Writing Competition Guidelines and Application Process

Writing Competition Entry Form (pdf)

Eligibility

The competition is open to any student registered during the 2012-2013 academic year in one or more classes at a Metroversity institution.

General Categories

This year, there are three general categories: poetry, short fiction, and academic writing.    You may enter ONE work in each category, and it should not exceed 40 pages in length, except for poetry (up to 3 poems).  Prose entries must not exceed 40 pages in length.  Students may submit to multiple categories.

Themed Category

This year’s competition has a themed creative nonfiction category.  Entries should address the following topic(s): Communities of Education. You may enter ONE work in this category, and it should not exceed 40 pages in length.

International Category

Our new category from 2009 returns this year!  This category will honor the words and experiences of people who have come to our community from all over the world.  This category is open only to undergraduate students whose native language is NOT English.  The writing may be in any form—poetry or prose—and must be in English.  Send two pieces maximum.

Guidelines

Entries must be unpublished, but they may be entered simultaneously in other competitions.  Manuscripts must be typed, double spaced (poetry may be single spaced).  Submit each entry (a poem is an entry) along with a separate Writing Competition Entry Form (pdf) for each entry to James Leary at jleary0002@kctcs.edu.   Your name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript; however, the title of the work must be on each page.  Entries that do not follow the guidelines will be disqualified.

Deadlines and Judging

You may submit your entry to your campus coordinator; the deadline is January 31.  Or you may email your entry to the competition coordinator, James Leary by midnight, January 31st.  The judges will be published writers outside the Metroversity.

Recognition of Winners

In each general category, prizes of $200 (first place) and $100 (second place) will be awarded in the undergraduate and graduate divisions.  Prizes of $200 (first place), $100 (second place), and $50 (third place) will be awarded in the international division.  Winners will be notified by email and honored at an awards ceremony and public reading in April.  (For a list of winners, you can email the competition coordinators after mid-April.)  Winning entries will also be published in an anthology; winners will receive complimentary copies.

Coordinators

Competition Coordinator
James Leary
Jefferson Community and Technical College
109 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202
Jleary0002@kctcs.edu

Campus Coordinators