Five Last Minute Contests for Writers

You know folks are excited about the end of the year when you see Christmas decorations put out before Halloween gets here. But Thanksgiving has now come and gone and despite the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, maybe there're still some things as a writer, you still feel the need to accomplish. I'm right there with you! So for the poets, novelists, fiction and creative nonfiction writers, I've constructed a short list of five more avenues to explore to draw attention to your work, and compete for money and publication as you scramble for your last breath of accomplishment for the year.

Poetry Society of America
New York Chapbook Fellowship
15 Gramercy Park
New York, NY 10003
(212) 254-9628

Four awards of $1,000 and publication by Poetry Society of America will be given for chapbooks by poets who have not published a full-length collection. Two fellowships are open to poets under 30 living in any of the five boroughs of New York City and two fellowships are open to poets living anywhere in the United States. Submit 20 to 30 pages of poetry by December 21. Entry fee is $12. Visit their website at www.poetrysociety.org for complete guidelines.

Gival Press
Poetry Award
Contact: Robert Giron
P.O. Box 3812
Arlington, VA 22203
gival@yahoo.com
(703) 351-0079

An award of $1,000, publication by Gival Press and 20 copies of publication will be given for a collection of poetry. Writers should submit 45 pages of poetry and a short bio by December 15. Entry fee is $20. For complete guidelines visit their website at www.givalpress.com.

Commonwealth Club of California
California Book Awards
Contact: Gina Baleria
595 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
bookawards@commonwealthclub.org
(415) 597-6703

Three awards of $2,000 will be given to California writers who have published books in 2007 in the categories of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. Publishers or authors should submit six copies of the book by December 21. There is no entry fee. You can get the complete guidelines and the required application for this award from their web site at www.commonwealthclub.org.

Carolina Wren Press
The 2008 Doris Bakwin Award
Contact: Andrea Selch
120 Morris Street
Durham, NC 27701
carolinawrenpress@earthlink.net
(919) 560-2738

An award of $2,000 and publication will be given for a collection of stories; novel or creative nonfiction (memoir) written by a "gutsy" and "talented" woman. Manuscripts should be between 150 and 500 pages in length, but candidates should only submit 50 to 60 pages as well as the entire manuscript on a CD in Word or Wordperfect format. Previously published work is not accepted. Entry fee is $20. Go to their website at www.carolinawrenpress.org for complete guidelines.

American Library Association
W.Y. Boyd Literary Award
Contact: Cheryl Malden
Governance Office
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
awards@ala.org
(800) 545-2433 ext. 3247

An award of $5,000 is given annually honoring the best novel set in a period when the United States was at war. The criteria is that the novel has been published during the year prior to the award; war can constitute the main plot or merely provide the setting; and the target audience has to be young adults or adults. The publisher or author must submit seven copies of the book by December 1. There is no entry fee. You can visit www.ala.org for complete guidelines.

These awards will make a lovely finale, but if none of the five listed work for you, no need to worry. During the holidays visiting family and friends will give you plenty to write about as you tackle the mountain of fellowships and awards that will bombard you next year.