All Bucks County writers who are 18 years of age or older have a chance to win a cash prize in the Bucks County Community College Short Story Contest. Unpublished short stories must be submitted, and the contest winners will receive $200. The contest is also about fostering the creative spirit in the community.
Elizabeth Luciano, a professor in the college’s Department of Language and Literature, created the short story contest as a complement to the college’s Bucks County Poet Laureate contest and used her sabbatical project to develop a plan for the contest. Luciano said she feels the contest has taken root and can encourage the community to start, resume or continue writing.
“It’s a great way to get a first taste of the story, and if you win, it’s certainly a nice response. But also coming to the reading, meeting the community and getting to know other people who care about words and stories can be very exciting,” Luciano said.
The competition rewards the three best stories, but also encourages writers who demonstrate talent. Luciano said that the jury sometimes gives these writers an honorable mention.
“With some jobs you just think, ‘Wow, we really want to tell this person to keep going because they’re really doing something here,'” she said.
Participants can meet the final judge and fellow authors at the closing event on November 9, where they can get to know the authors behind the stories and build community.
“I think my favorite part is meeting the people. I know that sounds very optimistic, but I mean it,” Luciano said. “They’re excited to be there, or maybe they’re a little nervous, but we all get along really well.”
Luciano said she is looking for authors from Philadelphia or the Philadelphia suburbs who are publishing or have published a book.
“That’s why it’s exciting for people to meet and talk to the final judge. They see that success is possible because there’s someone here who has done it,” Luciano said.
CJ Spataro, an award-winning short story writer, lives in Philadelphia and published her first novel, “More Strange Than True,” in June. Luciano said she believes Spataro’s additional experience leading the MFA program at Rosemont College will be helpful to some incoming students who may be wondering what is required to get into a degree.
Before the stories go to the final judging panel, Luciano reads each submission and whittles the list down to five or six finalists. Luciano said she looks for what any reasonable reader looks for, like clarity and balance.
“Do you immediately captivate the reader? Am I excited to see how the story unfolds? Is it clear where I am and what is happening in the story,” she said.
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Each year, the stories can reflect the events and feelings of the community. Luciano said many Armageddon stories were submitted during the pandemic.
“I think people were just worried about danger and concern,” she said.
While the themes and storylines of each entry may vary, all work must be the author’s unique ideas and words, as fan fiction and AI are not allowed in the contest. All entries must be submitted via the college’s entry form by Thursday, October 10. High school students will have an opportunity to showcase their writing in the spring.
