Fiction award contest for emerging Canadian writers

The New Quarterly (TNQ) is a magazine of Canadian fiction, poetry, and conversation, primarily about the writer’s craft.  Their mandate is to nurture emerging writers by publishing and promoting their work alongside that of well-established writers.  TNQ offers a lively mix of fiction, poetry, author interviews, writing techniques and more. 

Currently, TNQ is accepting submissions for the Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award.  Sponsored by the St. Jerome’s University English Dept, this award will offer $1000 to the winning story.

This contest is named in honour of Peter Hinchcliffe, who was instrumental in the founding of the magazine and has made an impact in the lives of many students in his longstanding role as lecturer at St. Jerome’s University. 

The $1000 top prize will be awarded for a work of short fiction by a Canadian (citizen or resident) writer who has not yet published a first novel or short story collection.  Though there is only one top prize, all submissions will be considered for paid publication ($250) in the magazine. All submissions will be judged blind.

Entry fee: $40 per submission. Each submission includes a one-year Canadian subscription (or subscription extension) to The New Quarterly

Eligiblity: Submissions must be previously unpublished. Entrants must be Canadian or currently residing in Canada. Writers must be in the early stages. We define a writer in the early stages as someone who has not yet published a first story collection or novel.

There is no word limit. Entrant’s anonymity will be carefully preserved throughout the judging process; please ensure that your name does not appear on your document. Decisions will be made by August 31; finalists will be notified by email.

Deadline: May 28, 2012

For more information or to receive an entry form, please visit www.tnq.ca 

TNQ writers have been nominated for Giller prizes, Governor General’s Awards, Griffin Poetry Prizes, Writer’s Trust Notable Author awards, Commonwealth prizes, National Magazine awards and more.