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Terryberry and Westdale Branches

Renovations at both the Terryberry and Westdale Branches are wrapping up. Both locations are expected to reopen in mid-July. Please stay tuned to our website and social media channels for updates. Thank you for your patience.

Publish Date:

Monday, June 27, 2022 - 10:30am

The Accessible Washroom at the Binbrook Branch is temporarily unavailable.

Please be advised that the Accessible Washroom in the Binbrook Branch is currently out of order. There is no estimate when the issue will be resolved at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Affected Branch:

Binbrook Branch

Nearest Branches:

Turner Park Branch

Valley Park Branch

Publish Date:

Monday, June 27, 2022 - 8:45am

The Short Works Prize

Short Works Prize logo

Short Works Prize for writing

Call for Entries

Recognizing Excellence in Writing: The 9th Annual Short Works Prize for Hamilton-area writers. Presented in partnership with Hamilton Arts & Letters Magazine and Hamilton Public Library

Please read all rules carefully before you submit an entry.

Eligibility:

Writers must live in the Hamilton Public Library service area. Writers who live in communities with reciprocal borrowing privileges at HPL are not eligible.
Writers who received a 2021 Short Works cash prize are not eligible to enter. Those who received Honourable Mentions in 2021 may apply again in 2022.
Cost to enter: $0.

We do not return entries to writers.

Writers may submit to the Published one of the Unpublished categories
Published: Professional writers may submit to the Published category.
Unpublished: Writers may submit to the Young Writers category (ages 16-20) if their work isn't professionally published or the Off-The-Radar category (for ages 21 or older) if their work isn't professionally published.

Unpublished vs. Published:

An Unpublished author is anyone who is a self-published writer in print or online or on a website that posts the works of amateur writers.

If your entry has appeared in a student-run newspaper, you should submit it to one of the Unpublished categories. (Ex. McMaster University's The Silhouette.)

A Published author is anyone whose work has appeared in print or online, in a for-profit journal, magazine, or newspaper, in a for-profit publisher's anthology, or book published by a for-profit publisher. A Published author is anyone who paid for something they've written. Published writers are not eligible to enter the Unpublished categories.

Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

Published Authors:

Published authors may submit in TWO of the following three categories: Poetry, Fiction and Creative Nonfiction.
Your poem, story, or essay must have appeared in a professional magazine, journal, newspaper, or as part of a multi-authored book between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021.
Published authors are not eligible to submit to Off-the-Radar.

Unpublished Authors: Young Writers and Off-The-Radar

You may submit ONE short story, poem, or literary non-fiction work.
Your name must NOT appear on the work you submit. Your name must ONLY appear on your entry form. Blind judging means the jurors do not see entrants' names during the selection process. (This does not apply to the published category. Published authors may submit copies of works from a publication that includes their byline.)

Young Writers: Must be at least age 16 and no older than 20 on the deadline to submit Monday October 24, 11:59pm.

Off-The-Radar: Must be age 21 or older on the deadline to submit Monday October 24, 11:59pm.

Memoir Writing Workshop Participants

The workshop facilitator receives submissions.

All entrants are notified of the results by email before the public awards announcements on Tuesday November 29, 2022. Recipients of cash awards in all categories can share video readings on SWP's Twitter account: @ShortWorksPrize. Winning works will also appear on the Hamilton Public Library's website, with the writer's permission.

Reminder: You are NOT eligible to enter this year if you received a cash prize for a SWP entry in 2021.
Those who received Honourable Mentions in 2021 may apply again in 2022.

Submissions:

Enter online below. The deadline to submit is Monday October 24, 11:59pm.

Questions? Email: HAL@HALmagazine.com
Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine
www.HALmagazine.com

First Name *

Last Name *

Address *

City *

Postal Code *

Phone *

Email *

Your twitter handle (optional)

If you are entering the Young Writers category, please tell us your age.

Published Short Works

Published authors may enter two of the following three categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Book or magazine in which your work was published

ISSN / ISBN of Publication

Off-the-Radar: for Unpublished Works (writers over the age of 20)

Submit 1 work to one of the following categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Young Writers: For Unpublished works (writers 16 to 20 years old)

Submit 1 work to one of the following categories:

Poetry • Fiction • Creative Non-Fiction

Poetry Title

Fiction Title

Creative Nonfiction Title

Upload Submission *

Please select the document you are submitting

How did you find out about the Short Works Prize?

Other

The Short Works Prize is presented in partnership with the Hamilton Public Library and Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine. SWP is supported by The Hamilton Spectator. For further information, contact HAL@HALmagazine.com.

The SWP observes the Council of Literary Magazines & Presses Contest Code of Ethics and is for authors currently living in the areas serviced by the Hamilton Public Library. Out of town borrowers are not eligible. All entries will be scanned to ensure originality. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.

SWP Promotional Partner:
Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine
www.HALmagazine.com

_{Personal information contained on this form is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990. MFIPPA\Regulations 29. The information collected will be used in the process of the library’s business. Questions regarding the collection and use of personal information can be directed to: Chief Librarian, Hamilton Public Library, P.O. Box 2700, Hamilton, ON L8N 4E4.}