GCWA

Gulf Coast Writers Association

CONTACT: Jeff Bogart, 917-608-3477

For Immediate Release

Best Writing Contests of 2022, recommended by Reedsy

                                                     GCWA Announces Writing Contest

                                                    –Open to GCWA members and the public

                                                  –Two sections: Adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17

                                                            –Deadline for entries: May 31

 

FORT MYERS, FL., March 27, 2023–A writing contest open to the general public including adults and youth was announced today by the Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA), with winners to be named in July.

Submissions are being accepted in the Adult section from persons 18 years old and older in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Children’s Stories.  In the Youth section, submissions are being accepted from persons 11 to 17 years old in three categories:  Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry. 

The deadline for entries, to be submitted online, for both sections is May 31 at 11:59 p.m.

“This annual contest advances our goal of encouraging writing and recognizing outstanding writers,” said Irene Smith, president of the Fort Myers, FL, based nonprofit in making the announcement.

GCWA’s contest last year received recognition from Reedsy, a marketplace of freelance publishing professionals, as among the Best Writing Contests. 

Winners will be announced at the GCWA monthly meeting on July 15.  The list of winners will be posted on the organization’s website (https://gulfwriters.org).  All monthly meetings, currently held at Word of Life Church, 6111 South Pointe Blvd. in Fort Myers at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday, are open to the public.

Judges for the contest are members of GWCA as well as experienced writers from the community. Judging is done on a blind basis and members who submit entries will not judge their own entries. 

Adult Section

Sponsors of the Adult section of the contest include Ft. Myers Magazine and writers’ guides Firstwriter.com and Duotrope®. 

All winning entries in each category will be published on the GCWA website. 

There is no limit to number of submissions but entrants may win only one prize.  GWCA members may participate in the contest in addition to the general public. 

The entry fee for the Adult section is as follows:  Non-Members: $20/1st submission, $10/each additional entry.  Members: $10/1st submission, $5/each additional entry

Youth Section

Winning entries will be published on the GCWA website.  Entries are free and limited overall to three per person.  Only one prize to an entrant will be awarded.

“A winning entry would look good on any student’s college application,” noted Ms. Smith.

Entry Forms

Entry forms, guidelines, judging criteria and additional information are posted on the GCWA website.  Additional information for entrants is also available by emailing specialprojects@gulfwriters.org .

Only entries submitted online will be considered.

About GCWA

Founded in 1995 and incorporated in 2004, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc. (GCWA) provides a forum for fellowship, education, and information for writers.  GCWA’s well-regarded annual writing contest draws a wide-range of authors.  Based in Fort Myers, the organization attracts members from throughout Southwest Florida from Marco Island to Tampa.  At monthly meetings, speakers and workshops offer expert advice on such topics as writing techniques, publishing, and marketingParticipants at these meetings also have the opportunity to read their works.  The organization’s members include published as well as unpublished writers and professional editors, agents and publicists.  The literary genres run the gamut from poetry, adult fiction and nonfiction to children’s and young adult, historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, memoir, essays and screenplay.  Members include full-time writers as well as corporate professionals, teachers, and business owners, all still working or retired. GCWA’s website is https://gulfwriters.org/ 

GCWA n POB 60771, Fort Myers, FL 33906  n Not for Profit 501(c)3.

 

President’s Letter for March 2023

The new deadline for this year’s Writing Contest has been extended to May 31, 2023.  This extension offers flexibility and perfect timing for any work you would like to submit for the contest.

Overwriting rather than underwriting a script is challenging.  We LOVE our work; however, like parenting, disciplining ourselves is difficult, but necessary.  In the GCWA March 2023 meeting, take what you learn from Arielle Haughee to Crisp Up That Prose!

We strongly recommend you bring some of your writing that needs revision for a hands-on portion of the class.  Bad habits can produce cumbersome prose.  The program may also include a mini workshop that offers insight on how to edit like a surgeon, discarding what is unusable; this is typically a challenge for most writers.  You’ll leave with easy strategies to use in your writing and an editing checklist to help you spot fluff.

Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a six-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing.  She is currently taking submissions for romance, women’s fiction, young adult, and nonfiction to female audiences.  More information can be obtained at orangeblossombooks.com.  Arielle is proficient as an editor, speaker, and writing coach.  Books about love, humor, and wellness for women and children are requested.

Arielle received the President’s Award from FWA in 2020 and the Children’s Book of the Year Award in 2021for Pling’s Party.  Pling is an exclamation point who can only be in a book twice, but hilarity ensues when he continues to jump into the story and make things too exciting.

Our March meeting will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 10:00am -Noon.

  Location: Map
Word of Life Church
6111 South Pointe Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33919

Remember, you can attend physically or via Zoom.  If you have not renewed your dues, we would appreciate your doing so.  Your membership can be renewed at the meeting through PayPal, or you can mail a check to:

Gulf Coast Writer Association
P.O. Box 60771
Fort Myers, FL 33906

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Irene Smith, President

March 2023

Speaker: Arielle Haughee
Topic: Crisp Up That Prose!
March 18, 2023, 10 a.m. to Noon
In person and ZoomRegister here
Meeting Location: Map
Word of Life Church
6111 South Pointe Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33919

Crisp Up That Prose! – Tight writing is a necessity for attracting agents and editors as well as keeping readers interested. In this workshop, we’ll discuss frequently used fluff words, strategies for cleaning up sentences, and bad habits that can make prose cumbersome. We’ll utilize three strategies–cut, replace, and trim down–to make your writing as efficient as possible. Bring some of your writing that needs revision
for a hands-on portion of class. You’ll leave with easy strategies to use in your writing and an editing checklist to help you spot fluff.
Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a six-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing. She is an editor, speaker, and writing coach, and was previously the Executive Vice President and Marketing Chair for the Florida Writers Association. She was honored with the President’s Award from FWA in 2020, and in 2021 Pling’s Party was awarded Children’s Book of the Year. Her press, Orange Blossom Publishing, publishes books about love, humor, and wellness for women and children. She is currently taking submissions for romance, women’s fiction, young adult, and nonfiction of interest to the female audience. More information at orangeblossombooks.com.
*Arielle is presenting via  Zoom; however, like usual, we are meeting in person and on Zoom.

GCWA 2023 Writing Contest

GCWA 2023 Writing Contest

The deadline has been extended!!!

Please submit your work before the new deadline of 5/31/23

Best Writing Contests of 2022, recommended by Reedsy

Deadline: 11:59pm on May 31, 2023

Writing Contest is open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17.  Winners will be announced at the GCWA meeting in June 2023.

 


Documentation for 2023 Contest (adults 18 and over)

Writing Contest Announcement 2023_LTD

WritingContest Guidelines 2023_LTD

Online Submission Form

Documentation for 2023 Youth Writing Contest (age 11 through 17)

Youth Writing Contest Announcement 2023_LTD

Youth Writing Contest Guidelines 2023_LTD

Online Submission Form


If you have questions please email specialprojects@gulfwriters.org


Sponsor or Donate to keep this contest Free for Youth entrants. Contact specialprojects@gulfwriters.org


All submissions must include full payment made by check to GCWA.
DO NOT MAIL CASH. The Check should be for your entries only and not for other monies owed to GCWA. You can also pay below with PayPal.

paypal
Member Contest Entries Non-Member Contest Entries

Entries




Entries



Thank you to our Sponsors

 

 

 

THE BEST OF LUCK

STORYTELLERS BRING STORIES OF LUCK TO THE ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS

By Mary Lou Williams

 

 

The storytelling series at the Alliance for the Arts began the 2023 season this January with stories of “New Beginnings.”  The second program in the series was “Stories of Love” for the month of February and Valentine’s Day.  The third and last program for this season will be performed on Friday, March 3rd, 7 pm to 9 pm.  The Storytellers of the Round Table and the Elephant Showcase Storytellers will take the stage to tell “Stories of Luck,” both good and bad.

The storytellers will be Lisa Leonhardt, Mary Lou Williams, Pamela Minton, and Dr. Joel Ying.  Lisa will tell a personal story called “Sisterly Love” and a folk tale called “The Three Sisters.”  Besides being about sisters, these stories are about luck, lucky sisters, and unlucky sisters.  Mary Lou will tell a literary story called “The Chaser” and a fractured folk tale called “The Rumpelstiltskin Rap.” In each of these stories there is a character who looks suspiciously like a leprechaun.  Pamela will tell two personal stories, “The Fishing Trip” and “The Worst Job I Ever Had,” in each of which the worst of luck turned out to be the best of luck.  Dr. Joel will tell an Irish folk tale called “The Man with No Luck” and a Greek myth called “Pandora’s Box.”  In these stories, luck is a matter of perception.

Experience the power of the spoken word.  Captivating, spellbinding, and entertaining.  The stories will be followed by a Talk Back, which is a Q&A session with the audience.  Meet the storytellers.  Discover the stories behind the stories.  The Talk Back is an innovation that proved to be popular last season and continues to be popular this season, too.

The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers.  The ticket price is $18 for members and $20 for non-members.  To purchase tickets visit www.artinlee.org or call 239-939-2787.