Signifyin’ Guyana announces short story competition

Over the years I’ve heard a lot of talk in the Caribbean about the importance of giving tangible support to writers, especially young, emerging ones. The intention usually doesn’t go much further than talk. So I say Bravo! to Charmaine Valere at the Signifyn’ Guyana blog, who has decided to host a short story competition for “Guyanese writers living in Guyana”–details announced yesterday. The deadline is 1 April, 2009 (no, that doesn’t mean the whole thing is an elaborate April Fool’s prank), and the prizes are not to be sniffed at–US$500 for the first-place winner, for example, plus publication in a location still to be announced. (I have just a small qualm about the whole thing–which is the six-hundred-word limit for entries. That will certainly make life easier for the judge or judges, but I wish writers had the freedom to submit works of greater scope.) I hope Signifyn’ Guyana is flooded with entries, and I’m looking forward to reading the winning stories. Guyanese writers: get writing!