USC Aiken
USC Aiken Shakespeare-Themed Contests Celebrate Bard and Offer Cash Awards
Aiken, SC (01/24/2023) — The University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) Shakespeare Birthday Party Planning Committee is proud to announce two writing contests: a Shakespearean Sonnet Writing Contest and a Shakespeare Fan Fiction Contest. These contests are part of a larger celebration of Shakespeare this Spring 2023 semester. Each contest has two categories: one open to USCA students and one to South Carolina High School students. The Shakespeare Birthday Party Planning Committee is an interdisciplinary group of University of South Carolina Aiken Professors and librarians interested in celebrating Shakespeare's work and influence while highlighting interdisciplinary connections to Shakespeare. The Sonnet and Fanfiction contests are part of a semester-long celebration that also includes a lecture series as well as a day-long celebration on April 19 on the USCA campus.
The Shakespeare Fan Fiction Contest entries should be fewer than 2000 words and must show some connection to an original Shakespeare play. Writers should send their submission with the title "Shakespeare Fan Fiction Contest" as the email subject line to Shakespeareday@usca.edu by the Ides of March (March 15). There is no entry fee. Entrants will be notified of the results by April 7 by email, and the winners will be invited to accept their award and read their work at a ceremony on April 19. There is a prize of $100 for first place in each category.
The Shakespeare Sonnet Contest entries may be written on any subject and in any voice. Still, they should follow at least two of the three main requirements of a Shakespearean (Elizabethan) Sonnet. Writers may submit up to 5 sonnets as separate attached documents in a single email with "Shakespearean Sonnet Writing Contest" as the subject line to Shakespeareday@usca.edu by the Ides of March (March 15). There is no entry fee. Entrants will be notified of the results by April 7 by email, and winners will be invited to accept their award and read their work at a ceremony on April 19th. There is a prize of $100 for first place in each category.
"Not only does each winner receive a cash prize, but their work will be considered for publication on Broken Ink's website," said Roy Seeger, USCA's English faculty and the contest organizer. Broken Ink is USCA's award-winning arts journal: https://www.usca.edu/broken-ink.
"We are excited to encourage, celebrate, and feature the creative and literary talents of our students," said Seeger. "It is important that students have various creative outlets that support and challenge them."
All entries will be judged anonymously by USCA English Faculty and notified by email by April 7th. Awards for first, second, and third place will be distributed at a Shakespeare's Birthday Party awards ceremony on April 19th. If a winner cannot attend the ceremony, the award will be mailed to them. Full guidelines and resources are provided by the USCA Library: https://library.usca.edu/HappyBirthdayShakespeare
Contact:
Roy Seeger
The USCA Shakespeare Birthday Party Planning Committee
Phone: (801) 341-3570
Email: roys@usca.edu
USC Aiken
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