The deadline for submissions to the 2018 Oregon Writers Colony writing contest is August 15, 2018.
The contest is open to both OWC members and nonmembers.
Entries that meet the guidelines below will be accepted until the last date for electronic submissions, August 15, 2018.
We accept entries in the following four categories:
- Fiction, Short Story
- Fiction, First Chapter
- Nonfiction, Short Story
- Nonfiction Story, First Chapter
There is a maximum word count of 2,500 for each entry in all categories.
Awards for All Categories
- First place: Cash prize (to be announced) and invitation to read excerpt at Awards Gala
- Second place: Cash prize (to be announced) and invitation to read excerpt at Awards Gala
- Third place: Cash prize (to be announced) and invitation to read excerpt at Awards Gala
- First Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement; recognition at Awards Gala
- Honorable Mention (maximum of three): Certificate of Achievement; recognition at Awards Gala
Judging Criteria for Short Stories, Fiction and Nonfiction
Plot; depth of character; originality; clarity; evokes emotion in reader (chuckle, sadness, etc.); sensory detail; tension; mechanics (point of view, tense, etc.); “show-don’t-tell”; theme (the emotional issue the story explores, such as “courage” or “letting go,” etc.)
Judging Criteria for First Chapters, Fiction and Nonfiction Story
Plot (ends on page turner); depth of character; originality; clarity; evokes emotion in reader (chuckle or sadness etc); sensory detail; tension; mechanics (point of view, tense, etc); “show-don’t-tell.”
Contest Rules for All Categories
- Original, unpublished story or chapter
- Word limit: 2500 maximum. Firm limit. Tighten your entry to 2500 words or less
- Standard manuscript form: Double-spaced, indented paragraphs, 12-point Courier or Times New Roman
- No separate title page
- Title, word count, and category on first page of manuscript
- NO author name anywhere on the manuscript
- Multiple submissions encouraged
- One entry per submission
Fee per entry
$15 per entry for OWC members
$20 per entry for nonmembers
If you want a written critique from the judging panel, add $15 to your entry fee.
Submission Guidelines (electronic only)
We are using Submittable, the submission manager.
To submit your short story, please have a word document or PDF ready to upload and be prepared to pay via debit or credit card, as well as Paypal. Submissions can be made through Submittable.
Be sure your name does not appear anywhere on the manuscript.
Multiple submissions are encouraged, but please submit each one separately with a separate payment.
Contest fee is nonrefundable. Entries not meeting the stated criteria will be disqualified.
Enter Your Manuscript
