"I CAN ALMOST TASTE IT"
Redwood Writers Contest
Do you have a story about a food or drink? Then this is the contest for you.
Food plays a central role in our lives and our cultures. Everyone can write a story around food. Maybe for you, there’s a family recipe that’s been passed down for generations. It’s been eaten in your family at weddings and funerals, birthdays and retirement parties. It just wouldn’t be a family gathering without that recipe. If fiction is your métier, remember to write a short story that features a food or drink as a central character or plot device.
Redwood Writers is conducting a contest for short fiction, memoir, or essays featuring food and/or drink. The featured food or drink must play an important role in the story. For example, an essay on the evil of chocolate or how spaghetti changed your life, a memoir of Mom’s New Year’s Eve pizza meatballs, or a crime fiction set in New Orleans involving Shrimp Gumbo. The original, unpublished piece must include a real (tested by the author) recipe for the featured food or beverage.
If you are writing an essay, remember, essays that focus on politics or religion, are not accepted. When asked about the difference between personal essay and memoir, Phillip Lopate said “... memoir requires other people. The personal essay can avail itself of other people, but it can also be a reflection on a subject where other people are not necessarily that important...” Personal essay at its best involves a mind in conversation with itself. The topic can be something as simple or as momentous as a recipe. What will set the personal essay apart from simple reporting is self-reflection and a willingness to look honestly at yourself in all your human magnificence.
Aspects of the recipe can be built into the story, however a complete recipe (in format) with name, general information, ingredients, and preparation must appear on a separate page. If the recipe is taken from a published recipe or a variation on a published recipe, you must include a proper citation.
Need some inspiration?
Add a pinch of flavor ...
Monthly, more than 35,000 viewers seek inspiration at the Redwood Writers Pinterest page.
CLICK HERE to visit the RW "Eat Your Words" board for some tasty tips.
PRIZES:
First prize:
$100
plus a $40 gift certificate to Gus's Cafe
Second prize:
$50
plus a $30 gift certificate to Gus's Cafe
Third prize:
$25
plus a $25 gift certificate to Gus's Cafe
*In addition to the cash awards, every winner receives a certificate.
Winners announced:
Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020
at the Redwood Writers
general membership meeting
2-4:30 p.m.
Flamingo Hotel
Santa Rosa
Winning stories will be published online.
The first-place story is published in winners' flier.
DETAILS:
ENTRIES:
In addition to all Redwood Writers members, the contest is open to:
• All CWC members, regardless of residence.
• Non-member residents of Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Solano counties.
DATES:
Submission dates:
Open: Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019
NEW Close: Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019 at 9 p.m.
(Due to the recent fires, the deadline has been extended.)
ENTRY FEE:
California Writers Club
Members:
$10
Non-members:
$15
(Not a member yet?
Click here to find out why you should join the Redwood Writers.)
RULES
Please observe the following contest rules; otherwise, your entry may be disqualified.
- DO NOT place your name or contact information anywhere on your submission. This is a blind judging.
- Submit as a pdf, doc, or docx.
- Wordcount: No more than 2,000 words.
- Work can be complete works, excerpts from larger works, or previously self-published works, but they must be previously unpublished by a traditional publisher.
- Format: Manuscripts must be double-spaced and use 12-point, Times New Roman font.
- Number the pages, bottom right.
- Only ONE submission per entrant.
- Please use the online form to submit your entry and payment. Only submissions uploaded via the online form will be accepted for judging.
Additional Recipe Rules:
On a separate page, the piece will include a maximum 500-word recipe in size 12, single-spaced text in Times New Roman.
***CLICK HERE TO OPEN EXPANDED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO WRITE AND FORMAT YOUR RECIPE***
The recipe must be a real recipe that the author has tested. If the recipe is taken from a published recipe, you must include a citation.
The recipe format should include:
- Recipe name
- Yield: number of servings
- Prep time: hours and minutes
- Total time: prep + cook time
- Ingredients (in order of use in recipe):
- Ingredient | measurement
- Ingredient | measurement
- Ingredient | measurement
- Directions (simple, step-by-step)
- Explain how to prep and cook the recipe
- Citation (if necessary)
- Immediate family members of judges and chairs of this contest are not eligible to submit.
- Upon submission, if you choose to pay with a check, please make check out to "CWC Redwood," and write "Taste Contest" on the memo line.
Please mail check to:
Redwood Writers
P.O. Box 4687
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Questions should be addressed to:
[email protected]
or use the form, below.
WORKSHOP
I Can Almost Taste It — the Workshop
Everyone has an interesting, funny, tragic, or dramatic story that involves a food or drink. The question is whether to write the story as a fiction, memoir, or essay? Join Harker Brautighan, Roger DeBeers, and Roger Lubeck for a workshop on writing short stories or essays about food and drink that includes a recipe.
Roger DeBeers will discuss writing short fiction stories.
Harker Brautighan will discuss personal essay and the difference from other informational nonfiction. When asked about the difference between personal essay and memoir, Phillip Lopate said “... memoir requires other people. The personal essay can avail itself of other people, but it can also be a reflection on a subject where other people are not necessarily that important...” Personal essay at its best involves a mind in conversation with itself. The topic can be something as simple or as momentous as a recipe. What will set the personal essay apart from simple reporting is self-reflection and a willingness to look honestly at yourself in all your human magnificence. Remember, essays that focus politics or religion, are not accepted.
Roger Lubeck will outline the do’s and don’ts for submitting to the contest and writing a recipe for publication. Roger will provide examples and a template for recipes including name, general overview, ingredients, preparation, and citation.
Workshop Details:
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019
9:30 a.m. – noon
at the Flamingo Hotel
2777 4th Street
Santa Rosa
Redwood Writers
Members:
$25
Non-members:
$30
Seating is limited so RSVP early!
READY TO REGISTER?
THIS IS THE LINK!
REGISTER TODAY!
Complete the workshop registration form, and we'll see you on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 9:30 a.m.
Harker Brautighan
Roger DeBeers, Sr.
Roger Lubeck
Judges
EMILY CONWAY
Emily Conway is a writer, freelance editor, and Children's Specialist at Copperfield's Books. She holds a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and loves all genres for kids and adults alike. "The more eclectic, the better!"
GUS LOPEZ
Gus Lopez has been in the kitchen cooking since the age of four. The kitchen was Gus' preschool class. Over the years Gus has been a chef and cooking teacher and has mentored many young people in the art of the kitchen. His motto is, "You are not too young or too old to learn the art of the kitchen." Gus and his family have donated more than a thousand books to the Pelican Bay Prison Library.
NOELLE OXENHANDLER
Noelle Oxenhandler's essays have appeared in many national and literary journals, including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, VOGUE, Tricycle, and Parabola. The author of three non-fiction books, she teaches Creative Writing at Sonoma State University.
Co-Chairs
HARKER BRAUTIGHAN
Questions should be addressed to:
[email protected]
or use the form, below.
ROGER DeBEERS
Questions? Comments?
Send Us a Message
If you didn't find the answer to your questions on the this page, please use this form, or send an email to:
[email protected]
We will respond as soon as possible.
Thank you!
