Register online

The Studios of Key West has always embraced the Art of the Word – poetry, prose, playwriting – as an important part of our mission. Once again this year, we’re offering a writing competition inspired by National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org) which sponsors an international month-long novel writing project in November. Our contest, which begins on Wednesday, May 15 and runs through June 5, is called ‘Writes of Spring’.

TSKW will begin accepting registrations at 11am on Thursday, May 9 online, in person in the program office, and by telephone at 305-296-0458, and all participants must register and be confirmed by TSKW staff in advance of the May 15 start date.

Please find registration information at the bottom of this page. Registration is limited to 25 persons – first come, first served — and is open only to residents of Monroe County (including part-time residents). A fee of $25 to cover program costs will be required.

If you join us…

• You’ll meet for an orientation session at The Studios on Wednesday, May 15 at 6pm. Experienced writers will share their thoughts on how you get started, and fertilize your ideas. You’ll also be assigned a serial number so that your work can be submitted to judges with anonymity.

• You’ll be given the topic for the competition, not a constraining theme but a provocative phrase/concept to help get you focused.

• You’ll turn in a work of 2,500 to 10,000 words (that’s approximately 10-40 double-spaced pages, 6-25 book pages) three weeks later, Wednesday, June 5 by 4pm.

• The submissions will be judged by a panel of experienced, published writers, and awards will be presented at a public ceremony in mid-June.

• First Prize will be a full scholarship to the Second Session of the 2014 Key West Literary Seminar “The Dark Side, Final Chapter” – January 16-19, 2014. (a $575 value — see www.kwls.org for more info). Four Runners-up Prizes of scholarships to workshops at The Studios and gift certificates to local restaurants.

• With permission from the writers (optional) the winners will be published online at www.tskw.org.

* The 2014 scholarship was generously donated by David and Lynn Kaufelt.