[Journalists] NFB Writers' Division Contest guidelines

Sun Sep 6 01:47:22 UTC 2009

Hello Fellow Journalists,

My name is Shelley J. Alongi and I am a member of the NFB California Orange County chapter. In July 2009 I assumed the editorship of the NFB Writers' Division magazine "Slate and Style." We are currently informing all interested in our 2010 Writers' Contest and would like to let you know about our current guidelines. Please distribute where appropriate. Please feel free to explore the information on my signature to learn more about my writing experiences. Guidelines and Signature Below
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND WRITERS' DIVISION 2010 YOUTH AND ADULT WRITING CONTEST SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Contact Robert Leslie Newman Newmanrl at cox.net 

Annual Youth and adult writing contests sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind Writers' division, 2010, open January 1, closed April 1. Adult contests are open to all entrants eighteen years and over. Youth poetry and fiction entries will be divided into three categories: elementary school first through sixth grade, middle school seventh and eighth grade and highs school ninth through twelfth grade.

 All contest winners will be announced at the Writers' Division  business meeting during the NFB national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, the first week of July, 2010. In addition to being announced during the business meeting they will appear on the Writers' Division website, www.nfb-writers-division.org shortly after convention adjournment.  

Prizes 

Adult contest winners will receive $100 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place. Youth prizes will be awarded in the amounts of $25.00 first place, $15.00 second place, $5.00 third place. All decisions are final and cannot be changed. Three honorable mentions will be selected.  First, second, and third place winners in each category will appear in the summer and fall issues of the Writers' Division magazine, "Slate and Style." Contest winners will receive complimentary copies of the issue in which their entries appear if they are not already subscribed. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please submit all poetry and fiction entries in all categories as attachments to an E-mail message. The attachments should be in either MS Word or text format.      Youth and adult fiction entries should be written in a normal prose style, double-spaced with each paragraph indented .5 inches, and having a 12 point font of Times New Roman or Courier New. Because our youth contests promote the use of Braille all youth entries should be submitted in hand-written Braille only. Along with Braille copies please submit electronic format if possible. All print copies of youth contest entries will be generated as needed. Hard print copies of entries will be accepted in adult categories only in the event that no electronic copy is possible and will not be returned to their owners. All submissions, Braille, electronic or print must be proofread for spelling and grammatical errors. Please, no hand-written print copies. 

Place your name and entry title at the beginning of each page in the upper left-hand corner and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. Staple all multiple-page entries in the lower right hand corner.   

Cover Letter

Along with your entry or entries, include a cover letter providing your name, mailing address, phone number, and E-mail address.  Enclose the titles of all stories or poems submitted. In a separate paragraph, mention the category of entry, i.e., "adult fiction" or "youth poetry.) Additionally, for youth, state the grade level category you fall under I.E., "Elementary school 3rd grade" or "Middle school 6th grade." State your method of payment for the entry fee (check or Pay Pal).  

Contest Entry Fees

Please make checks or PayPal payments for $6.00 for each adult short story submitted. One entry fee of $6.00 will be accepted for adult poetry entries up to three poems. No entry fee is charged for youth entries.  

Entry Requirements

We will consider only unpublished original entries: adult short stories of no more than 3000 words. Youth stories at no more than 1000 words. Adult poetry of no more than 36 lines. Youth poetry at no more than 20 lines.

Payment Method

Use Pay Pal from the Writers' Division website, www.nfb-writers-division.org for payment.  Alternatively, you can mail a check made out to "NFB Writers' Division with the title of your entry in the memo line. E-mail submissions should be sent to Robert Leslie Newman at newmanrl at cox.net.  Mail hard copy submissions and checks to:  

Robert Leslie Newman

504 S 57th St

Omaha, NE 68106 

Shelley J. Alongi 
Home Office: (714)869-3207
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NFBWD "Slate and Style" editor 
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org

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To read essays on my journey through the Chatsworth train accident, Metrolink 111 or other interests click on http://www.storymania.com/cgibin/sm2/smshowauthorbox.cgi?page=&author=AlongiSJ&alpha=A

updated July 2, 2009