Q&A with Seedling Prize Judges!
Grain's inaugural Seedling Prize will be judged by Grain's editorial team: Taidgh Lynch (Associate Poetry Editor), Helen Power (Associate Prose Editor), and Elena Bentley (Editor)! Looking for some inspiration? We hope this short Q&A with the editors inspires you to submit your work (in any genre) that you think best exemplifies this year's theme of "censorship"!
Q: In just three words, what must a winning piece have?
TL: Surpise, Wobble, Heart
HP: Immersive, Impactful, Introspective
EB: Imagination, Purpose, Guts
Q: What does “censorship” mean to you?
TL: I’m great at self-censorship when it comes to my writing. My inner saboteur likes to hang around and say, “You can’t use that line. And really, you’ve used an adverb?!” All that negative thought and second guessing myself can really supress my writing before I’ve anything on the page.
HP: As both an author and a librarian, censorship is something I think about a lot. I'm passionate about facilitating access to literature, whether it’s evidence-based science or stories by marginalized voices.
EB: When I think of censorship, I think of control, authority, and the attempt stifle and siphon creativity, and that awakens the rebel in me.
Q: What excites you the most about judging Grain’s new Seedling Prize?
TL: The theme! I can’t wait to see the variety of work that’ll come into Grain’s inbox.
HP: I’m looking forward to seeing the blast of creativity this theme will hopefully inspire. I want to be surprised by original and out-of-the-box interpretations of the theme.
EB: I’m super excited to see the range of interpretations and styles! I’m hoping to see something I’ve never seen before.
Q: What's at the top of your TBR list right now?
TL: Thyme Travellers: An Anthology of Palestinian Speculative Fiction edited by Sonia Sulaiman.
HP: Molka by Monika Kim and You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White.
EB: Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux and distant water by Beth Piatote.
Seedling Prize Deadline: July 1 at 11:59pm
1st Prize = $750
2nd Prize = $500
Reader's Choice = $250 (voting takes place in November)
+ publication in Grain
