Subscribe in a readerSubmission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines for “Save the Independent Bookstore” 50/50 Writing Contest
Click here for contest flyer and to enter the contest
Open to all residents in the Mid-Michigan area (the counties of Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton, as well as residents as far from Lansing as Ionia, Owosso, and Howell). This means the author must live within driving distance of Lansing, Michigan. We want all entrants to have the ability to attend the winners’ party at or near EVERYbody Reads (2019 E Michigan Ave in Lansing). Understand that this isn’t “set in stone.” If you feel you live close enough to Lansing that you have the ability to attend the winner’s party, feel free to enter. Also, you don’t HAVE to attend the party to enter… we just want to have as many people as possible come out and have some fun! So if you’re close enough to us, enter away! :^)
Entrants must be 14 years of age or older
Entry pieces can be fiction or non-fiction. No erotica, excessive violence, or foul language. Family friendly pieces are required.
All pieces must have something to do with an independent, local, small-town, and/or family-owned bookstore. Examples include (but are not limited to):
• A story set in an independent bookstore
• The characters visit a small-town bookstore
• The character works at a family-owned bookstore
• Characters discuss the plight of the local bookstore
Essentially, we are looking for any story/plot line that will make people aware of the importance of the independently owned bookstore. While we encourage you to make use of the independent bookstore as a central, important theme in your piece, it does not have to be an integral part of the story, and entries without this will not be judged negatively. This can be as little as a passing reference to a local bookstore, but keep in mind we are trying to raise awareness of the fact that these bookstores will become extinct if we don’t frequent them.
Entry fee: $10
Breakdown of the entry fee:
- $5.00 goes into the “winner’s pot.” (see below for details)
- $4.41 goes to the Capital Area Literacy Coalition
- $0.59 goes to PayPal (a necessary evil, I’m afraid)
Prize Breakdown:
At the beginning of the contest, first prize is $50. Once we receive 10 entries ($5 per entry x 10), every additional entry will raise the first prize by $5. If the first prize pot reaches $150 (30 entries), a second prize will be added, beginning at $5. From that point, every $5 will go into the second prize, until it reaches $100 (50 entries in total). After that, a third prize will begin at $5. If the third prize reaches $50 (60 entries in total), the remainder of the prize money will go directly to the Capital Area Literacy Coalition ($9.41 per entry). At no time will Writing at the Ledges or EVERYbody Reads keep any prize money.
Prizes:
All winners will receive:
• Prize Money (First prize is $50 minimum, $150 maximum)
• Inclusion in Voices from the Ledges, the upcoming anthology by Writing at the Ledges (estimated release date December 2012)
• One free copy of Voices from the Ledges (approximate value: $12.99)
• An invitation to read the winning piece(s) at the winners’ party at EVERYbody Reads (or Gone Wired Cafe – location TBA)
In addition, random entries will receive signed copies of books by local area authors, including Small Towns: A Map in Words and Seasons of Life by Writing at the Ledges, and Driving Crazy by Randy Pearson. These prizes will be drawn at random during the winners’ party. You must be present at the winner’s party to receive a prize.
Judging:
Entries will be initially read and judged by Scott Harris (of EVERYbody Reads), Rosalie Petrouske, and Randy Pearson (of Writing at the Ledges). Those judges will choose their favorite pieces, sending them to John Schneider (former Lansing State Journal columnist, and current blogger at http://johnschneiderblog.com/) for final judging. John Schneider’s decision will be final.
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Preparing Your Entry:
Enter online by visiting https://writingattheledges.com/writing-contest/ and following the prompts.
Your entry must be original, in English. If your entry is previously published, you must have the current publication rights, and it cannot have been accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission. Writing at the Ledges retains one-time publication rights to the winning entries. After that, the rights revert back to the author. These submission terms apply only to the winning entry or entries. The rights of all non-winning entries remain with the author.
All entries must be submitted electronically via email (in MS Word .doc or .docx format) to [email protected]. Please attach the file to the email, don’t just paste it in the email itself, or your formatting will get all goofy.
All entries must include author name, address, phone number, and email address.
BE SURE OF YOUR WORD COUNT! Entries exceeding the maximum word count (1111 words, not including the author’s name, contact information, or story title) will be disqualified. Type the exact word count at the top of the manuscript.
Contest ends July 31, 2012. Any entries received after 11:59pm EST on that date (according to the date stamp on the submission email) will not be accepted, and entry fees will be returned.
Thank you, and good luck!
