The Nelson Literary Competition is casting its net a bit wider this year.
The competition is renaming itself the Kootenay Literary Competition as it extends into all the Kootenays.
“Until this year it was always focused in on Nelson and area. It was part of the Nelson and District Arts Council,” said Morty Mint, one of the competition’s organizers.
This year there will also be two distinct competitions: One for adults and one for youth.
“Last year we only had an adult competition and this year we wanted to see it expanded,” said Mint. “We had one submission last year from a young adult and it showed we’re not doing a heck of a lot in promoting this thing. This year we have two competitions aimed at youth.”
Youth can enter the Grades 10 to 12 category or the Grades 7 to 9 category.
Young writers entering the Grades 10 to 12 category should use the following first line: “It wasn’t that I meant for it to happen...” and they also must use the words trick, 17 cents and sweet in their writing.
Mint said competition organizers are going out to all of the secondary schools and all of the libraries in the Kootenays to try and drum up some interest from young writers.
The theme for the adult competition this year is chaos.
“I don’t know how chaos came up,” said Mint with a laugh. “I was at the meeting here at the agency, and people were talking about themes and all of a sudden chaos came up, which I thought was pretty appropriate for Nelson and the Kootenays.”
Mint said last year the theme was isolation and some excellent writing submitted around that theme.
The deadline for the Kootenay Literary Competition is November 15 at 5 p.m.
Submissions can be emailed to kootenaylitcomp@gmail.com or dropped off at or mailed to Mint Agency at suite 6-560 Baker Street in Nelson.
For full competition details such as entry fees and submission format visit the Kootenay Literary Competition’s website at litcomp.inthekoots.com