"Summer Wonderings"
Young Writers Anthology Contest
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: STORY & POETRY
Eligibility criteria:
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Contestant must be in grades 7-12 for this current school year.
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Postal code of the school/residence of the contestant must be that of Carp, Stittsville, or West Carleton and clearly stated on Submission Form.
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Submissions must be an original work of fiction, story or poetry written by the contestant.
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Submissions must be in English.
Necessary understandings:
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Contestant's name must NOT appear on the submitted work itself.
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Contestant's identity, as well as preferred pen name (if applicable) should be on Submission Form ONLY.
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Submissions must be accompanied by the completed Submission Form in order to be considered.
Submission Guidelines for Story
Helpful Ideas - Story Writing:
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Fiction stories sources: http://www.hooverlibrary.org/faq/fiction_vs_nonfiction
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Read as many of your favourite fiction stories as you can to remind you about plot, character, and setting.
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Literary elements of fiction stories: https://blog.prepscholar.com/literary-elements-list-examples
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Edit your work. Read your story out loud or ask others to read your story, and ask them for their reaction and suggestions (around language conventions, spelling, punctuation, sentences, paragraphing, etc.)
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Be passionate about your own story. That enthusiasm will automatically translate to the reader.
Requirements:
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Submitted from June 21 to September 21, 2021.
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On 8.5 x 11 " page with 2.54 cm margins along the top, bottom, and sides.
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Typed using 10-12 point font (Ariel or Times New Roman are preferred).
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Double spaced
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No more than 1500 words in length and word count must be stated at the bottom of the last page of the story.
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Story must be printed and sent by postal mail to:
Melba McGee - "Summer Wonderings" Young Writers Anthology contest
P.O. Box 220
Carp, ON
K0A 1L0
Submission Guidelines for Poetry
What is good or bad poetry? Three quotes from the internet:
"It might be trite to say, but a prize-winning poem must in some way be unique and have an emotional kick," - Paul Stephenson
Poetry demands precision. ... I think a poem is “bad” when it lacks a discernible point and sounds like prose. People are led to write a poem because they have been strongly moved by some event. They've experienced a strong emotion, received an insight, and wish to capture the experience in words.
"...a good deal of contemporary poetry is actually a kind of prose masquerading in poetic typography".
Helpful Ideas - Poetry Writing:
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Start by reading a lot of poetry and identifying how it differs from prose. Note favourite poems and phrases you can relate to.
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Listen to readings online. Enjoy and take note of the sounds and rhythm of language.
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Have fun with words, their subtleties of meaning. Become familiar with a thesaurus.
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Research poetic forms and literary devices, like metaphor. Use your imagination and senses, paint a word-picture.
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Tell a story, in microcosm, in your poem.
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Don't be afraid of expressing big ideas.
Requirements:
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Submissions must be previously unpublished; however, poems previously included in school publications are permitted.
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Maximum length: one page, 36 lines, in Arial font size 12, including stanza breaks and title line.
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All styles are welcome, including free verse. Experimenting with poetic forms is encouraged.
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Maximum submission: two poems, one poem per page.
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Theme: "Summer Wonderings", life during the COVID 19 pandemic, something that challenges, inspires passion and wonder.
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Poems are about language (no foul language, please).
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Poetry must be printed and sent by postal mail to:
Melba McGee - "Summer Wonderings" Young Writers Anthology contest
P.O. Box 220
Carp, ON
K0A 1L0