DeWitt Community Library
“Unique Voices” Teen Writer’s Competition
Rules and Entry Agreement
Rules
- The DCL “Unique Voices” Teen Writer’s Competition is open to students in grades 7 - 12.
- The competition runs from November 16, 2009 through March 5, 2010.
- Entries must be original, complete, unpublished pieces of fiction that feature a library as the setting or theme.
- Language and characters should be appropriate for a general audience.
- Entries will not be returned, so keep a copy of your work.
- Neither the sponsors nor its agencies are responsible for entries that are lost, late, delayed, misdirected, unintelligible, illegible, incomplete, postage due, stolen, returned, separated, damaged, or undeliverable. Proof of mailing is not proof of delivery.
- Entries must be received no later than 5:00 pm on the closing date of March 5, 2010.
Submission Requirements
- The word limit is 1,500 words. This does not mean you have to write this many words, but you should not go over this limit. Word counts determined by word processing software are acceptable.
- Graphics are not permitted.
- An original copy of the essay must be submitted. Poor quality copies will not be accepted.
- Plagiarism will be grounds for immediate disqualification.
- Electronic submissions are preferred. Submit to Lauri Fortino at lfortino@onlib.org.
- Entries must be submitted in PDF, Rich Text Format (.rtf) or Microsoft Word 97 or higher.
- Entries must be formatted, as follows:
Times New Roman 12 point, double spaced
1 inch margins on all sides
Include your name and contact information on a cover page ONLY.
All other pages should include only the title of your piece and the page number.
Paperclip pages (do not staple)
- Entries that do not meet the above requirements will be disqualified.
Judging the Entries
- Entries will be judged in two groups: entrants in grades 7 – 9 and entrants in grades 10 – 12.
- The Library reserves the right to cancel this contest if it does not receive sufficient entries.
- Judges are selected by the DeWitt Community Library and may include librarians, educators, journalists, authors or others deemed appropriate by the Library. Parents, guardians or relatives of entrants may not serve as judges. All decisions of the judges are final.
- Entries will be judged anonymously based on the following criteria:
Character Plot Setting Theme Style Grammar/Spelling
- Prizes will be awarded for each group (grades 7 - 9 and grades 10 - 12), as follows:
1st Prize $100 2nd Prize $50 3rd Prize $25
- First place prize entries will be published on the DeWitt Community Library web site and may be published in the Post-Standard newspaper. All prize winners will be recognized on the Library web site and names may appear in the Post-Standard newspaper. Prizes will be distributed at a recognition event at the DeWitt Community Library on Thursday, April 15, 2010, at 6:30 pm.
Questions?
Contact DeWitt Community Library Executive Director Wendy Scott at 446-3578 or wscott@onlib.org.