Canada Writes - Deadline November 1, 2013

It's that time of year again.  Canada's richest literary award for unpublished writing in poetry, short story and creative nonfiction.  As such, there are thousands of submissions each year.  It's a tough little competition, but a writing highlight I look forward to each year.

I have been contributing to this award for almost twenty years and approach it like an exercise. This is my chance to add a little pressure to my writing mix.  My regular writing routine is invariably stress free, boundary free and deadline free.  I contort my creative writing time around full-time commitments, and this is the fate of many budding Canadian writers.  The Canada Writes contest is an opportunity to stretch under a mild pressure.

The reward: at the top of the heap are six, first place awards of $6000.00 in each of the three categories, French and English.  Your win is published in Air Canada's enRoute Magazine.  A two week writing residency awaits you at the Banff Centre.  CBC will interview you on live radio.  And to this, there is the exposure of your work to the national audience.  This is a wonderful and potentially valuable opportunity.  So contribute.  You just never know.  It might be the start of a new career.

CANADA WRITES Online.