Are You For Real? A creative writing contest

Are you for real? – A Writing Contest for 1.G & HF Students of English

The Danish Association of Teachers of English (DATE) will host a competition in creative writing.

The deadline for entry submisson is midnight Friday, 1 March 2024.

There are exciting prizes for the best contributions.

 

The Prompt

Write a short story or poem in response to the theme, ”Are You For Real?”, that reveals and explores how we figure out reality in an era of digital communication, advancing AI technology, and global upheaval.

 

The Theme

  • It’s about TRUTH

    In our time, audio, video, and images of real events are broadcast electronically. So are deliberate lies and misrepresentations. The result is misperception, misunderstanding, accusations about fake news, and conflicts regarding appropriation & ownership of the truth.

  • It’s about RELATIONSHIPS

    People who believe different versions of reality have a hard time finding common ground where they can stand to talk about things. Agreements and disagreements about the nature of reality can make us both super loyal toward people who look and behave like us, and suspicious of people who look and behave different. It can make us doubt people we thought we knew.

  • It’s about RISKS 

    Everything—survival, quality of life, culture, jobs, the familiar landscape of home and family—holds together because of agreed-upon realities. What happens when those are harder to find?

 

Theme-based   questions that can be explored in stories or poems

  • How do we tell whether a person or event is real or not?
  • Does it matter whether the media we see is real or made up?
  • Can you trust the information you get online? What happens when you can’t?
  • Can AI be controlled and used to our benefit? What’s the risk of losing control?
  • Is AI just another new technology or is it something deeper?
  • How do conspiracy theories alter relationships and perceptions of reality?
  • How can groups of people with vastly different experiences of reality find common ground?
  • Where do we find hope when most of what we see and know might be false?


The Contest

  • Writers will submit a new, original story or poem addressing the theme of Are you for real?

  • Winners will be chosen in two tracks: Fiction & Poetry

 

Contest Tracks

FICTION

POETRY

  • One short story

  • 1500-3500 words

  • Main Character from the writer’s generation

  • Evidence of the changing world is shown through writer’s use of character development, setting transformation, and plot action

  • One poem

  • Any form

  • Maximum length: 3 pages

  • Evidence of engaging with the theme is experienced through writer’s use of imagery, sound, rhythmic & lyrical elements

 

Participants

Students can participate alone or in groups. It is possible to enter more than one student/group from the same class.

Prizes

  • Books! Supplied by the winning school

  • Expert Writing Consultation: Detailed feedback for the writers and an opportunity to workshop the winning piece with our judges and discuss revision strategies toward making the writing even better.

 

The Benefit

Engagement in the Creative Writing Process develops a variety of skills:

  • Application & expansion of imagination

  • Organization & clarification of thinking for communication with others

  • Problem-solving ability through seeking alternatives

  • Increased fluency with language

  • Focused expression of opinions & development of individual voice

  • Analysis of the components of literature

    • For example: characterization, framing devices, story structure, theme, genre

 

Timeline

  • 1 March 2024 Submission deadline 

  • June 2024 Contest results returned & published, prizes awarded

 

Submission

  • Eligibility: 1.G and 1. HF students studying English in Danish Gymnasium, as well as EB and IB programs

  • Native speakers of English must identify themselves

  • Writing can be either individual or collaborative

  • Preferred file format: .doc, .docx, .pdf

  • Deadline: midnight Friday, 1st of March, 2024

Submit your entry here: CWC.RU4REAL@gmail.com 

 

Judging panel

Amalie Rusborg. Creative writer and teacher South Gate Creative Writing School
Leslie Nielsen. American writer Ohio State University, instructor South Gate Creative Writing School
Trine Bierregaard. English teacher, Viborg Gymnasium, master in the development of writing skills among English students.

 

FAQ

  • The writing can be coupled with other media in assignments, but only the written text can be submitted & judged

  • Detailed feedback will be given to finalists

  • A general feedback summary will be provided to teachers

  • Any additional questions about the prompt can be directed to Trine prior to the contest deadline.

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