Teens Sought For Bucks Co. High School Short Fiction Contest

NEWTOWN, PA — Bucks County Community College is seeking entries for its fourth annual Bucks County High School Short-Fiction Contest, college officials announced Monday.

The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 who live in or attend high school in Bucks County, including home-schooled students.

Students can enter one original short story that’s never been published, including in online blogs or online publications. Fan fiction, which includes stories based on existing books, movies, or other media, will not be considered. Stories may be six to ten pages, or about 1,450 to 2,400 words, double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins.

Elizabeth Luciano, a language and literature professor at BCCC who launched the contest in 2018, said the college has played an active role in the creative writing community through the High School Poet of the Year and Bucks County Poet Laureate contests.

“This project adds to that synergy by encouraging high school fiction writers from throughout the county," Luciano said.

Admission is free with $200 awarded to first place, $100 to second place and $50 for third place. The winners will be honored at a celebratory reading hosted virtually by BCCC at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, on the college's YouTube channel.

Entries must be submitted electronically by noon Thursday, March 25. Complete contest rules and a link to the online entry form are at www.bucks.edu/ShortFictionContestHS.

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