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Whidbey Island Writers Association

Spirit of Writing Contest

2009 Contest Winners        2008 Contest Winners        2007 Contest Winners

Sponsored by the Whidbey Island Writers Association,

a program of the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts

To encourage adults in the Whidbey Island community to develop and share their work in the Spirit of Writing, WIWA invites emerging writers, 18 years and older, to submit manuscripts in any of the following categories:

  • POETRY - Original poetry in free verse or form, 32 lines maximum.
  • MEMOIR - Creative nonfiction narrative, based on a personal experience, which reflects significance and impact on writer's life. Not to exceed 1,200 words.
  • NONFICTION/ESSAY - An informational, persuasive, or descriptive piece. Not to exceed 1,200 words.
  • SHORT FICTION - A complete short story or a representative segment of a longer work of fiction, not to exceed 2,500 words. (A synopsis of the longer work may be attached, up to 150 words.)
  • HUMOR - Poetry (not to exceed 32 lines) or prose (not to exceed 1,200 words) on any subject--must be humorous.
  • CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - Prose or poetry written for children or young adults. Piece may be a poem (not to exceed 32 lines); a picture book (text only, 32-page limit); a complete short story (not to exceed 2,500 words); or a representative segment of a chapter book (not to exceed 2,500 words. A synopsis of the longer work may be attached, up to 150 words.)

Rules for Submitting Manuscripts


1. Contestants must be full - or part-time residents of Whidbey Island.

2. Only one entry may be submitted per category; any number of categories may be entered.

3. Submissions must be original and not previously published.

4. To be considered for an award, and to be eligible for publication in the Spirit of Writing 2009 anthology of winning entries, manuscripts must be printed in 12-point Times New Roman font. Prose must be single-spaced.

5. Write only title and page numbers on manuscript. Author's name must not appear on manuscript; entries are read blind.

6. Enclose a contest entry form with each manuscript along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). Make sure postage is sufficient and the SASE is the appropriate size for the manuscript plus a comment sheet. (Children’s Literature: State target age group on the contest entry form.)

7. Submit manuscripts to any Sno-Isle Branch Library on Whidbey Island or mail to: Spirit of Writing, WIWA, P.O. Box 639, Freeland, WA 98249

Fees


Reading fee is $5 per entry for members of the Whidbey Island Writers Association; $10 per entry for nonmembers. Nonmembers may join WIWA to be eligible for the reduced fee. To join, enclose a membership form, available from this web site, with $50 dues ($10 for students) in envelope with manuscript.

Deadline  


October 13, 2009 by end of library working hours. Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before October 13, 2009.

Contest Awards and Events


Winners (1st-4th Place) will be notified November 25, 2009. All entries submitted with SASE will be returned with comments by December 1, 2009. A Grand Prize winner will be announced on December 16, 2009, and will be invited to attend a one-day session of the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA in Creative Writing Program residency in January, 2010. Each winner will receive a copy of Spirit of Writing 2009, a soft-cover anthology of winning works. The anthology will be displayed in Sno-Isle Whidbey Island branch libraries November 30 – December 31, 2009. Winning authors will be invited to participate in programs of literary readings at the libraries in January and February, 2010.

Decisions of the judges are final.

Call (360)331-6714 or email wiwa@whidbey.com for more information.

Photo by Bob Richardson