Nominations for the North Carolina poet laureate, the ambassador of North Carolina literature, will close soon on Oct. 14. Nominations can be made online at www.ncdcr.gov/PoetLaureate. Governor Pat McCrory will announce his selection in early December.

The post, created by the General Assembly in 1935, uses the office as a platform to promote North Carolina writers and the power of poetry and the written word. The 2014 poet laureate selection process is being led by N.C. Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Susan Kluttz.

"I am thrilled and encouraged by the quality and quantity of the nominations we've received so far," says Kluttz. "The arts, and poetry in particular, are so important to the wonderful quality of life we enjoy here in North Carolina."

While each N.C. poet laureate leaves his or her own personal imprint on the program, duties typically include public activities with schools, community groups and the press, and contact with writers and readers by mail, email and/or through a website.

The selection criteria for the poet laureate position include:

A North Carolina resident with deep connections to the cultural life of this state

Literary excellence of the writer's work

Influence on other writers and appreciation of literature in its diversity throughout the state

Ability and willingness to conduct the public engagement duties of the office

Statewide, national or international reputation

Nominations for the position will be accepted online through Oct. 14 at www.ncdcr.gov/PoetLaureate. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.

About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources:

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's cultural resources to build the social, cultural and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan W. Kluttz, NCDCR's mission is to enrich lives and communities by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history and libraries in North Carolina that will spark creativity, stimulate learning, preserve the state's history and promote the creative economy. NCDCR was the first state organization in the nation to include all agencies for arts and culture under one umbrella.

Through arts efforts led by the N.C. Arts Council, the N.C. Symphony and the N.C. Museum of Art, NCDCR offers the opportunity for enriching arts education for young and old alike and spurring the economic stimulus engine for our state's communities. NCDCR's Divisions of State Archives, Historical Resources, State Historic Sites and State History Museums preserve, document and interpret North Carolina's rich cultural heritage to offer experiences of learning and reflection. NCDCR's State Library of North Carolina is the principal library of state government and builds the capacity of all libraries in our state to develop and to offer access to educational resources through traditional and online collections including genealogy and resources for people who are blind and have physical disabilities.

NCDCR annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council and the State Archives. NCDCR champions our state's creative industry that accounts for more than 300,000 jobs and generates nearly $18.5 billion in revenues. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.