The Ventura County Writers Club (VCWC) announced its 12th Annual Short Story Contest closes September 30, 2011. The contest draws entries from around the country as well as internationally. The Ventura County Star newspaper will publish the first place winning entry in a January 2012 Sunday edition. The paper will publish first, second, and third winning entries in their online edition. The top three winners will receive a cash prize: first place $500; second place $250; and third place $125.
All stories are logged in and assigned a number for the sake of anonymity. VCWC employs a scored, tiered process of judging, with editors at the newspaper working as the final third tier.
“Last year, the Club received many stories for consideration from across the nation, a mark of the prestige the contest is gaining,” said Susan Hart Hellman, 2011 Short Story Committee Chair. “The contest provides an opportunity for many writers to have their first thrill of publication and breakthrough to a wide reading audience.”
There are additional perks for the winners. The 2012 VCWC Anthology will publish winning entries. The vcstar.com website will post the top finalists. VCWC will host a reception in January for the winners and will invite them to read highlights from their stories.
Entry applications will be on the club’s website:

http://www.venturacountywriters.com/

The contest rules are as follows:
o All submitted stories must be original and may not have been previously published in any newspaper, magazine, or book, whether or not the author received compensation. Self-published and electronic published works are prohibited.
o Submissions may be in any genre. You may enter as many stories as you like.
o Those who have won first place in the last three years are not eligible.
o Include three copies of each short story being submitted.
o Make sure your name does not appear on any page except this form.
oEach submitted short story must be typed and double spaced using 12-point type, in Courier or Times New Roman font, on white 8_ x 11 inch paper, with left and right margins 1_-inch and
top and bottom margins 1-inch. Indent the first line of each paragraph and number all pages at top or bottom. Story must be 10 pages or fewer. Put the story title at the top of each page. Do not put the author’s name on any pages of submitted stories.
oBe sure to include your entry fee: $15 per short story for VCWC members, $25.00 per short story for non-members. All story submissions may be paid with one single check. Please note the number of submissions on the reference line of the check.

Mail entry form, story submissions and check (payable to VCWC) to: VCWC Short Story Contest, P.O. Box 3373, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359.

o Online entries may be paid through PayPal and submitted directly through the club’s website.
o No person may win more than one prize.

For more information on the Club, visit:

http://www.venturacountywriters.com/

About Ventura County Writers Club

Since its formation in 1933 with four members in Ojai, the club has grown to more than 150 members and holds regular monthly general membership meetings. Members may attend, free of charge, a variety of Writers Workshops, groups that meet one or more times a month throughout the county to read and critique manuscripts and discuss many aspects of the business of writing.

Monthly meetings are open to all interested writers and are held the second Tuesday of each month (except December) at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center, Camarillo, CA.