Call for Papers and Panels
Guidelines for Paper Submissions
All currently-enrolled members of Sigma Tau Delta and Sigma Kappa Delta, and Alumni Epsilon chapter members, are invited to submit critical essays, creative nonfiction, original poetry, fiction, drama/ screenplays, panel proposals and/or works focusing on the common reader, Mike Perry’s Population 485: Getting to Know Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time, to be considered for inclusion on the annual convention program. Essays on any topic of interest in the discipline are welcome; essays on the works of our featured speakers are especially encouraged.
Paper submissions must conform to the following guidelines:
- Each member in good standing may submit a maximum of two works for consideration.
- To be considered, the two works must represent separate categories: critical essay, creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, drama/screenplay, or common reader. Two works from the same category will not be considered.
- Applications require two complete copies of each work being submitted for consideration. Other than its title, no identification may appear on either copy of the work.
- A completed Paper Submission Form must be attached to each of the two copies of a work being submitted for consideration. The Submission Form includes contact information for the author as well as the signatures of the author and the chapter sponsor verifying that the author is a member in good standing with ΣΤΔ. (Alumni Epsilon chapter members do not need a sponsor’s signature.)
- Prose submissions must be double-spaced, in a standard 12-point font, the text (exclusive of notes) limited to a maximum of 2000 words (a minimum of 1000 words).
- Poetry submissions must also be typed in a standard 12-point font and may include a single poem or a group of poems. The submitted body of work (including any introductory comments necessary to contextualize the work) must be presentable within a 15-minute time slot (and must use a minimum of 8 minutes). A group of poems must have a title.
- Fax submissions will not be accepted.
- Paper submissions must be postmarked by 21 November 2008.
N.B.: Submissions not meeting these stated requirements will not be considered.
Guidelines for Panel Proposals
We encourage students, faculty sponsors, and Alumni Epsilon chapter members to propose panels on topics of general interest to both the discipline and the society. Panel presentations will be 75 minutes in length and might consider such topics as chapter activities, service projects, service learning, graduate school and/or career options, pedagogical issues surrounding canon formation or assessment, etc.; that is, topics that can best be explored in interactive, round-table discussions. Panels are not meant to be sets of correlated essays. For assistance in developing panel proposals, please contact Convention Chair, Gloria J. Hochstein.
- Panel proposals must be submitted using a Panel Submission Form.
- Emailed panel proposals will be accepted, but fax submissions will not be accepted.
- Panel proposals must be postmarked or emailed by November 21, 2008.
- Submissions will be read in the order they are received. Acceptance is based on merit.
- Notification of acceptance will be sent on or before January 30, 2009, by email only to the address listed on the submission form.
- Space permitting, two submissions from one person may be accepted; as noted above, those works must be submitted in different categories (critical essay, fiction, poetry, drama, creative nonfiction, and responses featuring the common reader) and conform to all submission guidelines (appropriate length, submitted in duplicate, with submission forms attached, etc.)
- Authors must be present at the convention to read their own papers. Papers will not be read in an author’s absence.
- Works accepted for paper presentation and presented at the convention will automatically be considered for the convention awards available in each category. Authors must present their works at the convention to be eligible for awards.
Everyone attending the convention, including presenters and panelists, must register for the convention. Those registering by February 5, 2009, will receive an early-registration discount. Those registering after the deadline will pay the full fee.
Mail paper submissions and panel proposals to:
Gloria J. Hochstein
Department of English – Sigma Tau Delta
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
Postmark Deadline: 21 November 2008
Questions? Email Convention Chair, Gloria J. Hochstein