For going on twenty-four years the Island Literary Awards (ILAs) have recognized the best in Island writing with cash awards sponsored from the community, for winning entries in short story, poetry, children’s literature, and creative non-fiction categories from writers of all ages.

The PEI Writers’ Guild is excited to announce that the Island Literary Awards, through the Cultural Capital of Canada Designation for the City of Charlottetown, will be accepting student submissions in French in the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty Creative Writing Awards for Young People and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writers Award.

The 24th annual Island Literary Awards gala ceremony will take place in October, 2011. Prizes will be given out in seven categories and special awards will also be awarded.

Adult Categories – Deadline: April 1st, 2011

· Lucy Maud Montgomery* PEI Literature for Children Awards

· Short Story Awards

· Milton Acorn Poetry Awards

· Creative Non-Fiction Awards

· IMAC Screenplay and Playwriting Awards

Student Categories – Deadline: May 4th, 2011

· Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty Creative Writing Awards for Young People

· Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writers’ Awards

Special Awards:

· Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Awards

· UPEI Réshard Gool Award for Creative Writing

· Joseph Sherman Award

· School Participation Award for Most Student Submissions

Many past award winners of the ILAs are now published authors. The Island Literary Awards and the PEI Writers’ Guild are vital to fostering a culture of writing on Prince Edward Island.

Unless otherwise indicated, the entry fee for each submission is $20, and prizes are as follows: First $400; Second $200; Third $100. The ILAs are open to Island residents only (6 months minimum).

The manuscript must be a story written for children. One children’s story (maximum length 60 pages), will constitute an entry. Illustrations may be submitted with the story.

One entry consists of eight (minimum) to ten pages (maximum) of poetry.

One short story, maximum length 2500 words, will constitute an entry.

This is a nonfiction category that includes humour writing, memoir, biography, essay (including personal essay), travel writing and feature articles. It involves writing about real events, people, or ideas, conveying your message through the use of literary techniques such as characterization, plot, setting, dialogue, narrative, and personal reflection. In works of creative nonfiction, the writer’s voice and opinion are evident. The work should be accessible to a general reading audience (i.e., not written for a specialized or academic audience).

Maximum length: 2500 words.

One entry consists of a feature-length screenplay or a full-length play.

Submitted scripts must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s). Submitted scripts may be the result of collaboration, so long as applicants meet the eligibility criteria. All entries must be in English. Scripts should be

in standard script format or spec screenplay format and printed on white paper. If a submitted play or screenplay becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that submission will no longer be eligible. The Screenplay and Playwriting Category prizes focus on professional development.

Students may write on the topic of their choice and submit in one of four subcategories:

Early Elementary (1-3), Late Elementary (4-6), Junior High (7-9), and Senior High (10-12). A maximum of five pages of poetry, or a ten-page short story, will constitute an entry. Longer submissions will NOT be accepted. There is no entry fee. Submissions may be in French or in English. Prizes: First: $150; Second $100; Third $50 will be awarded in each sub-category.

Students attending intermediate school (grades 7– 9) may enter a story, a poem, or a series of poems, on a topic of their choice. A maximum of 10 pages will constitute an entry. Submissions may be in English or in French. There is no entry fee. Prizes: First $150; Second $100; Third $50

The school with the highest number of student submissions will be recognized with a certificate at the Awards Ceremony.

Entries must be postmarked or submitted by hand to any Public library on PEI.

The submission deadline for student categories is 4 p.m., May 4th, 2011. The submission deadline for adult categories is 4 p.m., April 1st, 2011. Those postmarked or delivered later will not be eligible. There are absolutely NO exceptions.

Please hand-deliver your entries to any Public Library on PEI, addressed to the following, or mail to:

Island Literary Awards

c/o Trina O’Brien Leggott

Confederation Centre Public Library

PO Box 7000

Charlottetown, PE C1A 8G8

Cheques and/or Money Orders should be made out to PEI Writers’ Guild

Unless otherwise indicated, prizes in the adult categorie are as follows:

First $400; Second $200; Third $100

Participants may submit as many entries as they wish, in one, or all categories. A writer may only win one prize per category, and each text may be submitted to only one category.

For each manuscript entered, participants must complete a separate entry form.

Open to individuals who have been residents of PEI for at least six months preceding the submission deadline for their category. Authors who have published a book are not eligible to submit in the genre(s) in which they have been published. (A book is defined as having at least 48 printed pages [with the exception of children’s books, which must contain at least 24 printed pages], a print run of at least 500 copies [exceptions are poetry collections, with a required minimum of 400 copies, and stage plays, with a required minimum of 350], be published principally in English, French or one of Canada’s Aboriginal languages, and must carry an ISBN from Library and Archives Canada.)

Winners of 2010 ILA first prize awards are not eligible to enter this year in the category in which they won first prize, except for students entering in the student categories. The work must be original and unpublished.

Prize-winning work from any other competition is not eligible for entry.

A $20 entry fee is required for EACH entry except the Creative Writing Awards for Young People and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Young Writer’s Award. Payment is by cheque or money order made out to the PEI Writers’ Guild. DO NOT SEND or bring cash. NSF cheques will result in the submission being disqualified and a $20.00 bank charge. Participants may submit as many entries as they wish, however, EACH must be accompanied by a $20 entry fee, excepting the two young writers’ categories listed above.

EACH entry must include:

(a) The Submission Cover Page entry form which lists the title of the entry, the category, author’s name(s), address and telephone number, etcetera. There is a different Submission Cover Page entry form for Students. These are available online at http://www.peiwritersguild.com

(b) A title page which lists only the title of the entry and, if desired, an author’s note. The appearance of the author’s name(s) or other identification mark on the entry, other than on the entry form/covering page, shall DISQUALIFY THE ENTRY. Students – your name(s) must appear only on the covering page or your submission will be disqualified.

Writers must submit THREE copies of each entry. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INCLUDES STUDENT ENTRIES. The three copies are required so that we may retain one copy in a central location for ILA records and give one to each of the two category judges. Please retain either the original or a copy for yourself. Entries will be disqualified if three copies are not supplied. With one exception, entries shall be typed, in 12 point font, with reasonable margins, double-spaced (except for poetry), and on one side of the page. The EXCEPTION is the

Creative Writing Awards for Young People category entries for Grades 1 – 6, which may be written or printed by hand (double-spaced). Pages MUST be numbered, with the title of the work on each page. No fax or e-mail entries will be accepted. All submissions are final. No changes or substitutions are allowed. Entry fees are non-refundable and nontransferable.

Entries will not be returned and editorial comments will not be given on the entries. Acknowledgement of receipt will be sent via email to those who provide a valid email address.

Authors are advised to notify the ILA Co-ordinator should they change their address and/or telephone number after submitting their writing. This information is also available on the PEI Writers’ Guild website at www.peiwritersguild.com

Josie Baker, ILA Coordinator

email: peiwritersguild@gmail.com