Central Oregon Writers Guild’s 2009 Literary Harvest Writing Contest

Central Oregon Writers Guild is pleased to announce its 2009 Literary Harvest Writing Contest. Ten winners will be selected by a volunteer editorial board of literary professionals The board will not know the identity of the writers whose work they are reviewing.

Upon entering the contest, winning writers agree to read their piece at the Literary Harvest on October 16, 2009, 6:30 to 9 PM, at the Comfort Suites in Redmond, and to follow the reading procedures established by Central Oregon Writers Guild.

The top ten winning entries will be published in the Second Annual Literary Harvest Chapbook which will be published in January of 2010. A single first-place prize of $50 will be awarded to the top entry.

Contest Rules

• Deadline for submissions is midnight, September 15, 2009. Submissions postmarked or e-mailed after midnight on September 15 will not be accepted.

• Short stories, poems, articles, essays, or stand-alone book chapters will be accepted. Each reader must be able to read their writing within eight minutes The entry may be more than one piece, totaling eight minutes or less of reading time; for example, two poems which each take four minutes to read.

• All entries must be typed in a twelve-point standard font, double-spaced and pages numbered. Work should be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. Pieces that require heavy editing will not be accepted.

• One entry is allowed per writer and requires a ten-dollar fee to submit. Entry and fee must be submitted together. Checks should be made payable to Central Oregon Writers Guild or C.O.W.G. and sent to Lindy Jacobs. Please do not send cash.

• Each entry requires a cover sheet with writer’s name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address if writer has one, title, total number of pages, and number of minutes required to read. Please include a short paragraph detailing writing interests or background. Writer’s name or another identifying mark should appear only on the cover sheet.

• Entries can be e-mailed as a Word document or PDF to lindyj@bendcable.com or mailed to Lindy Jacobs, 19412 Charleswood Lane, Bend 97702.

• Pieces submitted for contest must be original work of entrant. If work has been published, the writer must have right or obtain permission for reading work in public. Writers retain all copyrights to their work.

• Save a copy of work, as it will not be returned. COWG and selected editorial board will not share writers’ work with any third party for any reason.

• Entrants will be notified by phone or e-mail that their writing has been received. COWG is not responsible for entries not received because of postal mail or e-mail failure. Winners will be notified by October 9.

• Entries which do not meet all contest rules will be disqualified.
  

Entrants with questions can contact Lindy Jacobs at (541)408-6306 or e-mail her at lindyj@bendcable.com.