The Weereewa Festival Short Story Competition 2008
The capacity of Lake George is elusive; difficult to concisely define due to the sheer impermanence and changeability of its dimensions. It is thought that the lake has had many shorelines over time; long buried, forgotten, further testament to an ancient, transitory character.
Categories
The Weereewa Festival Short Story Competition 2008 is open to writers in three categories:
- Junior primary school children (Kindergarten to Year 2);
- Intermediate primary school children (Year 3 to Year 6); and
- Open Section (eligible for any person of any age).
Word length
Junior and Intermediate entries: Up to 800 words
Open section: Up to 2000 words.
Themes
There will be two, different themes for the competition this year.
One theme will be for the Open Section, and another, more age-appropriate theme, will apply to school-aged entrants.
The theme for the Open Section is “Shoreline” – a beginning or ending of place, scope, extent, and story?
Writers are asked to interpret this theme and use it as a basis for their submissions.
The theme for school-aged entrants is: Secrets of the Lake.
We have chosen this theme because Weereewa, or Lake George as many people still call it, is renown for its many so-called secrets.
Scientists say that water in the lake is capable of rising and then disappearing within weeks. Some people believe they have seen ghosts on the lake. Other people say that it was an historical haunt for bushrangers. Many animals and birds also make their home near the lake, and you may want to write about the secrets they know.
Do you know a secret about the lake? Does the lake know a secret about you? Let your imagination flow and see what you come up with!
Competition deadline:
All stories must reach the competition judges by close of business, February 29, 2008.
Where to send entries:
Short Story competition
Weereewa – A Festival of Lake George
P.O Box 170
Bungendore, NSW
2621.
Prizes:
The first and second prize winners in the junior and intermediate sections will each win a book voucher to the value of $100.
They will also win $100 worth of books for their school.
The winner of the Open section will be awarded the inaugural Milton Simms’ Medal for Literature.
Rules and conditions of entry:
- All entries must be written on A-4 paper.
- A separate title page containing the entrant’s name and postal address should be securely attached to the front of the story. Your name and address should not appear anywhere else on the story.
- Stories should not have been previously published.
- The judges’ decision will be final.
- All winners will be notified by post by March 2008.