2008 Contest Rules : Judges'
Bios : 2007
Winners : Publication
Policy
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San Antonio Writers Guild Annual Writing Contest
2008 CONTEST RULES
The San Antonio Writers' Guild annual writing contest features
five categories in the fiction, non-fiction, and poetry fields
and is open to all writers. The deadline for entry is the first
Thursday of October. Cash prizes are given in each category.
The contest is open to members of the San Antonio Writers' Guild
and to non-members.
Click here to download the 2008 Entry Form »
Categories
Fiction categories:
- Novel, first chapter, 5,000-word
limit
- Short story, 4,000-word limit
Non-fiction categories:
- Book, first chapter, 5,000-word limit
- Essay, memoir, or
article 2,500-word limit
Poetry category:
- One to three poems
equal one entry for fee purposes. Each poem will be judged individually.
There is a 40-line limit per poem, any style, any genre.
Prizes
First place will receive $100, second place $50, and third
place $25 for acceptable entries. Acceptable entries are those
that meet contest format guidelines and are not grossly flawed
due to excessive spelling or grammatical errors.
Cash prizes
in each category are not based on the number of entries per category.
All advertised prize money may not be awarded. If no acceptable
entries are received in a category, no prize will be awarded
in that category.
Contest Rules
- The contest is open to any
writer.
- The non-refundable entry fee is $20 for non-members
and $10 for members, payable by check or money order only,
to the San Antonio Writers' Guild.
- Each writer may submit entries
in up to three different categories. A writer may receive an
award in each category entered.
- Each writer may submit up
to two entries in each category. However, a writer may not
receive more than one award per category.
- Entries that do not meet
the submission guidelines or do not fit the contest categories
(such as screen plays, plays, or movie scripts) will not be
considered and the entry fee will be forfeit.
- All entries must be previously
unpublished in any paying medium. Entries may be submitted
for publication and in other contests at time of entry. If
the entry is accepted for publication after being submitted
and the entry is suitable for the anthology, the entry may
not be included in any anthology the Guild may publish.
- Entries may be submitted
to the contest coordinator at the September or October meeting
or mailed to the Guild’s post office address.
San Antonio Writers Guild
P.O. Box 34775
San Antonio, TX 78265
Mailed
entries must be postmarked by the deadline date (October 2,
2008) and received by the following Wednesday. The San Antonio Writers' Guild
is not responsible for lost, misdirected, or undelivered manuscripts.
The deadline
for hand-delivered submissions is Thursday, October 2, 2008,
at the monthly Guild meeting.
Late entries will not be accepted.
Submission
Guidelines
Submit two copies of each entry, typed
and double-spaced with one-inch margins, on white 8.5" x
11" paper, pages numbered. The font must be Times New
Roman 12 pt. or Courier 10 pt.
Do not fold or staple the entries.
The
title and category must appear in the upper right corner or the
upper left hand corner of each page. The title of the work must
be on the first page near the top and before the text of the
work.
The author’s name must not be on any page except
the entry form. The entry form should
list the author's name, the title of the work, and the category.
Entry forms are available for download here, from the contest
coordinator, or at the guild meeting when turning in the entry.
The contest coordinator or his/her assistants may help the
writer determine what category their entry fits.
Click here to download the
2008 Entry Form »
Place both copies of the entry and the completed
entry form and the contest fee (check or money order only) in
the entry envelope. Print the title of the entry and the category
on the outside of the envelope. DO NOT print your name on the
envelope. Entry envelopes will be available from the contest
coordinator or at the guild meetings. If submitting more than
one entry, each entry must be in a separate envelope. Each entry
must have its own entry form.
Up to three poems may be included
in one entry, but each poem should be on (a) separate page(s).
All three poems are to be included in the same envelope with
just one entry form listing up to three poem titles.
Entrants
may write one check to cover all entry fees, but each entry must
have its own entry form as stated above.
Manuscripts will be
available for return to entrants who attend the December meeting.
If
you cannot attend in December and want your entry returned, please
provide a SASE. Entries not accompanied by a SASE or not picked
up at the December meeting will be destroyed.
Memorial
Prize
The winning entry in non-fiction essay will be designated
as The Lorraine Berenson Memorial Award winner. The first place
money of $100 is funded from the Lorraine Berenson memorial endowment.
JUDGES' BIOS
Poetry — Jo LeCoeur
Jo LeCoeur is a poet and educator
who writes extensively on Southern writers and Southern culture.
Her books of poetry include Medicine Wood, Blues
in a Red-eye Glass, Choc’lit Milk and Whiskey
Voices and Blue Orleans.
She teaches English and creative writing at the University of
the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.
Get
more
info or buy Medicine Woods »
Short Fiction — Jay
Brandon
Jay Brandon is a successful San Antonio attorney and
mystery novelist who has won accolades for infusing his gripping
suspense stories with true-to-life legal details. His books include
Running with the Dead, Grudge Match and Silver
Moon. His 15th
novel, Milagro Lane, is due out this fall.
Get
more info or buy Jay
Brandon's books »
First Chapter of a
Novel — David Liss
Edgar Award-winner David Liss is a
writer of best-selling historical thrillers, the latest of which,
The Whiskey Rebels, is due out this fall. San Antonio-based Liss’ second
novel, The Coffee Trader, was named a New York Times Notable
Book and one of the New York Public Library 25 Books to Remember
for 2003.
Get
more info or buy David Liss' books »
Non-fiction — Yvette Benavides
Yvette Benavides
teaches creative writing and Mexican-American literature at San
Antonio’s Our Lady of the Lake University. Her articles
and poetry have appeared in the Texas Observer, the San
Antonio Express-News and Latina magazine. She also co-hosts Texas Public
Radio’s Texas Matters and contributes to NPR’s Latino
USA.
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2007 CONTEST WINNERS
The
jud
ges have rendered their decisions and the Guild is proud to
announce the Contest Winners for 2007. We thank all who entered
and remind everyone that the 2008 contest is closer than you
think. Plan now to meet next year's October deadline.
Fiction - Novel, 1st Chapter
- Rebecca Ugolini - 3rd
- Marjorie
Brody - 2nd
- D. P. Hymel - 1st
Fiction - Short Story
- Jasmine Ojeda - 3rd
- Marjorie Brody
& Rebecca Ugolini - Tie for 1st
Poetry
- Ernest Sanchez, Sr. 3rd
- Jasmine Ojeda 2nd
- Jean Jackson 1st
Children & Young
Adult
- Sid Hamer 2nd
- Marjorie Brody 1st
Non-Fiction
- Jean M Jackson
earned the Lorraine Berenson Memorial Award
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PUBLICATION
POLICY
The
San Antonio Writers'
Guild reserves anthology
publication rights for
a period of one year
from date of contest
deadline for all winning
entries without further
compensation to the entrants.
SAWG will, upon written
request from the entrant,
release all holds and
return full publication
rights to the writer.
Although it is SAWG's
intent to publish an
anthology using, among
other material, contest
winning entries, it is
under no obligation to
do so. Unfortunately,
the San Antonio Writers'
Guild is not in a position
to offer additional compensation
to writers appearing
in any anthology edited
and/or published by the
Guild.
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