A Call to Pens Short Story Competition
Patrick Henry College, in association with the Community Involvement Commission, is proud to host its first-ever national short story competition!
Below are the division descriptions and requirements for the competition.
First Division
Theme: Pursuit of Purpose
Age: 12-15, as of November 30, 2008
Word Limit: 1,500
Entry Fee: $10 ($20 for two entries)
Deadline: Entry and fee by November 30, 2008
Prizes: (1) 1st Place - $200, (1) 2nd Place - $100, (1) 3rd Place - $50, (2) Honorable Mention - $25. The best entry from Loudoun County, Virginia, in the first division will receive a special prize of $100. Winners will be announced early January, 2009.
Second Division
Theme: Joy in Pain
Age: 16-18, as of November 30, 2008
Word Limit: 2,500
Entry Fee: $10 ($20 for two entries)
Deadline: Entry and fee by November 30, 2008
Prizes: (1) 1st Place - $200, (1) 2nd Place - $100, (1) 3rd Place - $50, (2) Honorable Mention - $25. The best entry from Loudoun County, Virginia, in the second division will receive a special prize of $100. Winners will be announced early January, 2009.
The 10 Rules
1) All entries must be in narrative prose fiction. No poetry submissions will be accepted.
2) All entries must be typed, preferably in 12-point Times New Roman. No crazy fonts or handwritten entries.
3) All entries must be double-spaced.
4) Page numbers must be placed in the upper-middle or upper-right corner of the page. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME OR PHONE NUMBER ON THE ENTRY.
5) Two stories per author are allowed. An additional fee is required for a second submission. Each story must be unique and distinct.
6) Original, unpublished material only.
7) Rewriting or editing by anyone other than the entrant is not allowed.
8) All entries must be received by November 30, 2008.
9) Failure to follow any of the rules may result in disqualification.
10) Winning stories will reflect a thoughtful, though not necessarily overt, Christian worldview. Storytelling ability, grammatical excellence, and originality of approach to the assigned theme will all be considered by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
Submission
All entries must be submitted by November 30, 2008.
Send either a stapled printed copy of your entry, or mail a CD or DVD of your entry in MS Word format. A completed entry form and fee must be included with all entries. (Please do not staple the entry form or fee to entry.) Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you would like to be notified when your entry is received.
Send entries to:
Patrick Henry College
1 Patrick Henry Cir
Purcellville, VA 20132
ATTN: "A Call to Pens" Competition
Checks should be made out to “Patrick Henry College”. Please include “A Call to Pens" Competition in the memo line.
Entries will not be returned, so don’t send your only copy!
A Few Tips
1) Good stories have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
2) Excellent grammar and spelling will set winning entries apart.
3) Avoid sending first drafts. Edit, edit, edit!
4) Again, winning stories will harmonize, even subtly, with a Christian worldview.
Legal Stuff
By submitting a short story you:
1) Give Patrick Henry College the right to publish all or part of your entry.
2) Agree to all rules and decisions of the judges and sponsors.
Patrick Henry College and its volunteers are not responsible for any lost, damaged, misdirected, delayed, incomplete, illegible, or postage-due entries or mail. Entrants must be U.S. citizens.
All profits from this competition will be given to the Barbara Hodel Student Center “Finish the Foundation” Fund of Patrick Henry College.
If you have any questions, please contact Peter Forbes at shortstory@phc.edu.
