VSA Call for Writing
capture
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The Theme - capture
Photographs are a way to capture a moment in time, but they leave many questions unanswered. Where was the photo taken? Who are the people? What is happening? Descriptive writing, however, can provide a reader with a more complete picture. The writer crafts a story and invites the reader to experience the moment through rich imagery.
The theme for the 2011 VSA Call for Writing is capture, which invites you to create a short work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that captures a moment in time. Your writing will create the most complete description possible of the moment, providing the reader with a written snapshot.
Consider describing a significant time or event in your life by focusing on what you could see, hear, smell, or touch. Provide details so that the reader can better understand the moment. You may also approach the theme by capturing a scene from your imagination. Through vivid descriptions, your written snapshot should draw the reader into the world you have created.
Submissions will be judged on creativity, technical proficiency, adherence to the theme, and presence of personal style and vision. The selected pieces will become part of the VSA online writing journal, Infinite Difference. The following is an example of a previous submission:
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Mercy Before he has a chance to open his mouth, I inhale and hold the moment there in my chest. I will remember the taste of hot metal on my tongue, I tell myself, because I have always nibbled on my cheek when I get nervous, just like my dad does when he concentrates. I will remember the musk of his aftershave, though I’ve been too ignorant to ever take note of the brand name. I must hold it all in, from the rusty color of my father’s hair to freckles on his forearms, because as soon as the surgeon in front of me opens his mouth, everything else will be blown away. (Excerpt from Mercy, selected from the 2007 VSA Call for Writing: A Moment in Time) |
Entry guidelines
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The call is open to students with disabilities and students who have a connection to people with disabilities. Students must be between the ages of 11 and 18 years. Students up to age 21 receiving special education services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or similar legislation in a country outside of the U.S., are eligible to participate.
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Submissions must relate to the theme capture.
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Entries must reach VSA on or before Wednesday, December 1, 2010.
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Writing may be submitted in any language.
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Writing must be original and created by the student submitting the entry. A total of two entries per student are allowed: one fiction or nonfiction piece and one poem. Guidelines for each genre of work are:
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Fiction and nonfiction must not exceed 500 words. Works exceeding this length will not be accepted.
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Poems must not exceed 100 lines. Poems exceeding this length will not be accepted. Poems intended for song lyrics are acceptable.
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Alternate formats for texts, such as audio recordings or Braille, are welcome.
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Writing, video, and audio tape submissions become the property of VSA and will not be returned. Students should make copies of their submissions before sending them to VSA.
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Each submission must be accompanied by a separate entry form. Entries can be submitted electronically by clicking here or by mail. You may also download an entry form below. Submissions without a completed entry form will be considered ineligible.
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If the author is under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian must grant VSA the right to use writing submissions for public relations purposes, including, but not limited to, the VSA Web site, newsletter, related media, collection books, and exhibitions.
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Entry forms must be signed by the author and parent/guardian for students under 18 years of age. The author’s name and title of work must be on all pieces included in the submission. Please note that if you are under 18 years of age and submit an entry form online, your parent/guardian is required to verify his/her approval. Please plan on submitting your entry when your parent/guardian is available. If you change computers, you will not be able to access the information previously submitted and will need to retype the information again.
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Alternative Formats or Questions? If you would like an alternative format of this brochure, or have any questions regarding the Call for Writing, please contact Melissa Del Rios at: 1-800-933-8721
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Submitting Entries
Submit your entry:
By visiting:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011CallforWriting
or
Download an entry form and send it to:
VSA—Call for Writing
818 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
USA
or
Entries must be received by Wednesday, December 1, 2010.
Teachers: Use the Call for Writing in Your Classroom!
The VSA Call for Writing can be the catalyst for a lesson on writing. It is an opportunity to draw out the expressive minds of students of all abilities through the written word. Teachers can easily connect instruction with national language arts standards, which are generally comparable to local and state standards. The Call for Writing’s theme of capturing a moment in time can help teachers address the following standards from the National Council of Teachers of English’s The Standards for the English Language Arts:
#4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
#5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
#6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
#9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
#10. Students whose first language is not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum.
#11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
#12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes.
Free Writing Tools for Educators and Parents
VSA has compiled a series of writing guides (Let the Light In, Real Stuff that Matters, and Opening Up the Sky) for educators who desire to learn more about using creative writing to promote inclusive learning environments. These books offer concrete, simple, and adaptive lesson ideas and writing exercises with practical tips for working with students with disabilities. They are available online under Resources for Educators and Parents.
Para ver la Convocatoria al Concurso de Redacción en español, haga clic aquí.
Para envíar su entrega, visite http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011CallforWriting_es
Pour lire la demande de textes en français, veuillez cliquer ici.
Pour soumettre votre oeuvre, visitez http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011CallforWriting_fr
Download the call in Arabic.
(F) 202-429-0868