Write! Now

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Write! Now is Howard County Library System's poetry contest for middle and high school students, open to Howard County students in grades 6 through 12. For information about the contest and ideas about where to begin, download our Write! Now brochure for Teachers and Students. You can also review our resource list.

Entry rules

• Write! Now begins December 3, 2012. The submission form will be available on this page at that time.
• Submissions close on March 8, 2013
• The contest is open to students who live or attend school in Howard County in these categories:
  • Grades 6-7 (Division 1)
  • Grades 8-9 (Division 2)
  • Grades 10-12 (Division 3)
• Poems must be original, unpublished works. Plagiarized submissions will be disqualified.
• Submit up to three poems.
• Poems must be 60 lines or less in length.
• Complete only the information requested on the entry form. Do not add your name or school information to the body of the poem. Poems are judged anonymously.
• Students may qualify for only one prize in each age group.

Judging criteria
A committee of judges will rate the entries. The judges will look for these elements in each poem:

• The poem has a title
• The poem offers original ideas and words
• The poem makes readers think
• The poem contains language that is creative and poetic

Prizes
Winners will be contacted in April. Winners in each category will receive an invitation to read their winning poems at a special event on Wednesday, April 24 at the Miller Branch in Ellicott City. In addition, winning poems will be featured on the web site. Congratulations to our 2013 winners.


Additional questions can be answered at any Howard County Library System branch, or by sending us an e-mail. We look forward to receiving and reading your entries.

Write! Now is sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library.