Each year the Lakefield Literary Festival awards six teen writers for their work in fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Winners will receive $100 and see their work published in The Peterborough Examiner and online in the Young Writers Contest Ebook.

The rules:

1. Writers can enter through their schools or by mailing in their entry on their own.

2. There are two divisions: Junior (Grades 9, 10) and Senior (Grades 11, 12).

3. Genres are fiction prose, non-fiction prose and poetry. Writers are free to choose their topic and subject. Literary critiques and journalism assignments are not accepted. Writers can enter only one piece in each category.

4. Entries must be entirely original and suitable for copywright. Avoid using trade names in the piece. Quotations and paraphrases must be attributed.

5. Entries must be 500-1,000 words in length (with a few words either way acceptable). Take time to revise and review before submitting.

6. The title page must be a separate first sheet with name, grade, name of teacher, name of school, writer’s address, telephone number and whether the entry is fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Include an email address if possible.

7. Submit four copies of each entry.

8. The deadline is 6 p.m. on Friday, May 10. Entries can be handed in to teachers or mailed to Young Writers at the Lakefield Literary Festival, Box 1114, Lakefield, Ont., K0L 2H0.

9. Prizes go to best fiction, best non-fiction and best poetry, in senior and junior divisions, six prizes in all. Each winner receives $100 at an awards ceremony at the Lakefield Literary Festival on July 13.