DEADLINE HAS PASSED: The Black Dog Tall Ships & Merlyn's Pen Writing Contest

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR NEXT CONTEST! PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY SUBMISSIONS TO MERLYN'S PEN UNTIL NEXT CONTEST IS ANNOUNCED.

"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sails' shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

 

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied. . . . "  from

“Sea Fever,” by John Masefield

CONTEST TOPIC: NATURE AND THE SEA

Has something in nature ever called to you? Has your soul been tugged by something not quite seen, only felt? Have you seen a place in nature that you've never forgotten? Have you been outside in a storm or shower and felt, yes, I belong here. Writers, artists and adventurers share a sensitivity to nature’s claim on us. In their art and exploration, they are attuned to a hidden, even incomprehensible connection to the natural world.

 

For the young poet John Masefield, whose phrase “down to the seas” is never far from a sailor’s mind when he or she has been too long on land, it was the ocean that tugged at his soul, called out to him. For others, it might be the sky that beckons, or the mountains, a desert, or a grove. Or the tug could come from a simple tree, a creek, a pond, a garden, a country path, an arrangement of stones. This contest asks: What in nature calls, or has called out, to you?

ELIGIBILITY & PRIZE

Writers 12 to 17 years old as of July 11, 2010, are eligible. Poetry, personal narratives (nonfiction), and creative nonfiction are welcome.

 

The winner earns a full scholarship, plus a travel stipend of up to $400* to attend The Black Dog Tall Ships "Kids Cruise--Writers' Week," the writing & sailing adventure for teens this July in Martha's Vineyard. 

HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST

Go to www.merlynspen.org, and on the home page click Submit Your Writing Here, or click "You Write," then "Submit Your Writing." Writers may submit up to three poems or two personal narratives during the contest period. (If you enter poetry and prose, send no more than two poems and one narrative.)

 

Click here for inspiration! See how some teen authors have written about nature and the sea.

TIPS AND HINTS

Poetry, personal narratives (nonfiction) and creative nonfiction under 500 words are welcome.  You're invited to explore where, when, or how nature speaks to you.

 

There are many ways to write well on this topic, so trust your instincts. To be successful, though, you’ll need to make use of your firsthand experiences, the moments in nature you’ve seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted. It’s hard to write convincingly without the expertise that comes from personal observation of things.

 

While pre-writing, think also about how nature, even one brief moment when you were in its grip, may have changed you, transformed you, or taught you something--about yourself, your family, your community, or the world. Are you a city dweller? It doesn't matter! If you’ve never walked a forest trail or dug your toes into beach sand, you can still write powerfully about a moonrise seen from a rooftop, an autumn chill felt on the street, a sudden wind, a favorite place in a park. Humor is welcome.

WORD COUNT & GENRE

Maximum word count is 500 words. Poems, personal narratives, and creative nonfiction are welcome. No fiction. No minimum word count.  

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTEST & KIDS CRUISE?

Contest and writing questions should be emailed only to Merlyn's Pen at Merlyn@merlynspen.org. For information specifically about Kids Cruise--Writers' Week, contact either Merlyn's Pen or The Black Dog Tall Ships, at info@theblackdogtallships.com. Note that your contest entry is not an enrollment to the Kids Cruise--Writers' Week. 

 

To enroll in Kids Cruise--Writers' Week or to learn more about it, please click the link.  Enrollment in Kids Cruise--Writers' Week is not a requirement before entering the contest.

COPYRIGHT, LEGAL, AND FINE PRINT

Contest entrants retain copyrights to their entries, published or not, and contest winners agree to give Merlyn’s Pen, Inc. nonexclusive rights to reprint and license entries in any format, in part or in whole, without prior review by the author. If the first-prize winner is unable, or chooses not, to attend The Black Dog Tall Ships Kids Cruise--Writers' Week July 11-17, 2010, she or he may (1) assign the scholarship benefits, excluding the travel stipend, to another student, age 12-17, who meets the enrollment requirements of Writers' Week, subject to the approval of The Black Dog Tall Ships, or (2) receive from Merlyn’s Pen, Inc. an Alternative First Prize of $250.  Students already enrolled in Kids Cruise--Writers' Week are also eligible for prizes.

 

*The travel stipend of up to $400 will be awarded to the contest winner on the basis of financial need. If a travel stipend is requested, the family may in some cases be asked to provide supporting evidence of need such as IRS Form 1040.

FIRST PRIZE: A full scholarship to the Black Dog Tall Ships Kids Cruise--Writers' Week, a one-week summer program, July 11-July 17, 2010. The regular tuition to this program is $900. Also read about the Alternative First Prize of $250, above under “Copyright, Legal and Fine Print.” Read more about Kids Cruise--Writers' Week.

SECOND PRIZE: Twenty-five dollars and a copy of the popular Merlyn’s Pen hardcover anthology, License to Write: New Writing from Today's Authors Under 20.

Join a literary sailing adventure aboard the Shenandoah!

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Merlyn's Pen & The New Library of Young Adult Writing, 11 South Angell St., Suite 301, Providence, RI 02906  1-800-247-2027  401-751-3766  merlyn@merlynspen.org