2020 National Capital Writing Contest
33rd Annual NCWC
Sponsored by the Canadian Authors Association – National Capital Region
Deadline: Friday, February 7, 2020 at 23h59/11:59 PM.
Open to all Canadian citizens, or landed immigrants, living in Canada.
Short Story or Poetry
First place: $300
Second place: $200
Third place: $100
Three honourable mentions for each category.
For our 2020 contest, we will publish a 20/20 anthology, which will include the top 10 stories and the top 10 poems. (Authors will retain all rights.)
Finalists will be announced in late spring. Awards Night will be Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
Entry Fees: Poetry: $5 per single poem; Short Story: $15 per single story.
Contest Rules
- The contest is blind-judged. The creator’s name or other identifiers must not appear on the submitted content.
- Judges’ decisions are final.
- No entries will be returned.
- For multiple entries, each must be accompanied by its entry fee and separate cover.
Short Story
- maximum 2,500 words, in English
- unpublished
- double space, 1-inch margins, Times New Roman 12-point font
- story title on each numbered page
- writer’s name must not appear on the pages
- on a separate page or in the body of the email message include the word count, your name, pen name (if applicable), address, telephone number and email address
Poetry
- maximum 60 lines including title and blank lines
- in English
- unpublished
- no Haiku
- title included on each numbered page
- poet’s name must not appear on the page(s)
- on a separate page or in the body of the email message include your name, pen name (if applicable), address, telephone number and email address
Electronic Entries
- All submissions should be Word files (.doc or .docx)
- No pdf submissions
- Send to ncwc-ncr@canadianauthors.org
- In the subject line include your name and the title of the work
- In the body of the email tell us your name, address, telephone number and email address
Mailed Entries
- Send to: CAA National Capital Writing Contest; 163 Bell St., N., Box 57081; Ottawa ON K1R 7E1; Attention: Sherrill Wark
How to pay
We will accept payment via Interact e-transfer, Paypal or cheque.
- Interact E-transfer: Send to NCRadmin@canadianauthors.org Note: this is a different email from the one to which you submit the work
- Cheque: Make payable to Canadian Authors Association – NCR and write your name and NCWC on the Memo line
- Paypal Use the drop-down menu below to select one story, two stories, three stories, one poem, two poems or three poems
Find the winners of the 32nd Annual National Capital Writing Contest here:
2019 National Capital Writing Contest
See our list of writing contests and calls for submission here:
Contests and Calls for Submission
Awards Night will be Tuesday, May 12, 2020. For our 2020 contest, we will publish a 20/20 anthology, which will include the top 10 stories and the top 10 poems (Authors will retain all rights.)