Reminder – Entries Due 6/15 for 2013 ISFHWE Writing Competition

Don’t forget to submit your entries for the 2013 International Society of Family History Writers and Editors Excellence in Writing Competition.  Submissions are due by June 15, 2013.  Both ISFHWE members and non-members are allowed to enter the competition.

Here are the categories for this year (note, there are some changes from previous years):

• Category I - Columns. This is for columns of original content published on a regular basis, in any medium, published in 2012. Entries should consist of two columns, each submitted as a single file, and must be shorter than 2,000 words. These are entries from the author’s regular column, not features.
• Category II – Articles. These one-time articles (not part of the author’s column) must have been published in 2012 in a journal, magazine, newsletter, blog, or website. Entries cannot exceed 5,000 words.
• Category III – Genealogy Newsletters. This category is for society or family association newsletters published in 2012. Entries should consist of two issues, each submitted as a single file in PDF format. The judging will be based on originality, content, visual appeal, writing and editing quality, and accuracy. The award is to the editor of the publication.
• Category IV – Unpublished Authors. Entrants in this category aspire to be published writers or columnists in the field of genealogy, family or local history. The submissions in this category are original and unpublished, between 500 and 2,000 words.
• Category V – Unpublished material by Published Authors. This category is for original unpublished genealogically-related articles by previously published authors. Entries should be between 500 and 3,000 words.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category.  Winners will be announced at 2013 FGS Conference in August.

Complete details, including rules, judging criteria, entry fees, and the entry form, can be found here (will open a PDF file).

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

Entries Are Being Accepted for the 2013 Dallas Genealogical Society Writing Contest

Submissions for the Dallas Genealogical Society 2013 Writing Competition are due by August 31, 2013.  You do not have to be a DGS member to enter and the articles do not necessarily have to be about Dallas genealogy.

Articles are to be 1,500-5,000 words in length, unpublished, and should fall into one of the following categories:

• basic and advanced methodologies and case studies (not limited by geography)
• family histories and genealogies, particularly those linked to North Texas, including those who came from or left to settle elsewhere
• historical events in North Texas with a local family connection
• ethnic, house, or military histories related to North Texas

Monetary prizes will be awarded as follows:

• First Place – $500
• Second Place – $300
• Third Place - 150

Winners will be announce at the Annual DGS luncheon in December.

Complete details, including rules and submission guidelines, can be found at the DGS website.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

Winners Announced for the 2012 GENEii Family History Writers Contest

A big congratulations to all the winners of the Southern California Genealogical Society’s 2012 GENEii Family History Writers Contest.  Below is the list of winners in each of the two contest categories.  Each of the winning entries will be published in The Searcher, which is the quarterly journal of SCGS.

Category 1 (1,000 to 2,000 words)

First Place	Ben Chinoy
Second Place	Janice Preston Horton
Third Place	Linda Gartz
Finalist	Sylvia Ney
Honorable Mention	Virginia McGee Butler
Honorable Mention	Bonnie Herold

Category 2 (under 1,000)

First Place	Jeffery Cohen
Second Place	Willie Wilburn Walker
Third Place	Joyce Roberson
Finalist	Donna Gagnon
Honorable Mention	Mary E. Nelson
Honorable Mention	Peggy Spear

Be thinking about entries for the 2013 GENEii contest, which will start on November 1, 2013.

Ohio Genealogical Society–6th Annual Writing Competition

January 1, 2013 kicked off the 6th Annual Writing Competition sponsored by the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS).  Entries will be accepted through February 28, 2013. 

Both OGS members and non-members are able to compete.  Only unpublished entries are eligible and must fit the criteria of either the Ohio Genealogical Society Quarterly or the Ohio Genealogical Society News.  All of the competition details can be found on the OGS website.

Dallas Genealogical Society Announces Winners of 2012 Writing Contest

A few days ago, the Dallas Genealogical Society announced the winners of the 2012 Writing Contest that was held earlier this year.  Below is the press release that was issued. 

As soon as I get the details for the 2013 contest, I will post them on this blog.

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Dallas, TX—December 17, 2012—The Dallas Genealogical Society presented the winners of their 2012 Writing Contest with certificates of recognition and prize checks at their Annual Awards Luncheon on December 8, 2012.  Among the judges reviewing the contest entries was J. Mark Lowe, a professional genealogist.

The winners are:

First Place – $500

“Francis A. Claridge (1824-1887)” by Karen Claridge Walker (DGS member)

Karen is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She worked two years in the Tulsa City/County Library Genealogy Center; and is a serious amateur genealogist.  The article is about Karen’s paternal great-great-grandfather, to whom she said “she is grateful for having such an interesting life about which to write.”

Second Place – $300

“Bailing, Bigamy, and Brother Love: the Family of Henry Parker and Nancy Black” by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG^SM

Debbie Parker Wayne is a full-time genealogist experienced using laws and DNA analysis, as well as more traditional techniques, for genealogical research. Debbie is a Trustee for the BCG Education Fund, a board member and Advocacy Chair of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), president of the Lone Star Chapter of APG, and Texas State Genealogical Society’s DNA Project Director. She is part of the core staff at Angelina College Genealogy Conference and was the featured speaker on DNA at the Texas General Land Office’s 2011 Save Texas History Symposium.  Her website is at http://debbiewayne.com.

Third Prize (tie) – $150

“Sarah Luse Larimer (1836-1913): Indian Captive, Photographer, and Business Woman” by Loretta Luce Evans, AG^®

Loretta Evans, AG^® , is a freelance writer and lecturer with over 30 years of genealogical experience. Accredited in Midwestern United States research, she is a graduate of the National Institute on Genealogical Research in Washington, DC, and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Her writings have appeared in a number of magazines, including Crossroads, Ancestry, Everton’s Genealogical Helper, Heritage Quest, the Genealogical Journal, and Ohio Records and Pioneer Families. Loretta has served as a Commissioner and as Public Relations Committee Chairman for the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. Loretta recently spent almost two years as a volunteer for FamilySearch in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Third Prize (tie) – $150

“Chronology of Land Lot 128, District 20, Baldwin (Morgan) County, Georgia And How It Led to Polly Ware’s Maiden Name” by Barbara A. Ware (DGS Member and IT Administrator)

Barbara A. Ware is a third generation Texan.  She has been an active genealogist for 20 years, a member of the Dallas Genealogical Society board several times, and has worked on a number of transcription projects to make Dallas county records available.  Her family research activities have taken her to most of the Southern states, England and Italy.

Entries Due 12/31 for 2012 GENEii Family History Writing Contest

Just a reminder that submissions for the 13th Annual Southern California Genealogical Society GENEii^SM Family History Writing Contest are due by December 31, 2012.  You do not have to be a member of SCGS to enter, nor does your submission have to relate to California.  Entries must be family or local history articles, which may or may not have been previously published.  The length of the article will determine the category it fits in: 

Category 1 1,000-2,000 words	Category 2 Less than 1,000 words
Prizes 1st Place - $200 2nd Place - $100 3rd Place - $50	Prizes 1st Place - $100 2nd Place - $50 3rd Place - $25

Winners will be notified by May 1, 2013.  Winning entries may be published in SCGS’s quarterly, their website, or an anthology of winners.

For complete rules and how to enter, visit http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/geneii/overview.html.

Good luck!

Changes for the ISFHWE Writing Competition in 2013

I took a few minutes today to review the details of the 2013 International Society of Family History Writers and Editors Excellence in Writing Competition.  Right off the bat I noticed a few changes that I think people will be interested in learning about.

• The word limit for Category I “Columns” has been increased to 2,000 (was previously 1,000).
  
• The “rules” for Category II “Articles” now specify that submissions from blogs are acceptable (this was previously “implied” as a website).
  
• Category III, which was previously “Genealogy Research Story,” has been replaced by “Genealogy Newsletters.”  This is for society or family association newsletters.
  
• Category IV has been renamed to “Unpublished Authors,” and the word limit has been changed to between 500 and 2,000 (1,000 was previously the max).

Submissions for the writing competition will be accepted starting January 1, 2013, with a deadline of June 15, 2013.  Both ISFHWE members and non-members are allowed to enter the competition.

Complete details, including rules, judging criteria, entry fees, and the entry form, can be found here (will open a PDF file).

2012 Root Cellar Family History Writing Contest

Submissions are due October 1, 2012 for the Root Cellar Family History Writing Contest sponsored by the Sacramento Genealogical Society (SGS).  You do not need to be a member of the society and entries do not have to related to Sacramento or California.  According to the rules:

“The subject matter of the entries is to be family history or local-history stories, memoirs, or character sketches. Entries should be between 500 and 2,000 words in length. How-to articles or articles about the research process would not be acceptable for this contest.”

Winners will receive an assortment of prizes.  First place prizes include a six-month Ancestry.com membership, a copy of Family Tree Maker 2012, and a SGS membership.  Visit their website for complete rules and submission guidelines.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

Ontario Genealogical Society – Keffer Writing Contest

Entries for the Keffer Writing Contest, sponsored by the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) are due November 1, 2012.  The contest, which is open to OGS members, awards four cash prizes ranging from $25 to $100.  Winning entries are also featured in the OGS journal Families.  Entries should be 1,500-2,000 words (including footnotes) and relate to Canada or Ontario genealogy. 

Additional information, including rules and submission instructions, can be found on the OGS website.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

International Society of Family History Writers and Editors 2012 Excellence-in-Writing Competition Winners

I just received word about the winners of this year’s ISFHWE Excellence-in-Writing Competition!  Unfortunately, I was not among the winners this year, but that’s what I get for waiting until the last minute (literally…oh wait, I did that last year too and still took third place!).  Even though I did not place, I’d still like to recognize this year’s winners.  Let’s give them a round of applause!

Category I – Columns

• First - A Big Game for the Big Day – Shelley Bishop
• Second - Newel King, 91^st Ohio Volunteer Infantry – Shelley Bishop
• Third - Wanted: Larger ‘Needles’ – James M. Beidler

Category II – Articles

• First - Blue Collar Breakthroughs – Sunny Morton
• Second - Academic Libraries: A Good Reason to Head Back to Campus – Mary Penner
• Third - An Identity Crisis: Using Indirect Evidence to Prove …. – Debbie Parker Wayne, CG

Category III – Original Research Story

• First - Common Ground – Courtenay O’Bryan Auger
• Second [tie] -The Long and Winding Road: The Search for the Clark Farm – Cheryl Roach
• Second [tie] - James Holmes: He Was Tickled to be Pickled – Marjorie Waterfield

Category IV – Unpublished Author

• First - The Butchers of Marshall Avenue – Carla Love Maitland

Category V – Unpublished Work by Published Author

• First - The Bones of Hobo Hollow – Paul K. Graham
• Second - Ella’s Letter – Nancy Waters Lauer
• Third - Civil War Perils of Springtime – M. Carolyn Steele

The rules for the 2013 competition will be posted at the ISFHWE website soon, but if you happen to be at the FGS Conference, you can stop by the ISFHWE booth (#628) to pick them up.

Genealogy Writing Competition – Dallas Genealogical Society (no, entries do NOT have to be about Dallas!)

Submissions for the Dallas Genealogical Society 2012 Writing Competition are due by September 30, 2012.  You do not have to be a DGS member to enter, and the articles don’t necessarily have to be about Dallas genealogy.

Articles are to be 750-5000 words in length and should fall into the following categories:

• basic and advanced methodologies and case studies (not limited by geography)
• family histories and genealogies, particularly those linked to North Texas, including those who came from or left to settle elsewhere
• transcriptions, abstracts or indexes of record groups (including family records) not yet filmed or digitized that relate to Dallas or North Texas
• ethnic, house, or military histories related to Dallas and surrounding counties

Winning articles will be published in a future DGS publication.  Monetary prizes will also be awarded.  Winners will be announced in December 2012.

Complete details, including rules and submission guidelines, can be found at the DGS website.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

ISFHWE 2012 Excellence in Writing Competition

It’s time for the annual Excellence in Writing Competition sponsored by the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors.  Both ISFHWE members and non-members are eligible to participate.  There are five categories for the competition, and you can enter in more than one category.  The submission deadline is June 3, 2012.

For a complete list of categories, rules, instructions, and the entry form, download the 2012 Excellence in Writing Entry Package (PDF).

Last year, I won 3rd Place in Category 5 (unpublished work by published author), which you can read more about here.

CT Society of Genealogists Literary Awards Contest

The Connecticut Society of Genealogists literary contests are underway.  There are two different contests.  Entries for both contests are due by February 15, 2011.  Winners for both contests will be notified by April 1, 2012.

Tell Your Family Story Essay Contest

This contest is open to anyone; winner receives $250.  Entries must be related to New England and not more than 10 pages (double-spaced).  Entries could include family stories, oral histories, diary/journal excerpts, family histories or traditions, or socioeconomic conditions affecting the life on an ancestor.  These essays must convey how it pertains to the author.  Full contest rules and entry form for this contest are available at http://www.csginc.org/Literary_Files/csg_fledging_essay_2012.pdf.

25th Annual Literary Awards Contest

This contest is open to anyone, the entry fee is $20.  Entries must be related to New England and have been published in the past five years.  Categories for this contest are:

• Genealogy (begins with someone in the past and works forward in time) – Awarded $1,000
• Family History (begins with someone living today or recently and works backward in time) – Awarded $500
• Genealogical Resource (could include cemetery abstracts, compilations, court records, etc.) – Awarded $500

All entries should include a title page, table of contents, and index.  Books should be bound.  CDs are acceptable provided they have a fully searchable and easy-to-follow name index with page numbers.  Full contest rules and entry form for this contest are available at http://www.csginc.org/Literary_Files/csg_contest_entry_2012.pdf.

SCGS 12th Annual Family History Writing Contest

The Southern California Genealogical Society is holding their annual family history writing competition between November 1 and December 31, 2011.  You do not have to be a member of SCGS to enter, nor does your submission have to relate to California.

Entries must be family or local history articles, which may or may not have been previously published.  The length of the article will determine the category it fits in: 

Category 1 1,000-2,000 words Prizes 1st Place - $200 2nd Place - $100 3rd Place - $50

Category 2 Less than 1,000 words Prizes 1st Place - $100 2nd Place - $50 3rd Place - $25

Winners will be notified by May 1, 2012.  Winning entries may be published in SCGS’s quarterly, their website, or an anthology of winners.

For complete rules and how to enter, visit http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/2011contest-cat.htm.

Good luck!

Got Ontario Roots?

I came across yet another writing contest.  This one is the Keffer Writing Contest, sponsored by the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS).  The contest, which is open to OGS members, awards four cash prizes ranging from $25 to $100.  Winning entries are also featured in the OGS journal Families.  Entries should be 1,500-2,000 words (including footnotes) and relate to Canada or Ontario genealogy.  The deadline is November 1, 2011.

Click here for additional information or contact Families editor at familieseditor@ogs.on.ca.

Win a Family History Publishing Package

A 500-word essay about your family history could win you a complete Premium publishing package from Abbot Press, a Family Tree Magazine partner.  The deadline is September 30, but they will only draw the grand prize winner from the first 200 submissions. 

For complete details, rules, and how to enter, click here.

Writers’ Week Writing Contest

Writers of all varieties are invited to participate in the Writers’ Week Writing Contest hosted by Emily Suess at her blog, Suess’s Pieces.  First, second, and third places will be awarded great prizes, including Amazon gift certificates.

Emily has supplied 50 writing prompts to choose from.  To enter, choose one of the prompts and write as much or as little as you like.  You have to post the entry on your blog or website with the official entry badge and provide a link to your entry.

The deadline is Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11:59pm (Eastern).

Refer to Writers’ Week Writing Contest Rules for details on prizes, how to enter, and of course, the writing prompts.