The New Quarterly has three annual contests: for verse, personal essay & short fiction

Good morning, Brian.

The New Quarterly’s writing contests have an unusually low number of entries this year. This is largely due to a lack of staff resources to get the word out (i.e., my fault.). I've extended the deadline for the Poetry Contest, but I am currently on holiday in Costa Rica with limited internet access, trying my best to spread the word from here.

I'm writing to you in the hopes that you will help to spread the word. I've pasted the details below, but you can find additional details at tnq.ca/contests

Thank you so much for your help,

Melissa Krone,

Managing Editor

The Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest: $1,000 for one glorious poem
This contest is for poems written in response to an occasion, personal or public-poems of gratitude or grief, poems that celebrate or berate, poems that make of something an occasion or simply mark one. We are interested in light verse and in verse more sober, in the whole spectrum of tones and occasions.

We will award a grand prize of $1,000 to the poem judged most worthy. Another $1,000 in prize money will be distributed as the judges fancy. However the prize money falls, the best of what we see will be published in The New Quarterly, at our usual rates ($40/poem).
Extended deadline: March 22

Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest: $1,000 for one winning essay
We are interested in essays of any length, on any topic, in which the writer's personal engagement with the topic provides the frame or through-line. There is no restriction on essay length or subject matter, but the author must be a Canadian citizen or resident. All essays considered for publication at our usual rates ($250/essay).
Deadline: March 28

The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award: $1,000 for a spectacular story by a writer in the early stages (sponsored by the St. Jerome's University English Department)

The $1,000 top prize will be awarded for a work of short fiction by a Canadian (citizen or resident) writer who has not yet published a first novel or short story collection. Though there is only one top prize, all submissions will be considered for paid publication ($250) in the magazine. All submissions will be judged blind.

Deadline: May 28

The 2013 Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar is available now. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced writer, if you’re looking for places to send your work, you should put contests on your list. The Canadian Writers’ Contest Calendar gives a full listing of contests in Canada arranged by deadline date. It lists contests for short stories, poetry, children’s writing, novels, and non-fiction – contests for just about everyone. The Calendar costs just $20 at one of Brian Henry's workshops or classes or $23.50 by mail (all taxes and shipping included).
To order, email brianhenry@sympatico 

See Brian Henry's schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Dundas, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Orangeville, Newmarket, Barrie, Orillia, Gravenhurst, Sudbury, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.