Rising Star Creative Writing Competition
Deadline: June 30th
Bend, Oregon. February 19, 2009. The Nature of Words, Central Oregon’s premier literary organization, announces the launch of its fifth annual literary festival with the call for submissions to the Rising Star Creative Writing Competition for young writers. A new category, the nature essay, has been added to the literary nonfiction genre, and is sponsored by the Deschutes Land Trust.
The competition, now in its fourth year, is awarded at the annual literary festival, scheduled for November 4-8, 2009 in Bend, Oregon. Prizes will be awarded in fiction, literary nonfiction and poetry in two age categories, 15-18 and 19-25. Winning writers will receive a cash prize, inclusion of their winning entry in an anthology, recognition in an awards ceremony at the November festival, and a scholarship to one of The Nature of Words workshops in their winning genre.
“The Rising Star competition continues to grow in reach and recognition each year,” said Ellen Waterston, Director of The Nature of Words. “In 2009, we are excited to welcome the Deschutes Land Trust as sponsor of the new nature essay category.”
Submission Guidelines
* The competition is open to writers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
* Competition genres include poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction and literary nonfiction-nature essay.
* The nature essay should offer a reflection on the natural world as it affects and informs the personal world. The writing should demonstrate close observation of nature, as well as the ability of the writer to extrapolate from that observation nature’s ability to instruct mankind.
* All entrants must be a member of one of the eligible age categories: ages
* 15-18 or ages 19-25.
* Submitting writers who have won in the past two years may not submit in their winning genre(s).
* Submitting writers may not have published a first book or chapbook, but may have had individual stories, essays or poems in print.
* Submit each entry, accompanied by a short biographical summary via email to risingstar@thenatureofwords.org. Poets may submit two unpublished poems (4 single-spaced pages, total); prose writers may submit one unpublished double-spaced piece of no more than 3,000 words per genre. “Publication” includes appearance on any Internet source except a blog. Use one inch margins, and 12-point type. Submissions must be in Microsoft Word® format. Entries will not be returned, so entrants should retain a copy of their submissions for their records.
* The author’s name, mailing address, phone number, email address, genre of the submission (poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, literary nonfiction/nature essay), age category, and word count must appear on a cover sheet with each entry.
* Entrants’ short bio should include information about themselves and their interest in/experience in writing.
* Winners must submit a photo (head shot preferred) for use in publicity and the Event Guide.
* Entrants must mail a check in the amount of $5 per entry (submission fee), payable to The Nature of Words and addressed to P.O. Box 56, Bend, Oregon OR 97709 or pay via the PayPal® link at www.thenatureofwords.org/Donate. PayPal payments must include “Rising Star submission fee” in the payment description.
* Entries must be received in The Nature of Words email (risingstar@thenatureofwords.org) no later than 12 midnight on the submission date of June 30, 2009 (new extended submission date). Entries dated after this date will not be read.
For more information about the Rising Star Creative Writing Competition and The Nature of Words, visit www.thenatureofwords.org, email info@thenatureofwords.org or call 541.330.4381.
