Rules for the DemiCon 26 Prose & Poetry contest are:
All entries will be posted on-line after judging is completed and will be available for
reading in print form at the convention. In addition to judges’ comments, members of the
convention will be invited to give their feedback to the writers.
There will be first-, second- and third-place winners. Judging will be based on an overall
ranking and on three broad categories. Winners will be selected based on total points,
with any ties broken using the overall rankings.
The categories for short stories are Character, Description, and Continuity based on their
effective use within the story. Character includes growth of characters, use of dialogue,
and believability of characters. Description includes the general use of description, how
technological or fantastical items specific to the story are described, and description that
sets the scene. Continuity includes consistency of writing, general adherence to the
theme, and if the story or poem progresses true to the story’s world.
The categories for poems are Rhythm, Imagery, and Coherence. Rhythm includes how
the poem sounds when read aloud and how well the poem works within its particular
form (e.g., free verse, iambic pentameter); plus, for poems following established styles,
how well the poem adheres to the established structure. Imagery includes description but, more so than with stories, how well the scene is evoked. Coherence includes how well all parts of the poem go together.
The DemiCon Writing Contest focuses on judges as readers more than as writers. Judges will be well-read individuals who are not published writers or editors and may include members of DMSFS.
Please proofread your entries in addition to checking the spelling. Judges do not deduct
points for typographical errors, but misspellings and incorrect word usage do distract
from the writing
Send your entries no later than March 30, 2015, to contests@demicon.org. RTF is
preferred over .doc or .docx files. Entries should include, on the first page only, the
author’s name, the title of the story or poem, and contact information for the author. The
judging will be blind, i.e., the judges will not know who wrote which story or poem.
Please mark the end of your stories and poems with “# # #.”
You will be sent an email to confirm your entry was received. If you have not received a
confirmation within three days of submitting your entry, please contact
contests@demicon.org. If you prefer to submit your entry by U.S. mail, send it to:
DMSFS - DemiCon Writing Contest at PO Box 7572, Des Moines, IA 50323.