Nature of Words issued a call for submissions for its 2014 Rising Star Creative Writing Competition to writers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The deadline is June 1, 2014.

 
“It’s important for our community’s writers to be heard and contribute to our nation’s larger literary tradition,” said Amy Mentuck, executive director of The Nature of Words. “Rising Star was created as a launch pad for these voices.”

 

Started in 2006, Rising Star serves to encourage emerging and aspiring writers in the Pacific Northwest. The competition is open to commercially unpublished writers in three genres, fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry, and three age categories, 15-18, 19-25 and 25+.  Winners receive a cash prize, are invited to an awards ceremony in Bend, and are featured in The Nature of Words’ annual anthology.

 
“Rising Star doesn’t just acknowledge creative work, it offers writers a platform,” said Mentuck. “Each year we publish winners in an annual anthology to get their work in the hands of friends, family, neighbors, fans. Sharing stories—that’s where writing comes to life.”

 
Submissions are judged by a panel of professional writers. This year’s panel includes Fiction judge Chantal Strobel, Community Relations and Development Manager for the Deschutes Public Library; Creative Nonfiction judge David Jasper, journalist for The Bulletin; and Poetry judge, Dr. Emily Carr, director of the Low-Residency MFA at OSU-Cascades.

 
To learn more about submitting work to the Rising Star Creative Writing Competition, visit www.thenatureofwords.submittable.com/submit.
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