My Mind Words Paper:
writing contests

Deadline: 8 June 2012

The Bayeux-Calvados award for war correspondents rewards reports about a conflict situation or its impact on civilians, or news stories involving the defence of freedom and democracy. The report must have been made between 1 June 2011 and 31 May 2012. A €7,000 prize is awarded in each category. The categories of media represented are: radio – photography – television (short and long formats) – written press and Web Journalism (new since 2011). To be considered for the Web Journalism category, the multimedia report must have been published on the Internet or touchpad between the 1 June 2011 and the 31st May 2012.

WRITTEN PRESS

The Application must be made up of an article or a series of one to five articles on the same subject.

Obligatory:

- The Report must have been published on the same media in paper format or on a media website. In the event that the report has not been published by the date on which applications cease to be accepted (8 June 2012), a proof of publication must be supplied to the Organiser before 1 August 2012. Failing this, the application will not be accepted.

- The Report submitted must be identical to the published article.

The following should be sent to the Organiser:

- A copy of the original source (magazine, daily newspaper or internet page) in which the article was published or the digital file of the report in pdf format.

- The text of the article in digital format (Word)

- For Reports in a language other than French, the complete translation of the report into French in digital format (Word).

WEB JOURNALISM

Applications for the Web Journalism category will consist of one or more multimedia report(s) presented in the form of:

- videography (linear compilation of video(s) and photo(s))
-a short multimedia project: video production based solely on photos
-a web documentary (interactive interface).
-reports designed specifically for the Ipad touch pad

Obligatory:

-The “web journalism” production must have been broadcast on a website or via an Ipad touch pad application.
-Group entries are accepted for this web journalism category, led by a representative journalist or a media company.
-The “web journalism” production must be presented in French or English.

The following should be sent to the Organiser:

- 1 CD or DVD of the report / production or only the Internet link (active until December 2012) depending on the format of the production.

- The Internet link for viewing the report or the name of the Ipad application

Bearing in mind the different formats in which multimedia reports are produced today, judgement on the presented production will focus on several criteria so as not to disadvantage projects that have been produced in very different ways. The jury will pay particular attention to the following criteria:

-the coherence of the whole production and its narration
-the contents of the production
-the relevance of the production

Entry application now available:

Entry form YOUNG REPORTER

Entry form WEB JOURNALISM

Entry form WRITTEN PRESS

Read the full award regulations here.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@prixbayeux.org

For submissions: the reports must be submitted to Bayeux-Calvados Award for War Correspondents – Hôtel de Ville 19, rue laitière – BP 21215 – 14402 Bayeux Cedex

Website: http://www.prixbayeux.org

Deadline: 30 June 2012 (noon)

Are you a Writers’ College newsletter subscriber? Write us a 1000-word story about your journey as a writer. Make it funny, quirky and/or inspirational. We will publish the best story in our quarterly newsletter and on our blog. Plus the winner gets $200 (R1000 or £100).

Send your story to nichola@nzwriterscollege.co.nz.

Please note: This competition is only open to their newsletter subscribers. Sign up for their free newsletter.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For enquiries/ submissions: nichola@nzwriterscollege.co.nz

Website: http://www.writerscollegeblog.co.za

Deadline: 15 June 2012

STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The New Cosmic Frontiers International Science Essay Competition On the Nature of our Universe and its Habitats is open to high school and college students. Its purpose is to inspire students to consider careers in science and to nurture their enthusiasm for the subject, and to engage young minds in creative, intellectual activities essential in scientific endeavors.

Winners will be awarded significant monetary prizes to support their education and given an extraordinary opportunity to meet today’s world-renowned scientists and scholars at a conference and award ceremony, held in Philadelphia, on October 12-13, 2012. The program will include presentations by winners of the New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology Research Grant Program and the New Cosmic Frontiers Student Essay Competition; a banquet; a public event lecture related to the Big Questions; and panel of Templeton Prize winners and other original thinkers discussing the future of the Big Questions.

PRIZES

The top three essays in each category will be awarded significant prizes recognizing excellence, originality and creativity. The winners are encouraged to use the prize money for the purpose of furthering their career in science.

Category 1: High School Students or Equivalent

• First Prize – The top essay will be chosen for a $25,000 cash prize.
• Second Prizes – The next two essays will be chosen for a $10,000 cash prize each.
• Third Prizes – The next five essays will be chosen for a $5,000 cash prize each.

• First Prize – The top essay will be chosen for a $50,000 cash prize.
• Second Prizes – The next two essays will be chosen for a $25,000 cash prize each.
• Third Prizes – The next five essays will be chosen for a $10,000 cash prize each.

The Essay Competition Invitation, containing complete information about the program, is available here. Essays should be submitted using the online templates available on this website.

The essay contest has been organized in conjunction with the New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology - An International Grant Competition, a research grant program that aims to advance our understandings in fundamental areas of astronomy and cosmology, which overlap with the following Big Questions.

Notification of Awards: September 2012

Awards ceremony, Philadelphia, PA, USA, October 12-13, 2012

CATEGORY 1: ESSAY THEME FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Big Question IV

Are we alone in the Universe? Or, are there other life and intelligence beyond the solar system?

The recent, rapid advances in technologies that allow the detection of exo-planets in the “life zone” and potential signatures of life and intelligence in the universe raise hope that we are getting very close to the stage to be able to answer the age old question: “Are we alone in the universe?” Discovering life and intelligent beings outside our solar system will be among the greatest scientific discoveries of all time.

Students are encouraged to choose some aspects of this question, from which they may generate more focused essays. The following sub-questions are provided as exemplary questions. Applicants may choose their own research questions provided that such questions are directly or significantly relevant to the above Big Question.

Exemplary sub-questions:

• What are the signatures of the existence of life and intelligence in the universe? How may we detect them?
• Would the fine-tunings required for life in the universe also necessarily require that life be rare?
• To what degree are such other beings likely to be similar to humans? Are there features in nature which could limit the level of intelligence or the differences we may expect?
• How important is it for mankind to answer this Big Question and why?
• What will the implications be of the answer “yes” or “no” to this Big Question?
• Does our universe have features that limit the level of intelligence and/or the differences we may expect from them? What kinds of behaviour might we expect from them, if we ever meet them? Should we expect that they have learned how best to live with other beings as they must have survived their own conflicts long enough? What are the possibilities?
• Are there advanced intelligent beings out there in the universe that are not biological or are beyond biological (post-biological)? If so, what would be the signatures of the existence of such intelligence?

• Life in Space: Astrobiology for Everyone by Lucas John Mix
• Strange New Worlds: The Search for Alien Planets and Life Beyond Our Solar System by Ray Jayawardhana
• Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life by Paul Davies
• Intelligent Life in the Universe: Principles and Requirements behind Its Emergence by Peter Ulmschneider

Big Question III

What is the origin of complexity in the universe?

We are living in a wonderfully complex world. According to the known astronomical and cosmological theories, our universe has become more and more “complex” and produced more and more interesting phenomena in it. How did this happen? What were the key stages? What are the prerequisites for such emergent complexity? For instance, is the “Past Hypothesis” (the idea that the universe had the initial low entropy state) true? Through the process of becoming more and more complex, the universe generated conscious observers who contemplate the very meaning of existence of the universe as well as their own and ask the question: “Why are we here?” What are the origins of this amazing complexity in the universe? What are the origins and conditions of continuing complexity in the universe?

Students are encouraged to choose some aspects of this question, from which they may generate more focused essays. The following sub-questions are provided as exemplary questions. Applicants may choose their own research questions Ïprovided that such questions are directly or significantly relevant to the above Big Question.

Exemplary sub-questions:

• What are the conditions for the universe to evolve to a high degree of complexity?
• What are the key stages of increasing complexity in the universe? How do they come about?
• Will the complexity of the universe continue to increase? If so, how long?
• Or, are there any theoretical limits to the complexity of the universe?

• Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos by M. Mitchell Waldrop
• Just Six Numbers: The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe by Martin Rees
• At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity by Stuart Kauffman
• The Anthropic Cosmological Principle by John Barrow & Frank Tipler
• Intelligent Life in the Universe: Principles and Requirements behind Its Emergence by Peter Ulmschneider

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: bigquestions@oddjob.uchicago.edu

For submissions: submit online here

Website: http://www.newfrontiersinastronomy.org/

Deadline: 15 June 2012

In celebration of cultural unity and respect, Harvest International welcomes poetry submissions in any language. International contributors are welcomed to submit as well.

Each issue, Harvest International awards two poetry prizes:

• Steve Whaley Poetry Prize — $200 — to the U. S. contributor whose poetry most eloquently expresses the human condition while promoting greater awareness of human interrelatedness.
• Other Voices Poetry Prize — $200 — awarded by Roger Humes to the international contributor whose poetry best fulfills the above criteria.

The winner must provide tax ID number or social security number, signature, and full legal name in order to receive payment from Cal Poly Pomona Foundation. The recipient has the right to refuse payment.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Harvest International is seeking original, unpublished poetry, short fiction, song lyrics, essays, and black and white artwork from children and adults.

In celebration of cultural unity and respect, we welcome poetry submissions in any language, as well as submissions from international contributors.

Entrants may submit one piece in each category. Manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, and should not exceed 3000 words. Please follow MLA standards where applicable.

Please e-mail your manuscript and a brief bio to the Harvest Editor-in-Chief, Jill Walker, at jswalker@csupomona.edu. Submit two copies: one with no identifying information, and one with a cover page including your name, preferred mailing address, telephone number, and email address.

If you prefer, send hard copies of your manuscripts, along with a WORD (not PDF) formatted disk and a brief bio to the following address:

Harvest International
c/o Faculty Advisor, Professor Gill-Mayberry
Cal Poly University, EFL Department
3801 West Temple Ave.
Pomona, CA. 91768

All rights revert to the author upon publication.

Deadline: 15 June 2012

The United Nations Academic Impact (http://outreach.un.org/unai) and the Brookings Institution in Washington DC are launching a global contest for university students, inviting them to imagine a speech that would be made by the Secretary-General at the opening of the next session of the General Assembly.

There is today a growing consensus concerning our global interdependence. Article 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines everyone’s right to an international order where the inherent dignity and rights of all are fully realized .What is less clear is what sort of a global civics is necessary and feasible for us to navigate this growing interdependence.

University students from around the world are invited to ponder these vital questions in submissions, in English and up to 1500 words in length, which address — in the form of a draft of the imagined speech by the Secretary-General — what responsibilities we can all take on towards people who happen not to be our compatriots, and what rights we can claim, as we work to solve global problems together in a shared culture of intellectual social responsibility.

The competition is open to all students currently enrolled at a university. Submissions should be sent simultaneously to academicimpact@un.org and haltinay@brookings.edu by June 15, 2012. Please put SPEECH COMPETITION in the subject line. Authors of what are judged to be the top three submissions, at least one of whom will be from an UNAI member institution, will be invited to New York and Washington DC to meet with the United Nations Secretary-General and the leadership of the Brookings Institution respectively.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: academicimpact@un.org and haltinay@brookings.edu

Website: http://outreach.un.org/unai

Deadline: 15 June 2012

The AMYA (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association) Young Muslim Writers Awards was established in 2012 and seeks to support and encourage the creative and imaginative pens of young budding Muslim writers. It is further hoped that entrants, the thinkers of tomorrow, will be spurred on by the awards to use their pens to promote peace, respect and dignity – all essential qualities of a practising Muslim.

SHORT ESSAY BRIEF

In these testing and fast moving times, when the various news mediums are becoming more and more condensed, it is important to be economical with what one writes. Efficient writing and the skilled use of simple language to convey powerful messages is, therefore, of paramount importance.

This year’s competition, therefore, invites members of AMYA UK to submit a powerful short piece of writing on a contemporary topic and in a language which is accessible to the general reader of average understanding.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

1. All entries must be in English.

2. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the writer and not infringe any copyright.

3. The piece must be written on a topic that is of contemporary importance to the Western reader.

4. It should propose solutions to the issues highlighted which are practical and realistic.

5. Where possible and relevant, the entry should seek to forward the Islamic perspective regarding both the problem and solution, all the while keeping the terminology simple and understandable (e.g., Arabic terms should be kept to an absolute minimum and the respective accurate English translations of such terms should be used as much as possible).

6. The piece should be constructed as though it is written for a popular broadsheet or current affairs periodical.

7. It should be between 1,000 – 1,200 words (roughly 2 A4 pages) and contain no footnotes or endnotes.

8. Entries must be submitted by midnight, Friday 15th June 2012, in Microsoft Word format (e.g., .doc, .docx.).

9. Entries must be submitted electronically to sultanulqalam@khuddam.org.uk.

10. Entries which fail to adhere to any of the above requirements will have marks deducted or, in extreme cases (i.e., excessively long entries), be withdrawn from the competition.

WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

Writers have absolute freedom in choosing the topic of their submission provided that it meets the above criteria. Though by no means exhaustive, below are some suggested topics:

1. Impact of increasing unemployment on British youth and future generations.

2. Employment and the Social Security system.

3. Is secularism compatible with Islam?

4. The rise of right-wing movements in Europe.

5. Money, greed and the financial crisis.

6. Is freedom of speech without boundaries?

7. Can Sharia law add benefit to the West?

8. The future of the Euro and the European single Market economy.

9. Sustainable energy development.

10. Information technology, social networking and new societal norms.

11. The female right to self determination in Muslim countries; ideals and realities.

12. CERN, particles and God.

13. Islamic finance versus Capitalism.

14. Can a third world war be avoided?

15. British and Muslim: clarity or confusion?

16. What is the Muslim led contribution to European culture and civilisation.

MARKING

Submitted finalist entries will be assessed anonymously by a panel of four assessors heralding from a number of varied and relevant backgrounds, namely:

• Catrin Nye, BBC Journalist
• Dr. Zia Shah, Editor; Muslim Sunrise
• Ahmad Salam, Economist
• Adam Walker, National Spokesperson, AMYA UK; Chairman MASQ UK

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: sultanulqalam@khuddam.org.uk

Website: http://m4h.amya.org.uk/

Deadline: 30 June 2012

This competition is organized by SM Sains Alam Shah (Alam Shah Science School), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ASiS) and aims to encourage young writers to express their thoughts and views on a given theme in both prose and poetry.

THE ORGANISER: SM Sains Alam Shah (Alam Shah Science School), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ASiS).

THEME: Patriotism: A Global Perspective

Topic for the Essay Writing Section: John F. Kennedy said Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Discuss this statement in the light of your own country. See format, rules, and regulations below.

Topic for the Poetry Writing Section: There is no specific topic for this section but candidates are required to write a poem on the theme of patriotism. See format, rules, and regulations below.

CALENDAR 2012

• 09 March 2012 – Launch of the Essay and Poetry Writing Competition
• 30 June 2012 – Deadline for submissions.
• 01 July – 31 August 2012 – Processing of all entries
• 15 September 2012 – The 30 shortlisted participants from both sections will be announced on the website
• 15 September – 15 October 2012 – Judging the final entries
• 15 October 2012 – The top three award winning entries and the next seven best entries (consolation) for both the essay and poetry writing sections will be announced on the website
• 24 October 2012 – Closing and Prize Giving.

The feeling of patriotism or love for one’s country is the duty of every citizen of a nation. A nation’s progress or failure rests to a great extent on its citizens. Besides being law abiding, citizens can contribute in many ways to his or her nation. For example if a citizen is honest and free from corrupt practices, then he or she is a patriot. Patriotism is one valuable asset any country can benefit from.

The ASiS International Essay and Poetry Writing Competition 2012 (AIWC) would like to hear the views of school students worldwide on the efforts undertaken to promote patriotism and love for one’s country. In this respect, prospective participants of the essay writing section are required to:

• Give a clear cut definition of the issue at hand.
• Give your perceptions of the situation in your respective countries.
• Outline the roles of the government, non-governmental organizations, and the people in efforts to instil love for the country.
• Focus on one or more programmes designed to instil patriotic values among the citizens of your country.

• How have current efforts in your country to instil love for the country helped in preserving peace and harmony?
• How do you perceive the long term benefits of patriotic values to your country and the world at large?
• What concrete actions would you recommend to ensure the continued love for your country by her citizens?

We encourage you to draw on your personal experiences when possible and focus on providing your own creative solutions to ensure the inculcation of patriotic values among the citizens of your country and its long term benefits, both in prose and poetry forms.

PRIZES

ESSAY WRITING SECTION

• First Prize – US$300.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Second Prize – US$200.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Third Prize – US$100.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Seven consolation prizes of US$50.00 and certificates of participation.

• First Prize – US$300.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Second Prize – US$200.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Third Prize – US$100.00 and a certificate of participation.
• Seven consolation prizes of US$50.00 and certificates of participation

A. General

1. All work must be submitted by individuals, group work is not allowed.

2. One participant may submit only one work.

3. All submissions must be submitted together with the official entry form which is available online.

B. Format, rules and regulations.

(i) Essay Writing Section

1. Your essay must be not longer than 3,000 words.

2. Essays are accepted only on MS Word Document, using Arial, font size 12.

3. Submissions will be accepted until 30 June 2012.

4. This essay writing competition is open for school students only from ALL countries of the world. Participants must be between the ages of 15-18 on 30 June 2012.

5. All essays must be in English.

6. Submissions must be sent via email to aiwc2012@asiskl.org and must be together with the official entry form (AIWC2012 – PARTICIPATION). Please also include your postal / mailing address.

7. Please fill in your name in the official entry form only. Do not include your name in the body of the essay.

8. Participants must provide the names of their respective schools as well as websites when submitting their entries.

9. Each essay must be accompanied by a short summary (maximum 200 words). The summary will be used by the jury to make a pre-selection.

10. Quotes and references must be clearly marked throughout the essay and properly cited.

11. All submissions must be original. No previously published material will be accepted. Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

12. The Organizer reserves the right to publish and / to make available to the public the winning submissions.

13. The decision of the jury is final and is not subject to an appeal.

A Note on Submissions

Please name your files appropriately so that the organiser can retrieve them easily. When submitting an essay entry, you may send it as follows: “AIWC 2012 (essay) – John Brown”. When you submit the official entry form, it is better to name it “AIWC-2012-PARTICIPATION- (essay) – John Brown”. Do not use different names or codes as these can be confusing. When naming poem entries, the procedure is the same, except the word “poetry” should be stated in brackets.

(ii) Poetry Writing Section

1. Your poem can be in any form but must have a minimum of 20 lines.

2. Poems are accepted only on MS Word Document, using Arial, font size 12.

3. Submissions will be accepted until 30 June 2012.

4. This essay and poetry writing competition is open for school students only from ALL countries of the world. Participants must be between the ages of 15-18 on 30 June 2012.

5. All poems must be in English.

6. Submissions must be sent via email to aiwc2012@asiskl.org and must be together with the official entry form (AIWC2012 – PARTICIPATION). Please also include your postal / mailing address.

7. Please fill in your name in the official entry form only. Do not include your name in the body of the poem.

8. Participants must provide the names of their respective schools as well as websites when submitting their entries.

9. All submissions must be original. No previously published material will be accepted. Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

10. The Organizer reserves the right to publish and / to make available to the public the winning submissions.

11. The decision of the jury is final and is not subject to an appeal.

FAQ – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is the deadline for submissions? The deadline for submissions for both sections is 30 June 2012. Work submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

2. How do I submit? The submission process is very simple. Essays and poems are submitted on MS Word (Arial, font size 12) via email. No other format is allowed.

3. Who is eligible to participate? This essay and poetry writing competition is open to school students of all countries. College and university students are not eligible to participate.

4. I am just under 15 or just over 18 – can I still participate? This competition is intended only for school students between 15 – 18 years of age. If you are between these ages on 30 June 2012, you are eligible. No exceptions will be granted. If you are 18 years and 1 day on that date, you are still eligible, so long as you don’t reach 19 years. Those who are 14 years and 11 months will not be considered as you have not reached 15.

5. In what language shall I submit my work? This essay can only be written in English.

6. Am I allowed to include graphs, tables, or diagrams in my essay? Yes, you are welcome (but not obliged to) to include the mentioned. The content will not count into the total number of words in your essay. Please make sure you explain what each graph, table, or diagram represents.

7. What is the summary of the essay? You are asked to write a summary to go with your essay, which cannot exceed 200 words. The summary should explain the aim, the methodology, the reasoning and main conclusion of your essay. The summary is important, as pre-selection of the essays will be based on the assessment of these only. This means that a good essay without a summary or a poorly written summary will not be graded highly.

8. What are the evaluation criteria for the essay submissions? Essays will be graded for their structure and coherence, originality and creativity and the use of thoughtful and concrete proposals / examples.

9. Do I need to address all questions? Yes, you need to address all questions in your essay.

10. Can my poem be less than 20 lines? The minimum number of lines for the poetry section is 20 lines and no exceptions will be made.

Download: official entry form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: aiwc2012@asiskl.org

Website: http://www.asiskl.org/

Deadline: 30 October 2012

TU BOOKS, the fantasy, science fiction, and mystery imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the first annual NEW VISIONS AWARD. The NEW VISIONS AWARD will be given for a middle grade or young adult fantasy, science fiction, or mystery novel by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash grant of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash grant of $500.

TU BOOKS was launched in 2010, dedicated to diversity in the beloved genre fiction market for young people. Titles include Wolf Mark, Tankborn, and Cat Girl’s Day Off. Fall 2012 will bring the publication of Morris Award nominee and Pura Belpré Award winner Guadalupe Garcia McCall’s Summer of the Mariposas.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel published.

2. Writers who have published work in other venues such as children’s magazines or picture books, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented submissions will be accepted.

3. Work that has been published in its entirety in any format (including online and self publishing) is not eligible. Manuscripts previously submitted to TU BOOKS will not be considered.

SUBMISSIONS

1. Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another.

2. Submissions may be FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION, or MYSTERY novels for children ages 8 to 12 or young adults ages 12 to 18. Realistic stories without a mystery or speculative component will not be considered.

3. Submissions should include a synopsis of the story plus the first three (3) chapters accompanied by a cover letter that includes the author’s name, address, phone number, email address, brief biographical note, relevant cultural and ethnic information, how the author heard about the award, and publication history, if any. Do not send the entire manuscript.

4. Manuscripts should be printed in a clear 12-point font, double-spaced, on 8½” x 11” paper. Submissions will not be returned, so do not submit your only copy.

5. Up to two submissions per entrant. Each submission should be submitted separately.

6. Submissions should be clearly addressed to:

TU BOOKS
95 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
ATTN: NEW VISIONS AWARD

7. Manuscripts may not be submitted to other publishers or to TU BOOKS general submissions while under consideration for this award. TU BOOKS is not responsible for late, lost, or incorrectly addressed or delivered submissions.

DATES FOR SUBMISSION

Manuscripts will be accepted from June 1, 2012, through October 30, 2012 and must be postmarked within that period.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINALIST AND WINNERS

1. Finalists will be announced and full manuscripts requested no later than January 15, 2013. If your full manuscript is requested, it must be received by TU BOOKS by January 31, 2013.

2. Submissions will not be returned. Be sure to retain a copy of your submission.

3. Judges are the editors of TU BOOKS and LEE & LOW BOOKS. The decision of the judges is final.

4. The Award and Honor winners will be selected from among the full manuscripts requested and will be announced no later than March 31, 2013. At least one Honor winner will be chosen each year, but TU BOOKS reserves the right not to choose an Award winner.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: general@leeandlow.com

For submissions: TU BOOKS, 95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, ATTN: NEW VISIONS AWARD

Website: http://www.leeandlow.com/

Deadline: 31 October 2012

(Note: The competition is open to travelers worldwide aged 18 and over.)

Write and tell us about The place you didn't want to be. It could have been a long, tortuous journey, an embarrassing moment or a dangerous situation. Perhaps you were presented with food you'd rather not eat or a bed you'd rather not sleep in.

Make us laugh, cry, sympathise or cringe.

Entries should be between 350-750 words in length and your own original work. Please give your article a title. Entries that are shorter or longer, or contain copied work will not be considered. Please paste your text on to the email body, do not send attachments.

Entries should be sent to: competition@puretravel.com, with your name, e-mail and telephone number by Wednesday 31st October 2012. All entries will be posted on the PureTravel web site.

10 articles will then be selected by a panel and these pieces will be open for public voting until Friday 30th November 2012.

The three most popular will then be judged by a professional Travel writer and the winner announced on Friday 14th December.

THE JUDGE: JEREMY LAZELL

Jeremy Lazell worked for eight years as a trekking guide before turning to writing, a decision he's had plenty of time to regret while sleeping in a hammock 200ft up in the Borneo rainforest for the Sunday Times, all but drowning in Scotland while rafting for GQ, and hooking nothing but his own cheek while fishing in Belize for Food & Travel. Based at the foot of the Scottish Highlands, where he lives with his wife and three boys, Jeremy writes about 90% of his material for the Sunday Times Travel Section, specialising in adventure travel, family holidays, and whatever round-ups help pay the bills. He has also worked for Conde Nast Traveller and Esquire magazines.

All the entries to the competition will be loaded onto the PureTravel web site for you to enjoy, as per our Terms and Conditions.

PRIZES

The winner will receive £1,000 or US$1,500.

The 2011 winner Sam Clark wrote: "The money came in a few days ago. You were right, it is a good start to the New Year. The 1,500 dollars is going to my next adventure down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. On my bike trip I was following Lewis and Clark's route across North America, and this trip is tribute to John W. Powell's descent down the Grand. The money came just in time to make the next adventure possible. Thanks so much!"

In 2012, that could be you!

The winning article will also be published in "Geographical" magazine, the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society. To see the 2010 winning entry in print, please look at our PureTravel blog..

As part of their support, Geographical is offering a subscription discount to those interested in travel writing. The magazine is a useful resource of information on the world and features excellent travel articles.

Entries will all be posted on the PureTravel web site. Your name will be published with your article, please tell us if you wish to have this withheld. Please note that the e-mail/phone number is for our use only and will not be published online.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. The competition is open to travelers worldwide aged 18 and over, with the exception of employees of PureTravel and Geographical magazine, their immediate families, agents, or anyone else associated with administration of this promotion.

2. Closing date for receipt of all entries is 31th October 2012.

3. There is one prize consisting of a £1,000 cheque, or US$1,500. The winning article will be published in "Geographical" magazine.

4. To enter, send your article of between 350–750 words, to competition@puretravel.com with your name, email address and telephone number. Please paste your text on to the email body, do not send attachments. Alternatively, you can also enter via post by sending your entry to: PureTravel Travel Encounters Competition, Realworld Travel, The Royal, 25 Bank Plain, Norwich, NR2 4SF.

5. The initial shortlist of 10 will be selected on merit by a panel of judges appointed by PureTravel, including at least one independent judge (i.e. not an employee of either company). The winner will be selected by one independent judge.

6. Online voting will start on the Friday 9th November 2012 and finish on Friday 30th November 2012. To vote you must register for the free PureTravel.com newsletter. Your registration e-mail will be your voting signature. Only one vote per person. Please note that there is an opt-out of this newsletter on every issue.

7. The winner will be informed by Friday 14th December 2012 and the result published on the web site.

8. PureTravel will have the right to publish all entries on its web site. Geographical magazine will have the publishing rights on the winning article. Articles will be removed from the PureTravel web site on request once the competition is over.

9. Entries limited to one per person.

10. E-mail addresses will be only be used by PureTravel for their own newsletter which can be opted out of. They will not be disclosed to any other parties.

11. There is no alternative to the prize offered and the prizes are non–transferable.

12. If for any reason a winner is unable to take the prize as offered, the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to the next best entry.

13. The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

14. The winners agree to participate in any reasonable publicity required by the Promoter.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: competition@puretravel.com

Website: http://www.puretravel.com

Deadline: 8 July 2012

We've heard you loud and clear about how busy you are with your thesis and the lack of time to compete in our contest. In an effort to give all students the opportunity to join our 'Share Your Science' writing contest, we're extending the deadline!

THE COMPETITION

Honestly, how many people have read your thesis? Four? Five maybe? And we bet that number includes both your parents and your supervisor.

Yearly, hundreds of thousands of theses are being written all over the world. Most of them seem to be destined to collect dust on a shelf somewhere, once its writer has received a degree.

Therefore, United Academics has set up a “Share your Science” writing contest. Break away from restrictive academic writing rules, transform your thesis into a magazine article and enter the competition.

This years’ theme is “Connect Science and Society.”

WHY SHOULD YOU COMPETE?

• The winner gets €250
• The winner’s article will be fully designed and published in United Academics Magazine
• The winner is offered an internship at United Academics Publishing
• The 10 best articles will be published on our website

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

The competition is open to any person who, during the past two academic years (2009-2010, and 2010-2011), has successfully written a thesis which was a requirement for obtaining a bachelor's, master’s or PhD degree from an acknowledged university in any discipline.

The thesis on which the article is based received a mark of 7,5 / B or higher. You signed up as a member of United Academics through www.united-academics.org and “liked” our Facebook page on www.facebook.com/unitedacademics.

THE RULES

- The jury will consider any article that is in line with this year's theme: Connect Science and Society. Scientific knowledge can improve the quality of life at many different levels - from the routine workings of our everyday lives to global issues. Your article must emphasize why your research is relevant for our society, and how it could improve quality of life.
- The maximum length of the article that will be considered by the jury is 1600 words.
- The article should be written in English.
- Make sure it’s written for the lay reader.
- Please do not write from the first person.

CRITERIA

The articles will be evaluated on the basis of:

- Does it apply this year's theme: Connect Science and Society.
- Originality.
- Writing quality.
- Journalistic value.

APPLICATION

The article should be sent digitally in Microsoft Word or PDF format, to: shareyourscience@united-academics.org.

The following documents should be submitted together with the article;

-The official version of the thesis in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
- A brief summary of the article in English (maximum 200 words) outlining the central research question, the research method, the conclusions reached and the way the article connects to the theme: Connect Science and Society.
- The Share your Science Application Form, which can be downloaded and sent as an attachement along with the article, and other required supplements. You are free to send images together with your application.

DEADLINES

The official deadline for receipt of the article is noon on July 8, together with the required supplements.

PRIZES

The winning article of the “Share your Science” writing contest will be published in United Academics Magazine. In addition, the winner will be offerred an internship at the United Academics publishing team and gets €250. The ten best articles will be featured on our website.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: shareyourscience@united-academics.org

Website: http://www.united-academics.org

Youth of United Nations Association of Tanzania (YUNA) in partnership with AYICC, Students Green Journey and other partners announce an essay competition for secondary schools and higher learning institutions on the topics listed below. First, Second and the Third Winner from each category will be awarded 200 US Dollars in total, and certificates of participation will be awarded to 5 best entries of each category. Spread the Word.

TOPICS:

COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: “Towards Rio+20: A letter to the President"

If you were to write a letter to the President of Tanzania and his delegation to the Rio+20 Conference (Earth Summit), what you would tell him, what demands would you want him to address, tell us what would you tell him.

SCHOOLS: "Sustainable Development and Me"

Tell us what you understand about sustainable development and how do you think sustainable development touch your life at home, at school, your community.

(Note: We will update this post once the complete guidelines are already available.)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: sgreen.initiative@gmail.com

Website: https://www.facebook.com/climateactiontanzania

Deadline: 6 July 2012

Aren’t we all tired of being boxed and punched into, “the African writer must write poverty p0rn to be successful” casket? It is time…no actually; it is way past time for us to write about those little geeks and five legged mathematicians in our head. It is time to write stories that rely more on our imagination than on the circumstances around us and the problems that we are forced to face. Get your word processor and write a story that will identify you as a writer and not an African writer.

Lesleigh Inc will be running a series of short story contests starting this June.

The June contest runs in conjunction with UP Magazine and will be on the Sci-fi/ fantasy theme. All creative writers are invited to participate.

THE INNIS AND THE OUTIS A.K.A THE RULES

• The story must be original enough to make us bow in awe at the mind of the writer.
• Word count: Exactly 3687 words. Nothing more, nothing less.
• Font type: Book Antiqua
• Font size: 12
• Spacing: 1.5
• Justified

• The word count mentioned above.
• Please edit your work before submitting it.

• Subject: Innis and Outtis Short Story Contest
• A cover letter on the main body of the email that has a 100 word writer bio and a 250 word synopsis of the story.
• Your story in a Microsoft Word 97-2003 attachment.
• Deadline for submission: 6th July 2012-06-04

• Free ticket to a Lesleigh Inc Creative Writing Workshop in July
• An opportunity to become a resident contributor of fiction to our literary magazine Bullet Pen.
• Serialisation of winning story on UP Magazine.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: bulletpen@lesleighinc.com

Website: http://www.lesleighinc.com/

Deadline: 15 June 2012

Established in 1998 by Thomson Reuters Foundation and IUCN, the Award aims to raise global awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues by encouraging high standards in environmental reporting worldwide.

THE PRIZE

The winner of the 2012 IUCN - Thomson Reuters Environmental Media Award will receive an all expenses paid trip to Jeju Island, South Korea to attend IUCN's 2012 World Conservation Congress, the world’s leading summit on the environment from 6 to 15 September 2012.

HOW TO ENTER

The 2012 IUCN -Thomson Reuters Media Award is open to journalists and writers across the world, writing for any publication, website or blog. To enter, simply submit your article on our Facebook page between 15 May and 15 June and then get your friends and colleagues to vote for you.

HOW TO VOTE

The first time you vote, you'll need to click on "Connect to vote" and then to allow the application. After that, just click on "Vote" to vote for your favourite article — you can vote once per day between 15 May and 15 June 2012.

THE WINNER

The competition closes at 17:00 CET on 15 June 2012.The article with the most votes will be deemed the winner. IUCN reserves the right to disqualify inappropriate or offensive entries. The winner will be announced on 1 July 2012.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Any writer/blogger/journalist over the age of 18 is eligible to enter the Award.
• The competition is open to individuals only.
• To be eligible, your entry must include: (a) article title, (b) an article up to 450 words
• Each entrant may submit only one entry
• Articles may be submitted only in English.
• Only entries published or posted on-line in the Facebook page designated by IUCN, between 15 May and 15 June are eligible.
• The entry with the most “Votes” at the close of the competition at 17:00 CET on 15 June 2012 will be deemed the winner.
• IUCN and Thomson Reuters reserve the right to disqualify any entries deemed inappropriate or offensive.
• Employees of IUCN and the Thomson Reuters Foundation are not permitted to enter.
• Entrants are not permitted to submit articles published by IUCN or Thomson Reuters, but may submit their own articles previously published by other organizations/media outlets.
• The winner will be announced on Monday, 1 July 2012.
• The winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to Jeju Island, Korea to attend the IUCN World Conservation Congress from 6 to 15 September including economy airfare, hotel accommodation, daily meal allowance (all within limits established by IUCN) and media accreditation for the World Conservation Congress Forum. The prize may not be converted into cash. If the winner is unable to travel or otherwise participate in the IUCN World Conservation Congress for all or part of the period 6 to 15 September 2012, then the prize will be awarded to the second most liked article.

• That you own the copyright for your article and grant IUCN the right to use it in its publications, websites and/or in promotional material connected to this competition.
• That you own the copyright of any photograph included in your entry or have the permission of the copyright owner to use it and for IUCN to use it.
• That you accept these terms and conditions.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: contact Gillian Eborn at gillian.eborn@iucn.org or call +41 (0)22 999 0233

For submissions: post your entries on the IUCN FB competition page

Website: http://www.iucn.org/

Deadline: 30 June 2012

It is with great pleasure that we announce the open call for submissions for this year's Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize.

The Aidoo-Snyder book prize is awarded by the Women’s Caucus of the African Studies Association for an outstanding book published by a woman that prioritizes African women’s experiences. Named in honor of Ama Ata Aidoo, the celebrated Ghanaian novelist and short-story writer, and Margaret Snyder the founding Director of UNIFEM, this $500 prize seeks to acknowledge the excellence of contemporary scholarship being produced by women about African women. In alternate years, the prize is awarded for the best scholarly book, or for the best creative work.

This year the we are considering the SOCIAL SCIENCES - any book published in 2009, 2010 and 2011 on African women can be nominated and submitted. Edited collections will be considered.

Final submission date is June 30th. The finalist will be notified on September 10, 2012 and included in the program for the African Studies Association Annual conference in November 2012.

If you have book(s) that fulfill the above criteria, please send a copy of each text to the 3 committee members:

Dr. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere
Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize Chair, 2012
4 Miami Court
Brooklyn, NY 11225

Dr. Maria Cattell
486 Walnut Hill Rd
Millersville, PA 17551

Dr. Claire Robertson
3502 William Court
Bloomington, IN 47401

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: contact Natasha Gordon-Chipembere (Chair) at 347 971-1648 and indisunflower@yahoo.com

For submissions: see list of committee members above

Website: http://www.albany.edu/~dlafonde/Global/asawomenscaucus.htm

Deadline: 30 June 2012

This year, as part of Short Story Day, we will be running two competitions for African writers who can’t legally drive or vote. If you live in Africa, can hold a pen or type, and are under eighteen, this means YOU! Prizes are sponsored by Books Live, S.A. Partridge and Lauri Kubuitsile.

YA SHORT STORY COMPETITION FOR AGES 12-17

WHAT? Write a short story (500 words max!) about being Young in the City. The city can be anywhere in Africa, or make one up! Fiction is your tool!

The Judge: S.A. Partridge, South Africa’s award wining YA writer.

The Prizes: S.A. Partridge will be giving away a signed copy of each of her novels. Other prizes include R500 voucher from Exclusive Books, sponsored by Books Live. Winning entries will be published amongst some of Africa’s most talent writers.

UNDER 12’S SHORT STORY COMPETITION FOR AGES 11 AND BELOW

WHAT? Write a story (no longer than 1 A4 page!) with an inanimate object as the main character: a rock, a toothbrush, your granny’s handbag. Give your character a voice, and tell us their story. “Yuck, she’s been eating garlic again!”

The Judge: Lauri Kubuitsile, Botswana’s award winning YA and children’s writer.

The Prizes: A R250 voucher from Exclusive Books, sponsored by Books Live, and one of Lauri’s books. Winning entries may be published.

COMPETITION GUIDELINES:

1. Entrants must be living in South Africa and meet age requirements state above.

2. Email your entry to kids@shortstorydayafrica.org with the subject line YA Competition / UNDER 12’S OR post it to SSDA Head Quarters, YA Competition, 12 Bristol Road, South Africa, 7925. Include your name, age, telephone number, an email address (if you have) and postal
address in your entry.

3. Deadline: 30 June 2012. Postal entries postmarked by 30 June 2012 are eligible.

4. Stories must be your own original work, and meet the length requirements.

5. By submitting a story the young authors grant non-exclusive print and digital rights to Short Story Day Africa and Books Live.

6. Winners will be notified by 31 July 2012, though should we be flooded by stories, we reserve the right to delay the announcements.

7. We will not share information or use it for any other purpose than to inform you should you win.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: kids@shortstorydayafrica.org

Website: http://shortstorydayafrica.org

Deadline: 30 June 2012

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) opens entry for the 2012/2013 edition of the Annual Film Essay Competition.

The theme of the essay competition is “Film, Family Values and the Society”. The topic seeks to evaluate the challenges inherent in home video and films, whether or not they enhanced core and positive family values and their effect on the society.

GUIDELINES

• Winners in past editions of the competition are not eligible to participate
• Participants should be 18 years and above
• Submission of entry is from June 1, and will end on June 30.

• First prize: N100, 000
• Second prize: N75, 000
• Third prize, N50, 000

• Nigerian Film Corporation Headquaters, 218T Liberty Dam Road, Jos Plateau State;
• NFC Office, Obalende Ikoyi Road, By Voice of Nigeria, Ikoyi Lagos;
• NFC Office, First Floor, Shippers Plaza, Opposite Ibru Hotels, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja;
• NFC Office, Kano State Secretariat, Kano

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: md_nfc@hotmail.com or contact@nfc.gov.ng

Website: http://www.nfc.gov.ng

Deadline: 20 June 2012

Short Story Day Africa aims to highlight the outstanding short fiction African writers have to offer the world. The project encourages everyone of all ages and all genders to do something in honour of the short story.

COMPETITION GUIDELINES

1. Any African citizen, or person who is part of the African diaspora, as well as persons residing permenantly (granted permenant residence) in an African country, may enter. Entries will be read blind (names removed).

2. Email your entry to info@shortstorydayafrica.org with the subject line Caine Prize Competition. Include your name, telephone number, an email address where we can contact you and postal address in your entry. Also include the name of one of Jamal Mahjoub’s novels.

3. The deadline for entries is Wedensday 20 June 2012.

4. Stories must be your own original work, and no longer than 500 words in length.

5. By submitting a story the author attests that it is their own original work and grant non-exclusive print and digital rights to Short Story Day Africa, The Caine Prize for African writing, and Books Live for publicity purposes.

6. Winners will be notified by 31 July 2012, though should we be flooded by stories, we reserve the right to delay the announcements.

7. We will not share information. We will, however, add you to Short Story Day Africa mailing list for the express purpose of informing you of next years event.

8. Stories are limited to the English language.

9. The judges decision is final.

10. To qualify for entry, you must follow @shortstoryAFR, @Caine Prize, @BooksLiveSA and @HenriettaRI on Twitter.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: info@shortstorydayafrica.org

Website: http://shortstorydayafrica.org

Deadline: 24 September 2012

Poverty is a phenomenon that troubles life aspects in almost every country in the world. However, it is not impossible to eradicate, in fact there are countries that have succeeded in improving the living standards of its people.

Looking at how countries have improved, do you think it is possible to totally end poverty? Please express your opinion on how to create the world without poverty, including examples from cases, studies or researches that you wish to engage in.

GUIDELINES:

• Essays may be submitted by anyone age 18 to 25 years old (as of September 23, 2012).
• Essays must be 1000 words or less, typed in English.
• Essays must have a cover page indicating: (1) essay title (2) your full name (3) handphone number/e-mail address (for those from outside Indonesia) (4) nationality (5) age as of September 23, 2012 (6) sex (7) school/university name (if applicable).
• Entries must be submitted online (Please go to the online registration page at www.fsde-himiespa.com). (Entries must be in MS Word format. Please attach your photo and also your ID card in .jpg format (Your ID should have your name and birth date).
• Essays must be original and unpublished
• Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted. And one person can only submit one essay.
• Copyright of the essays entered will be assigned to the organizers.
• Ten best essays will be printed into a book and will be given to 3 winners.
• Ten best essays will be available online at www.fsde-himiespa.com

• 1st Prize: Certificate, book with compilation of essays, and prize of US$1,000
• 2nd Prize: Certificate, book with compilation of essays, and prize of US$500
• 3rd Prize: Certificate, book with compilation of essays, and prize of US$250

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: iec.fsde2012@gmail.com please put “ask” as the subject

For submissions: via the online essay submission form

Website: http://fsde-himiespa.com

Deadline: 31 July 2012

Put your writing talent to test. Write a short story and have the chance of winning $500.

The Intwasa Short Story Competition is an annual literary event seeking to promote original creative writing talent in English. The winning story will be awarded the Yvonne Vera Award which carries a $500 cash prize.

RULES:

• There is no particular theme
• Entries must be written in English
• Entries should be previously unpublished
• Only one entry per person
• All work must be original
• Entries must be typed.
• Maximum 3000 words.
• The competition is open to all Zimbabwe citizens and residents
• Entries must be submitted by July 31, 2012
• Late entries will not be accepted.
• Only the short-listed candidates will be personally notified

Runyararo Cynthia Mutandi
Festival Administrator
Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo
Office 403, 4th Floor
LAPF House
8th Ave & J. Moyo St.
Bulawayo Zimbabwe
Tel/Fax: +263 9 63928
Cell: +263 772 814 185

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: info.intwasa@gmail.com or info@intwasa.org

Website: http://www.intwasa.org/

Deadline: 20 July 2012

Writers International Network Zimbabwe (WIN) in partnership with Global Arts Trust presents: Short Story Writing Competition & Workshop

Entries are being invited from unpublished writers for a short story writing competition which will build up to a writers’ workshop to be held in August, 2012. Top three entries in Shona and English categories will receive book prizes while participants in the competition will have an opportunity to take part in the August follow-up workshop. The aim of the competition is to encourage creativity and originality, and to assess the skills of unpublished short story writers. The follow-up workshop will cater for the needs assessed in the competition. Details of the workshop will be communicated to those who will have entered the competition via email, phone, or our official blog.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Entries must be in Shona or English language
• Entries must be 2000 or less words
• One story per person
• Entries should bear author’s full contact details such as email, phone number, and address
• Entries may be used during the follow-up workshop by facilitator/s
• Anyone participating in the competition must be a paid-up member of WIN and be able to attend the workshop in Harare
• There is no set theme
• Winners will be announced and rewarded at the workshop
• Closing Date for competition is Friday, July 20, 2012.

Send your entry to: WIN/GLOBAL ARTS Trust, 168 Chnhoyi Street, Harare. Or email: winzimbabwe@gmail.com. For more information, please feel free to call 0774548466

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: winzimbabwe@gmail.com

Website: http://win-zimbabwe.blogspot.com/