For going on twenty-three years the Island Literary Awards (ILAs) have recognized the best in Island writing with cash awards sponsored from the community, for winning entries in short story, poetry, children’s literature, and creative non-fiction categories from writers of all ages. Last year the PEIWG added a new Screenplay Category that offers professional development prizes.
The PEI Writers’ Guild is excited to announce that the deadline for submissions for the 2010 Island Literary Awards is May 28th, 2010 (revised from April 23, 2010). We have extended the deadline, and now plan to have the Island Literary Awards on September 19th. (location TBA). This will allow more time for writers to submit their work, and fundraising to take place.
The 23rd annual Island Literary Awards gala ceremony will take place on September 19th, 2010. Prizes will be given out in seven categories and special awards will also be awarded.
General Categories
Lucy Maud Montgomery* PEI Literature for Children Awards
Short Story Awards
Milton Acorn Poetry Awards
Creative Non-Fiction Awards
Screenplay Awards
Student Categories
Creative Writing Awards for Young People
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writers’ Awards
Special Awards
Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Awards
UPEI Réshard Gool Award for Creative Writing
Joseph Sherman Award
School Participation Award for Most Student Submissions
Many past award winners of the ILAs are now published authors. The Island Literary Awards and the PEI Writers’ Guild are vital to fostering a culture of writing on Prince Edward Island.
Note* After you read the following guidelines, if you still have questions, please contact:
Jenna MacDonald: ILA Coordinator, email: peiwritersguild@gmail.com
Island Literary Award Categories:
Unless otherwise indicated, the entry fee for each submission is $20, and prizes are as follows: First $400; Second $200; Third $100. The ILAs are open to Island residents only (6 months minimum).
Lucy Maud Montgomery* PEI Literature for Children Awards
The manuscript must be a story written for children. One children’s story (maximum length 60 pages), will constitute an entry. Illustrations may be submitted with the story.
(*L.M. MONTGOMERY IS A TRADEMARK OF THE HEIRS OF L.M. MONTGOMERY INC.)
Milton Acorn Poetry Awards
One entry consists of eight (minimum) to ten pages (maximum) of poetry.
Short Story Awards
One short story, maximum length 2500 words, will constitute an entry.
Creative Nonfiction Awards
This is a nonfiction category that includes humour writing, memoir, biography, essay (including personal essay), travel writing and feature articles. It involves writing about real events, people, or ideas, conveying your message through the use of literary techniques such as characterization, plot, setting, dialogue, narrative, and personal reflection. In works of creative nonfiction, the writer’s voice and opinion are evident. The work should be accessible to a general reading audience (i.e., not written for a specialized or academic audience). Maximum length: 2500 words.
Screenplay Awards
One entry consists of a feature length screenplay. Submitted scripts must be original feature-length screenplays, and the sole property of the applicant(s). All entries must be in English and between 80 and 145 pages in length. Scripts should be in standard spec screenplay format printed on white paper. If a submitted screenplay becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that screenplay will no longer be eligible. The Screenplay Category prizes focus on professional development.
Student Awards Categories:
Creative Writing Awards for Young People
Students may write on the topic of their choice and submit in one of four sub-categories: Early Elementary (1-3), Late Elementary (4-6), Junior High (7-9), and Senior High (10-12). A maximum of five pages of poetry, or a ten-page short story, will constitute an entry. Longer submissions will NOT be accepted. There is no entry fee. Prizes: First: $100; Second $75; Third $50 will be awarded in each sub-category.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writer’s Award
Students attending intermediate school (grades 7– 9) may enter a story, a poem, or a series of poems, on a topic of their choice. A maximum of 10 pages will constitute an entry. There is no entry fee. Prizes: First $75; Second $50; Third $25
School Participation Award
The school with the highest number of student submissions will be recognized with a certificate at the Awards Ceremony.
General Rules:
Deadline for entries: Entries must be postmarked or submitted by hand by 4 p.m., Friday, May 28th, 2010. Those postmarked or delivered later will not be eligible. There are absolutely NO exceptions.
Please hand-deliver your entries to any Provincial Library Branch, addressed to the following, or Mail to:
Island Literary Awards
c/o Trina O'Brien Leggott
Confederation Centre Public Library
PO Box 7000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 8G8
Cheques and/ or Money Orders should be made out to PEI Writers' Guild
Prizes: Unless otherwise indicated, prizes in the general category are as follows: First $400; Second $200; Third $100
Number of entries: Participants may submit as many entries as they wish, in one, or all categories. A writer may only win one prize per category, and each text may be submitted to only one category.
Entry forms: For each manuscript entered, participants must complete a separate entry form.
Eligibility: Open to individuals who have been residents of PEI for at least six months preceding May 28th, 2010
Authors who have published a book are not eligible to submit in the genre(s) in which they have been published. (A book is defined as having at least 48 printed pages [with the exception of children’s books, which must contain at least 24 printed pages], a print run of at least 500 copies [exceptions are poetry collections, with a required minimum of 400 copies, and stage plays, with a required minimum of 350], be published principally in English, French or one of Canada’s Aboriginal languages, and must carry an ISBN from Library and Archives Canada.)
Winners of 2009 ILA first prize awards are not eligible to enter this year in the category in which they won first prize, except for students entering in the student categories.
The work must be original and unpublished.
Prize-winning work from any other competition is not eligible for entry.
Fees: A $20 entry fee is required for EACH entry except the Creative Writing Awards for Young People and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writer’s Award. Payment is by cheque or money order made out to the PEI Writers’ Guild. DO NOT SEND or bring cash. NSF cheques will result in the submission being disqualified and a $20.00 bank charge. Participants may submit as many entries as they wish, however, EACH must be accompanied by a $20 entry fee, excepting the two young writers’ categories listed above.
Format:
EACH entry must include:
(a) The Submission Cover Page entry form which lists the title of the entry, the category, author’s name(s), address and telephone number, etcetera. There is a different Submission Cover Page entry form for Students. These are available online at www.peiwritersguild.com
(b) A title page which lists only the title of the entry and, if desired, an author’s note.
The appearance of the author’s name(s) or other identification mark on the entry, other than on the entry form/covering page, shall DISQUALIFY THE ENTRY. Students – your name(s) must appear only on the covering page or your submission will be disqualified.
Writers must submit THREE copies of each entry. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INCLUDES STUDENT ENTRIES. The three copies are required so that we may retain one copy in a central location for ILA records and give one to each of the two category judges. Please retain either the original or a copy for yourself. Entries will be disqualified if three copies are not supplied.
With one exception, entries shall be typed, in 12 point font, with reasonable margins, double-spaced (except for poetry), and on one side of the page. The EXCEPTION is the Creative Writing Awards for Young People category entries for Grades 1 – 6, which may be written or printed by hand (double-spaced).
Pages MUST be numbered, with the title of the work on each page.
No fax or e-mail entries will be accepted.
All submissions are final: no changes or substitutions are allowed. Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Entries will not be returned and editorial comments will not be given on the entries.
Acknowledgement of receipt will be sent via email to those who provide a valid email address.
General:
Authors are advised to notify the ILA Co-ordinator should they change their address and/or telephone number after submitting their writing.
This information is also available on the PEI Writers' Guild website at www.peiwritersguild.com
For more Information, Contact:
Jenna MacDonald: ILA Coordinator
email: peiwritersguild@gmail.com
