Adults and teenagers are invited to enter this second annual Books by the Banks Writing Contest, part of the annual Books by the Banks Cincinnati Regional Book Festival, now in its 10th year.
Cedric Rose, a Librarian at The Mercantile Library, is helping organize the contest. He is also involved in many of this year’s Writing & Getting Published events.
The 10th annual Books by the Banks Cincinnati Regional Book Festival is set for 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15 at Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati.
The day-long festival, which is free and open to the public, features national, regional, and local authors and illustrators; book signings; panel discussions; and activities for the entire family to enjoy.
The mission of Books by the Banks is to entertain and enrich the lives of people in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The organization works throughout the year to present and promote authors, while celebrating the joy of literacy and lifelong learning through reading and writing.
For its second year, the Books by the Banks Writing Contest is more focused. This year there are fiction entries in both the teen (ages 13-17) and adult (18+) classes, and there’s a theme: “The River.”
This theme is only a starting point, a prompt — stories aren’t required to include it. But this being Books by the Banks, why not give a nod to the river that connects us all?
The “river” does have a rich literary tradition that in the national literary consciousness has captured the imaginations of such greats as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain.
Contest deadline to October 1st.
The Writing Contest is an extension of what Books by the Banks is all about, say its organizers — a celebration and appreciation of writers, writing, reading, and storytelling. And when we say writers, it’s not just about the professional writers who publish books. It’s also about kids learning to write, adults writing for enjoyment, writers who are just starting out, anyone with the spark of an idea, a story they’d like to share.
The McLane Foundation, which includes in its mission improving lives, building communities, and preparing young people for success, generously underwrites the contest because writing, at all skill levels, and writing education, furthers all of these goals.
Almost $3,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, with no entry fee, to first, second, and third place winning fiction pieces in teen and adult categories.
The Prizes
In the Adult category, prizes of $1,000, $750, and $250 will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards. In the Teen category, prizes of $500, $250, and $100 will be awarded. In addition, winning entries will be published on the Books by the Banks website and may be included in an inaugural Books by the Banks anthology.
The Rules
• All entries must be emailed or postmarked by Oct. 1, 2016.
• The contest is open to current residents of Cincinnati’s Tri-State Area.* College students whose homes are in Cincinnati but who currently attend school elsewhere are also eligible.
• One story per person, please.
• Submitted work must be wholly original and unpublished elsewhere, either in print or online (except in a personal journal or blog.)
• Maximum word count per entry is 2,000 words.
• Manuscripts will be judged on voice, style, cohesiveness, and ability to engage readers.
• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
• After the competition, all rights revert to the author.
• So we can assure that judging will be anonymous, we ask that you do not include your name on the manuscript. Instead, include a separate cover sheet with your name, manuscript title, age category (Adult or Teen), address, phone number, and email address. Please include your manuscript title on every page of your manuscript.
• Teen entrants are encouraged to include on their cover page the name and contact information of their writing teacher or mentor.
• Manuscripts will not be returned.
• Winning entries will be published on the Books by the Banks website and may be included in an inaugural Books by the Banks anthology.
How to Enter
• Email your manuscripts and any questions to writingcontest@booksbythebanks.org.
• Or mail your manuscript to:
• Books by the Banks Writing Contest
The Mercantile Library,
414 Walnut Street 11th floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202.