Miriam El Abbassi | Arts Editor
Featured Image: The President’s Creative Writing Award and the CBC Films Screenwriter Award both offer cash prizes of $400 and $15,000, respectively. | Courtesy of Pixabay
The President’s Creative Writing Award and CBC Films Screenwriter Award are two competitions that celebrate the intensive and laborious craft of writing, by recognizing the outstanding work done in different categories.
As a writer, these kinds of competitions give students an opportunity to flex their creative muscles in a low-pressure environment, which can absolutely be beneficial to the students and the work they create. Schoolwork can be incredibly draining, leaving students with very little space for a creative outlet. After all academic obligations are taken care of, many students may find that the lack of motivation can stop them from writing to their full potential.
Writing competitions such as these can give students a reason to whip out the typewriter (or laptop, for the modern day academic) and write what could become the next blockbuster hit.
Open to experienced and novice writers alike, The President’s Creative Writing Award accepts submissions which fall into the categories of poetry, short fiction, screenplay, and stage-play. Students are able to submit multiple entries, but not more than one per genre. There is no length requirement for any category, however, the material submitted must be original, unpublished work, and cannot have previously won any other contests. The best entry in each category will be awarded $400. The deadline to submit is January 13, 2020, in which hard copies should be dropped off at room 524 in the Atkinson building on Keele campus.
The CBC Films Screenwriter Award, which stands under the Toronto International Film Festival umbrella, focuses on highlighting and supporting underrepresented Canadian talent. This contest is open to screenwriters who are Indigenous, who belong to visible minorities, who identify as having a disability, or who are women. Writers are encouraged to submit a feature-length screenplay, with the opportunity to win a cash prize of $15,000, as well as input from a script advisor to help further develop the piece. The deadline to submit online is December 5, 2019. Interestingly, in its inaugural year, Jorge Manzano, a York graduate student, won the grand prize with his screenplay, The Strike.
Whether you want to expand your portfolio, or just need something else to do in between studying for exams, these writing competitions may be worth checking out.
