Editors evaluate manuscripts quickly; if the first 1,000 words don't hold their interest, they read no farther.
The Writing Academy's writing contest for 2005 asks you to introduce your work in progress to an editor. Works in Progress: these include short stories, essays, personal experience stories, books (fiction and nonfiction), and poetry.
Entries will be limited to the first 1,000 words of a longer manuscript. The judge will read only the first 1,000 words of a work in progress, a work in the planning stages, or a completed work, and offer constructive feedback as to how the manuscript might be revised to enhance its marketability.
The Writing Academy's annual writing contest is offered each year in loving memory of Marion Fairman--a former Executive Director of the Academy and a writing teacher par excellence. She was known as a tough critic of student writing, but her famous red pen helped countless students to become better writers.
First Prize: $100.00
Second Prize: $50.00
Third Prize: $25.00
CONTEST GUIDELINES
1. The entry should be the original, previously unpublished work of the person submitting it. New, Associate, Active, and Reserve members of the Writing Academy are all eligible to enter without a fee. Non-members must include the processing fee of $5.00 per entry.
2. The contest entry should represent the opening pages of a longer work--a short story, novel, article, or nonfiction book.
3. If prose, the entry should be no more than 1,000 words in length; if poetry, no more than two pages.
4. Entry should be titled.
5. Entry should be typed or computer-printed, double-spaced.
6. Please submit two copies—one without ID, the other with author's name, address, phone number and email address in the upper LEFT-hand corner of the first page.
7. In the top RIGHT-hand corner of page one on both copies, please state the type of manuscript you are introducing--for example, a novel, a memoir, a poetry chapbook.
8. The copy with ID becomes the property of The Writing Academy and will be considered for publication on-line in Showcase! and in print form in The Writing Academy News. (By entering the contest, you are consenting to publication.)
9. Mail-in entries only.
10. Postmark deadline: June 1st, 2005
11. Send to Kay J. Clark,
985 Clark Avenue,
Chesterfield, Indiana 46017-1437
12. The contest judge will be Holly Miller, an editor with The Saturday Evening Post for more than 20 years.
