The Topics and themes for the contest have been announced. Please Visit  012: Annual ManipalBlog Writing contest.

Please note: Entries are no longer being accepted!

For the complete list of Accepted entries Click here.

After Illuminati 2011 received a good response,with 90 poems and 19 short stories,we announce the second edition of the ManipalBlog annual short story and poetry contest – Illuminati 2012.

We encourage student writers (others are welcome to send in their entries as well)  in India to explore and celebrate their talents by sending in their new, untried work. Writers may try their hand in both the categories:  Short Story and Poetry.

Illuminati 2012: the 2nd ManipalBlog Annual short story and poetry contest

012 and  12:00 AM 1st June 2012. The entries will be published online at Manipalblog.com, on 1st June 2012 and one month will be given for our readers to appreciate and vote for them. Results will be announced on 15th August 2012 !

1. Eligibility:

• The contest is open to all residents in India.
• Only original, unpublished, fictional short stories of 1500 words or less and written in English without profanity are eligible.
• Multiple entries in each category are allowed.
• Each article must contain solely the entrant’s original ideas and language. Your submission of the article and entry form is your guarantee that you are the sole author and copyright holder of the article.
• Entrants under the age of 18 may enter only with the permission of their parent or guardian.
• Administrators, Editors and Family members of ManipalBlog.com are not eligible to enter.

2. Restrictions: Entries may not be submitted for publication or published elsewhere (either digitally or in print). Incomplete or illegible entries and entries that do not meet the Eligibility standards in these official rules may be disqualified.

3. Short story requirements

• Be between 1000 to 2000 words.
• Be on the topic or theme provided.
• Be written in the English language.
• Be wholly the original work of the entrant, written solely by the entrant.
• Not be copied from any other source.
• Not have been previously broadcast or otherwise distributed or disseminated in any media or format.
• Not be in the public domain.
• Not be in violation of or in conflict with the trademark, copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity or any other rights, of any kind or nature, of any other person or entity.
• Not include any language or other content that is inappropriate, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise unfit for dissemination or broadcast, as determined by ManipalBlog.com in its sole discretion.
• Meet the deadline.

4. Poetry requirements

• No single poem should exceed 60 lines.
• Both metered and free verse qualify, as well as prose poems that are so designated by the poet are accepted.
• Be on the topic or theme provided.
• Be written in the English language.
• Be wholly the original work of the entrant, written solely by the entrant.
• Not be copied from any other source.
• Not have been previously broadcast or otherwise distributed or disseminated in any media or format.
• Not be in the public domain.
• Not be in violation of or in conflict with the trademark, copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity or any other rights, of any kind or nature, of any other person or entity.
• Not include any language or other content that is inappropriate, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise unfit for dissemination or broadcast, as determined by ManipalBlog.com in its sole discretion.
• Meet the deadline.

Entries not satisfying these criteria in any respect will be disqualified. If ManipalBlog.com, in its sole discretion, has reason to believe that any entry contains any material that may infringe or violate any law or any rights of a third party, or that the use or broadcast of such entry in the manner described herein may infringe or violate any law or any rights of a third party, ManipalBlog.com may immediately disqualify such entry

5. How to Enter: There is NO FEE to enter this contest. Follow these steps to enter:

• Visit www.manipalblog.com/illuminati2012 (Link will be activated on 1st May 2012 at 12:00 am)
• Complete the contest entry form at the above link, and attach the word/.txt document and click on the submit form button.
• The entries must be received by 11:59pm on May 31st, 2012. The link will be inactive thereafter.
• By submitting a story entry, the entrant grants to ManipalBlog.com:
  • The right to edit the Story for grammar, spelling and punctuation; and
  • A non-exclusive, assignable, perpetual, license to produce, publish, distribute, transmit, exhibit, exploit, and license the Story and any portions thereof in any format (collectively “distribute” or “distribution,” as applicable) by any and all means, uses and media, whether audio, print, audiovisual or otherwise, now or hereafter known, throughout the universe in all languages without financial compensation.
• Incomplete or illegible entries may be disqualified.

6. Judging and Awards

• Like last year, we will be having prizes in the popular choice and critics choice categories for both short stories and poetry.
• The popular choice awards will be based on the traffic, Facebook ‘Likes’ and Tweets the short story/ poem generates between 1st June 2012 and 1st July 2012.
• Critics choice awards will be based on the scoring by our judging Panel.  The judging panel may include: teaching professionals, librarians, children’s author, illustrators, and editors. Judging will begin on July 2, 2010 and the winners will be announced on or about August 15th, 2010 at the website www.manipalblog.com . The decisions of the judges are final and binding.
• Certificates will be given away to all the participants via mail or in person if they live in Manipal/Mangalore.
• Cash prizes for first place , second place , and third place  will be offered in each of the categories (short stories and poetry).
• 5 entries in each category will receive online gift vouchers.
• There will be separate awards for popular and critics choice winners.
• Prizes will be awarded in Cash (If based in Manipal/Mangalore) or via Bank transfer only! We will not be mailing cheques or Demand Drafts to the winners.
• ManipalBlog.com reserves the right to refuse to award prizes in any category if the entries are considered to be of insufficient merit.

Entries that do not follow all of these instructions will be disqualified. The Topics/ Themes for the contest will be announced on 24th April 2012. Join us on Facebook or follow us on twitter @manipalblog to be kept informed about this contest. Do spread the word among your colleagues and participate in large numbers!

For any queries please mail to contests@manipalblog.com with Illuminati 2012 as the subject line.