A few changes are being made to the Victoria Literary Festival as it marks its fifth year.

Rather than hold events over a three-day period, they will be held throughout the month.

Something new to the festival is a writer-in-residence. Mary Norris, an author and former New Yorker copy editor known as the 'queen of the comma.' Norris was part of the festival last year and returns as its first writer in residence to offer workshops and be accessible if writers want to meet with her.

"We had such a good time last year that we decide to establish a writer-in-residence program so she's here writing a book on the Greek language this summer," said festival co-chair Emma Price.

A short story contest will also be held that is open to international writers but Price said one of the winners will be from P.E.I.

"We have a couple of literary agents involved in the festival and we also have Mary Norris who again has a lot of experience. And we thought why not use that to create a short story contest," said Price

"So we're open internationally to writers, but one of the winners will be from the Island. So we're hoping to really promote this around the Island and get the writers from here involved."

The plan is to publish an anthology of six stories, but Price said they are looking to get Island writers involved.

Submissions for the contest are being accepted until Aug. 19 and the winners will be announced at the festival's wrap-up salon on Aug. 26.