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Writing competition finds gems

Published:Saturday | November 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM
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Members of the public view a section of the National Creative Writing 2010 Exhibition at The Knutsford Court Hotel during the 2010 National Creative Writing Competition awards ceremony on Wednesday. - Contributed photos
The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's competition executive director, Grace Silvera (centre), poses with from left: Claro Marketing Officer Peta-Ann Hamilton, and top awardees in the 2010 National Creative Writing Competition - Karen Hutchinson, Diana McCaulay, Twanda Rolle and Pearson Clarke at the annual awards ceremony hosted at The Knutsford Court Hotel on Wednesday.
Minister of Youth Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange (left), congratulates author Diana McCaulay after she copped the award for Outstanding Writer and Best Novelist at the 2010 National Creative Writing Competition awards ceremony held on Wednesday at The Knutsford Court Hotel.
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Over 50 of the island's best writers were awarded at the National Creative Writing Competition 2010 awards ceremony hosted on Wednesday by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

At a ceremony infused with spirited performances by the top gold awardees, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange, addressed the writers, hailing their victories as joining a proud legacy of great writers like Trevor Rhone, Professor Mervyn Morris and others.

She further instructed the awardees to get their literary work registered with JAMCOPY, saying "I encourage you not only to keep writing, but also to protect and earn from your work".

"I would have been satisfied with gold, but I am overjoyed at the result," said an appreciative Karen Hutchinson, who copped the evening's top award of Best Overall Writer. A 37-year-old entrepreneur, Hutchinson said she felt encouraged by the recognition and informed that a collection of short stories would be her next major project. Representing major sponsor Claro, Marketing Officer Peta-Ann Hamilton congratulated Hutchinson and presented her with $50,000 cash and a cellular phone.

top awardees

The other top awardees who included Diana McCaulay - Outstanding Writer, Ditte Sylvester - Special Writer, Twanda Rolle - Choice Writer and Pearson Clark - Noteworthy Writer also received cash and handsets from Claro along with several other prizes.

Among the top-class and category winners were Twanda Rolle - Best Junior Poet, Sabrena McDonald - Best Intermediate Poet, Pearson Clarke and Seon K. Lewis - Best Adult Poet, Helen Williams - Best Junior - Short Story Writer, Ann Margaret Lim - Best Intermediate Short Story Writer, Jean L. Goulbourne - Best Adult Short Story Writer, Diana McCaulay - Best Novelist and McDonald who also copped Best Playwright.

The winning works will be showcased at parish libraries across the island in the 2010 National Creative Writing exhibition which began on Thursday at the National Library in St Andrew.