Nota Bene Publicizes Best of Members' Writing
Attention aspiring writers: whether you excel at short stories, poetry, informal essays or research, Phi Theta Kappa offers you an opportunity to be published in an internationally distributed literary anthology.
Nota Bene - Latin for "note well" - is now in its 12th year of showcasing outstanding writing by Phi Theta Kappa members. In addition to the opportunity to be published, Nota Bene also provides five scholarships - the $1,000 Citation Scholarship to the best overall entry, and four Reynolds Scholarships of $500 each to the runners-up.
The 2006 edition of Nota Bene will be distributed to Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors, chapter presidents and college presidents this fall. All community college libraries, those with campus chapters of Phi Theta Kappa and those without, will also receive copies of the literary honors anthology.
The 2005 edition of Nota Bene may be found online at www.ptk.org/publications/notabene/author_2005.htm.
How to Enter
Nota Bene accepts any type of literary submission. Members can enter as many submissions as they wish. No single submission can exceed 2,500 words. Submissions should be typed or printed on white paper, double-spaced. Each submission must have an attached cover sheet, available for downloading at www.ptk.org/publications/notabene/notabene_subform.pdf. The cover sheet includes a statement to be signed by the submitting author, attesting that the work is entirely their own.
Faxed or email submissions cannot be accepted. Submissions should be mailed to Phi Theta Kappa, Nota Bene, 1625 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211.
The entry deadline for the 2007 publication is December 1, 2006. Members should enter submissions during the time they are enrolled in their associate degree-granting institution.
What the Judges Look For
Having work selected for Nota Bene is a very prestigious accomplishment. Phi Theta Kappa usually receives more than 1,500 submissions for Nota Bene each year, and generally less than 30 are selected for publication.
"Judging is extremely selective," said Publications Specialist Melissa Mayer, who oversees the competition. "The judges are looking for the best of the best.
"In the creative writing categories, the judges look for good writing, originality, a clear message and the ability to communicate emotion.
"In the research categories, the judges look for good writing, solid research and a supported, original conclusion."
Members interested in submitting manuscripts may get complete details about Nota Bene online at www.ptk.org/publications/notabene/notabene_info.htm.
