Writing Contests

No longer Accepting Submissions.  Deadline was 30 May 2008.

Three categories

1. Short fiction - up to 2,500 words

2. Essay or Memoir - up to 2,500 words

3. Up to five poems, 60 lines maximum for each poem

Entries must be original and unpublished.

Mailing address

Chattahoochee Valley Writers' Conference

P.O. Box 2184

Columbus GA 31902

Youth Contest Coordinator:  ATTN:  Alice Martin

or

General Contest Coordinator:  ATTN:  Jim Cummins

For questions or concerns regarding the Youth Contests, please E-mail Alice Martin at alimar@mchsi.com.   

For questions regarding the General Contests, please E-mail Jim Cummins at jimandaina@bellsouth.net. 

This contest is not open to members of the CVWC Steering Committee.

Youth Writing Contest

General Writing Contest

To discover, encourage, and nurture young writers

in the Columbus-Fort Benning area, the 

Chattahoochee Valley Writer’s Conference is 

sponsoring a contest for students in the middle 

and high school grades in the Columbus and Fort  

Benning schools.   

We have divided the contest into two age groups:

• Eighth and Ninth grades, and

• Tenth through Twelfth grades.

English teachers in Muscogee County may submit  

one entry on behalf of their students per writing  

category and we will recognize the three best   

entries in each age group and writing category  

during our conference finale.  Download a copy of 

the Teacher Letter.

Categories

Fiction Writing (500-2,000 words)

Non-fiction/Essays (500-2,000 words)

Poetry (60 lines or fewer)

Prizes

Middle Grades Contest

First Place: $100.00 

Second Place: $75.00 

Third Place: $50.00 

Honorable Mention: Certificate 

High School Contest

First Place: $200.00 

Second Place: $150.00 

Third Place: $100.00 

Honorable Mention: Certificate 

Youth Contests Guidelines for Submission

Please read carefully and follow all rules.

1.  Your entry must be an original, unpublished

     composition.

2.  Entries should not be bound and must be typed

    or printed double-spaced with one-half inch first

    line paragraph indents on 20-pound 8.5 x 11 inch

    white paper. (No handwriting should appear on

    the manuscript.)

• Use Courier or Times 12-pt or equivalent font.

• Margins for prose entries should all be one inch.

• Those for poetry no less than one inch.

• The title on the first page of prose entries should be centered and three inches down from the top of the page.

• All pages except the first one should be numbered in the upper right hand corner, and each page except the first one should bear the first three words of the title on the same line as the page number and flush with the left margin.

• Pages should be attached with a paperclip, not a staple.

3.  Please include the title of your piece and the

     word count on both the first page of the

     manuscript and on the cover sheet. Do not

     include your name or contact information

     anywhere on the manuscript.

4.  Your short story or non-fiction essay should be

     from 500 to 2000 words. Your poem should not

     be longer than 60 lines.

5.  Make three copies of your entry to submit.

6.  Keep one copy and submit the other two. 

     Manuscripts will not be returned.

7.  Complete a cover sheet (included) with your

     entry.

8.  Submit all copies of your entry to your teacher

    on or before 1 May 2008.

9.  Entries must be received by 8 May 2008.

     Work submitted later will not be considered for

     a prize.

The author retains all rights to the work.

To download a copy of the following files, please click on the links below:

Please complete the upper portion of the Official

Entry Form, attach it to your student’s submission

and return it to us no later than May 1, 2008 to:

Chattahoochee Valley Writers’ Conference

ATTN: Alice Martin

Youth Writing Contest Coordinator

P. O. Box 2184

Columbus GA 31902

Prizes

First Place: $150.00 

Second Place: $100.00 

Third Place: $50.00 

Honorable Mention: Certificate 

Guidelines for Submission

$15 per submission (manuscripts) and

$15 for up to five poems ($3 per poem)

Submitter may send as many entries as

s/he wishes.

For Short Stories and Essays

1. Submit two copies.

2. Use a one-inch margin on all sides.

3. Do not number the first page. Place numbers in

    the bottom center of subsequent pages.

4. Place the word count in the upper right corner of

    the first page.

5. Place name, address, telephone number, fax

    number and e-mail address in the upper left 

    corner of the first page of the first copy only.

6. Place the title on the first page, centered in all

    caps, about one-third of the way down the page

    from the top margin.

7. Drop four lines from the title, then indent and

    begin the text.

8. Double-space the entire text, indenting the first

    line of each paragraph by 1/2 inch. Do not justify

    the text or align the right margin.

9. Place the first word or two of the title in the top

    right hand corner of all pages but the first one.

10. Type THE END, centered and in caps, at the

     conclusion of the text.

11. The author will not be identified in any manner

     in the second copy of the manuscript.

For Poetry

1. Submit two copies.

2. Place name, address, telephone number, fax

    number and e-mail address in the upper left

    corner of the first page of the first copy only.

3. Poem should be typed or computer generated on

    8-1/2" by 11" white paper in black ink, single

    spaced in a standard 12 point. type face, 60 lines

    or less.  If poem is over one page, staple together

    all pages of each copy.

4. The author will not be identified in any manner

    in the second copy of the poem.

Manuscripts not meeting these guidelines will be disqualified.

 All manuscripts / poetry must be postmarked no later than 30 May 2008.  Mail to:

Chattahoochee Valley Writers’ Conference

ATTN: Jim Cummins

Adult Writing Contest Coordinator

P. O. Box 2184

Columbus GA 31902