big bad story contest

We're excited to announce the Big Bad Story Contest, a new program that will give promising high school students in the Austin community a chance to become published authors. We'll be inviting schools within the Austin city limits to submit their top essays and short stories composed by students in 9th–12th grades for consideration in the contest. Each school will identify two finalists, and from these finalists our editors will select several stories and essays to be published in an anthology of young voices, which will be made available in retail outlets.

The contest officially begins in January 2010, and submissions to the contest must be submitted to Greenleaf Book Group on or by March 29, 2010. Submissions must be less than 5,000 words.

The contest is designed to get young people writing creatively—and give the winners the first taste of being published (and a credit that could help them as they look toward college.) We'll be donating a portion of the profit from sales of the anthology to a local non-profit organization, to be determined by the start of the contest. Interested schools and non-profits should contact Chris McRay at chris@greenleafbookgroup.com or 512.891.6100.