Hamilton Writers Guild - 2006 Contest Winners

Guidelines - 2008 contest
Winners - 2007 contest
Winners - 2006 contest

Congratulations Winners!
of the Hamilton Writers Guild
2007 2nd Annual Fiction Contest

1st Place - Daniel R. Cole
Plainfield, IN - Fish Breath

2nd Place - Pat Agar
Brandon, Canada - The Cow and Miss Creasy

3rd Place - Eugene D. Alvin
Collinwood, TN - Anasazi Moon

Honorable Mention
Gregory A. Hartman - Lilac
Dorothy Carey - The Water Boy
David M Dekelaita - Kathy's Nightmare
George A. Thomas - A Junior Officer
David Bishop - Lunch with Sean Murphy
Judith G. Finkel - Shaytl Lady
Barbara Phillips Stuart - The Silent Scream
Helen Nardecchia - Duchess and Friends
Rachael Purta - Pockets
Darlene A. Buechel - The Return of the Real Granny

The contest committee would like to thank all the contestants who entered our writing contest. The judges said they enjoyed reading the wide variety of entries displaying different levels of writing ability.

We encourage writers to become involved with a writing group to help polish their writing skills, attend writing conferences, and subscribe to magazines that focus on the craft of writing.

Judges comments on the overall entries will appears on our website within the next week, and watch our web site www.hamiltonwritersguild.org for our next contest in 2008.

Judges' Comments

Most of the entries were diverse, yet teeming with stirring tales of life's reality. The weakest point of many of the entries was the soft and inconclusive ending. Many stories didn't reach a satisfying or logical conclusion or lacked a resolution.
In some stories the theme or plot was not clear. The first sentence should "reach out and grab the reader." Many stories didn’t.
Many stories had a weak plot with an unclear purpose.
Several entries used non-standard, unusual style or format which usually distracted from the story.
It is suggested that writers could benefit from joining a writer's group so they could learn the proper manuscript format. Many stories were written in the wrong typeface and size.
Reading the stories was an enjoyable process with the potential for many good writers to evolve.

2006 Hamilton Writers Guild, Fiction Contest Winners!

Congratulations to:

First Place Dawn Goldsmith; Oviedo, FL; wins $100 for The Vigil
Second Place Patricia Crandall; Petersburgh, NY; wins $50 for Not Suitable Viewing For children
Third Place Lynda Diessner; Primrose, NE; wins $25 for The Old Yellow Chair

Honorable Mention:
Linda Hudson Hoagland; North Tazewell, VA; I Froze...
Martha Crotty; Cincinnati, OH; Carnival
Helen Cunningham; Florence, KY; Saying Good Bye
Emmette Boone; College Corner, OH; Unearned Vacation
Susan L. Comer; Brentwood, TN; Barbies Dream House
Judith Hoy; Black Mountain, NC; Dinner With The Spider
Natalie Chandler; Hixson, TN; Dog Gone, Again

The contest committee would like to thank all the contestants who entered our Writers Guilds first Fiction Contest. The judges enjoyed reading the wide variety of entries and levels of writing ability. Unfortunately, many good entries didn't follow the industry standards for proper formatting, and others were disqualified because they failed to follow the Contest guidelines.

The judges encourage writers to become involved with a writing group in their area to help polish their writing skills, and attend writing conferences and subscribe to magazines that focus on the craft of writing.