Are you an aspiring writer or a student who wants to be a digital artist? The Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story is back for another year, giving you the opportunity to have your work seen by a famous author.
From now until March 15, you can submit your short stories, a work of fiction no more than 2,500 words, for evaluation. But, in order to be eligible, you must be unpublished.
"We are looking for those hidden gem authors that are out there," said Jim Seale, short story contest organizer. "There are so many authors that are undiscovered and it's wonderful to celebrate the ones who aren't household names."
For adults 19 and older, it costs $25 to enter. First prize will earn $1,500 with the runner-ups each getting $250.
For kids under the age of 19, it costs $10. The top prize will be $500 and the runner-ups getting $250.
New this year is the digital art contest, open to Huron County students. Using digital tools, kids can create a book cover following the theme of "Lives of Girls and Women".
"We saw an opportunity with the beautiful digital art that's out there to expand those horizons," said Seale. "In the last few years, we've had some more graphic novelists that are represented within the festival."
Monetary prizes of $100, $200, and $300 are offered to the top three. AI generated art pieces are ineligible.
"The main message that we're trying to convey is that you don't have to be an author by trade to be creative," he said. "Whether it's the first story they've written or the 150th story they've written, it's a creative endeavor that will be a fulfilling one."
If you're interested, you can find more information on the short story contest here and details on the digital story contest here.