I invite aspiring writers between the ages of 12-19 to enter the RWG Short Story Contest.
Your story must be:
— your original work, written by you
— no more than 2000 words
— typed, double spaced, in 12 point Courier or Times Roman font with 1-inch margins
Your submission must have your first and last name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address (if you have one), and title on the first page
The Winner receives: a check for $100, a certificate, and a personal critique by Rita Williams-Garcia
Send story to:
RWG Short Story Contest
P.O. Box 2277 NY, NY 10185
OR
attach Word Document to RitaWG [at] aol.com
Submission dates: Sept. 30, 2011 to March 30, 2012. Winner to be announced in April 2012. Good luck to all!
• 2011: First Place Winner:
“The Pyre” by Natalia La Spada /Excerpt:
Days pass slowly like long winter nights. No one dares to speak about the upcoming trial. It is silent at dinner. Father glares at me often, threateningly. No one has talked with me about Lydia and the accusations against her, but I know what Father expects. Association with an accused witch can be deadly, as those who dare are accused rapidly. Father’s prominent position in the church would certainly be in jeopardy if I were ever spotted with Lydia again.
• 2011: First Runner Up:
“Twenty-Five Minutes or Less…Wah-wah-wahhhhh” by Brandon Camp and Stephen Ferruolo /Excerpt:
“Beep! You have reached your destination,” the teleporter beeps. I step outside, but instead of China, I’m in Afghanistan surrounded by 20 angry terrorists. “Not again…” They take me to Terrorist HQ, which, for obvious reasons is located in a top-secret area. Osama bin Laden steps into the room and approaches me. “I helped you beat that super hard, Japanese video-game. I scratch your back, you scratch mine,” he says. “What do you scratching my back have to do with beating a video-game?” I ask. “Dang, you’re so stupid! It was a metaphor!”
• 2011: Second Runner Up:
“The Hole” by Sadie Proud /Excerpt:
Sirens blared. People screamed. Everything was immersed in smoke. Emma fought her way through the crowd. People were running frantically all around her, calling out to loved ones and friends. Tears streamed down her face.
• Past Winners
2010 Winner:
“I’m Ready” by Derek Siege | An Excerpt:
2010 Honorable Mention:
“Promoted, Presented, and Persevered” by Daniel Brooks
“Bandra Beach,” by Derek Netto
“Julie”, by Baptiste