In December 2022, the first Hungarian Panodyssey writing contest was announced on Könyves Magazin. According to the call, applicants could submit their texts of public poetry and speculative prose, and the number of submissions exceeded our expectations. The nomination process, as well as the finalists and winners will be presented on both Könyves Magazin and on Panodyssey.

Panodyssey is an initiative originating from France, with the main objective of creating a community site where users have the opportunity to directly publish and monetise their own artworks. However, it is not only a place where authors are able to gain new readers, but also a place where they have the chance to collaborate and co-create with others and build their own communities around their interests.

The Creative Room European Alliance consortium’s mission is to make the public aware of Panodyssey in other parts of Europe, by bringing together different organisations from more than 9 European countries in the framework of this international project.  In autumn of 2022, a program to promote Panodyssey has also started in Hungary.

As part of the collaboration, Panodyssey launched a creative writing contest, which was a huge success. We welcomed applications from authors whose work has not yet been published commercially.

We received a total of 151 entries by the deadline of 31 January, of which 47 texts were sent in the lyric category and 104 in the prose category.

We asked for texts in the two topics below:

Lyrical works: "How can political poetry not become forgettable propaganda?" was open to submissions of three public/political poems reflecting on domestic or international events in 2022.

Works of prose: The writing contest called for speculative fiction in which the authors say something about the present, something they are currently concerned with, something they feel is topical, and where the speculative element brings us closer to our own reality.

The ten finalists will be selected by Panodyssey ambassadors Anita Moskát and Péter Závada, and will be presented on Könyves Magazin, and on Panodyssey as well.

They will also select the two winners, who, in addition to the  150 000 Ft prize, will have the opportunity to present their texts not only on Könyves Magazin, but also on the international stage. We will also provide them with the translation and sharing of their entries.

The results will be announced at the end of February and finalists will be invited to attend the awards ceremony. Entries can be viewed on Panodyssey, in the following creative room: Creative writing contest

The above article is the English translation of the original Hungarian article published on Könyves Magazin.