EUGENE–Oregon Quarterly, the magazine of the University of Oregon, is looking for the best essay writers in the Northwest.

Oregon Quarterly is an award-winning regional magazine of ideas, offering the Northwest perspective on a wide variety of subjects. The magazine’s "Northwest Perspectives" Essay Contest is providing writers a chance to win $500 and display their talents to essayist and poet Kim Stafford, Oregon Quarterly editors and more than 100,000 readers.

The contest is open to all nonfiction writers and there is no entry fee. Entries should address ideas that affect the Northwest, should be nonfiction and should be no more than 2,500 words. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 31, 2000.

"We are strong believers in the essay form," says Oregon Quarterly editor Guy Maynard. "It gives writers a chance to use their own voice to explore limitless possibilities of ideas. We’ve launched this contest to get a better idea of the many voices that are out there and to honor the best of them."

Stafford, holder of three degrees from the University of Oregon and director of the Northwest Writing Institute at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, will be the final judge of the contest, selecting the top three finishers from 10 finalists chosen by the Oregon Quarterly staff.

Stafford is the author of two essay collections, "Having Everything Right" and "Wind on the Waves," as well as a book of poetry, "A Gypsy’s History of the World." He is also a frequent contributor to Oregon Quarterly.

First prize in the contest is $500 and the winning entry will be published in the Summer 2000 issue of Oregon Quarterly. The second-place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the UO Bookstore and the third-place winner will receive a $25 gift certificate. Those essays will be considered for publication in a future issue of Oregon Quarterly.

In addition, the three award-winning essays will be featured in a public reading and the 10 finalists will be announced in the Summer 2000 issue of Oregon Quarterly.

For contest rules and manuscript submission guidelines, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Oregon Quarterly Essay Contest Guidelines, 5228 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5228; or inquire by email to quarterly@oregon.uoregon.edu. No phone calls, please.

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