Pen to Pandemic

Pen to Pandemic: A short story competition in the time of COVID-19

The East Greenbush Community Library, in partnership with the Town of East Greenbush and the Hart Cluett Museum, is hosting a short story competition.

Here are the competition rules:

  • You must be at least 18 years of age.
  • The story must be a work of fiction set in Rensselaer County during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • Word count must be between 1,500 to 2,000 words.
  • Any genre.
  • Email submissions to pentopandemic@eglibrary.org in .doc or .pdf format by March 15, 2021.
  • All stories must be previously unpublished, original stories.

 Pen to Pandemic Flyer

The Details

  • Judging will be done by a joint committee.
  • Two winning short story submissions will be chosen. We will choose one winner each from the 18- to 49-year-old age group and 50 and older group.
  • We will accept a total of 50 entries.
  • One entry will be accepted per person. 
  • Typed submissions are due March 15, 2021 to pentopandemic@eglibrary.org. 
  • We will notify winners by May 1, 2021.

All entrants will need to indicate that they have read and agree to this Consent to Publish upon registration.  Click on the arrow to expand.

Consent to Publish

  1. The Author grants East Greenbush Community Library the sole and exclusive license of the full copyright in the Story until August 2021, which license the East Greenbush Community Library (Publisher) hereby accepts. Consequently, the Publisher shall have the exclusive right publish the Story, in whole or in part, including, without limitation, any abridgement and substantial part thereof, in book form and in any other form including, internet until August 2021.
  2. The Author warrants and represents that the Story does not infringe upon any copyright or other right(s), and that it does not contain infringing, libelous, obscene or other unlawful matter, that he/she/they is the sole and exclusive owner of the rights herein conveyed to Publisher. The Author will indemnify the Publisher for, and hold the Publisher harmless from any loss, expense, or damage occasioned by, any claim or suit by a third party for copyright infringement or arising out of any breach of the foregoing warranties as a result of publication of the Story. The Story shall be delivered to the Publisher free of copyright charges.
  3. The Author guarantees that the Story has not been previously published elsewhere.
  4. The Author declares that any person named as co-author is aware of the fact and has agreed to being so named.
  5. As a courtesy, The Publisher would like to be notified if the Author(s) reprints the Story in any public format.
  6. The Publisher confirms that the following rights are reserved to the Author
    • The right after the publication to take over the Story free of charge after August 2021, in whole or in part, in a compilation of own works in print, such as a collection or own articles and/or lectures.
    •  
    • The right after publication to quote the Story and/or build on the content of the Story. The Author retains rights to the characters featured in the Story.
    • The right to reproduce the Story in a limited number of copies for the sole purpose of private practice.
    • The right to include the Story in a collection as support to lectures and presentation given by the Author.
    • The right to make announcements of the Story public in relevant circles.

We will host a public reading for the winners to read their stories and publish their work. 

This contest has ended. Stories will be judged by language and style, originality of ideas and how you have created a snapshot of time. It is essential that COVID-19 and Rensselaer County are used in the story. Stories that do not follow the criteria will be disqualified. 

Local Partners: 

  • The Town of East Greenbush
  • The Hart Cluett Museum (formerly Rensselaer County Historical Society) 
  • East Greenbush Community Library 

Judges: 

  • Roberta (Bobbie) Reno, East Greenbush Town Historian
  • Kathy T. Sheehan, County & City Historian at the Hart Cluett Museum
  • Frankie Y. Bailey: Professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Albany (SUNY) and published author
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