Reposting from LibraryJournal
Together with the Louisville Public Library and BiblioBoard, We’re celebrating the national expansion of the GonzoFest Literary Contest — and invite all public libraries, their independent authors, and writer communities to enter a single piece of literary nonfiction journalism in the tradition of the late Hunter S. Thompson.
Has there ever been a more suitable time than 2018 for fire-honed and razor-edged journalism in the tradition of the late Hunter S. Thompson?
To encourage such work, and to honor our hometown hero Thompson’s memory, the directors of the annual GonzoFest Louisville event invite writers and artists from all corners of the world to enter a single piece of literary nonfiction journalism and art of any kind to enter this year’s literary and art contests.
There is no type of story preferred over another — so long as it’s true, and interesting. The emphasis will be on the quality of the writing, and the significance of the story it tells.
Entries between 1,250 and 2,000 words are encouraged. They must be unpublished non-fiction, based on the author’s original reporting, observations or insights. Please include a cover page containing the author’s name, address, and contact information — as well as a brief statement attesting to the entry’s originality.
Entries must be submitted via the Literary Contest Portal.
All 2018 literary submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 28, 2018.
The winning entry will be considered for publication in the GonzoFest edition of the Louisville Eccentric Observer, Louisville’s venerable alternative weekly. The author will also be honored during the festival, and receive a $1,000 cash prize, thanks to contest sponsor BiblioBoard. BiblioBoard is a community engagement platform for libraries, helping the library connect with and distribute works from local writers, journalists, musicians, artists, filmmakers and other cultural partners. Also supporting the contest as BiblioBoard’s Media Partner is Library Journal, which will feature the winning entry on its website. Library Journal is the most trusted and respected publication for the library community.
The judges, which include prominent journalists from across the U.S. and Europe, encourage work that is reported with a keen eye for detail and written in a bold and elegant style, as Thompson’s best work was. The judges for 2018 will be posted soon.
Questions:
Michael Lindenberger
Gonzo Festival Literary Contest coordinator
The Dallas Morning News
mlindenberger@dallasnews.com.
