit.

Please email your application and essay to: karen@worldoregon.org

Karen Ettinger, K-12 Education Director, World Affairs Council of Oregon www.worldoregon.org For application form and info on UNA-Portland go to www.una-portland.org

You can also pick up an application form at the Writing Center table in the Library.

National Library Week Six Word Story Contest

Apologies for the late notice but since this writing contest maxes out at six words, I’m assuming you all can handle it just fine. Here’s the press release:

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“Invite your library users to share their stories on why they belong at your library during National Library Week with atyourlibrary.org’s six word story contest.

Starting today and running through Wednesday, April 11, library users can submit their stories through Twitter using the #nlw6words tag. Stories will then be complied and available for judging through atyourlibrary.org. Six word stories should reflect the 2012 National Library Week theme, You belong @ your library.

The winning author will receive Season 1 of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on DVD. Brad Meltzer is National Library Week Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2012.

Gaining popularity on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, six word stories, as the name implies, challenge authors to write a complete story in six words.

Library users interested in going more in depth about why they belong at your library are encouraged to submit their stories to You belong @ your library, atyourlibrary.org’s story database.   Seeded initially with stories collected from Woman’s Day magazine readers during ALA’s long-time partnership with the publication, library users can submit stories about why the library matters to them and how it has made a difference in their lives.  The stories are searchable by state, library type and keyword.

Atyourlibrary.org will post new content every day of National Library Week. Visit atyourlibrary.org’s Facebook page, follow @atyourlibrary on Twitter, and share your National Library Week activities with the hashtag #nlw12.

Atyourlibrary.org is part of the Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe – use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by ALA’s Library Champions, corporations and foundations.”

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Having trouble imagining how a full story can be told in six words? Here’s the (possibly apocryphal) response given by Ernest Hemingway:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Successful or no?

Interested in this teeny-tiny approach? Check out the story on a recent book detailing six word memoirs of famous writers, artists, and musicians.