Deadline May 31 for entries in Gulf Coast Writers Association contest
Writers around the world have just under one month to submit their best work into the Gulf Coast Writers Association Annual Writing Contest.
Submissions are being accepted in three categories: Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry. To enter, go to www.gulfwriters.org and click on Writing Contest. The first-place winner in each category will receive $200; the second place, $75; and the third, $50.
The entry fee for non-GCWA members is $20 for up to 1,500 words of prose or 40 lines of poetry. Subsequent submissions are $10. Writers may submit as often as they wish but can only receive one prize. Members receive discounted entry fees.
The deadline for entries is May 31 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
All submissions are judged blind by members of GCWA and/or qualified members of the local literary community.
“Writing contests are a great pathway to becoming a published author; they are also a way for published writers to increase their visibility,” said Mary Charles, president of the Fort Myers-based non-profit. “We encourage writers of all types to enter their most energetic work. Make us laugh; make us cry. Carry us away on a thrilling journey. Bring us to marvel at the power of your poetry and prose. Be brave. We can’t wait to read your entries.”
Winners will be announced at the GCWA monthly meeting on Saturday, July 15, and will have an opportunity to read from their work in subsequent meetings. Winning pieces will be published on GCWA’s website.
This contest has received recognition from Reedsy, a marketplace of freelance publishing professionals, as among the best of writing contests. It attracts authors not only from Southwest Florida but from other U.S. regions and from abroad, as well. Last year’s winning entries, for example, included writing from Massachusetts and Canada.
Entry forms
Entry forms, guidelines, judging criteria and additional information are posted on the GCWA website. Additional information for entrants is also available by emailing specialprojects@gulfwriters.org. Only entries submitted online will be considered.