International Essay Contest - The Defining Theme of Our Age

Publish Date: Nov 08, 2015

Deadline: Nov 30, 2015

Throughout human history, different periods have been captured by a defining theme: the Dark Ages… the Industrial Age… the Nuclear Age… the Information Age… the Space Age, etc.

What do you think the theme of the 21st century will be?

The age of connections? Rebirth of faith? Clash of civilizations? Age of the internet? Rise of fundamentalism? Interstellar travel? Gender equality? Human trafficking? WW III? Artificial intelligence? Genetics? Cooperation? Competition? Spiritual revolution? Secularism? Values? Ethics? …

You may include as many topics as you think are relevant; the possibilities seem endless.

One may feel it is too early to determine the theme of what is still a new century. Yet, we believe it can prove useful to project the future and to be prepared for the coming days. Maybe, with enough preparation, it’s even possible to change the course of history before it’s too late!

So, look around and gaze into the horizon. Travel to the future and bring back some news.

Essays are expected to be factual, but with an inspirational style that will feed both our reason and soul.

Deadline for submissions: November 30, 2015

• Contest open to all writers worldwide
• Essay word count must be between 1,500 and 2,500 words
• Essays must be submitted through the essay contest page at www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest

1st Place - $1,500
2nd Place - $750
3rd Place - $300
Two Honorable Mentions - $200 each
 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

THEME
What qualifies a good essay?
An essay that you feel your heart rests more comfortably on. The more concise an essay, the more acceptable it is. Its authenticity and uniqueness, and how elaborately you put your theme into words so that others are inspired from it.

REFERENCES

Do we have to include references, bibliography, notes, etc. as in an academic journal?
The Fountain is not a journal. Thus, we do not expect a full scale reference list for all the information you provide. But, we encourage contributors to provide at least a reasonable number of references (not more than four or five) especially for the arguments borrowed from other sources, as it would make your work more reliable. If the kind of information you provide needs citation, please provide it; but essays with lengthy references are not preferred. Some reference and recommendations for further reading may help readers who are interested in the essay. "Accuracy of data" is expected in essays in which information provided needs sourcing. An essay based on personal experience does not require citation, and it is equally acceptable.

WORD COUNT
Does the word count limit include the bibliography or just the essay itself?
The Fountain is not a full-scale academic journal, so we expect authors to keep references to a maximum of four or five. Notes can be more. References and notes do not make a big change in word count which is advised to be between 1,500 and 2,500. A range is always necessary to be able to have an objective measure in terms of size.

STYLE
What kind of writing style do you expect? Can we use informal phrases? Is this essay supposed to be a personal opinion piece, or more of a scholarly supported article?
In writing style, we mainly seek consistency. We prefer the Chicago Manual of Style, but if you are more familiar with another style, that is also acceptable. Some informal usage can be OK in a certain essay, but not in another. It is basically the author’s call.

Would an essay in the short story genre qualify for the contest?

As long as your theme is skillfully woven through its structure, and if it upholds The Fountain’s values and principles, yes.

PUBLISHING
Are you going to publish submitted essays anywhere?
We might publish submissions in The Fountain, both the print and web editions, even if the essays did not win any prize. By submitting your essay to this contest, you agree that you give permission to The Fountain to publish it in any medium.

NUMBER OF ENTRY
Can I submit more than one essay?
No. One entry per person.

DISQUALIFICATION
What makes an essay disqualified?
Offensive and devotional essays—particularly essays that emphasize superiority of a specific worldview or derogating a specific worldview—will not be considered for the Grand Prize. We define as "devotional" those essays that "propagate" a certain spiritual order, a religious denomination, a spiritual leader, or a political activist, etc. in a way that subordinates all other faiths and traditions. Such submissions will be disqualified.

EVALUATION
Who will determine the winners? Can you explain more specifically what you are looking for in a winner?
The winners will be determined by our board who will decide according to the literary effectiveness of the essay in reflecting the philosophy behind the motto, richness in content, and authenticity.

All submitted essays will be evaluated using the following criteria.

  1. Relevance to the contest theme (40 points)
  2. Innovation & creativity (30 points)
  3. Writing style and structure (30 points)

SUBMISSION
How am I going to submit my essay?
Go to the “submit your entry” link on the right. After filling out the form, attach your document and send it.

DEADLINE
When is the last day for submissions?
November 30.

WINNERS
When will the winners be announced?
January 30.

ELIGIBILITY
Who is eligible to participate in this contest?
There is no age limit or a condition to fulfill for entry. The contest is open to all who want to share his or her ideas with us.

PREVIOUS CONTESTS
I was wondering if you had run this contest before and had examples of previous works that had been selected as a winner.
We have run a few essay contests before. You may check out www.last72.com for the theme and winners of one of such contests.


This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest

Similar Opportunities


Disciplines

Writing

Opportunity Types

Awards

Eligible Countries

International

Event Types

Contest