Final Notice for WV Writers 2010 Writing Contest

FROM: Contest Coordinator Steve Goff:

Greetings from the WV Writers, 2010 Writing Contest. Live from Contest Central at Lake Freud, outside of Salem, WV, I'm Steve Goff.

Just as I expected, on Wednesday, following the first deadline of March 15 , the Salem Post Office received an onslaught of "just at the buzzer" envelopes from folks wanting to avoid a Late Fee. The postal guys had to double basket my mail. Now I'm up to my elbows in entries and slowly getting caught up.

I know my contest work is just beginning. I'm guessing more than a few folks, used writer's rationalization to produce this brief internal monologue. "Two bucks? Really, that's your 'late fee'? Two bucks? Here's your two bucks, give me two more weekends to hone my craft." (I just love getting to say "hone my craft".) **Late fee is 2$ per entry!!

Regardless, you didn't write half as much as you thought you would when you rationalized this to yourself in the first place. So this is the weekend to "kick butt" on this contest thing. Carve out time for West Virginia basketball sure, but Write On, that's what half-time's are for anyway.

All the WV Writers 2010 Writing Contest info. you need is here:
http://www.wvwriters.org/contest.html

This final deadline will produce a lot of entries. A lot of people are still working on their writing for this contest. It's not just you. A large percentage of our total entries arrives after being posted to me on March 31.

An old timer at a 12-step meeting once told the group, "You know with God, you can move mountains. But you got to bring your own shovel."

No matter what spirit is working with you, it's time to let the magic fly. Go get your shovel.

After the contest closes, March 31, I wait a week, 4/7, before I begin the process of shipping the entries to the judges. We have 12 categories and therefore 12 judges I mail to around the country. Our contract with them says they'll receive the entries they are to judge by April 15, and they'll return their selections to me by May 15.

Thus begins the notification process, on the Youth Writing side, and preparation for the awards banquet in June, at the conference. All awards in the adult competition are announced for the first time at the awards dinner. One more reason to attend the Summer Conference. Link here: http://www.wvwriters.org/conference.html

This is my second and final year as Writing Contest Administrator. Thanks to all who helped me over the last two years. Special shout out to Terry McNemar, Teresa Newsome, Patsy Pittman, Eric Fritzius, Dick Lewis, Henry Palek, Wilma Acree, Sandy Tritt, Debbie Crim, Craig Snider, George Lies, Norm Julian, Julie Perrine, and my wife Beth; and anyone else who helped out. You've got a great board with good leadership in place. And based on the work Terry and his team did, and Cat and her team will do, WV Writers, Inc. is in a good position to do some great things.

I enjoyed working with many of you and I look forward to seeing some of you at the summer conference.