The Kootenay Literary Competition is offering some pretty big bucks for the best fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry written by adults and youths in the entire Kootenay region.
There are $3,000 in prizes for the adult category and $600 for the youth category.
“Writing is a solitary occupation and, (unlike visual, musical or performing arts), there are few opportunities for emerging writers to display their work,” says a statement from Kootenay Literary Competition Committee.
“Sure, there are lots of writing contests out there but none that shine the spotlight exclusively on the Kootenay region. Beyond the cash prize incentive, KLC provides a showcase for local talent through our published anthology, local media, and readings at our annual awards celebration.”
The competition began as a small writing competition for residents of Nelson and has since expanded to include the entire Kootenay region. Both adult and youth writers can submit their best works of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, with prizes awarded to the first and second place winners. Along with cash prizes, winners also receive helpful critiques from the judges, to help improve their writing, and are published in the competition anthology, the statement said.
The statement identified a number of the competition’s goals:
- Encourage emerging and youth writers to share their work with others.
- Provide an opportunity to feature local literary talent and promote all local writers.
- Offer experienced writers a challenge and inspire them to create new work.
- Reward our local talent through cash prizes and publication.
- Help Kootenay writers to connect with each other.
- Improve the quality of local writing through workshops and judge critiques.
- Assist aspiring young writers with mentorship to further their creative writing studies.
Entry to the competition will cost an adult writer $25 and a youth writer $10.
In addition to the cash prizes for young writers, the committee is offering a mentorship program all youth winners through a weekend, youth creative writing workshop in Nelson, including meals and accommodation.
For more information please send an e-mail to kootenaylitcomp@gmail.com.
Click here to view the adult competition poster and here for the youth competition poster.
