2012 Statewide Short Story Contest Underway

Think you’ve got what it takes to write an award-winning story? Enter to win the 2012 NC State Short Story Contest, sponsored by the NC State University Creative Writing Program.

The annual event, open to all NC residents (some exceptions apply), is one of the largest free literary competitions in the South. The contest has two categories boasting separate cash prizes as well as honorable mention awards. Contestants may enter in both the longer fiction and shorter fiction categories for a chance to win a $500 or $250 prize, respectively. The contests are supported by the Barnhardt Family Fund and other friends of the NC State Creative Writing program.

This year’s guest judge, author Tony Earley, will announce the winners and read from his own work at 7:30 pm, November 7, 2012, at Thompson Hall, on the NC State campus. Earley, a professor at Vanderbilt University, is the author of several coming-of-age novels, short story collections, and essays. His work has appeared in magazines such as Harper’s, Esquire, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Book Review, to name a few.

Unleash your originality and let those ideas flow from your fingers. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2012.

For more information regarding the contest rules and guidelines, visit the Creative Writing Program website.

By Kristie Demers, CHASS Communication Intern