Creative Writing at the University of Connecticut

CREATIVE WRITING PRIZES:
The Creative Writing Program offers many annual prizes with significant cash awards to undergraduate and graduate students. Please follow the guidelines for each award carefully. Application packets should be submitted in a manila envelope with the prize name clearly written on the outside to the box in the Freshman English Office, CLAS 162. Entries may also be mailed to Penelope Pelizzon, English Department, U-Box 4025, 215 Glenbrook Road, Storrs, CT 06269-4025, to arrive by the deadline. (Works arriving after the deadline cannot be considered.)

AWP Intro Journals Project Deadline: November 14, 2007.
Description: The Intro Journals Project is a national literary competition for the discovery and publication of the best new works by students currently enrolled in the programs of the Associated Writing Programs (AWP). Winners receive a $50 cash honorarium and are published in Hayden's Ferry Review, Mid-American Review, Puerto del Sol, Controlled Burn, Quarterly West, Tampa Review, Willow Springs, or Artful Dodge. As a member program, the University of Connecticut is eligible to nominate one work of fiction, one work of short fiction, and three poems. Who’s Eligible: Both graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Connecticut main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Works submitted should be unpublished. Students may submit up to one essay, one work of fiction, and three poems. Please submit four copies of each piece. For each submission, you must also include two cover pages: the first should include the title of the work, author’s name, permanent address, phone number, and name of school; the second should include the title of the work only. Author’s name should not appear on any of the works themselves. Prose should be double-spaced, poetry single-spaced.
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Wallace Stevens Poetry Contest Deadline: December 3, 2007.
Prizes: 1000$ (first); $500 (second); $300 (third). Description: Each year since 1964, a prominent poet has been invited to give a reading at the University of Connecticut as part of the Wallace Stevens Poetry Program. A student poetry contest is held in conjunction with that program. First, second and third place cash prizes are awarded. Prize winners read from their work at the annual program, and winning poems will be published in the Long River Review. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduate and graduate students from the University’s main and regional campuses, except previous first place winners. Guidelines: Submit four copies of a 5-8 page packet of poems (cleanly typed, one-side only, only one poem per page). This can be up to 8 short poems, or several longer pieces. Each packet should be collated and stapled separately. To each packet attach a cover sheet listing your name, titles of poems submitted, campus address, campus phone, student ID number, e-mail address, student status (graduate or undergraduate), and semester standing. Your student ID number should appear on every page of the packet, but your name should not appear on the work itself.

Collins Literary Prizes Deadline: December 3, 2007
Prize Amount: Varies annually. The 2006 awards were $4000 each. Description: Awarded in memory of Edward R. and Frances S. Collins for the best undergraduate literary works. Two cash prizes are awarded, one in prose and one in poetry. Prize-winning works will be published in the Long River Review. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduate students at the University of Connecticut main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Submit four copies of your work, cleanly typed, one side only. Collate and staple each set separately. For each set, provide a cover sheet listing name, campus address, campus phone, e-mail address, student ID number and semester standing. Also include the title(s) of your work as well as the genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) on the cover sheet. Students may submit work in more than one genre but please do so in separate sets (in other words, do not include a short story and a poem in the same set.) Put your student ID number on each page of your entry, but do not put your name on any pages but the cover.

Jennie Hackman Memorial Award for Short Fiction Deadline: Dec. 3, 2007
Prize Amounts: $1000 (first), $300 (second), $200 (third). Description: Awarded in memory of Jacob and Jennie Hackman for the best works of undergraduate short fiction. Up to three cash prizes awarded. Winning stories will be published in the Long River Review. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduate students at the University of Connecticut main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Submit four copies of your work, cleanly typed, one side only. Collate and staple each set separately. For each set, provide a cover sheet listing name, campus address, campus phone, e-mail address, student ID number and semester standing. Put your student ID number on each page of the submission, but put your name only on the cover sheets.

AETNA Creative Nonfiction Awards Deadline: December 3, 2007
Prize Amounts: Graduate $200-500; Undergraduate: $200-500. Description: One prize each for the best graduate and undergraduate works of creative nonfiction will be awarded. Winners will receive a cash prize and will read from their work at an evening program featuring a notable guest author. Undergraduate first place winner’s work will also be published in the Long River Review. Who’s Eligible: Graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Connecticut main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Students may submit one unpublished creative nonfiction work. Submit four copies of your essay, cleanly typed, double-spaced, one-side only. Each copy should including a cover sheet listing your name, work’s title, your address, phone, student ID number, e-mail address and semester standing. Please indicate whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student. Your student ID number should appear on every page of the packet, but your name should not appear on the work itself.

Edwin Way Teale Essay Award Deadline: December 3, 2007
Prize Amounts: Graduate and Undergraduate, $100 each. Description: The Teale Award is intended to reward essayists who explore the relationships of human beings to the natural world. Up to two graduate and two undergraduate cash prizes will be awarded to winning essays. Winning writers will read at a public ceremony. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Connecticut’s main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Students may submit one unpublished essay of up to 2,500 words. Submit four copies of your work, cleanly typed, one side only. Collate and staple each set separately. For each set, provide a cover sheet listing name, campus address, campus phone, e-mail address, student ID number and semester standing. Put your student ID number on each page of the submission, but put your name only on the cover sheets.

Long River Graduate Writing Award Deadline: December 3, 2007
Prize Amount: $250. Description: One cash prize awarded for the best piece of creative work in any genre written by a graduate student. The winning piece will be published in the Long River Review. Who’s Eligible: Graduate students from any University of Connecticut department or campus. Guidelines: Graduate students may submit prose pieces of up to 2,500 words, or for poetry, 1-3 poems. Submit four copies of each work, cleanly typed, one side only. Collate and staple each set separately. For each set, provide a cover sheet listing your name, the work’s title, your campus address, campus phone, e-mail address, student ID number, and semester standing. Put your student ID number on each page of the submission, but put your name only on the cover sheets.

AETNA Graduate Creative Works in Progress Grant Deadline: Dec. 3, 2007
Grant amount: $1000. Description: Thanks to the support of the Aetna endowment, the Creative Writing Program is able to offer a grant to provide financial assistance to a graduate student with a worthy creative work in progress. The grant recipient will be selected competitively based on a formal proposal and a portfolio of creative writing. One grant of $1000 will be available. The grant may be used to allow the writer time off from work to develop a project, to assist the writer in traveling for research related to the work in progress, or to support the writer’s participation in a workshop that will focus on the work in progress. Who’s Eligible: Graduate students in any department at the University of Connecticut main and regional campuses. Guidelines: Recipients must use their grant in the twelve months following the award. Application packets should include: 1.) Four copies of a sample of the work in progress. Submit up to 10 pages of poetry, 20-25 pages of fiction, 20-25 pages of creative nonfiction, or 20-25 pages of a script. Do not exceed these page limits, please. Each copy of the submission must include a cover sheet stating applicant’s name, project title, applicant’s year of study, contact information including e-mail, and student ID number. 2.) Four copies of a 2-3-page proposal detailing the project and explaining specifically how the grant will assist in bringing the project closer to completion.

Gloriana Gill Awards: 1) For Drawing and Cartooning, 2) For Photography Deadline: February 5, 2008.
Prize Amounts: Various annually. Last year each prize was $1000. Description: Two awards given in memory of artist Gloriana Gill for 1) the best work of drawing or cartooning, and 2) the best work of photography (with preference given to B &W) appearing in the Long River Review. Entrants may submit multiple pieces to each prize. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduates and graduates at the University of Connecticut’s main and regional campuses. Guidelines: see below.

Long River Review Art Award Deadline: February 5, 2008.
Prize Amounts: $100- $200. Description: A cash prize for the best piece of artwork to appear in the Long River Review. Entrants may submit multiple pieces. Who’s Eligible: Undergraduates and graduates at the University of Connecticut’s main and regional campuses. Guidelines: See below.

Guidelines for all art awards:
Files must be submitted to the Long River Review box in the English Department. Use one of the following formats: 1] eps format: save in no higher than Illustrator 8.0 format. Use this format for vector based artwork. Can be submitted on a cd or zip disk and must be accompanied by a high resolution output. 2] hardcopy: LRR staff will scan hardcopy images up to than 8.5” by 11”. Anything larger than 8.5” by 11” must be digitally photographed prior to submission. FOR ALL ENTRIES: Include a cover sheet with the following information: title of work, medium, your name, local address, local phone, email, student ID number, and short description of piece. Pieces will probably be printed in black and white. If color is an important element to your piece and you do not want it to be printed in grayscale then you must specify so.