Vermont Writes Day: Tuesday, Feb. 7 INFO

YWP is encouraging schools (and organizations and businesses) to stop what they're doing and write for 7 minutes on 2.7.11. Prompts and info, click here.

Bookstock Competition -- UPDATE

ggevalt's picture

The prompt for the YWP/Bookstock competition:
"Write a story, poem or essay about a vivid memory or experience involving a building – real or imagined. The piece also can use a building as a character or a setting that is a key part of the plot, mood or theme. Students can also combine real and imaginary by filling gaps in a real memory with fictional details to round out the story. There is a 750-word length limit but no age limit and no fee. Submit here by creating a Newspaper Entry and choosing the "Building(Bookstock) prompt. To read some of the entries, click here.

Selections were based on quality of work -- clarity, freshness and power. Judges will take into account the writer's age and geographic location. Due to the volume, only students selected for prizes will be notified of selections.

David Macaulay, of Norwich VT, the keynote speaker of Bookstock 2010, created the theme.

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Sambo's picture

Wow, this sounds like a lot

Wow, this sounds like a lot of fun! What does it mean by building, though? Is it as in figuratively, or literally?

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ggevalt's picture

sambo...

"real or imagined" ... I would say that you can interpret that the way you want, but I would lean towards more literal...

gg

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lovetowrite's picture

Can our story/essay/poem be

Can our story/essay/poem be fiction?

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ggevalt's picture

yes...

your story can be real or imagined, non-fiction or fiction or a combination of both.
cheerio
gg

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Story competion

Does the story need to consist of a building which the author knew of throughout their life? Can we make up characters?

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ggevalt's picture

camcurtiss...

you can make up the building, make up the characters, draw from real experience or mix it up... have fun...
gg

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Story

Is it alright if I use absene language within my story?

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ggevalt's picture

camcurtiss...

Intriguing question...
First, how do you know you need it?
Second, I think not on this one. Winners will be asked to read their piece (if they want) at a public gathering, so my guess is that they won't want obscenities...

cheers
gg

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Sambo's picture

GG,

Is it okay to publish this on our blog before actually submitting it in order to receive feedback?

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Sambo

Sure, that's fine.

lm

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Story Competition

Does this building need to have an active part throughout the story?

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ggevalt's picture

Cam...

It should be an important element and focus in the story.
gg

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FrogGirl's picture

So the Hunger Mountain

So the Hunger Mountain Collage thing is just for High School students?

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-FrogGirl

FrogGirl's picture

Maybe it was an obvious

Maybe it was an obvious question, i don't know, i just wasn't
clear.

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-FrogGirl

Titania's picture

FrogGirl...

I just looked at the Hunger Mountain website, and they said that seventh and eighth graders can also submit, it's just that there isn't going to be a separate category, so they'll be competing against high schoolers.

~Titania

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An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. ~Oscar Wilde

ggevalt's picture

To verify Titania's point...

... here is the response from the Hunger Mountain Folks:

"We will accept entries from younger students, as long as the students realize they’ll be competing against high school age students! So in other words, there won’t be a seperate category for middle school students."
—Miciah Bay Gault, Hunger Mountain managing editor

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Neon Wings's picture

:D

Sweet!!!!
Ahhh, the rewards of being a writer...

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♦♦♦♦♦♦
"You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior,
but everyday I hear people crying out for one
NonSequitur's picture

GG -

In regard to the Hunger Mountain contest -does "previously unpublished" mean I can't submit anything that I ever posted on YWP?

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___________________________________________
"The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation."

ggevalt's picture

nonnie...

I actually don't know. It's not our contest. I would guess, though, that it is referring to something having been published in the newspaper. I think you're fine with something that you've posted here as a blog...

gg

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$100.00!!!!!! That is such a

$100.00!!!!!!
That is such a great oppertunity!

- Mugzydoodle

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ggevalt's picture

good luck...

...mugzy
gg

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Kato's picture

I entered in this, and I

I entered in this, and I really am hoping to win. Although, competing against high schoolers is a bit of a snag in the situation. Since I've heard that news I'm not hoping to win. Nothing is impossible, I know. But I think with my skills in writing (which there aren't many) there's a slim chance of winning (for me).

Although, I think this is definitely a fun opportunity and entering competitions is really exciting and lots of fun. But GG, I think it would be cool to have a writing contest just between seventh and eighth graders. Just a thought. Anyways, fun and exciting. Glad there's something like this to participate in. Hope there's another one soon.
From Emilie

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**********
Can I get an amen?

Hunger Mtn.

If you're talking about Hunger mountain I entered it too, and am also hoping to win, what genre did you enter?

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Fictional???

Can the piece for this contest be entirely fictional or does it need to be based in reality? Thanks!

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Any other winners

is it possible to find out who else won and read their piesces

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how do you

how do u know who won, is there a list???

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McWriter's picture

re: winners

I'm pretty sure only the winners are notified. I believe that's what it says above, at least.

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Ta.

Winners

well there's five hundred dollar winners and three 25 dollar runner ups. i won a hundred so theres seven winners left i just want to read everyone elses piece i read some of the submissions and they're really good. Good luck the other seven

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Congrats!

I read your piece and it made mine look like a pile of junk, good job!

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smmiller's picture

What was your piece? I was

What was your piece? I was one of the five too. Congratulations.

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S. Miller

When?

When will we be notified?

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