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Writing contest kicks off

Submissions of all genres from local writers are welcome

Local writers are being called on to dust off their keyboards as a contest run by the Sidney North Saanich Library Writers Group kicks off next week.

The 2014 Saanich Peninsula Community Writers Contest opens for submissions Tuesday, April 15 and organizers are excited to see what types of submissions come rolling in.

“We really don’t know what we’re going go get as far as submissions go but it’s going to be exciting,” said Sharon Hope, an organizer of last year’s Sidney Literary Festival and one of the early organizers of the writers contest.

“I’m sure we’re going to be absolutely amazed by what local writers submit,” she said, adding that organizers of the Literary Festival who held a youth writing contest were hugely impressed with the submissions received.

Hope went on to say that the youth writing contest in the Literary Festival was the catalyst for starting the adult writing contest with the Sidney North Saanich Library Writers Group.

“It was because of the overwhelming success and number of submissions the youth contest had that we decided to hold an adult-oriented contest.

We already know there is a great number of writers on the Peninsula so we can’t wait to get out hands on the submissions.”

Writers are invited to submit their works between April 15 and May 15.

Submissions can be anything from fiction to non-fiction, to poetry and graphic novels.

Six prizes in total will be awarded, including first prize and honourable mention in the poetry, fiction and non fiction categories, said Hope.

Works must be written by an adult (age 19 and over) and be from unpublished or self published authors.

Each entrant is allowed a maximum of two submissions (500 word maximum for poetry and 2,000 word maximum for prose).

Submissions must the typed (double spacing is encouraged for prose submissions) and accompanied by a cover page that includes the writer’s name, home address, phone number, email address, number of words, piece title and if the piece is to be categorized as poetry, fiction or nonfiction.

Pieces may be electronically submitted to ckbleay@shaw.ca and hardcopies may be left at the front desk of the Sidney North Saanich Library.

Judging will begin directly after May 15 and prizes will be presented to winners at a special event on May 29 at the library.

For more information visit virl.bc.ca/event/saanich-peninsula-community-writing-contest or call 250-656-0944.

 

reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com