The Swahananda Prizes
for Short StoryWhat is The Swahananda Prizes for Short Story?
The Swahananda Prizes for Short Story is a new short story competition. Our online journal, American Vedantist, is the sponsor; members of our Editorial Board will serve as judges.
Entries must be received no later than Saturday, October 27, 2018. We will choose six winning stories, which will be published in late January 2019 (AV #76). To understand what we’re looking for, please read the accompanying note, What’s a “Spiritual” Story?
Prizes to be awarded are:
First $1,200
Second $600
Third $300
Three Honorable mentions of $100
How to Enter
The Swahananda Prizes for Short Story is open to everyone over age 18. All entries are eligible* if the work is original, and and has not been published previously at any time, in any way, manner, shape or form. No exceptions, so please do not ask.
*There is a length limit of 9,000 words.
Entry fee: $15 per story. You must enter online; click here for entry form.
Please review and make sure you are complying with the rules of our competition, before sending in your story or stories.
FINAL DATE FOR ENTRIES IS SATURDAY OCTOBER 27, 2018
Winners will be announced and prizes awarded by the end of December 2018. Swahananda Prize-winning stories will then be published in our Winter 2019 edition (late January 2019).
Steps to enter:
- Read What’s a “Spiritual” Story?, and the rules for this competition.
- Use the Entry Form to register, upload your story (or stories, limit of 5), and pay the entry fees due.
Call Br. Shankara at 818-913-0345, or email avedantist@gmail.com for any clarification needed.
Rules for The Swahananda Prizes for Short Story
We recommend that you read an issue or two of American Vedantist before entering. You will find us at americanvedantist.org.
- All entries must be received no later than October 27, 2018.
- Each short story must be sent as a separate file or document.
- The author’s name, address, phone number, or email address, must not be shown on any page of a story. The story title, however, must be on the front page of the story document.
- Entries must be written in English, and submitted in one of the following formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PAGES, ODT, RTF
- Entries cannot be returned, so please be sure you have a copy of anything you send us.
- After we have received your entry, there will be no opportunity for corrections.
- Entry fees are not refundable.
Eligibility summary
The Swahananda Prizes for Short Story is open to everyone over age 18. You may enter as many stories as you wish.
All entries must be original, and must not have been published previously at any time, in any way, manner, shape or form. No exceptions, so please do not ask.
There is a length limit of 9,000 words.
Entry fee is $15 per story.
You must enter online; Click here for Entry & Payment Form (or scroll to bottom of this page).
Your entries will be confirmed in two ways: an automatically generated message from our Editorial Board, and by the email you get from PayPal as a receipt for your payment. No other confirmation will be sent.
Entry fees
Payments are to be made in U.S. dollars, by credit card or debit card, through our PayPal link. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this service. You may use any major credit card except American Express, or your PayPal account if you have one.
An entry fee of US$15 per story is payable on submission.
Entry fees are not payable by checks or cash.
Copyright
Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, after publication. American Vedantist will have an unrestricted right to publish the winning stories in our Winter 2019 edition, and to use winning stories in materials that promote The Swahananda Prizes in 2019 and later years.
Judging
Members of American Vedantist’s Editorial Board will serve as judges for this competition. Their decisions will be final, not subject to appeal.
Prizes
First prize US$1,200; second prize US$600; third prize US$300. Three Honorable Mentions will be awarded at US$100 each.
Notification of prize winners
Prize winners will be notified by email by the end of December 2018. Winning stories will be published in our Winter 2019 edition (American Vedantist #76).
Acceptance of these rules
When you enter this competition, that will signify acceptance of all these rules. You entry may be disqualified if you do not comply with our entry requirements.
What is a ‘Spiritual Story’?
Outside of scripture and a lot of mythology, our culture’s spiritual lore, this is a hard category to define. Is it a story about gods and goddesses? Probably, but not certainly. Is it about human beings grappling with the spiritual aspects of life-changing events? We’re getting warmer. Yet, dance around the definition as we may, it remains elusive. So, we’ve decided the best way to give you some idea of what we mean, is by example. Here are four very different stories, which include but do not limit what we’re looking for (links open in new tab/window):