Seacoast Writers Association

SEACOAST WRITERS ASSOCIATION 2008 Writing Contest Rules

1) Eligibility Requirements: The contest is open to all.  SWA members receive entry fee discounts.

2) Categories: (Only 1 entry in each category allowed)

   a. Fiction (3,500 words or less)
   b. Poetry (up to three poems with no word limit counts as one entry)
   c. Non-Fiction (1,500 words or less in the personal essay genre only)

3) Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by February 15, 2008

4) Proof of Delivery: You may enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with your entry for delivery receipt.

5) Prizes: Three prizes in each category: 1st Prize: $100; 2nd Prize: $75; 3rd Prize: $50.

Winners will be notified prior to the one-day Spring Conference in May: Prizes will be awarded at the Conference.

First prize winners are invited to read at that time. First, Second and Third Place Winners will receive complimentary admission to the Spring Conference.

The complete list of winners will be published in the SWA Newsletter in July and will be available on SWA’s webpage, at http://seacoastwriters.org  after the May conference. Prizes will be mailed to winners who are not able to attend the Spring Conference.

6) Entry Fees: SWA Member contest entry fee is $5 per entry in each category; Non-member fee is $10 per entry in each category. (Three poems in the Poetry category will count as one entry.)

Please enclose the entry fee with your submission, check payable to: Seacoast Writers Association and mail with submission to:

Pam Gjettum   
SWA Contest Chairperson
6 South Street
Exeter, NH 03833
 

7) Optional: SWA Membership: Membership dues are $20 per year. An additional (separate check) will make you a member and, as such, eligible for the lower fees as well as other membership benefits..

8) Manuscript requirements: 
  

 - Manuscripts must be your own original work and must not have been previously published

- You may submit one entry each in the Fiction and/ or Nonfiction categories. Up to three poems may be submitted in the Poetry Category as one entry.

- Send two (2) copies of each submission.

- Manuscripts must be typed, one-sided, double-spaced, on white 8 x 11 inch paper.  Poetry only may be single spaced. Type font should be 12-point or higher. Photocopies are acceptable so long as they are of good quality.

-The TITLE ONLY must appear at the top of each page of the manuscript. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE MANUSCRIPT ITSELF.  Entries are submitted anonymously to the judges.

Fill out the entry form and include it with your manuscript. SWA will assign an identification number to the entry form and will annotate your manuscript with that number. The entry form will be maintained separately from the manuscript to ensure that judging is entirely on the basis of anonymous entries.

-Please retain copies of your manuscript(s). SWA cannot return submissions.

-Publication rights: In entering the contest, you assign rights to SWA to publish any first, second or third place winning entries in Currents, SWA’s anthology, and to post first, second or third place winning entries on the SWA website for a limited time (usually one month.) You will retain all other rights.

- Judges: Each year, SWA hires objective and qualified judges for the respective contest categories. The decision of the judges is final.

We are sorry we are not able to provide feedback on individual entries. The judges provide general feedback and discuss their criteria at the Spring Conference. If a judge is not able to attend the Conference, he or she will provide a written general summary that will be read at the conference by the SWA Contest Coordinator.