Friends of the Schoolcraft Library will be hosting the Third Annual Tournament of Writers once again. The contest opens on Tuesday, September 6, the day after Labor Day, and closes Friday, October 14 at 5 p.m., the close of the Library day.
Area writers of all ages are encouraged to participate in this competition to show off their talent. There is also a Cover Art contest for artists. There are five age divisions; Junior, up to 6th grade or 11 years of age; Teen, 7th through 12th grade or 12 to 17; Adult, 18 to 50; Senior, 50 to 70; and new this year, Super Senior, for those 70 and up.
The three categories are fiction – short story, something made up; non-fiction – article, memoir, something based in truth; and poem. There is a word limit of 2,500 and a limit of one entry per category per age division. Writings may be submitted to the Schoolcraft Library, submitted on-line, mailed in, or emailed in. Entries are scored by individual judges who use their own criteria. Judges’ ballots are then tallied and the winners are determined. Cover art is to be picked by popular vote.
Awards are a Grand Prize for best of all divisions and categories with first, second, and third place being awarded to each division and category. Currently, the prizes are the honor of being a winner and publication in the Small Town Anthology. The library hopes to acquire business sponsors in order to award cash prizes in the future, said the chair of the tournament, Deb Christiansen.