2023 Indradevi Literary Competition accepting entries
THE 2023 Indradevi Literary Competition for short stories and poems is now accepting applications until June 30, 2023.
Kok Ros, director of the Department of Books and Reading of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said that the entries are based on three main criteria including their message and its integrity, morality and virtue; the genre including the style, artistry and aesthetic; and its purpose such as demonstrating education, development or preservation of national identity.
The spelling for works entered must be based on Chuon Nath’s Khmer Dictionary and they must be in size 12 Khmer Unicode Font or Khmer OS Siem Reap or handwritten on A4 size paper and be 15 to 30 pages for both short story writing and poetry.
“As for the method of shortlisting
the candidates, we will follow three stages to select the final winner for the annual award,” said Ros.
The winners will be ranked from 1st to 3rd place in both the short story and poetry competitions as all of the top three from the two categories will each win a trophy along with prize money. The authors
who finish in 4th and 5th places will also receive a certificate of appreciation accompanied by a cash prize.
Candidates can mail or drop off their short stories and poems for the Indradevi Literary Competition to the Department of Books and Reading at No. 44 Samdech Pan Street, Boeung Reang commune, Daun Penh district, Phnom Penh.
Although there is an increasing number of candidates each year entering the Indradevi Literary Awards, the organising committee and subcommittee in both categories said they are seeing many of the same mistakes by new entrants each year.
Therefore, the organising committee and the sub-committee have provided some recommendations as a basis for the next generation of candidates to prepare for the competition in 2023.
As recommendations to the candidates in both categories, Ros of the department of Books and Reading, Seng Sam An, head of the poetry jury committee and You Sophea, member of short story jury committee, suggested that all candidates focus on three main principles in their writing: The meaning, the genre and the moral purpose.
They said when authors pay attention to these main points, their work will surely attract readers as well as pleasing the organising committee.
“Please all writers and poets repeatedly review your work after completing it and ask yourselves if this work follows the conditions of the organising committee. With these habits, I believe that all of your work that is prepared for the next competition will be successful,” Sophea said.
Regarding poetry entries, Sam An said: “Poets... should respect the rules of poetry consistently. They have to understand how to compose properly and avoid using any new words that they do not yet understand the meaning of clearly and avoid using words that are too complicated and don’t add to the value of your work.”
Huy Sarath from Pursat province was the winner of first prize in the 2022 Indradevi
Literary Competition with his short story &Community Complaints&. He suggested that the next generation of candidates follow the example of experienced poets and writers and make sure they understand the conditions of the organising committee and show a strong commitment to them – but don’t get too discouraged if they don’t win the first time they enter.
“Even though I won the first prize in 2022 in the short story category, I had already failed once before 11 years ago. In 2011, I competed for the first time, and I did not win any prizes, not even honours. Winning the first prize in 2022 is my second application,” he said, adding that he was glad he decided to enter again.
The 2022 Indradevi Literary Competition had a total of 104 applicants, with 76 short stories and 28 poems, according to Ros.*