Students urged to submit work to writing competition
Elizabeth Taggart
For students interested in winning prize money for creative writing, Maricopa Community College District and Mesa Community College are hosting two upcoming competitions. The first is the annual MCCCD creative writing competition. The deadline for this is Nov. 21.
Students can submit works into any or all of the four categories: poetry, fiction, essay or one-act play/script and must be currently enrolled in any MCCD college.
Winners in each category will receive $300, second place $200 and third $150.
First place finishers in each category, excluding script, will automatically be entered in the national League of Innovation Awards.
“The best thing a writer can do is submit their work,” said Josh Rathkamp, MCC English professor and coordinator for the competition.
“Work that is sitting in the bottom desk drawer isn’t being heard by anyone. Getting your work out there is what writing is all about,” Rathkamp said.
If a student’s work does not receive a prize at the district level it will still be eligible for MCC’s contest and will be part of a smaller applicant pool.
MCC will be holding their first creative writing competition in the spring with three categories: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction essay. The deadline for this is April 3.
Prizes for MCC’s competition are first place $200, second place $150 and third place $100.
Students can submit work in multiple categories as long as the work has not been published before or previously been awarded a prize.
All rules and guidelines should be read carefully because work that is submitted incorrectly will automatically be disqualified.
For complete eligibility rules and district competition information, visit www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/arts/writing/index.php or pick up a form from Rathkamp’s office at LO 17.
Rathkamp said that students with questions about the district competition or the MCC competition should feel free to call him at his office, 480-461-7560.
