Are you interested in writing and money? You can possibly have both by entering the 2013 Betty Creative Writing competition.

Dr. Stafford Betty, a professor at CSUB, has been donating the money for each of the awards for the last three years. Betty said, “The writing contest was something that was needed, and I’m happy to donate the prize money.”

For all three subject areas the awards are as follows: first place $500, second place $300, and third place $200.

“We have an awards ceremony in May, and it is very nicely done. It gives the students a chance to bring their parents and show off what they accomplished in a formal setting”, said Betty.

The subject areas are poetry, short stories, or dramas. By submitting your writing you are given the opportunity to have your original writing read and honored. David Aliaga, an English major at CSUB, said, “It is nice to be able to write something that isn’t assigned by a professor, and to not have to worry if it will get a good grade or not.”

Each of the submissions will be judged by members of the English department faculty. “The submissions will be judged blindly, which is essential to the entire process, that way the judges will have no idea who wrote the submissions being judged so there will not be any bias,” said Betty.

“I hope that anyone who wants to enter the contest will, it is not just for English or Journalism majors, it is for anyone who wants to write creatively,” said Betty.

The entries are due April 5, 2013, no later than 5 p.m.. They can be submitted directly to Dr. Emerson Case, whose office is located in Faculty Towers 204B. You may also mail your submissions to   Dr. Emerson Case Department of English, California State University, Bakersfield 10F 9001 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311, per the flyer on CSUB’s web-page.

According to the flyer, located on the CSUB web-page, each submission must have the Betty Creative Writing application with it, along with three hard copies of the poem/drama/short story. The entries must have an original title, and each of the three copies should have the title on the first page, but no other identifying information such as the author’s name. The submissions must be written by someone who is currently enrolled at CSUB as an undergraduate or graduate student, and the work may not be previously published.

“This would not be possible without the much appreciated generosity given from Dr. Stafford Betty. Thanks to him this opportunity is open to students to show off their creative writing and be rewarded for it” said Aliaga.

You can find the application along with the specific detail regarding the rules at this website.  http://www.csub.edu/EnglishClub/Betty_Awards_Application_2013.htm