Short Story - CONTEST RULES AND SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Deadline: Entries must be submitted on or before Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:00 pm. Entries will be submitted by mail or in person to Norway Memorial Library at 258 Main Street, Norway Maine 04268. If submitted by mail, entries must be postmarked no later than Friday, February 15, 2008. Do not submit your only copy, as manuscripts will not be returned.

Who may submit: Submissions will be accepted beginning Wednesday, January 2, from residents of Oxford Hills, who are of high school age and up. There is no cost to submit a story. Each entrant may submit one story.

Format: Entries should be printed on one side of 8 1⁄2” x 11” white paper and double- spaced. Use 12 pt. Courier or 12 pt. Times New Roman and black ink. Use 1” margins all around. Do not staple. Entries will be submitted with a contest Entry Form that includes the writer’s name, address, phone number and the story’s title. These forms are available at the library or from the library’s website. Manuscript pages will include the title of story and page number, but will NOT include the author’s name or any author identifying information.

General Information: This is a short story writing contest. Previously unpublished, original, short works of fiction (no longer than 3500 words) may be submitted. We will not accept:
Essays
Excerpts from novels
General or creative nonfiction
Memoirs

It is essential to remember that winning stories in this contest will be read at a public program at the library. Subject matter and language should be suitable for such an audience.

Judging: The Contest Coordinator will receive all entries and distribute them to
judges/readers without the cover page that identifies the writer. Stories will be judged on appropriateness to audience, originality, strong characters, compelling plot, and use of language.