Edward Milne Community School (EMCS) students in grades nine through to 12 can demonstrate their writing talent again this year in the annual Sooke Writers’ Collective contest on Wednesday, April 8. The contest starts at 11:10 a.m. and it includes a block of time that extends into the lunch hour.
EMCS English teacher Mrs. Zanardo will run the contest at the school on around lunch time.
There are two categories – junior and senior - with a first and second prize for fiction in each category and an overall first prize for poetry. Winning entries will be published in a print anthology created by the Sooke Writers’ Collective in May.
“This will be our second anthology,” said Deb Clay, SWC member, “We are continuing the tradition started by Shirley Skidmore, Peter Lee and the Sooke Scribblers. Each year they hosted a writing contest with EMCS and now we have added to the event by including the student writing in our print anthology.
“The student submissions have been a lively and fresh addition to the anthology,” Clay added. “Whether it’s poetry, a short story or other form, the quality stands up to submissions from writers with many more years of experience.”
Students are given a selection of prompts compiled by SWC members to help inspire the writing they will complete within the short time frame of roughly 75 minutes.
The second anthology of the Sooke Writers’ Collective will be published later in the spring and available at several local stores and outdoor markets such as the Sooke Night Market. For more information, visit: www.SookeWriters.com.