Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize accepts submissions through Jan. 30

Press release

The 2014 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize is now open for submissions. And for the first time ever, entrants may submit their short stories electronically through Submittable.com.

The Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize honors internationally celebrated North Carolina novelist Thomas Wolfe. The winner receives $1,000 and possible publication in The Thomas Wolfe Review. Facilitated by Anthony S. Abbott, professor emeritus of English at Davidson College, the competition is open to all writers regardless of geographical location or prior publication.

Marianne Gingher is the final judge. Her work has appeared in many periodicals and journals including The Oxford American, Southern Review, and the New York Times. Her novel, Bobby Rex’s Greatest Hit, was made into an NBC “Movie-of-the-Week” in 1992, starring Tom Wopat and Jean Smart. Both Bobby Rex and Teen Angel (her short-story collection) were recipients of ALA Notable and Best Book awards, and Bobby Rex won North Carolina’s Sir Walter Raleigh prize in 1987. Her memoir A Girl’s Life received a Foreword Magazine “Book of the Year” citation in 2001. Gingher directed the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1997-2002.

Thomas Wolfe wrote one of the great coming-of-age novels of the twentieth century: Look Homeward, Angel. Although he was known for submitting voluminous manuscripts to his editor, submissions to the Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize should not exceed twelve pages (one-inch margins, double-spaced). The contest deadline is January 30, 2014; the winner will be announced in April.

Kevin Winchester of Waxhaw, NC, won the 2013 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Ashley Memory of Pittsboro, NC, was named First Honorable Mention; Jacob Appel of New York, NY, was named Second Honorable Mention.

Here are the complete guidelines:

Contest opens December 1; deadline is January 30, 2014.
The competition is open to all writers regardless of geographical location or prior publication.
Submit two copies of an unpublished fiction manuscript not to exceed 12 double-spaced pages (1″ margins, 12-pt. font).
Author’s name should not appear on manuscripts. Instead, include a separate cover sheet with name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and manuscript title.
An entry fee must accompany the manuscript: $15 for NCWN members, $25 for nonmembers.
You may pay the member entry fee if you join the NCWN with your submission. Checks should be made payable to the North Carolina Writers’ Network.
Entries will not be returned.
The winner is announced each April.
To submit online, go to https://ncwriters.submittable.com/submit. Submittable will collect your entry fee via credit card ($15 NCWN members / $25 non-members).
To submit by regular mail:

Professor Tony Abbott
PO Box 7096
Davidson College
Davidson, NC 28035

The nonprofit North Carolina Writers’ Network is the state’s oldest and largest literary arts services organization devoted to writers at all stages of development.