BY PHIL FITZPATRICK

AS KEITH has already reported, the inaugural Crocodile literary awards, workshop and book launch were a roaring success and we are now enthusiastically developing ideas for the next contest in 2011-12.

The bad news is that the first print run of the anthology has been snapped up.  Those people who have paid for copies in advance will be receiving theirs in the mail shortly but everyone else will have to wait until we can arrange a reprint.

If you desperately want a copy you could try Minister for Trade and Industry, Charles Abel, or Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Benjamin Philip, but I don’t rate the chances of them giving up their personal copies signed by all the writers too soon. 

Neither do I think Prime Minister, Peter O’Neil will give up his copy easily.  The University of Papua New Guinea might still have a few copies for sale and you could try there.

Blessed by the wave of success we have decided to open up the 2012 competition as of today.  The original plan was to have a break until January next year but with all those writers that we kept tripping over in Port Moresby who are chafing at the bit we’ve changed our minds.

The 2012 Crocodile literary competition is therefore now open and you can start sending in your entries. You can download the entry form here.

The writers at the workshop decided that it was best to run the next competition in the same three categories, short stories, poems and essays.

We are expecting an increased number of entries in 2012.  To make life easier we will accept entries in Times New Roman font size 12 at 1.5 spacing set on the left margin.  PDF entries with elaborate artwork are great but the work transferring them to a standard anthology document is too hard to be practical.

While we will look at expanding the categories in later competitions we also have an open mind.  If anyone has a short play (around 10 minutes long) or novella (about 20,000 words) we are happy to look at it and consider including it in the competition.  Unfortunately, we won’t be geared up to accept full length novels and non-fiction for a while yet.  Rest assured the plans are on the drawing board.

We had several published PNG writers at the workshop.  One, Jerry Henson, has been completely blind since birth.  Another was Patrick Nii, who came down from Kundiawa in a wheel chair.  If those inspirational guys can do it there’s no reason why the rest of you can’t too.

A few writers didn’t make it to the workshop where all the others each collected two free copies of the anthology.  I’ve asked Mari Ellingson, who is going to distribute the reprinted book, to supply copies to any writers who missed out.  Contact Mari at [email protected].

I also have a request.  During the workshop and presentation ceremony I was preoccupied and didn’t get the chance to take many photographs.  If anyone has any good shots they don’t mind sharing I’d be deeply appreciative.  They could also come in handy when we are seeking sponsors for the 2012 prize.  Send them to me at [email protected].

Finally, I’d like to thank Keith for facilitating the competition.  For me it has been a wonderful and exhilarating experience.  I would also like to thank all those wonderful PNG writers.  Without them the competition would never have been possible.  Special thanks must also go to the grand old dinosaur of PNG literature, Russell Soaba.

 
The 2011 winners: Martyn Namorong; Lapieh Landu; Jim Drekore; Jeff Febi [Phil Fitzpatrick]