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Far Western Region Blog Contest Rules and Guidelines

Deadline Extended: March 1, 2013, 12:00 a.m. PST

Topics

Contestants are invited to submit a blog article of no less than 400 and no more than 800 words on one of the following three topics:

  1. Region, or "Standing in the Place Where You Live": This topic calls for us to think generally about the region's influence on literature and more specifically, about the Far Western Region's influence on our lives. Traditional criticism classifies literature as "regional" not only because of setting, but also because such literature has less universal appeal; consequently, New England writer Sarah Orne Jewett was once considered a little lower in the canon than writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, though both were from New England. Mark Twain, on the other hand, wrote stories set in, and highly flavored by the Far West as well as literature set in, and thoroughly endemic to the Midwest. His work seems to adhere to region and transcend it. (And we can argue about such issues, if you like.) In terms of the writer's craft, the short story writer Andre Dubus (1936-1999) once said that he couldn't write about a place unless he had smelled it. And who can forget the call to introspection in R.E.M's 1989 hit song, "Stand," which asks us to:
    • Stand in the place where you live/Now face North/Think about direction/Wonder why you haven't before . . .
    So think about place, and specifically, your place in the Far Western Region. What does your part of the Far Western Region offer in terms of famous writers, literary landmarks, inspiring vistas, or active hubs of creativity? What does this part of the country offer you? Feel free to write whimsically or to report on actual regional events, writers, or landmarks. Entries in this category must be accompanied by an original and relevant photograph.
  2. Reviews: Have you recently read a book, seen a film, or visited an exhibition that left you bursting with the desire to say or do something? In terms of strengths and weaknesses, evaluate a recent artifact or event that others in our Region should know about. Preference will be given to those subjects of review that are particular to Region.
  3. Open Topic: What is on your mind? Do you have advice to offer, a warning to issue, or an experience to relate? Into this category fits every sort of miscellany, from "Top Ten Reasons to Wear Sneakers To Bed" to "Practical Tips for Getting Into Graduate School." Maybe you just want to give us an informed opinion, or tell us how to handle the inevitable topical concerns like politics and literature—how to make something literary out of the Obama - Romney Debates, for instance. Parody, Satire, Interviews—the Far Western sky's the limit (as long as you don't exceed 800 words!)

Three prizes will be awarded for entries within each topic/category: First: $50.00; Second: $30.00 and Third: $20.00.

Rules

  1. You must be a member of a Sigma Tau Delta chapter within the Far Western Region;
  2. You are allowed only one entry;
  3. You must send your blog entry as an attachment, and in the email to which it is attached, you must provide:
    1. Name
    2. Email address
    3. Name of school and name of chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (see Chapter Directory)
    4. Year you were inducted into Sigma Tau Delta
    5. Whether you are planning to attend the convention
  4. Prizes will be awarded at the 2013 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Portland, and winning entries will be published on WORDY by Nature starting the week of the annual convention. Winners need not be present to win.
  5. Winners will be paid in the form of a check, so be sure to indicate to whom you want the check made out to if different from your signed name.
  6. The deadline for all blog entries is December 20, 2012, 12:00 a.m. PST.
  7. Email your completed blog entry to aivanovcraig@apu.edu.

Format and Pictures

All articles:

  • Must be 12 point, Times New Roman font
  • Must be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx)
  • Must follow The Sigma Tau Delta Writing Style Guide and MLA
  • Should skip a line between paragraphs
  • Must be accompanied by a headshot of the writer
  • If under the topic of Region, must also include a relevant original photo
  • Must identify any people featured in submitted photos
  • Should have the following header:
    • Title
      Author (list first name and last name)
      Office (if applicable: e.g. President, Secretary, Chapter Sponsor)
      School Name