MERLYN'S PEN LITERARY MAGAZINE CONTEST AND CRITIQUE, P.O. Box 910, East Greenwich, RI 02818. Sponsored by MERLYN'S PEN: THE NATIONAL MAGAZINE OF STUDENT WRITING for intermediate and high school literary magazines.
General Info: Separate divisions for high schools and middle schools compete for the Golden Pen Award, honoring the best overall entry. Three optional categories-Best Design, Best Writing, Best Art and Photography-to recognize specific outstanding aspects may also be entered. Judges use a comprehensive check-list and a 500-point rating scale to evaluate the magazines submitted. Each entry receives a personalized critique in which an experienced reviewer evaluates its strengths and weaknesses. Entry forms are included in the last two issues of Merlyn's Pen each school year. Note: Schools do not need to
subscribe to enter. Entries need to be postmarked no later than June 30. Winners of awards are notified in mid-September and featured in Merlyn's Pen's third issue of the school year. To receive an entry form and more information, send SASE or call (800) 247-2027. Minimum fee to enter school literary magazine is $60.
Prizes: Two recipients of the Golden Pen Award receive recognition in Merlyn's Pen-with pictures of each magazine's staff advisor. Each of the recipients' schools also earns a Golden Pen trophy. Merlyn's Silver Award (450-500 points) and Merlyn's Bronze Award (400-449 points) also awarded. Winners of the special categories receive a plaque.
Sponsor's Remarks: ΓÇ£MERLYN'S PEN: THE NATIONAL MAGAZINE OF STUDENT WRITING" is dedicated to recognizing and publishing the best in student writing and artwork. This contest is designed for school magazines that emphasize creative writing. Our judging includes a detailed critique of art and photography because they so often are a part of literary magazines. But this contest and critique is not appropriate for 'arts' magazines whose main focus is the visual arts."
Subscription Rates: For one year (four issues during school year) $21 each for one to nine subscriptions; $7.25 each for ten or more subscriptions. Special student-at-home discount for prepaid orders: one year $7.50, $33.50 two years. Two-year individual subscriptions $33.95.
NATIONAL WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED BY...AWARDS CONTEST FOR STUDENTS, Landmark Editions, Inc., 1402 Kansas Ave., Kansas City, MO 64127. Annual book contest for students.
General Info: Original books may be entered in one of three age categories: 6-9, 10-13 and 14-19. Each book must be written and illustrated by the same student. Entry must be signed by parent/guardian and teacher. Home schooled students may enter, but entry must be signed by a librarian or teacher other than a parent/guardian. Send a self-addressed business-size (#10) envelope with $.64 postage for complete rules and guidelines.
Prizes: Winners receive all-expense-paid trips to Landmark's offices in Kansas City, where editors and art directors assist them in the final preparation of text and illustrations for the publication of their books. Winners also receive publishing contracts and are paid royalties.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Contest is sponsored to encourage and celebrate the creative efforts of students. Every year students nationwide submit more than seven thousand original book entries. Winning books are selected by a national panel of distinguished educators, editors, art directors and noted authors and illustrators of juvenile books."
NWA SHORT STORY CONTEST, National Writer's Association, 1450 S. Havana, Suite 424, Aurora, CO 80012. Annual contest open to all writers.
General Info: Any type of fiction is eligible provided it does not exceed 5,000 words. You may enter as many manuscripts as you wish, but each must be accompanied by an entry form, $12 entry fee and SASE. Although only unpublished short stories are eligible, authors retain all rights and may submit their entries to publishers while contest is in progress. Short stories between 5,000 words and 10,000 words may be entered for a $24 fee. Judging based on originality, imagination, freshness of style, significance, emotional value and marketability. Send SASE for complete details and entry form. Critiques available for additional fee. Opens April 1; closes July 1.
Prizes: First place $200; second $100; third $50; plus other awards through twentieth place.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Our purpose is to encourage writers in this creative form and to recognize those who excel in short story writing."
WELLSPRING SHORT FICTION CONTEST, 770 Tonkawa Rd., Long Lake, MN 55356.
General Info: Submit one double-spaced typed entry, 2,000 words maximum. No limit on entries, but each story must be accompanied by a $10 entry fee. Entries judged on intriguing, well-crafted work. Do not staple or fold entries. Annual deadlines: January 1 and July 1. Entries received after deadline will be judged for subsequent issue. Sample copies of WELLSPRING MAGAZINE available for $5.50. Manuscripts are not returned.
Prizes: Awards of $100, $75, $25, plus publication in Wellspring Magazine.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Nominee for Writer's Digest's Fiction Fifty List."
Subscription Rates: For two issues $8. For four issues $15.
(Author's Note: Suitable for mature teens. It would be best to study past issues.]
BYLINE STUDENT CONTESTS, P.O. Box 130596, Edmond, OK 73013. Special contests for students during school year sponsored by BYLINE MAGAZINE, which is aimed at writers of all ages.
General Info: Variety of monthly writing contests for students 18 years and younger beginning with September issue and continuing through May each year. Prefers typewritten entries on white bond paper 81/2"x 11". Most contests have a small entry fee, which provides cash awards to winners. Others have no entry fee and are often used as class assignments by writing and English teachers. Send SASE for details of upcoming contests. Sample copy $4.
Prizes: Cash prizes and possible publication.
Sponsor's Remarks: "We do not print student work except as winners of our monthly student writing contests."
Subscription Rates: One year (eleven issues) $20.
[Author's Note: Good contest for eager young writers.]
GLIMMER TRAIN'S SHORT-STORY AWARD FOR NEW WRITERS, 812 S.W. Washington St., Suite1205, Portland, OR 97205. Sponsored by Glimmer Train Press, Inc.
General Info: Held twice yearly. Open to any writer whose fiction hasn't appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation over 5,000. No theme. Length: 1,200-7,500 words. Up to two story entries may be sent together in the same envelope for single entry fee of $11. Include name, address and phone number on first page of story. Staple (rather than paper clip) manuscript pages together. Write "Short-Story Award for New Writers" on outside of envelope. No SASE needed; materials will not be returned. Entries must be postmarked during the months of February/March or August/September. Send SASE for detailed guidelines.
Prizes: Winner receives $1,200 and publication in "Glimmer Train Stories". First and second runners-up receive $500 and $300, respectively, and honorable mention. Winners telephoned by July 1 for February/March entries and January 1 for August/ September entries.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Please, no heavy dialect, story fragments, poetry, children's stories or nonfiction. We tend to choose stories for their ability to move us emotionally and for their absolute clarity in storytelling."
Subscription Rates: Single issues available for $9 in most bookshops or directly from address above.
AIM MAGAZINE'S SHORT STORY CONTEST, P.O. Box 2O554, Chicago, IL 60620. Annual contest sponsored by quarterly publication for high school, college and general public.
General Info: No fee to enter. Stories judged by AIM's editorial staff. Deadline is August 15.
Prizes: First prize $100; second prize $50. Winner is published in autumn issue.
Sponsor's Remarks: "To purge racism from the human bloodstream- that is our objective. To do it through the written word. We want to show that people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds are more alike than they are different. They all strive for the same things-education, jobs, good health, etc."
Subscription Rates: One year $10. Single copies $4.
ECLECTIC RAINBOWS SHORT STORY CONTEST, Linda T. Dennison, Editor, 1538 Tennessee Walker Dr., Roswell, GA 30075-3152. Sponsoring magazine, published biannually, is "committed to making a positive difference."
General Info: Length: 2,000 words maximum. Entries must be unpublished, and not accepted for publication at time of entry. You may submit your entry to other contests and publications pending notification of winning entries. Limit entries to three or less. Fee is $10 for first entry; $8.00 per additional entry. Include SASE. Deadline July 1. Submissions should relate in some way to the sponsor's ideal. Do not put your name on the work itself. See detailed rules sheet for special format requirements. Send SASE for rules.
Prizes: Cash awards plus publication in summer issue. First place $100; second place $75; third place $5O. Nonwinning essays considered for publication; pays $25 plus copies.
Sponsor's Remarks: "All entries are coded by the editor to ensure the fair play of anonymity. Judging is conducted by an independent panel of three professional writers not on the Eclectic Rainbows staff."
Subscription Rates: One year (two issues) $1O. Single copy $5.
DOGWOOD TALES MAGAZINE JUNE '96 WRITER'S COMPETITION,
P.O. Box 172068, Memphis, TN 38187. Short story competition open to all ages.
General Info: Short story must be previously unpublished. Any genre or style accepted. Maximum length 3,500 words. Use standard format. Send copy of your original story, fee of $10 and cover letter with name, address and request to be included in competition. All entrants receive free copy of magazine. Include SASE only if you would like list of winners. Manuscripts will not be returned; no acknowledgement of receipt made. Send SASE for guidelines.
Prizes: Winning entries published. First prize $75; second prize $25. Winners also receive two copies and a one-year subscription. All entries considered for future publication. If you have not received notice of winning or future publication by August 31, 1996, you may submit your entry elsewhere-but not before August 31.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Send us your best short story. We select those that are fresh and action moving. We like strong endings."
Subscription Rates: One year (six issues) $15.60; U.S. funds only.
[Author's Note: Be sure to read market listing for Dogwood Tales and a sample copy to see what type of short stories are generally favored. Also send for current competition guidelines.]
EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT LITERARY MAGAZINE PROGRAM,
NCTE, 1111 W. Kenyon Rd., Urbana, IL 61801. Program to recognize excellence in student
literary magazines sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English.
General Info: Open to all senior high, junior high and middle schools throughout the U.S. and Canada and American schools abroad. Only one entry may be submitted per school. In cases where a school publishes more than one magazine or more than one issue per year, a selection committee should be formed at the school to select the best entry. Two or more schools may not join to submit one entry. Districtwide magazines produced by student staff are eligible if such magazines are developed in a district that does not have individual school literary magazines. Note: The following types of magazines are not eligible: K-elementary magazines and other kinds of pubications, e.g., newspapers, yearbooks. Evidence of plagiarism will disqualify a magazine. Magazines submitted must have been published between September of the previous year and July of the entry year. Three copies of the entry form and three copies of the literary magazine should be received by the State Leader no later than July 1. Write to above address for more information, official entry form and list of State Leader addresses. Entry fee $25.
Prizes: Initial judging will determine the entry's placement in one of five categories, the three most prominent being Excellent, Superior and the Highest Award.
Sponsor's Remarks: "Do not send entries to NCTE. Identify your State Leader from the list. This program is intended as a means of recognition for students, teachers and schools producing excellent literary magazines; as an inducement for improving the quality of such magazines; and as encouragement for all schools to develop literary magazines, seeking excellence in writing and schoolwide participation in production."
The above list is an excerpt from the book THE MARKET GUIDE FOR YOUNG WRITERS by KATHY HENDERSON, published by WriterΓÇÖs Digest Books. Look for this book at your local bookstore or you may order it by mail from:
ECHO COMMUNICATIONS
7293 Simons, P.O. Box 456
Lexington MI 48450
Tel: (810) 359-2095
Email: kath@greatlakes.net
The cost is $20.00 per copy, inclusive of shipping and handling.
If you are a young writer with questions regarding writing and marketing issues, this book is a must. Also, visit the DEAR KATHY column at http://www.interlog.com/~ohi/inkspot/youngqa.html
