Denton Writes 2009

In celebration of April’s National Poetry Month, the Denton Public Library is hosting its second annual writing contest, Denton Writes.  Along with the contest, various writing workshops and activities will be held from now through the month of April.  This year, the writing contest is open to teens, adults and children (2^nd – 6^th grade).

 

Library patrons are invited to submit original, unpublished personal essays, fiction, non-fiction and poems.  There are easy-to-follow submission guidelines available on the Denton Public Library’s website (http://www.dentonlibrary.com), blog (http://dentonlibrary.wordpress.com) and MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/dentonlibrary).

 

Entries can be sent to the contest email address, dentonwrites2009@gmail.com, and will be accepted through, March 31st.

 

“Last year’s contest was such a success we decided to encourage children to enter,” said Terri Sharp, Emily Fowler Central Library Branch Manager. “We will also provide writing workshops and programs to help inspire the people of Denton to express themselves through the written word.”

 

 Local editors, poets and authors will judge the entries for the four divisions: Children second through fourth grade, Children fifth through sixth grade, Teens and Adults.  There will be one winner per division, per writing category.  Contestants are invited to submit one entry per writing category, but may not submit more than one entry in any single category.

 

The winners will be announced in early May.  Winning entries will be published on the Denton Public Library’s blog and the MySpace page. In addition, winners will once again be featured in American Library Association READ posters and displayed at all three library branches.

 

A congratulatory reception will be held in mid-May to announce the winners and unveil their Read Posters.  Later, winning works will be complied into a book entitled, Versifico.  Last year’s winners are featured in the first edition of Vesifico, which is available for checkout at all three branches.

 

Guidelines 

 

Enter now through March 31, 2009 by emailing your work as a Word doc. attachment to:

 dentonwrites2009@gmail.com

 

You may only enter once per category.  All entries should include the following:

Full Name

Email Address

Telephone Number

Grade (children and teens only)

Category of Writing – (if Poetry,

indicate Free Verse or Form; if Form, please specify)

 

Adult and Teen (7th – 12th grade) Writing Categories

            Fiction – 1000 – 4500 words (literary or genre)

            Flash Fiction 100 – 300 words

            Non-Fiction – Articles 350 -750 words

            Children’s Literature – 1000 – 4500

            Personal Essay – 500 – 2500

            Poetry – Free Verse or Format (poet stated)

                        Min. line count 5– Max line count 50

 

Children (2nd – 6th grade) Writing Categories

            Fiction – maximum words 1500

            Non-Fiction – maximum words 1500

            Poetry – Free Verse or Form (poet stated)

                        Min. line count 5– Max line count 30