| | Published February 19th, 2020
| 2020 Poul Anderson Creative Writing Contest opens for Orinda students
| | | By Sora O'Doherty |  | | |
Once again this year all students who reside and/or attend high school in Orinda are invited to compete in the Poul Anderson Creative Writing Contest. Students may submit up to three entries, but no more than one entry in any of the four categories, which are: short story, science fiction/fantasy, essay/memoir/biography, and poetry. The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 10 at noon.
Up to four winners will each be awarded $500 prizes at the end of the school year, underwritten by the Friends of the Orinda Library. Entries will be judged by a panel of local judges involved professionally in reading, writing or publishing. The judges will not know the names of the authors while judging entries. The winning entries will be posted in the Orinda library and on the Friends' website for all to enjoy. Prizes will be awarded to the four entries deemed to be the best; there will not necessarily be a prize in each category.
The Friends of the Orinda Library Creative Writing Contest was renamed in 2002 to honor the memory of Poul Anderson, a popular science-fiction writer and Orinda resident, who was a true friend to the community for 40 years. During his career, Anderson authored over 80 books. Anderson was born in Pennsylvania in 1926 of Danish and Danish-American parents. His family went to Denmark for a short period after his father's early death in a car accident, but returned to live in various parts of the U.S. where his mother worked in an office, ran a chicken farm, and worked as a college librarian to support Anderson and his brother. Anderson attended the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology. Before he graduated with distinction in 1948, he had begun writing science fiction stories and selling them to magazines. His realization that his writing skills surpassed his scientific skills came over a period of time, resulting in his decision to pursue a career in writing science fiction.
Specific details for entries are available online, such as number of pages and spacing as well as how entries should be fastened and other guidelines. Hard copy submissions can be turned in at the Orinda Library or to the Miramonte College & Career Center Director, or can be mailed to FOL Writing Contest, Post Office Box 152, Orinda, CA 94563.
Electronic submissions must be emailed to contest@friends
oftheorindalibrary.org.
Judges will award the prizes to the works judged best, regardless of category. Not all categories of writing will necessarily win an award. Winners will be announced by the close of the school year. |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA