It was a dark and stormy night.
And the number of those dark and stormy nights are fast running out to still enter for the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa's Muse Awards set to honour and celebrate writers labouring within South Africa's TV, stage and film community.
The WGSA Muse Awards forms part of the WGSA's schedule of initiatives to strengthen the writing profession by offering skills development programmes as well as protecting the interests of South African writers.
Writers still have until 15 November to enter, and can do so online here, visit www.wgsamuseawards.co.za or you can contact the WGSA office on admin@writersguildsa.org, tel: 011 888 4349 or cell 082 575 6901.
Entry for WGSA members is R100 per entry. Non-members who join the WGSA now will get membership until end February 2015. Winners will be announced at a gala event early in 2014.
The 6 categories for which entries will be accepted for the 2013 WGSA Muse Awards include:
• Feature Film
• TV Drama
• TV Comedy
• Documentary
• Stage Play
• Unproduced in any genre
"With the growth in the South African film and television industry it is critical that credit is given where credit is due," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.
"Often it is an overlooked fact that it is the writers who are the backbone of the film and TV industry, as without their vivid imaginations there would be nothing to watch on our screens."
"WGSA has created the WGSA Muse Awards to recognise the hard work done by our members in the South African film, TV and entertainment industry. It is an award by writers for writers, which finally shines the spotlight on the often forgotten custodians of SA arts and culture."
For the WGSA Muse Awards, while the main language of the entries should be English, short dialogue sequences in other South African official languages are acceptable as long as English translations are supplied.
As the Muse Awards grow, more categories will be added, including new media, gaming, animation, shorts and a category for student writers, says the organisation.
