• Overview
  • Rules and Regulation
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Okay, so maybe performing in front of people isn’t what brings you joy and excitement. Maybe what sparks your internal flame is creating a story, a scene, a beautiful narrative that takes your reader through an experience completely created by your imagination, literary prowess, and wordsmith abilities. If this applies to you, then you’re in the right place. This competition allows competitors to submit a poem, personal narrative, or short fiction story that relates to the theme. Figurative language, storytelling ability, and engagement of the reader is all necessary to excel in this competition. 
Registration Requirements:
  1. No more than six (6) students from each school may register for this competition.
  2. Each student will compete individually, so collaboration is not permitted.
​Procedures:
  1. Competitors are to submit any style or genres of a Creative Writing Piece within Personal Narrative, Short Fiction, or Poetry. One (1) must be chosen.
    1. Personal Narrative: The telling of a life-event (non-fiction) through the lens of figurative language and expression
    2. Short Fiction: A fictional event that is told in that same way
    3. Poetry: Can be fiction or nonfiction
  2. The Creative Writing Piece must include:
    1. Title
    2. Poetry may not exceed forty (40) lines, Personal Narrative and Short Fiction story may not exceed ten (10) pages
    3. Typed, Times New Roman, 12-point font and double spaced (Poetry does not need to be double-spaced)
    4. Labeled with the competitor’s MIST ID and the title only. The competitor’s name must not appear anywhere on the work.
  3. The piece must clearly reflect upon any aspect of this year’s theme.
  4. The piece must be the original work of the competitor. Creative Writing Pieces must not have been published, self- published, published on a website or broadcast before January 2018.
  5. An Author’s Statement must be submitted to explain the piece.
    1. The Author’s Statement may be a Video Statement (max duration: four (4) mins) or Written Statement (max word limit: 500 words) to explain the piece.
      1. A Video Statement must be an unlisted Youtube/Vimeo link submitted in a PDF file along with the piece.
      2. A Written Statement must be submitted as a PDF along with the piece.
    2. The Author’s Statement must address the following questions:
i. In what ways does your piece represent your individuality? What inspired or influenced you when writing your piece? Are there any subtleties in the piece you were wishing would come across to the audience without having to be explained? Do you feel you conveyed the theme well in your piece?

​How to Submit:
  1. Submissions must be made through the MyMIST portal.
  2. The MyMIST portal only accepts one submission file. For uploading multiple files, all files must be put together into a zip file, and the zip file can be uploaded into the portal.
  3. Submissions must be submitted by the early submission deadline. This includes the artwork and the Artist Statement. Any submissions following the early submission deadline will NOT be accepted.
  4. All submissions must include the competitor’s MIST ID on all file names. Do NOT include your own name anywhere on the submissions.