LINCOLNTON––Get out those pencils, and fire up those computers.

It’s time once again for the Flo Robinson/Robert Lineberger Literary Competition. According to Arts Council of Lincoln County spokeswoman Deanna McGinnis, this is the 38^th annual such event. McGinnis recently explained that the trustees of the Robinson and Lineberger estates created the contest in memory of their shared love of poetry and prose and in order to ensure that this tradition continues to give a voice to so many members of the Lincoln County community.

The competition is open to students in the Lincoln County Schools and to adults. Only students have to be from Lincoln County. Adults may be from neighboring counties. 

Poetry submissions should be one per person and written on any subject, in any style, rendered in rhyming, free or blank verse and limited to 32 lines or fewer. Prose entries should also be one each. They may be an essay or short story on any subject, limited to about 750 words. Entries in prose and poetry must be titled, original and unpublished, and they must never have won a cash award before.

Each school is asked to screen its entries and submit only the best efforts. Student entries must come through each school and not be delivered individually to the Lincoln County Schools Central Office or the Arts Council of Lincoln County.

Prize money will be divided between prose and poetry in the following categories. For students in grades one-12, first, second and third-place honors will respectively earn $40, $25 and $15. For adults 18 and older, the respective rates increase to $60, $40 and $25.

Entrants must submit two typewritten, double-spaced copies of their work. One copy must include in the upper-right corner the full name (and age, if a student), address, telephone number, category (prose or poetry), age group (grades one-12; or adult), the e-mail address and school name. The second copy should include only the poem, essay or story, with no identification.

Student entries must be submitted through a participating school. Late entries will not be accepted. All entries must be postmarked by April 13 and be mailed to:

The Arts Council of Lincoln County Literary Competition
403 E. Main St.
Lincolnton, N.C. 28092.

An Internet-based awards ceremony and reading will be held for students and posted on the Facebook pages and Websites of the schools and the arts council. An awards ceremony for adults will be held May 6 in the arts council’s galleries at the Lincoln Cultural Center.