Pet-related poetry and short stories—Sid Korpi, author of “Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss,” and the hosts of Dog Works Radio, Dr. Robert & Michelle Forto, announce the next Petlitzer Prize writing contest, Pet-related Persuasive Essays. Deadline for entries is March 15, 2011.
The Petlitzer Prize contest was created by Sid Korpi to recognize quality literary works for writers who specialize in writing about animals/pets. “It”s the pet writers” Pulitzer,” says Korpi, herself a multiple-award-winning author for her book, “Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss,” and a professional writer and editor with more than 20 years” experience. “The Fortos were kind enough to partner with me so that winners of the contests can have their works aired live online at Dog Works Radio, the professional dog training duo”s popular Blog Talk Radio show.”
A panel of pet experts judges each entry, and winners are chosen by majority vote. Winners receive a certificate of award and first place receives a beautiful medal.
Guidelines for submission: Get out your soap boxes! For this round of the competition, we want you to take a stand on some pet-related topic and write a 500-or-fewer-word essay meant to persuade a general audience to your point of view. Think of these as sort of “Letters to the Editor.” Controversial topics are OK as long as your arguments are sound and based in logic. (No lapsing into profanity and/or name-calling.) Don’t assume everyone automatically accepts your premise. Instead, write as though you’re persuading someone who likely doesn’t agree with you. Supporting your argument with facts when possible can be a plus.
Some hypothetical questions to get you thinking are:
• Do you have a plan to reduce the number of feral cats/stray dogs in your area?
• Do you support rescue over breeding, or vice versa?
• Are vets over-vaccinating our pets, or, conversely, are vaccines vital to our pets’ health?
• What is your stance on the designer dog phenomenon?
• Should you feed your dogs a raw food diet?
• Should animal blessings be sanctioned by the Church?
• Should there be pet funeral homes, and if so, should they be located within humans’ funeral homes or kept separate?
• Should more businesses and public transportation allow pets, as they do in European countries? etc., etc. etc.
You get the idea. (Note: You are NOT limited to one of these topics, although you’re welcome to write about any one of them if you wish.)
Please keep the length within 500 words. Going over will result in your submission being sent back to you for editing.
For more information, visit http://goodgriefpetloss.wordpress.com/petlitzer-prize-ro ….
About the Petlitzer Prize contest: Award-winning author Sid Korpi began this contest in 2010 to acknowledge the work of pet-related writers.
Source: PRLog
