Crocodile Prize launches 2019 short story and poetry contests
09 July 2019
KEITH JACKSON
PORT MORESBY – Poets and short story writers can fire up their computers and blow the dust off their notebooks now that Crocodile Prize organisers have announced the launch of the 2019 awards in both these important genres of writing in Papua New Guinea.
Both awards have a tight deadline for entries of Saturday 31 August and offer large cash prizes as well as publication in the prestigious 2019 Crocodile Prize Anthology.
The winning short story will be awarded to the best original, narrative-based prose by a Papua New Guinean author.
There no strict word limit but judging will be based on quality ahead of quantity.
Contest organisers say creativity and originality are important and highly considered will be the relevance of the perspectives presented as well as style, coherence of ideas, form and structure.
Previous short story winners were Jeffrey Mani Febi (2011), Charlotte Vada (2012), Leonard Fong Roka (2013), Agnes Maineke (2014), Hazel Kutkue (2015), Alison Kult (2016) and Iso Yawi (2017).
There was no short story award in 2017 and no Crocodile Prize contest in 2018.
The award for poetry is keenly contested and in previous years this category has always had by far the most entries.
Many exceptional poems have been written and judges have never found it easy to select the most outstanding.
Winners in previous years were Jimmy Drekore (2011), Michael Dom (2012), Lapieh Landu (2013), Diddie Kinamun Jackson (2014), Philip Kaua Gena (2015) and Wardley D Barry-Igivisa (2016) and Annie Dori (2017).
Very interesting program run by selfless individuals and private groups. Needs government's intervention here.
Posted by: Kenny Pawa Ambaisi | 12 July 2019 at 10:37 AM
It's time to count words, I'm in.
Posted by: Gabrielle Willie | 11 July 2019 at 09:51 PM
Thanks Keith. Iso Yawi was the winner of the 2017 Short Story category.
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Thanks Jordan. I've added Iso's name to the article - KJ
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 11 July 2019 at 10:56 AM
I am interested in participating, I will be entering my short story soon.
Posted by: Duncan Gabi | 10 July 2019 at 05:55 PM
I am interested in this contest and would like to give try on a short story. Before commencing I like to get more information on the story especially on number of pages required, number of words, font size, paper layout, chapter of the story, etc. Please provide contact details for the organizing committee of the contest.
Posted by: Taki Hengi | 10 July 2019 at 03:04 PM