Announcing MindFlights Poetry Contest 2008

[Selena Thomason]

MindFlights, a magazine of science fiction and fantasy, is happy to announce our first speculative poetry contest.

Entry is free!

THEME: Exile

Be creative as you explore the theme in your poem(s). Avoid clichés. Surprise us. Enlighten us. Wow us.

Your submitted poem(s) must fit the genre of science fiction or fantasy. Science or space poems are excluded from the contest. We need to see a clearly speculative element.

We do ask that you read our magazine's Vision Statement. Please do not enter any poem that would violate the principles we espouse.

LENGTH CATEGORIES:

We have two length categories—

Short: 1 to 49 lines
Long: 50 to 100 lines.

Each poet may enter up to three poems TOTAL.

PRIZES:

All winning poems and honorable mentions (if any) will be published online in MindFlights and receive the following cash prizes:

First: $50.00
Second: $20.00
Honorable Mentions (if any, up to 2 poems): $12.50

First and second place prizes will be awarded for each length category, as will HM's, if any are selected.


TIMELINE/DEADLINE:

Entries may be submitted starting Sunday, June 1, 2008. All entries must be received before midnight on Monday, June 30, 2008. (Eastern US Time).

We plan to announce winners on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, and publish them online in MindFlights soon thereafter.


JUDGES:

Marsheila Rockwell
Mirta Ana Schultz
Marcie Lynn Tentchoff


Poems will be judged on the strength of the poetry itself, and on the way each one features and develops the contest's theme of EXILE. We understand that such qualities can be very subjective, but can say only that we are equally willing to read both traditional and free poetic forms. Rhyme and meter, if used, should be consistent and neither strained nor forced. The judges' decision will be final.

Contest entries will be blind read, meaning that the judges will read and evaluate each piece without knowing the identity of the submitting poet. Winners will be contacted with information regarding their placement and prize status. All non-winning entrants will be contacted within a month after the contest's closing date. There will be no critique or feedback offered for the poems entered.

Any questions? Please post them in this thread of the MindFlights forums.


GUIDELINES:

Entries must be in English.

Only enter original, unpublished works: no reprints.

Poems may be in any form/style as long as they fit the length requirement of the category (short or long) into which they are entered. Poems longer than the line limit for their category will be automatically disqualified.

Each poet may enter up to 3 poems, but each poem must be submitted separately.

Poems must contain a science fiction or fantasy element. Any poem without such an element will be disqualified.

We ask that you respect the magazine's audience and tone. Please, no profanity, no graphic sexual content, no gore, and no belittling of any person of the Godhead, as the term is understood in traditional Christian theology (ie. Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

No member of the MindFlights staff or judging panel may enter this contest, nor any family member of a MindFlights staffer or judge.


ENTRY:
Click on the Contributor Login link to access Author-Artist Tools, and then hit the Entry Contest button.

All entries should be submitted using our online contest submissions process. Please indicate in your cover letter which length category your poem fits in. No names or identifiers anywhere on the entry itself. Please put the full poem in the intro section.

Instructions on using our online process can be found in our guidelines. Please read them.

THANK YOU!

The MindFlights Staff
www.mindflights.com
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights

[Mirtika]

Yay! Our first contest!
_________________
"I believe in what I cannot see"

My Blog, Mirathon
Speculative Faith

[Elyn W. Marsh]

I go to the log-in page, but I can't find the contest entry. What do I do?
~Elyn

[resaliens]

Our magazine's hosting a contest!
I want to be part of this verse-fest.
But they won't let me enter;
I've no spec'lative center.
And no platform on which to protest.


_________________
Lyn Perry from ResAliens
Highlighting Spec Fic at ResAliens - the Blog

[Selena Thomason]

[Mirtika]

ResAliens grumbles in rhyme
So I figure I'll share verse-y time:
The staff cannot play
In contestical ways,
But a normal verse sub's still no crime.


June 1st. Get your spec-poetry motors all warm, people.
_________________
"I believe in what I cannot see"

My Blog, Mirathon
Speculative Faith

[Resha Caner]

Even if I could enter, I would never win
For poetry is a talent I've never gained
Instead, I must admire from afar
Those who bring heaven near
____on metrical feet

Maybe we could also have a contest for bad poetry.

P.S. Hmm. I thought [indent][/indent] was supposed to work in BB code for that last line.
_________________
Sola Gratia

[Elyn W. Marsh]

Oops! Sorry for not reading
As thoroughly as some
My brain must have been melted
Like ice cream in the sun.
I need to work some more
On my poor poem anyway
The rythym, rhyme and meter
Are less than A-okay.
So I suppose I'll just keep watching
(And hope I will not miss)
And I'll talk to all-y'all later
And that's the end of this!

~Elyn

[Selena Thomason]

The contest is now open. Please send in your entries by June 30th.

Thanks.
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights

[Selena Thomason]

Only a few days left to get those entries in!

[Selena Thomason]

Today's the last day to get your entry in!

Don't be late.
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights

[Selena Thomason]

This contest in closed. Thank you to everyone who sent entries.
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights

[pottygok]

Out of curiosity, how many entries did you receive?

[Selena Thomason]

64 entries total.
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights

[Selena Thomason]

Winners have been announced in MindFlights' first poetry contest.

Stop by and check it out!
_________________
Selena Thomason
Managing Editor
MindFlights