THE DRAPERS GUILD
PERPETUAL SHORT STORY CONTEST Has been Terminated (Except in mathematics, “perpetual,” is just a euphemism for “continuous” or “continually recurring.”) Writers who submitted stories to the Ninth Drapers Guild Short Story Contest have been notified of the fact, or soon will be, and their entry fees have been or soon will be refunded. Winning stories in Contests One through Eight may still be read on our website Winners of Previous Contests First Drapers Guild Short Story Contest Hello, Massage by Vasil Tuchkov Second Drapers Guild Short Story Contest Lovers and Boyfriends by Michelle Harris Third Drapers Guild Short Story Contest European Union by Cosima Armstrong Fourth Drapers Guild Short Story Contest A Boy Gone South by Nathanial Trost Fifth Drapers Guild Short Story Contest Rex and His Purty Girl by Philip O'Melia Sixth Drapers Guild Short Story Contest My Mind Is A Dark Place by Bethany Bartrum Seventh Drapers Guild Short Story Contest First Prize: No Bags by J. Cade Keith Second Prize: Wrong by Namrael Dawde Eighth Drapers Guild Short Story Contest Nobody Tells a Story by Dean Gessie |
From Samuel Reifler: Thanks to all the writers who, over the years, submitted their work to the The Drapers Guild Perpetual Short Story Contest. The two criteria I used to judge your stories were: First—the story must draw me in enough for me to want to read it to the end. Second—among the stories I did finish reading, which gave me the most delight. The stories I was called on to read improved greatly after we narrowed the contest down to “A Story about a Stranger.” I would like to think that by imposing this limitation, one or two of our writers were weaned away from the common but disastrously mistaken notion that writing is self-expression, and came to understand that the aim of all writing that is intended for publication is to commune with its readers. ~ E-Mails from Samuel Reifler Hi, Denk, Sorry to tell you this but, because of the cicadas, I must, as of this moment, relinquish the privilege of being the judge for the The Drapers Guild Perpetual Short Story Contest. I hate to leave you in the lurch but, considering the circumstances, I'm sure you understand. Cheers, Sam When I asked Mr. Reifler to elaborate, I received this reply: Hi, Denk, According to Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary, “A cicada is a small creature with an incorporated megaphone which attaches itself to a tree, then loudly and incessantly laments the miserable situation it has gotten itself into. If it's alright with you, could you fit the "thank you" that follows into the Short Story Contest website. Cheers, Sam |