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Use the embedded links to view sample Cover page, Manuscript Format page,
Contest Criteria pages, and sample Synopsis page.
UNIT 07: WRITING CONTESTS AND AWARDS:
Section 1. Annual Writing Contests:
a. Writing Contests:
(i) Four writing contests are held annually. The contests are the Assigned
Title Or Theme Contest, hereafter referred to as the Assigned Contest; the
Open Title Contest, hereafter referred to as the Open Contest; the First
Chapter of a Novel Contest, hereafter referred to as the Novel Contest; and
the First Chapter of a Nonfiction Book Contest, hereafter referred to as
the Nonfiction Book Contest.
(ii) Contest submission postmark dates for all four contests begin February
1 and end July 1 during the contest year. Any entries postmarked after the
July 1 deadline will be disqualified and returned.
(iii) The League First Vice-President presides over and has responsibility
for the four annual writing contests. The League First Vice-President will
keep a running list of judges available for the chapters to use.
(iv) The Assigned Contest, Open Contest, Novel Contest, and Nonfiction
Book Contest judges may, but are not required to award First, Second,
and Third Place prizes and three honorable mentions. Monetary prizes
awarded to First, Second, and Third place winners will be determined by
the League officers each year. All award winners and honorable mention
recipients will receive certificates. Prizes will be presented at the Annual
Conference, timing at the discretion of the current year's host Chapter.
(v) Each chapter assigned to oversee the Assigned Contest and the Open
Contest (see Unit 06: Rotation of Chapter Duties) will select one individual
as the Contest Receiver. The League First Vice-President is the Contest
Receiver for the Novel and Nonfiction Book Contests. The names and
addresses of the contest receivers will be published in the January
Leagazette and on the IWL website.
(vi) The Contest Receivers will log all entries, provide a judging sheet
and a critique sheet for each entry, and forward these and the manuscripts
to the selected judges.
(vii) Chapters and receivers responsible for the Assigned Contest and the
Open Contest must select judges for each contest category. The League
First Vice-President is responsible for selecting three judges for the Novel
and Nonfiction Book Contests. Judges must not be current or former
members of the Idaho Writer's League or immediate family members of
current IWL members.
(viii) At the end of the judging period, the Contest Receivers will log the
results and forward all entries to the League First Vice-President.
(ix) Contest receivers will submit a copy of the contest logs to the League
Treasurer.
(x) The Contest Receivers will provide the names and addresses of all
judges with the contest categories they judged to the League First Vice-
President who will maintain a list of judges for future use.
(xi) The League First Vice-President will provide the League Treasurer
with the list of judges for the Assigned, Open, Novel, and Nonfiction Book
contests and the amounts due to them for compensation for their services.
(xii) The Board of Directors will determine the amount given to judges of
the Assigned and Open contests as an honorarium.
(xiii) The current year's conference Host Chapter will collect suggestions
for the next year's Assigned Titles and Themes. The following year's Host
Chapter will select the Assigned Titles and Themes and announce them at
the Conference.
b. Contest Submission Rules (All Contests):
(i) Only paid members of the IWL may enter.
(ii) New members must have their chapter president sign the cover sheet
verifying that dues have been paid.
(iii) Entries must be mailed to the contest receiver during the contest
period above (see section a (ii)).
(iv) Entry must be the work of the author, not previously published (see
section i Publication:) or contracted for publication at the time of
submission, and not a previous winner in any IWL League contest (either
monetary award or honorable mention).
(v) Cover Sheet: Each entry must include a cover sheet. The cover sheet
will include in the upper left the author's name, address, phone number,
email address if any, chapter name, contest name (Assigned, Open, Novel,
or Nonfiction Book), contest category (Assigned and Open Contests), title,
number of pages (Novel and Nonfiction Book contests), words (Assigned
or Open Contests fiction and nonfiction categories) or lines (Assigned or
Open Contests poetry categories), and Genre' (Assigned or Open Contests
Adult Genre' Fiction category). Each item must be on a separate line,
double-spaced. Failure to include a cover sheet will disqualify the entry.
(vi) Manuscript format: Place the title about one-third down from the
top margin, centered and in all caps. Drop four lines and begin the writing.
Title and page number must be on the top right corner of every page after
the first page. Author's name must NOT appear ANYWHERE on the
manuscript or the entry will be disqualified. Entries must be typed using
Times Roman, Courier, or Arial font and double-spaced with one-inch
margins all around. Poetry may be single or double-spaced. Do not staple
manuscripts. Use paper clips or butterfly clips with manuscripts and
synopsis pages.
(vii) Entries not complying with rules (i) through (vi) above will be
disqualified and returned.
(viii) Judges' decisions are final.
c. Additional Contest Submission Rules (Assigned Contest and Open Contest):
(i) Only one entry per Category per member is allowed in each contest. In
the Assigned Contest, members may only choose one Assigned Title OR
one Assigned Theme for each category. Only the first entry in any
category will be accepted, additional entries will be disqualified. No
duplicate entries may be used in the Open or Assigned Contests.
(ii) When using either of the Assigned Titles, the exact title must be used.
Any changes to the title will result in disqualification.
(iii) Categories and word limits are as follows:
Adult Genre Fiction Criteria: 3,500 words. A story written in the romance, mystery,
western, suspense, speculative, or any other genre, using the elements of
plot, theme, character, tone, mood, and style.
Teen Fiction Criteria: 3,000 words. Concise, sharply focused work of fiction that
explores a single idea or emotion, set off by conflict. Written for ages
13-18. The action and plot of the story should center around teenagers.
Children's Fiction Criteria: 2,500 words. A fictional prose narrative written for
children. Indicate target group (under 8) or (8-12) under title
when submitting.
Short Humor Criteria: 2,500 words. Fiction or nonfiction that is written to
entertain.
Creative Nonfiction Criteria: 2,500 words. Nonfiction works that use fiction
techniques such as dramatic description, dialogue, and an inner point
of view to give the writing the feel of fiction.
Article Criteria: 2,500 words. An article is a nonfiction composition that deals
with a single topic. It may be instructive, informational, or persuasive,
and focuses on people, places, historical events, and personalities, new
ideas, how-to, or personal experience. An article usually appears in
magazines, newspapers and journals, and often involves research.
Personal Essay Criteria: 2,500 words. Nonfiction prose that expresses personal
experiences and opinions dealing with aspects of everyday life. It
can be entertaining or persuasive, varying from serious to light
and humorous.
Light Verse Criteria: 100 lines. Is written mainly to entertain and features
crispness and unexpected twists. Greeting card verse, limericks,
whimsical short poems, etc. Any form, rhyming, or free verse.
Serious Verse Criteria: 100 lines. May be structured or prose-like, free verse or
rhyming, in any meter, on a serious subject or written in a serious
tone.
d. Additional Contest Submission Rules (Novel Criteria: and Nonfiction Book Criteria: Contests):
(i) Only one entry per member is allowed. Members may submit a joint entry,
but may not submit an additional individual entry. Additional entries will be
disqualified.
(ii) An entry fee of $25.00 payable to IWL is required with the entry. Personal
checks or money orders are preferred.
(iii) Submissions must include a synopsis up to two pages and manuscript up
to twelve pages using the manuscript format (see b (vi) Manuscript format:).
(iv) Synopsis pages must include the word “Synopsis” and the title in the
upper right corner of each page. Each page after the first must include a
page number after the title in the upper right corner. Author's name must
NOT appear ANYWHERE on the synopsis or the entry will be disqualified.
If no Synopsis pages are included the entry will be disqualified.
(v) Manuscript pages must be numbered separately from the synopsis pages.
(vi) Three copies of the synopsis and manuscript must be submitted in the
entry. Only one cover sheet is required. Entries with fewer than three copies
of the synopsis and manuscript will be disqualified.
(vii) The contest receiver with their chapter will select three judges for the
Novel and Nonfiction Book Contests. Judges must not be current or former
members of the Idaho Writer's League or immediate family members of
current IWL members. Contest expenses such as awards and postage will
be funded from the League general funds. The entry fees will be divided
among the three judges as an honorarium. All entries will receive critiques.
Section 2. IWL Awards:
d. Publication:
(i) Publication for all Contest and Awards categories include any of the
following:
(a) Self-published books or booklets for sale to the general public
(this includes vanity press).
(b) Published books or booklets for which the author received
payment.
(c) Magazines, newspapers, literary and other journals, and any
other publications which may or may not pay in kind or in cash,
but which provide a byline for the author.
(d) Chapbooks of poetry, essays, articles, or short stories
published by chapters, the author, or outside publishers which
are for sale or are available to the general public, which may
or may not pay in kind or in cash, but which provide a byline
for the author.
(e) Electronic or other media which includes byline.
Updated: July 19, 2010
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Annual Writing Contest Page
