2008 Spirit of Writing Contest

Sponsored by the Whidbey Island Writers Association

To encourage adults in the Whidbey Island community to develop and share their work in the Spirit of Writing, WIWA invites emerging writers, 18 years and older, to submit manuscripts in any of the following categories:

• POETRY: Original poetry in free verse or form, 32 lines maximum.
• MEMOIR: Nonfiction narrative based on meaningful experience that reflects significance and impact on writer's life. Not to exceed 1,200 words.
• NONFICTION/ESSAY: An informational (expository), opinion/editorial (persuasive), biographical or descriptive piece. Not to exceed 1,200 words.
• SHORT FICTION: A complete short story or a representative segment of a longer work of fiction, not to exceed 2,500 words. (A synopsis of the longer work may be attached, up to 150 words.)
• HUMOR: May be poetry (form or free verse, not to exceed 32 lines) or nonfiction prose (not to exceed 1,200 words). May be on any subject. May be informational, opinion/editorial, personal narrative, or descriptive. Must be aimed at amusing the reader and provoking laughter
• CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: Any prose or poetry written for children or young adults. Piece may be a poem (not to exceed 32 lines); a picture book (text only, 32-page limit, may be poetry); complete short story (not to exceed 2,500 words); or a representative segment of a chapter book (not to exceed 2,500 words. A synopsis of the longer work may be attached, up to 150 words.) Must state target age group on the contest entry form.  

Rules for Submitting Manuscripts
1. Contestants must be full or part-time residents of Whidbey Island.

2. Submissions must be original and must not be previously published.

3. To be considered for an award, and to be eligible for publication in the 2008 Spirit of Writing anthology of winning entries, manuscripts must be printed in 12-point Times New Roman font, and prose must be single-spaced. Handwritten manuscripts will be ineligible and returned to author.

4. Only one entry may be submitted per category; any number of categories may be entered.

5. Enclose a contest entry form with each manuscript.

6. Write only title and page numbers on manuscript. Author's name must not appear on manuscript; entries are blind read.

7. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with each manuscript submitted. Make sure postage is sufficient and the envelope is the appropriate size for the manuscript plus a comment sheet.

8. Submit manuscripts to any Sno-Isle Branch Library on Whidbey Island or mail to WIWA, P.O. Box 1289, Langley WA 98260.

Fees
Entry is free for members of the Whidbey Island Writers Association. Non-members must enclose a $10 reading fee with each manuscript submitted, or may join WIWA and waive the reading fee. (To join, enclose a membership form available from this Web site, with $50 dues in envelope with manuscript.)

Deadline  
October 18, 2008 by end of library working hours. If mailed, envelope must be postmarked on or before October 18, 2008.

Contest Awards and Events
Winners (1st-4th Place) will be notified November 21, 2008. A Grand Prize winner will be announced by December 17, 2008, and will be awarded a full scholarship to attend the 2009 Whidbey Island Writers Conference, February 27 - 28, 2009. Winning authors will be posted and Spirit of Writing 2008 will be displayed in libraries November 26 - December 31, 2008. Winning authors will be invited to participate in programs of literary readings at the libraries. All entries submitted with SASE will be returned with comments by December 1, 2008.

Decisions of the judges are final.

Call (360)331-6714 or email wiwa@whidbey.com for more information.

Winners of the 2008 Spirit of Writing Contest

A Grand Prize winner be announced December 17^th and will be awarded a full scholarship to the 2009 Whidbey Island Writer's Conference.

Poetry

First Place: Sheryl Clough, Clinton for her poem, Upon Hearing that the Last Native Eyak Speaker Has Died

Second Place: Diane Adair, Coupeville, Waiting

Third Place tie: Jerry Mercer, Greenbank, The Edge of the Okefenokeeand Sharon J. Nicholson, Oak Harbor, Montana Girl

Fourth Place: Luanne Raavel, Coupeville, Beautifully Broken

Short Fiction

First Place: Paul Michel, Langley, For Love or Money

Second Place: Susan Jensen, Clinton, The Method

Third Place: Jerry Mercer, Greenbank, Maxine’s Tale

Fourth Place: Spencer Schankel, Langley, Rubin

Nonfiction

First Place: Luanne Raavel, Coupeville, None for Me, Thanks

Second Place: Sandra McGillivray Ortgies, Coupeville, The Hackberry Tree

Third Place: Janis Schulte, Greenbank, Boiled Bee and Perfect Potatoes

Fourth Place: Pat Brunjes, Clinton, The New Year’s Drunch

Memoir

First Place: Sheri Mar Carlberg, Langley, Brucie

Second Place: Martha Martin, Langley, The Great Flight

Third Place: Diane Adair, Coupeville, Confessions of a Crazed Caretaker

Fourth Place: Allan Ament, Tiptoe Through the Juleps

Humor

First Place: Jerry Mercer, Greenbank, The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Gardening

Second Place: Sharon L. Collver, Clinton, Before You Leave

Third Place: Rick Lawler, Oak Haror, The Book Club I Didn’t Join, and Why

Children's Literature

First Place tie: Jerry Mercer of Greenbank, The People in the Trees and Sharon J. Nicholson, Oak Harbor, Coyote who Steals Lilacs

Second Place: Diane Adair, Coupeville, The Soldier and the Angel-Fish

Third Place: Julie A. McCoy, Oak Harbor, The Magic Quilt

Winners of the 2007 Spirit of Writing Contest

The Grand Prize was awarded to Kathleen Morelock, Coupeville, This Old House, memoir.

Poetry

First Place: Janice O'Mahony, Langley, To the Women in My Support Group

Second Place: Erik Christensen, Coupeville, Radio

Third Place: Sheryl Clough, Clinton, Dinner at Sambuca;

Fourth Place tie: Sharon J. Nicholson, Oak Harbor, The Calling and Marilyn Brownstein, Coupeville, 10/11/01: at the Corner of High Street and Arcadia

Short Fiction

First Place: Diane Adair, Coupeville, Measure of Thanks

Second Place: Richard Bennett, Clinton, The Second Coming

Third Place: Sharon J. Nicholson, Oak Harbor, Stalag VII

Fourth Place: Barbara Aiello, Oak Harbor, The Apocalypse of August

Nonfiction

First Place: Sheryl Clough, Clinton, Muted Feast

Second Place: Barbara Sheffield, Oak Harbor, The Secret

Third Place: Mary Knight, Langley, The Bottom Line

Fourth Place: Erik Christensen, Coupeville,  A Man at His Workbench

Memoir

First Place: Kathleen Morelock, Coupeville, This Old House

Second Place: Sheryl Clough, Clinton, Mothers on Ice

Third Place: Terrence J. Kandzor, Christmas 1949

Fourth Place: Dale Ann Kerslake, Clinton, The Far Horizon

Children's Literature

First Place: Elizabeth Hubbard of Oak Harbor, Accidentally on Purpose

Second Place: Mary Knight, Langley, Horse Beautiful

Third Place: Martha Martin, Langley, Hens on Strike

Fourth Place: Heidi Hammer, Langley, The Raven Kingdom of Fernville Forest.