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Atlantic Writing Competition for Unpublished Manuscripts
Entry for the 35th Atlantic Writing Competition is now closed. Deadline: November 4, 2011
Winners of the 34th AWC revealed here.
Established in 1975 under the auspices of the Nova Scotia Branch of the Canadian Authors' Association, the Atlantic Writing Competition has been sponsored by the Writers' Federation since 1976. We encourage writers in Atlantic Canada to explore and celebrate their talents by sending in their new, untried work. Beginning writers may try their hand in seven categories: Novel, Juvenile/YA Novel, Short Story, Poetry, Writing for Children, Unproduced Play or Creative Non-Ficition. Established writers are also eligible but may only enter in a category that is new to them.
Manuscripts will be read by reading teams and judges considered by organizers to be professionals - writers, editors, booksellers, librarians and/or teachers. Readers and final judges are chosen carefully, to balance expertise, points of view and taste. Because our aim is to encourage writers to grow and experiment, written comments are returned to entrants when the competition is concluded. Comments may touch on: imagery, rhythm, flow, marketability, characterization, plot, structure, dialogue, tone, humour, format, and presentation. Awards for the unproduced play category are issued in March to coincide with the Robert Merritt Awards (honouring excellence in theatre in Nova Scotia) in Halifax. Finalists in all other categories are announced in May. Winners are announced and judging is completed in August. Every entrant receives written notification prior to the press release announcing competition finalists and, later, winners.
To help ensure the impartiality of the readers and judges, each writer is asked to choose a pseudonym or pen name. Because only the pen name appears on the manuscript, no reader or judge is ever aware of the identity of the entrant.
Entries must not exceed 100,000 words and may be in any genre - literary fiction, mystery, romance, fantasy, etc. A novel manuscript submitted in a previous year will not be accepted. The judges have the same prerogative as any reader at a publishing house, which is to stop reading any manuscript whose first 20 pages are rife with spelling and grammatical errors.
Aimed at children up to age 12, entries may be fiction, non-fiction, poetry or stage plays, and may not exceed 20,000 words. Submissions may be the text of a picture book, a single poem or a collection of poems, early chapter books or junior fiction. Please do not include illustrations.
Up to six poems (max. 1500 words/poem) constitutes one entry. For judging purposes, please give your collection a title.
Entries must be less than 3000 words and may be in any genre.
Entries may be novel manuscripts for readers aged 8 to 12 (juvenile), or 12+ (young adults). A single submission must not exceed 75,000 words.
Non-fiction essays of 3,000 words maximum composed of literary craftmanship in any form -- e.g., memoir, journalism, criticism, etc.
Presented in conjunction with the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre and Theatre Nova Scotia. Plays must be unproduced by a professional company, community theatre or as part of a festival and be from one to two acts.
Anyone resident in the Atlantic Provinces since September 1st, 2011 is eligible to enter. Only one entry per category is allowed. Each entry requires its own entry form and registration fee.
Writers whose work has been professionally published in book form or frequently in periodical or media production may not enter in the genre in which they have been published or produced. Entries must be the original, unpublished work of the writer, and must not have been accepted for publication or submitted elsewhere.
Judges may enter but not in the category they're judging. WFNS staff may not enter. First place winners of previous WFNS competitions may not enter in the category in which they won. Children (pre-high-school) may not enter.
To help ensure the impartiality of the judges, each writer is asked to choose a pseudonym or pen name. Because only the pseudonym appears on the manuscript, no judge is ever aware of the identity of the entrants.
The writer's real name should NOT appear on the manuscript, but the chosen pseudonym must be indicated on the entry form and appear on each manuscript page.
Manuscripts must be typed on plain white (8½ x 11 inch) paper, single-sided and double-spaced (except poetry), with at least a one inch margin on all sides. Pages must be numbered in order, in the upper right-hand corner. Do NOT bind your manuscript.
NEW! All entries submitted by mail or in person must include TWO hard copies of the manuscript. WFNS will not return manuscripts.
For promotional purposes, please submit a one-paragraph description of yourself. If you have previous writing credits, please mention them.
No entry shall be accepted for judging unless all rules and regulations are met.
Copyright remains with the author. Only one entry per category is allowed.
Awards for the unproduced play category will be presented in March 2012.
Finalists in all other categories will be announced in May 2012.
Judging will be completed and winners will be announced in August 2012.
Every writer who enters will receive written notification prior to the press release announcing the competition results. PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL THE OFFICE ABOUT COMPETITION RESULTS.
The judges reserve the right to withhold prizes should entries not meet publishing standards. Decisions of the judges are final.
Adult Novel and Juvenile/YA Novel: $35 per entry; $30 per entry for WFNS members, students or seniors.
All other categories: $25 per entry; $20 per entry for WFNS members, students or seniors.
Cheque or money order when entering by mail; do not send cash. Make your cheque payable to the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia.
Make sure to include a completed entry form along with your fee.
Submit to:
Atlantic Writing Competition
Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia
1113 Marginal Road
Halifax, NS, B3H 4P7
Questions? E-mail WFNS at programs [at] writers [dot] ns [dot] ca or phone (902) 423-8116.
