Ve Ahavta S 16Th Annual Creative Writing Contest
Ve’ahavta’s 16th Annual Creative Writing Contest
WORDS FROM THE STREET
In association with the Toronto Writers Collective
Submission Form Instructions
ALL SUBMISSION FORMS ARE DUE ON APRIL 14, 2017 (No late submissions will be accepted.)
Ve’ahavta invites you to submit your writing to the WORDS FROM THE STREET Creative Writing Contest. Any form of writing is fine. It may be a poem, short story or memoir or anywhere your writing takes you. It’s all about your own voice.
The contest is open to GTA (Greater Toronto Area) residents who identify with the population that Ve’ahavta supports and serves. We encourage all writers, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, sexual orientation and physical ability and we reach out to underserved communities: those inshelters and community centers, Indigenous communities, people who are homeless, youth at risk, those with brain health challenges, women who have experienced abuse, the LGBTTIQA community and those in conflict with the law.
We have developed criteria for judging. These criteria have been used in the past for other contests. They are:
1. Emotional impact (how inspiringand moving the submissionsare, with an emphasis on lived experience)
2. Clarity
3.Content (an emphasis on those from underserved communities)
4. Originality
5. Style
Submission Guidelines:
· You may submit a maximum of three separate pieces of writing.
· You must include one signed submission form with your entry.
· Each submission is limited to three pages maximum (250 words per page). You do NOT need to submit three pages; it can be shorter, but submissions longer than three pages will not be considered.
· Please do include your name and page number on each page.
· If you are mailing or handing in your submission, please do not staple the pages.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must provide an email address or contact telephone number.
If we cannot get in touch with you, we will have to move to the next contest winner on the list. It does not have to be your telephone number, if you do not have one. A contact (e.g., friend, case worker) who can reach you will work as well. Please inform this contact that their name and number have been given.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the contest winners at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 25, 2017. You will be notified in late May/early June if you are a contest winner. Contest winners will reach their writing at the Awards Ceremony. There will be a rehearsal on the day to prepare.
SUBMISSION FORM Deadline for Submissions is 11:59 pm April 14th, 2017
This form MUST be filled out completely and submitted along with your entry. Please PRINT clearly.
Name:
Email:
Address/Shelter/Drop In:
Telephone Number:
(If you do not have a telephone number, please provide the telephone number of a contact – e.g., a friend or case worker – who can reach you. Please inform this contact that their name has been given.
Phone Number:
Contact Name:
Phone Number:
Contact Name:
By submitting this form and signing below, I give permission for/assert the following:
1. Ve’ahavta may use the enclosed information in any promotion and publicity related to this contest and include it along with the publication of my writing;
2. Ve’ahavta may publish my creative material in part or in whole and provide permission to other related organizations/media outlets to publish the creative material;
3. The material I have submitted is my own original work.
Signature:
Date: Click or tap to enter a date.
You can submit your writing in one of two ways:
1. Email it to with this submission form. (You can print the form, fill it out, scan it and send it back with your writing).
2. Mail your writing and your submission form to the Ve’ahavta office:
200 Bridgeland Ave., Unit D, Toronto, ON M6A 1Z4.
For more information, please visit veahavta.org/wordsfromthestreet, email or call 416.964.7698.
Inspire us with your voice! Thank you for submitting your story and best of luck!