Letters About Literature allows students to write a letter to their favorite author in a nationwide contest.
Students statewide can share their most influential literary experiences through a contest that asks them to write a letter to an author and explain how his or her work changed their perspective of the world or of themselves.
The national "Letters About Literature" reading and writing competition allows students in grades four through 12 to articulate the importance of their favorite book.
To enter, students write a personalized letter to an author, living or deceased, from any genre whose work has made an impact. Rather than summarizing the book's plot, contestants are encouraged to express the effect the book has had on their lives in a personalized, conversational tone.
The annual competition, sponsored by the South Carolina Center for the Book, has three competition levels: Level 1 for students in grades 4-6, Level 2 for students in grades 7-8, and Level 3 for students in grades 9-12.
There are monetary prizes in each level for the first, second, and third place winners from across the state -- $100, $50, and $25 respectively. First place state winners will advance to the national level judging. A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select one National Winner per competition level to receive a $1,000 cash award. The judges will also select one National Honor winner per competition level to receive a $200 cash award.
The deadlines for submissions are December 10 for grades 9-12 and January 10 for grades 4-8. To download the official contest rules and guidelines, please visit http://www.read.gov/letters.
