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When is the Deadline for the 2018 Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship?

The Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship, a $15,000 award given to a select number of university students each year, was established in 2007 as a celebration of Colgate University’s 250th anniversary. The purpose of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for the creative writing community by supporting underrepresented writers and providing them with a global platform for sharing their work.

The deadline for the 2018 Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship submission is December 18, 2018.

What Categories Does the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship Cover?

The 2019 Colgate Creative Writing Fellows will be awarded in the following categories:

  • Fiction
  • Fiction (Contemporary)
  • Fiction (Historical)
  • Fiction (Science-Fiction)
  • Non-Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Short-Narrative

All winning entries will be published in the Colgate University literary magazine, Colgate Magazine. The award ceremony and presentation of the prizes will take place at Colgate University on May 4, 2019.

What Are the Genres You Should Avoid?

Although the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship covers a broad range of genres, you should avoid including the following in your submission:

  • Graphic Novels
  • Young Adult Novels
  • Horror Fiction
  • Paranormal Romantic Comedies
  • Classics
  • Thrillers
  • Romantic Comedy

These are all popular genres in which to submit a creative work, but if you want to stand out among the crowd, avoid writing in these genres. It will make your work seem less unique and more like everyone else’s. Always aim to experiment with styles and influences to make your writing personal, creative, and captivating. You can use these guidelines to help you write a successful application for the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship.

What Should You Include in Your Application?

Every year the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship receives hundreds of applications, and graduate students are commonly selected as winners. To stand out among the competition, you need to include various elements of yourself that will make the panel of judges interested in learning more about you as a writer. Your application should include:

  • A cover letter
  • A personal statement (about yourself as a writer)
  • A short bio (including where you went to school and what degrees you have)
  • Your writing samples
  • A response to the prompt (if you are selected for the award)

The cover letter should be no more than three pages and should be addressed to the panel of judges. The letter should include your name, degree program, the school you are applying to, and a brief overview of your academic and creative background. It should also include a short pitch for your writing (up to 250 words).

The personal statement, which will be taken into consideration alongside your other materials, should be a page in length. In it, you should discuss how the fellowship will foster your career as a writer. You should also identify any professional or academic connections that will strengthen your application. Be sure to include information about yourself that will make the judges curious about your work. For example, did you serve as a juror on a professional writing competition? Did you intern at a literary journal? If so, mention it.

How is the Award Administered?

The Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship is awarded annually to a select number of university students pursuing a Master of Arts in Creative Writing. The winning students will be announced in the summer of 2019.

What is the Criteria the Jury Will Consider?

The jury, which will consist of internationally renowned writers, will consider a number of factors when choosing the winners of the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship. These include:

  • The quality of your writing
  • The originality of your ideas
  • Your ability to communicate clearly (throughout your application)
  • The quality of your academic work
  • How you present yourself (throughout your application)

The most important thing to remember is that this is not a popularity contest. The panel of judges will decide which students’ work is the most creative, interesting, and well-written. They will then present these students with the prestigious Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship award.

Submission Guidelines

The submission deadline for the Colgate Creative Writing Fellowship is December 18, 2018. The minimum accepted length of a short story is 5000 words, and novellas and novellas (up to 7500 words) are also accepted. The complete guidelines can be found on the website.

The best way to succeed as a writer is by writing often. Most successful writers produce around five to six stories a month, which they use to stay creative and motivated. To get started, check out these reputable writing competitions.