Swords down, pens up, get clacking, go! That’s the mantra of the Schoolcraft Friends of the Library Tournament of Writers’ second year contest. Led by Debra Christiansen, it is an attempt to celebrate the many writers in all age groups that populate South Kalamazoo County, she says.
Entries for the contest will be accepted from Sept. 8 through Oct. 16 at the Schoolcraft Library. They may be presented via electronic transmission, handwritten, or typed entries. There are many different categories for short story, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, or poems. Age groups are set up to give each writer a fair chance to compete, with junior, teen, adult, and senior divisions. New this year is the addition of a cover art contest.
In 2014, all of the winners had their submissions published in a book that is available for $5 at the library or on Amazon called Small Town Anthology. “The thrill of seeing ones words in print is a great motivator,” Christiansen said. The judges are professional writers that she has recruited to read and evaluate the 19 entries received in 2014. She is expecting far more than that this year, with a grand prize winner and first, second, and third place winners for each age group and category. All entrants must hold a valid Schoolcraft library card or a reciprocal card.