BRATTLEBORO — The deadline is fast approaching for entering Write Action's sixth annual Poetry and Prose Writing Contest.
This year's theme is “How did I end up here?” This question may be interpreted literally, figuratively, or any combination thereof. Entries in each category will be judged anonymously by a distinguished panel of published authors.
The first-place winners in each category will be awarded a $50 gift certificate, while the second and third place winners receive respective $25 gift certificates to a Brattleboro bookstore.
There will again be a youth category for ages 18 and under with a first-place winner each in poetry and prose and honorable mentions in each category. The first-place winners will each be awarded a $25 gift certificate to a Brattleboro bookstore.
The first entry by each writer is free, but each additional entry (for a maximum total of three) will require a $10 fee.
All entries must be postmarked by June 30. Judging will be completed on or about Aug. 1, and the winners notified before the annual Write Action picnic later in August. The winners will be announced at the picnic and invited to read their entries there, and at the Literary Festival in early fall.
To enter, mail four typed hard copies to Write Action Contest, P.O. Box 822, Brattleboro, VT 05302, postmarked no later than June 30, or drop them off at 39 Allerton Ave., no later than that date.
To qualify, each entry must be submitted in hard-copy form; prose should be double spaced with the number of words marked at the end. Prose entries will be limited to 1,500 words. Poems should be limited to no more than 40 lines each, but there may be up to two poems counting as one entry; each poem should be printed on a separate page and each will be judged separately.
The author's name should not appear in any form on the text pages but only on one cover page for all poetry and one cover page for all prose submissions, with phone number, e-mail address if any, and postal address also included on cover page only so that the judging may be done anonymously. Youth entries should indicate on the cover page that they are for the youth category.
For more information on the contest, call 802-254-9586 or 802-254-7755.