click here to find out about national academic competitions.

The 2012-13 Competition is no longer accepting entries.

• Results are available by clicking here: FINAL RESULTS.
• Books containing the 1st Place and Honorable Mention entries can be ordered here: Book Orders.
• Book Release Party: April 11, 2013. Click here for more information: Book Release Party.

5th Annual Creative Writing Competition
deadline Dec 5, 2012.

Open to passionate writers in grades 3rd —12th.

Open to CISD students and students outside CISD
CGA membership required only if student does not attend CISD schools.

Deadline: December 5, 2012.
Online Entry Form

Each entry will be judged based on its artistic expression; however, technical merit will also be a factor. Finalists (evaluated by student grade and category) will be announced early February, 2013. The winning entries will be published in a book that will be available in the spring. Students need not be identified gifted to participate.

Categories:  

• Poetry
• Fiction
• Non-fiction (includes memoir, personal essay, narrative)

Esteemed judges:

• Matt Bowden, CHS educator
• Nick Coenraad, Wilson educator
• Andi Feille, Wilson educator
• Lynette Fortson, retired librarian
• Rebecca Garrett, Town Center educator
• Jill Haltom, CISD Director of Language and Literature
• Cynthia Hammons, Grace Lutheran educator
• Tess Haranda, CMSN educator
• Amy Hull, Wilson educator
• Brad Hunt, CISD Asst Sup of Administration
• Todd Kettler, UNT Professor
• Debra Marshall, Wilson librarian
• Jennifer Miller, author
• Diane Moore, Mockingbird educator
• Kim Pope, CMSN educator
• Laila Sanguras, CMSW educator
• Kim Smith, author
• Carol Smith, Denton Creek educator
• Liz Tanner, Lakeside educator
• Lisa Timmerman, Lakeside educator
• Victoria Tong, CMSW educator

Want the specifics?

Rules:

• All entries must be received at or before the deadline of December 5, 2012, at 3pm.
• All entries will be submitted digitally this year through our Online Entry Form.  If you need help with the submission process, please contact your CGA campus rep. If you do not attend CISD and you are a member of CGA, please contact Elizabeth Chappell for submission instructions.
• Fill out the Online Entry Form and attach your composition as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) file.  If you need help with the submission process, please contact your CGA campus rep.
• All entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Roman Times or Times New Roman. Margins need to be at least 0.75″-1″. The total length in any category can be no longer than 6 pages. The title should be at the top of the first page of text (do not include a title page).  Do not include your name anywhere but on the Online Entry Form.
• Drawings, photographs or artwork will not be accepted.
• Each student may only submit one entry per category.
• Students need not be “identified gifted” to participate. We are looking for passionate, creative writers.
• All entries must be the work of a single student.
• No foreign language submissions will be considered.  However, limited foreign language dialog is acceptable if it is understandable within the context of the entire work.
• Entries may not contain profanity or explicit adult situations.
• Entries will not be returned.
• Please use pseudonyms when appropriate to hide the author’s true identity from the judges.
• Each work must be the original work of the student author. No plagiarism. No parental assistance, embellishment or editing. Parent may type final work, but can not alter any content.
• Plagiarism.org defines plagiarism as “the use of another’s original words or ideas as though they were your own.”  Examples of plagiarism are also available at the Plagiarism.org website.  For instance, if you are inspired by another author’s story, a fable or parable, provide credit in a footnote.  If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please contact your Language Arts teacher.
• CGA may contact the participant’s teacher to confirm that the student work is consistent with the writing ability of the participant as demonstrated in the classroom.
• To maintain the integrity of the competition, entries that are not clearly the original work of the student author will be removed from the competition and the participant, the participant’s parents, and/or the participant’s school may be notified.
• CGA reserves the option to establish a panel to pre-screen the entries or recruit additional judges.
• Entries selected as finalists will only be published upon written consent of the author’s parent or legal guardian.  This consent will be sought following the posting of results, so each entry form must contain valid contact information including a parent/guardian email address.
• The decisions of the judges are final.
• Submission indicates acceptance of the rules.
• Please note that if we receive multiple versions of a submission, the most recent version prior to the deadline will be submitted to the judges.

If you have questions, please contact Elizabeth Chappell.

Interested in what happened in previous competitions?

2011-2012 CGA Creative Writing Competition

Click here for Creative Writing Competition RESULTS.

Click here for Book orders and Book release party

2010-2011 CGA Creative Writing Competition

For information on the CGA Book Relase Party on April 7, 2011 (or the link to pre-order the book), please click HERE.
For final results, CLICK HERE.
Creative Writing Poster 2010

.
2009-2010 Creative Writing Competition

• Over 200 young authors from CISD and beyond entered the 2nd annual Creative Writing Competition. We are hoping to be even bigger and better this year. Are you a teacher or author who would like to help us judge these talented entries? Please contact Elizabeth Chappell.