VanderMey Nonfiction Prize
Ruminate is thrilled to announce our third annual Ruminate Nonfiction Prize, and we are pleased to announce that the finalist judge is award-winning author, Brian Doyle.
The 2011 Nonfiction Prize winning piece Flexing, Texting, Flying by Josh MacIvor-Andersen and selected by judge Al Haley, appears in Ruminate’s Issue 20: Feasting.
The 2012 Nonfiction Prize winning piece “Father of Disorder” by Jessica Willbanks and selected by judge Leslie Leyland Fields appears in Ruminate’s Issue 24: Heirlooms.
We strongly recommend ordering a past copy of Ruminate to better understand the type of work we are looking for. PDF versions of the magazine issues mention above are available for $5 each.
Guidelines:
- The submission deadline for the prize has been extended to midnight February 15th, 2013.
- The entry fee is $15 (includes a free copy of the Summer 2013 Issue, which will include the winning piece).
- You may submit one nonfiction piece per entry and it must be 5500 words or less. There is no limit on the number of entries per person.
- $1000 and publication in the Summer 2013 Issue will be awarded to the winner. The runner-up will receive publication in the Summer 2013 Issue.
- A blind reading of all entries will be conducted by a panel of RUMINATE readers, who will select 10 nonfiction finalists.
- Close friends and students (current & former) of the finalist judge, Brian Doyle, are not eligible to compete, nor are close friends and family of the RUMINATE staff.
- All submissions must be submitted via our online submission manager. We will not accept mail or email submissions. We do not accept previously published entries.
- All submissions must be previously unpublished.
- You may enter simultaneously submitted work.
- You will pay the entry fee when you click below.
- You may submit any type of creative nonfiction–personal essay, short memoir, literary journalism, etc.
- Winners will be announced in the Summer Issue, June 2013.
- We will be notifying all entrants of submission status in mid April, 2013.
- Please remove your name, bio, and any contact info from the file that you submit.
Please Note: Ruminate adheres to the following Contest Code of Ethics, as adopted by the Council of Literary Presses and Magazines, of which Ruminate is a proud member: “CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to 1) conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; 2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines — defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and 3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.”
Ruminate Magazine sponsors four annual writing contests: our art contest, poetry contest, short story contest, and nonfiction contest. We are one of the only Christian-minded literary magazines to sponsor short story contests, poetry contests, and nonfiction contests, and art contests. And while our contests–just like our magazine–are not defined as Christian poetry contests or Christian fiction contests or Christian essay contests, we do strive to provide a forum for the conversation between art and faith to exist and continue. Past winners from the Ruminate Magazine writing contests have been recognized by Poets & Writers Magazine and have received notable mention awards in The Best American Short Stories anthology and The Best American Essays anthology. Past finalist judges of our contests include Mark Richard, Bret Lott, Leslie Leyland Fields, David James Duncan, Luci Shaw, Vito Aiuto, Greg Wolfe, Al Haley, Stephanie G’Schwind, Walter Wangerin, Jr., and Leif Enger. It is our hope that our writing contests provide a significant venue for our talented contributors to receive the support and recognition they deserve.