MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: NT LITERARY AWARDS

Territory writers with an interest in creative and academic writing have until next Saturday, 31 January to get their entries in for the 2010 Northern Territory Literary Awards.

Northern Territory Library Director Jo McGill said the Literary Awards recognise the talent of local writers, poets, scriptwriters and essayists through the variety of categories.

“The Literary Awards have been running since 1984 to foster a prosperous creative writing industry in the Northern Territory and to recognise outstanding literary merit,” Ms McGill said.

“This year’s competition contains many new features such as two new categories and a different timeframe so the Awards night will coincide with the Northern Territory Writers Festival Wordstorm in May.

“The two new categories, the Darwin Festival Script Award and the Birch Carroll and Coyle Screenwriting Award, will honour the work of writers for the dramatic arts for the first time in the competition.

“Judges for the Darwin Festival Script Award are looking for entries that are vividly imagined, expertly crafted and lend themselves naturally to a performance medium.

“The winning entry will also be considered for presentation as a rehearsed reading at this year’s Darwin Festival.

“The Birch Carroll and Coyle Screenwriting Award is open for screen plays of a feature, short film or television program, and will be judged on their level of technical excellence and creativity.

“The script will be judged on the quality of the writing and its feasibility for production.”

Ms McGill said that last year’s competition attracted over 200 entries from throughout the Territory, and she hoped 2010 would see a similar number of high quality submissions.

“The closing date of Sunday 31st January is fast approaching so I encourage all writers to get their entries in soon,” Ms McGill said.

Entry forms and competition guidelines are available online at www.ntl.nt.gov.au