BRATTLEBORO — Aspiring authors have an opportunity to shine as Write Action announces its 14th annual Poetry and Prose Writing Contest.
First-place winners in both categories will be awarded $100, second-place winners $50, and third-place winners $25 each, and the opportunity to read at this year's Literary Festival.
Entries will be judged anonymously, according to a news release. Judges this year include poetry judge New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alice Fogel; prose judge Joyce Marcel of The Commons and Vermont Business Magazine; and youth prose and poetry judge Nancy Olson, retired head of the Brattleboro Union High School English Department.
Entrants may submit up to three pieces of writing, which may be either poetry or prose, in any combination. The first submission is free, and each additional costs $10. There are no fees for the Youth Category.
First-place winners in the youth category (ages 14-18) will be awarded a $25 gift certificate, and there will be honorable mentions in each category.
The theme this year - to be taken broadly - is: “This could be the day!”
For online submissions, payment may be made via PayPal at writeaction.org or by check mailed with submission to Write Action Contest, P.O. Box 822, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Email entries as one document (except cover letter with contact information and titles sent as separate document, to [email protected], with “WA Contest” in the subject line, or send a hard copy of your submission to the above address.
Prose pieces are limited to 1,500 words (please double-space); Poems are limited to one page each (may be single-spaced). No more than one poem to a page, each to be judged separately. The author's name shouldn't appear in any form on the submitted piece(s), but only on one cover page per submission, listing name and titles.
Entrants should include a phone number, email address, and postal address on the cover page only. Youth entries should indicate “Youth Entry” on the cover page. Entries that do not conform to the guidelines will be disqualified. Complete guidelines are on the WA Facebook page and at writeaction.org.