This just in, "we have NEXT TO NO entries in our annual fiction contest to be judged by sci-fi legend and memoirist Samuel Delany." from an e-mail sent by Wilton Banrhardt, Director MFA in Creative Writing, NC State University.
No entry fee. Short and short-short fiction categories. Limited to North Carolina residents.
[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited October 14, 2009).]
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
quote:Limited to North Carolina residents.
Perhaps this is why.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
Hardly. North Carolina is home to many writers. Authors of repute as well. Our own Mr. Card, for example.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
True that, but Not-North Carolina has many more.
Posted by skadder (Member # 6757) on :
In fact, I would go so far as to say the majority aren't.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
I know of other North Carolina writers who've asked for regional resources here at Hatrack. This is one. It's an annual contest. Excluding nonresidents is a compromise of fairness and openness. Sad, but that's the way it is. Many state universities charge nominal reading fees because they're not allowed by law to support public activities with taxpayer supported funding. NC State has a liberal policy. Because it supports in-state artists, there's no reading fee. One of the stated missions of in-state institutions, supporting the arts.
I suspect the message I received and cited above is a clever rhetorical scheme anyway. It might be meant to encourage more entries at this late date from fence straddlers and remind eligible and interested writers that the deadline is near.
Edit||: Plus publicity, promotion, marketing, and advertising benefits. Besides, Samuel Delany is the judge!
[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited October 14, 2009).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I was just in Huntersville last week...probably not enough to count...
Posted by rich (Member # 8140) on :
Thanks for the head's up, extrinsic. I live in NC, and had no idea about this contest.
I actually don't write much science fiction. My stuff tends to be dark. And...I've never read Delaney. Don't hate me.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
No genre category preferences stated. Looking over previous finalist and grand finalist winner titles tells me there's some from all walks of short prose. I've read Delaney, he doesn't limit his writing to fantastical genres, nor fiction particularly.
Posted by SavantIdiot (Member # 8590) on :
My husband has ancestors from NC. Is that close enough?
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
If one of them wrote the entry and sent it in from a Tarheel address, I don't see why not.
Posted by rich (Member # 8140) on :
Ah, what the hell. I'll give it a shot. Only cost me some ink, and some postage. Just means I'll only have four Vodka tonics instead of five. Five is my limit 'cause I'm okay to drive the dirigible after five. I swear, Ossifer.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
quote:I've never read Delaney. Don't hate me.
I can forgive you...I don't think I've read any of his fiction after Dhalgren...and I couldn't get through that, either...
Posted by Symphonyofnames (Member # 8283) on :
Thanks for the notice, I managed to get in a last-minute submission.