College Language Association
Creative Writing Contest
and
Margaret Walker Memorial
Prizes
in Creative Writing
for 2009-2010
College Language Association
Creative Writing Contest
and
Margaret Walker Memorial
Prizes
in Creative Writing
for 2009-2010
"For My People,"
by Margaret Walker
Tribute to Margaret Walker,
by Maryemma Graham
Official Contest Guidelines
Official Entry Form
Forms for Judges
2008-2009 Winners
Pictures of the 2008-2009 Winners
Contact Information
Please read Contest Guidelines carefully as submissions that do not conform to all guidelines will be disqualified.
ELIGIBILITY
a. The Contest is open to any student (undergraduate or graduate) who is presently attending a College Language Association (CLA) college or university. A CLA college or university is defined as one where a Member of CLA is employed or is a retiree emeritus.
b. A student may enter the contest only through the sponsorship of an active CLA Member. An active CLA Member is defined as one who is current with his/her Membership fees.
SPONSORS
a. The student should contact a CLA Representative (the Representative’s name and location may appear on the Announcement flier).
b. The CLA Representative will provide the student with OFFICIAL CONTEST GUIDELINES and OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM. These forms may be accessed at the Creative Writing Contest link at CLAscholars.org.
c. The CLA Representative will sign as SPONSOR on the Official Entry Form only when he or she has determined that the submission has
literary merit and meets all guidelines.
GUIDELINES
a. Submissions must be typed with letter quality printing on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper and be double-spaced.
b. Handwritten material, facsimiles and e-mail submissions will not be accepted.
c. Students may submit up to three poems. No poem should exceed 30 lines.
d. Short stories should not exceed 2,500 words.
e. Plays should not exceed 5,000 words.
f. Submissions may not have been published nationally.
g. Students may submit in only one Language category.
h. Students may submit in multiple genres (poetry, short story, drama).
i. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of three Judges; therefore, three copies of each entry should be submitted.
j. Students’ names should appear only on the Official Entry Form. The name should not appear on any page of the work itself.
k. Submissions received without an Official Entry Form signed by a Sponsor will be disqualified.
l. A $10 processing fee in the form of a money order or certified check must accompany all submissions. Cash and personal checks will not be accepted.
Students who decide to submit in multiple genres must remit a separate $10 processing fee for each category they enter.
m. Submissions must be postmarked by 5 p.m., January 16, 2010. Submissions received after this date will not be considered.
Students should include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if they desire confirmation that their manuscripts have been received. Students should keep a copy of the work as all submissions will be destroyed when the Contest period ends.
NOTIFICATION OF AWARDS
a. Submissions will be judged for originality, literary merit, characterization and technique.
There can be up to three winners and Honorable Mention in each category. Winners will be notified in March, 2010.
b. Names of winners will be announced at the CLA Conference Banquet, April 9, 2010 in Brooklyn, NY. Names of winners will also appear in the Summer issue of CLA Journal.
c. Prizewinners’ checks will be mailed in May, 2010.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Mail submission(s), Official Entry Form and processing fee(s) to—
Clarence Holmes, Jr., Chair
CLA Creative Writing Contest Committee
P. O. Box 840835
Houston, TX 77284