Thursday, January 31, 2013

GRAIN contest- deadline April 1

Grain Magazine's 25th Annual Short Grain Writing Contest

We thank Cheryl & Henry Kloppenburg, Barristers and Solicitors, Saskatoon, for their ongoing support of Grain and the Short Grain Writing Contest.
For the list of past contest winners, click here.
About Grain and the Short Grain Writing Contest: Recent issues have featured the work of such literary luminaries as Xi Chuan, Tim Lilburn, Guy Maddin, Miriam Toews, Zsuzsi Gartner, and Eleanor Wachtel. And you could join them in the pages of Grain.
Short Grain Ad - Small

Contest Guidelines

Contest prizes donated in part by Cheryl & Henry Kloppenburg, Barristers and Solicitors, Saskatoon.
$4,500 in prizes to be won! Each entrant receives a FREE subscription to Grain Magazine!
DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2013 (POSTMARKED)
Judges:
POETRY: Méira Cook, Author of A Walker in the City
FICTION: Stan Rogal, Author of Bloodline
Categories: Poetry: (to a max of 100 lines) Poetry of any style - including prose poetry - up to 100 lines.
Fiction:
(to a max of 2,500 words) Short fiction in any form - including postcard fiction - to a maximum of 2500 words.
Prizes:3 prizes will be awarded in each category:
  • 1st = $1,000
  • 2nd = $750
  • 3rd = $500
Entry Guidelines:
1. The basic fee for Canadian entrants is $35 for a maximum of two entries in one category. The fee for US and International entrants is $40, payable in US funds. Make your cheque or money order payable to: Short Grain Contest.
2. Every entrant receives a one-year (four-issue) subscription to Grain Magazine.
3. All entries must be POSTMARKED by April 1, 2013. Entries postmarked after this date will not be accepted.
4. Each entry must be original, unpublished, not submitted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor accepted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition. Work that has appeared on the internet is considered published and is not eligible.
5. All entries in this contest will be judged anonymously, on merit alone. The judges' decisions are final. Judges reserve the right not to award a prize in a given category if no entry is of sufficient quality to warrant publication.
6. Entries must be accompanied by a maximum of one cover page, regardless of the number of entries submitted, and must provide the following information:
  • Your name, complete mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
  • Title of your entry(ies).
  • Category you are entering: Poetry (to a max of 100 lines) or Fiction (to a max of 2,500 words)
  • Word Count (Fiction) / Line Count (Poetry). An absolutely accurate word or line count is required.
Judging is blind. Do not print, type, or write your name on the text pages of your entry.
7. Your entry must be typed (double-spaced for fiction) on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. It must be legible. Faxed and/or electronic entries not accepted.
8. Entries will not be returned. Keep a copy of your entry.
9. Names of the winners and titles of the winning entries of the 25th Annual Short Grain Contest will be posted on the Grain Magazine website in August, 2013. Contest winners will be notified directly either by telephone or by email prior to the website posting.
10. Make your cheque or money order payable to Short Grain Contest.
11. Send your entry or entries to:
Short Grain Contest
P.O. Box 67
Saskatoon, SK
Canada, S7K 3K1
12. Entries by email or fax will not be accepted.
DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2013 (postmarked)
Short Grain Ad 2 - Small

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. When you say, "...a maximum of two entries in one category..." does that mean I can enter one piece of Fiction and one piece of Poetry with one $35 entry fee?
No. For each $35 entry fee, you may enter one or two pieces of Fiction OR one or two pieces of Poetry. If you do send one piece of Fiction and one piece of Poetry, we will choose one of them at random to be considered. The other piece will be recycled.
2. Can I enter more than once?
You may enter as many times as you like, provided you include another entry fee for each entry beyond the first. Therefore two Canadian entries would cost $70.
3. If I enter twice (for $70), can I enter two pieces of Fiction AND two pieces of Poetry?
Absolutely! Or you could enter four pieces of Poetry. Or two pieces of Poetry and one piece of Fiction. But not three pieces of Poetry and one piece of Fiction. See how this works?
4. Do I need to send a separate cover page for each piece of writing I enter?
No. Send only one cover page that includes all the information for every piece of writing you are entering. Don't forget to include your complete contact information!
5. And what happens to my free subscription if I enter more than once?
Your Grain subscription will be increased by four issues for each entry fee received beyond the first. So, if you enter twice, you will receive a two-year (eight-issue) subscription to Grain Magazine. If you already have a subscription to Grain, we'll simply add another four issues to your current subscription for each entry fee received.
6. What if I enter something that's over the word count? Will that piece be disqualified?
The contest judge will only consider the first 2,500 words of each piece of Fiction. If you enter a piece of Fiction that is 3,000, for example, only the first 2,500 will be considered. The last 500 words will be discarded. The same rules apply for Poetry entries over 100 lines.
7. Can I enter three or more pieces of poetry for $35 if the total line count is under 100 lines?
No. Guideline #1 above states: "The basic fee for Canadian entrants is $35 for a maximum of two entries in one category." This means that you may enter two poems maximum, but each individual poem may be up to 100 lines in length. If you wish to enter a third poem, you will need to pay an additional entry fee.
8. For poetry, do titles or line breaks count as lines toward the 100 line maximum?
No. Titles or line breaks or spaces between lines of poetry do not count toward the 100 line maximum. Only lines of text count.
9. Will entrants be notified of the winners?
No. Winners and the names of the winning pieces will be posted on this website in August, 2013.
10. What if the postmarked deadline falls on a weekend when the post offices are closed?
Because we are using a postmarked deadline, If the deadline falls on a day when the post offices are closed, we will accept entries postmarked on the next business day. April 1, 2013, however is a Monday and all post offices should be open.