Jesse White Announces 12th Annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White announced today that entry forms are available for the 12th annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award.

“We created the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition to promote creative writing and provide an outlet for talented writers,” White said. “Great poems have the ability to enrich and enhance our lives, and I am looking forward to celebrating talented poets with this year’s competition.”

The competition is named in honor of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois Poet Laureate

Gwendolyn Brooks, and is co-sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book and Kevin Stein, who succeeded Brooks as Illinois Poet Laureate.

The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and over. Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2016. Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($500), second ($300) and third place ($100). Winning poems will be submitted for possible publication in the “Ninth Letter,” “RHINO” and “Quiddity” journals and “Poetic License Press” publications. Winners will read their poems at a ceremony later this year at the Illinois State Library in Springfield. It should be noted that due to the budget impasse, the winners of the 2016 Emerging Writers competition will not receive their award money until a Fiscal Year 2017 budget is approved.

Forms and other information may be found at http://illinoiscenterforthebook.org. For more information, contact Illinois Center for the Book Coordinator Bonnie Matheis at 217-558-2065 or bmatheis@ilsos.net.

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