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The Short Works Prize 2021 Call for Entries

Short Works Prize logo

Deadline: 11:59pm Monday, October 25, 2021

Presented in partnership by Hamilton Arts & Letters Magazine and the Hamilton Public Library

Please read all rules carefully before you submit an entry.

Eligibility

Writers must live in the Hamilton Public Library service area. Writers who live in communities that have reciprocal borrowing with HPL are not eligible.
Writers who won a 2020 Short Works cash prize are not eligible to enter again until 2022.
Those who received Honourable Mentions in 2020 may submit in 2021.

Rules for Submissions

NEW! Maximum Word Limits: Off-the-Radar and Young Writers entries must not exceed 3,500 words for Fiction or 5,000 words for Creative Non-fiction. There are no word limits for the Poetry categories or the Published Author categories.
Entry fee: $0.
Entries are not returned.
Blind Judging: for Young Writers and Off-The-Radar entrants, your name must NOT appear on your story submission. Your name must ONLY appear on your entry form. This does not apply to published works as they usually include the author’s byline.
Unpublished vs. Published: If your work was professionally published, either in print or online, by a for-profit journal, magazine or newspaper, in a for-profit publisher’s anthology, or if a book published by a for-profit publisher, then you are considered a published author. If you were paid by a publisher for something you’ve written, you are considered a published author. If you self-published, either in print or online, or on a website that posts the works of amateur writers, you are considered an unpublished author.
Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
Published authors may submit in two of the three categories: Poetry, Fiction or Creative Non-fiction. Published authors are not eligible to submit in the Off-the-Radar category.
Winners & Honourable Mentions will be notified by email before the award winners are announced on Monday November 29, 2021. Recipients of cash awards in all categories are invited to share video readings, which will be promoted via @ShortWorksPrize.
Entries must be submitted using the online form below.

Published Authors:

Your poem, story or essay must have appeared in a magazine, journal, newspaper, or as part of a multi-authored book between January 1, 2020-December 31, 2020.

Off-the-Radar and Young Writers may submit:

One short story (maximum 3,500 words) OR
One poem (no word limit) OR
One piece of literary non-fiction (maximum 5,000 words)

Young Writers

Must be ages 16-20, as of Dec 31, 2021

Memoir Writing Workshop

Submissions should be made to the workshop facilitator.

Questions? Please email: HAL@HALmagazine.com

First Name *

Last Name *

Address *

City *

Postal Code *

Phone *

Email *

How old are you?

Published Short Works

Published authors may enter two of the following three categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Book or magazine in which your work was published

ISSN / ISBN of Publication

Off-the-Radar: for Unpublished Works (writers over the age of 20)

Submit 1 work to one of the following categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Young Writers: For Unpublished works (writers 16 to 20 years old)

Submit 1 work to one of the following categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Upload Submission *

Please select the document you are submitting

How did you find out about the Short Works Prize?

Other

The Short Works Prize is presented in partnership with the Hamilton Public Library and Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine. SWP is supported by The Hamilton Spectator. For further information, contact HAL@HALmagazine.com.

The SWP observes the Council of Literary Magazines & Presses Contest Code of Ethics and is for authors currently living in the areas serviced by the Hamilton Public Library. Out of town borrowers are not eligible. All entries will be scanned to ensure originality. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

SWP Promotional Partner:
Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine
www.HALmagazine.com

_{Personal information contained on this form is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990. MFIPPA\Regulations 29. The information collected will be used in the process of the library’s business. Questions regarding the collection and use of personal information can be directed to: Chief Librarian, Hamilton Public Library, P.O. Box 2700, Hamilton, ON L8N 4E4.}

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