Submissions: Overview
Please read the following submissions guidelines and follow them carefully. A very large number of submissions have to be judged in a limited amount of time (last year’s convention committee received nearly 800 paper and panel submissions). The guidelines ensure that each member’s submission is given careful attention by the appropriate judges. Faithful attention to the details of the submission process will increase the likelihood of your paper’s acceptance.
Submissions will be read and evaluated by Convention Chair Sid Watson, Roundtable Chair Beth DeMeo, and a select group of judges.
Submission Deadline
The submissions deadline is Monday, October 28, 11:59 p.m. CDT.
Who Can Submit
Eligible members are
- Sigma Tau Delta student members
- Sigma Kappa Delta student members
- Alumni Epsilon Chapter members
(December graduates are eligible to submit as members of their current chapters. Sigma Tau Delta members no longer affiliated with a college or university chapter must be members of the Sigma Tau Delta Alumni Epsilon Chapter to present at the convention.)
The only exception is roundtable proposals, which may also be submitted by faculty members.
Due to software limitations, pen names cannot be accommodated. Submitters should use their membership names.
What Individuals Can Submit
- Eligible members may submit ONE original critical essay, creative nonfiction, poetry collection, fiction, or drama,
AND
ONE additional submission on ONE of the following:
2014 Common Reader, We the Animals by Justin Torres
OR
the 90th anniversary theme of "1924."
- Authors may also submit a proposal for a graphic fiction/graphic memoir poster,
AND
a proposal for a roundtable session
NOTE: All submitters must include three keywords for each submission, including poetry. View instructions for inserting keywords.
If your work is clearly connected to the convention theme ("River Current") and would, therefore, be eligible for an award on that theme, you must use the phrase "River Current" as one of your three keywords when you submit your paper.
Papers
Eligible members may submit ONLY one paper for presentation. The only exceptions are that authors also may submit a second work on the on the 2014 Common Reader, We the Animals by Justin Torres or the 90th anniversary theme of "1924."
For the submission process, the term PAPERS refers to all written works being submitted for presentation at the 2014 Convention including critical essays, creative fiction, drama, nonfiction, and poetry.
Papers receiving high evaluations will be considered for convention awards. Although evaluation is based on the paper as submitted, only those works presented at the convention are eligible to receive awards.
Posters
NEW: Eligible members may propose one poster on original works of Graphic Fiction/Graphic Memoir. To showcase the work, each presenter will have a six-foot table that can be used for a trifold poster or other display. Poster presenters will need to be present throughout the poster session to discuss their work with convention attendees.
Roundtables
The Convention Chair is seeking submissions based on a list of topics. Submitters may also choose a topic of their own.
Roundtables are designed to promote discussion and exploration of a selected topic, with roundtable members and the audience participating in active discussion. Competition for the number of roundtable slots available will be lively. Among equally persuasive proposals, the Convention Chair will give priority to those roundtables that include members from more than one chapter and/or that cover the the 90th anniversary theme of "1924" or the 2014 Common Reader, We the Animals by Justin Torres.
Roundtable Submission Guidelines
Acceptance and Denial Notifications
Acceptance and denial notifications will be emailed on or before Wednesday, December 18, 2013.
Convention Registration
Everyone attending the convention, including presenters and roundtable participants, must register for the convention. Those registering by Tuesday, February 5, 2013, will receive an early registration discount. Those registering after the early registration deadline will pay the full fee. See convention registration for details.
Questions
Email 2014 Convention Chair, Sid Watson at englishconvention@niu.edu.