Writer Advice Flash Prose Contest
DEADLINE: April 15, 2010 Can you create flash fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction that grabs, surprises, and mesmerizes readers in fewer than 750 words? If you have a story or memoir with a strong theme, sharp images, a solid structure, and an unexpected discovery, then the fifth annual WriterAdvice Flash Prose Contest is one to look into. You can submit up to three stories, typed and double-spaced. Email submissions will not be accepted. Entry fee is $10 per submission. All entries accompanied by an SASE will be returned with brief comments. PRIZES: First Place - $150; Second Place - $75; Third Place - $50; Fourth Place - $25; Honorable Mentions will also be published. Names of all winners will be announced in the summer issue of WriterAdvice. CONTACT: For questions only, please email editor B. Lynn Goodwin at Lgood67334@comcast.net A complete listing of submission details can be found at WriterAdvice.com. Good luck! Labels: Contest, flash fiction, flash prose, writing contests
Milkweed Editions National Fiction Prize
Hey, WOW! readers, take a look at this competition for the fiction writers among us, which appeared in the February 2010 issue of Writer’s Digest Magazine. Milkweed Editions, an independent, nonprofit literary publisher, will award the National Fiction Prize to the best work of fiction Milkweed accepts for publication during each calendar year by a writer not previously published by them. They’re accepting manuscripts anywhere from 150 to 400 pages in length and the following categories are eligible: novels, short story collections, and novellas. Works previously published in book form in the U.S. are not eligible, but individual stories or novellas previously published in magazines or anthologies are. The prize winner will receive publication by Milkweed and a $5,000 cash advance against royalties. For complete details, surf over to Milkweed Editions site here. And best of luck to you! Labels: Contest, Fiction Contest, Jill Earl, writing contests
Gemini Magazine’s 2010 Short Story Contest
Ready to sharpen your story story writing skills? Take a look at the competition listed below. Gemini Magazine, which bills itself as the place for “fiction, poetry, a little craziness & more”, is looking for entries for their 2010 Short Story Contest. The First Place winner will receive $1,000, Second Place gets $100,and there will be three honorable mentions. They’re looking for all kinds of short fiction, such as novel excerpts, flash fiction, experimental, etc. There aren’t any restrictions on content, style, genre or length. There’s a fee of $4.00 for each entry you submit. New and established writers can enter, and all finalists will be published in the June 2010 issue. Deadline for submissions is March 31, 2010. Go to the magazine’s site here to check out the magazine and for additional contest guidelines. They accept both online and postal mail contest submissions. Check it out and best of luck to all who enter! Labels: call for submissions, short story contest, writing contests
Call for Submissions: The Short Story Radio Romance Award 2010
Hey to all romance writers out there! Short Story Radio, a website based in the U.K. that promotes both the short story genre and short story writers through recordings of short stories via their website and podcast are announcing a new contest. Called The Short Story Radio Romance Award 2010, romantic fiction writers have the opportunity to have their winning entry recorded for broadcast and receive a cash prize. To enter, send only the synopsis and and the first part of your story, up to 2,500 words by December 17, 2009. The entry fee is £6 (about $9.79 USD) per story. Only short-listed entrants will be asked to send the second part of the story. The winning story will be recorded and broadcast by a professional actor as a high-quality production with incidental music, and appear in two episodes on the Short Story Radio website and podcast. The winner will also receive a cash prize of £150 (about $235 USD) and the title of winner of the Short Story Radio Romance Award 2010. Interested? Take yourself over to the Short Story Radio site here: https://www.shortstoryradio.com/short_story_competitions.htmAnd, best of luck! Labels: 'The Short Story Radio Romance Award 2010', call for submissions, Jill Earl, writing contests
Creative Nonfiction Wants Your Animal Stories!
If you want to give a shout-out about your Sheltie, or your turtle turns somersaults, or if your Persian’s the coolest cat out there, then here’s the contest for you! The folks at Creative Nonfiction are on the lookout for some fab tales about animals. Check it out below. Call for Submissions: Animals Postmark deadline: November 13, 2009  Essays must be unpublished, 5,000 words or less, and clearly marked “Animals” on both the essay and the outside of the envelope. There is a $20 reading fee (or send a reading fee of $25 to include a 4-issue CNF subscription). Multiple entries are welcome ($20/essay). The top winner will receive a $1000 prize for Best Essay, and the runner-up will receive a $500 prize. Send your entry, along with a cover letter with complete contact information, SASE and payment to: Creative Nonfiction Attn: Animals 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202 Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Go here for more about the contest: https://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm#AnimalsAnd to find out more about the journal itself, glance at Creative Nonfiction: https://www.creativenonfiction.org. Okay, animal lovers, get to writing! And, best of luck! Labels: call for submissions, Creative Nonfiction, writing contests
Friday Speak Out: My Ultimate Inspiration, Guest Post by Kim Smith
My Ultimate Inspiration
by Kim SmithLike many writers, I often hit a stumbling block, or ten, when it comes to making time to sit down and write. Either I lose interest in my current project, or I am too busy or tired, or most likely, I just can't think of anything interesting to say. However, there is something that happens, albeit infrequently, in my life that is guaranteed to spur me to write pages upon pages of inspired words, and this headiness usually lasts for a few months. I'm talking about placing in, or glory be, actually winning a creative writing competition. In recent weeks I was lucky enough (dare I say talented enough?) to place second and fourth in two well-known provincial writing competitions. I think my screams of joy were probably heard well into the next town. After those first dizzying days of recognition, I came to several realizations. One: I could finally admit to myself that I am a good writer (and oh, it's so difficult to say that) and that my skills as such are real, and not merely some weird cosmic fluke. Two: Winning makes me want to write MORE! Of this, I have no doubt. All sorts of ideas and visions are jostling about in my head; I'm jotting down dozens of potential story plots. I've enrolled in an online writing class AND an online critique group. I've pulled every book on writing from the bookshelves, and am scouring the pages for information, tips, and advice, anything that will improve my writing skills. And I'm even, gasp, considering writing an anthology of short stories. To this end, I've taken the plunge and signed up for NaNoWriMo, something I would never have considered a few short months ago. For me, this is nothing short of amazing. Only a few weeks ago I was suffering from the "I'm not very good. I'll never get anywhere with this," mentality, and had retreated to a large stack of novels and an equally large stash of chocolate. Little did I know that I was soon to receive those two fateful emails titled, "Congratulations!" Such is the adrenalin rush of being recognized as a 'real' writer. It doesn't happen often, and even if it never happens again, I will still plug along and write my stories. But while the thrill lasts, I'm making the most of it, and perhaps I'll churn out a first-place story this time - you never know! 
Kim lives in the country with one needy dog, three perfect cats, one long-suffering husband, and far too many chickens. She tries to write on a regular basis after a suffering a writer's block of thirty years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you want to reach WOW’s audience? We welcome short posts (500 words or less) from writers just like you! You can include your bio, pic, and links to your website/blog for promotion. Our only requirement is that your post be about women and writing. Send your Friday “Speak Out!” post to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Labels: Friday Speak Out, Inspiration, Kim Smith, writing contests
Family Circle Fiction Prize
Extended Deadline for the New Millennium Writing Awards
 There's still time to enter the New Millennium Writings Awards for Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction. The deadline has now been extended to July 31, 2009. A total of $4,000 in awards will be given - $1,000 each for the best entry in poetry, fiction, short-short fiction, and creative non-fiction. And as an added bonus, renowned poet Nikki Giovanni will be the final judge for poetry. Tick, tock, writers... Labels: New Millennium Writings, writing, writing contests
The Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
Think you can craft a jazz-influenced short story? Take a look at this contest. Three times yearly, Jerry Jazz Musician, a website that focuses on jazz music and its influence on American culture, sponsors its Short Fiction Contest. Submissions have to be original, previously unpublished, and approximately one to five thousand words in length. The winner will receive $100 and have their story published on the Jerry Jazz Musician site. For contest details and to check out this interesting site, go to https://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=fictioncontest.htmlThe submission deadline is May 31, 2009, so get those entries in. Good luck! Labels: Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest, Jill Earl, short fiction, writing contests
WritersWeekly.com's 24-Hour Short Story Contest
 By Jill Earl Ready to challenge your short writing skills? The WritersWeekly.com's 24-Hour Short Story Contest might be for you. Offered every quarter, the contest is a test of cranking out a story that’s short, tight and good. All in 24 hours.
The contest begins on April 25th, 2009 at 12:00 noon Central Time, and only at that time will entrants receive the contest prompt. Besides cash prizes for first, second and third place finishers, random door prizes will also be given, for a total of over 85 prizes. Complete contest guidelines, rules and other details are here: https://writersweekly.com/misc/contest.phpSo bring on the coffee, rev up the laptop/desktop and get to typing! Be quick about it, though. Only the first 500 entrants are accepted. Bon chance! Labels: Jill Earl, WritersWeekly.com's 24-Hour Short Story Contest, writing, writing contests
Marcia Peterson Wins First Place in the SouthWest Writers Contest
 Congratulations goes out to WOW !'s team member, columnist, and blog mistress, Marcia Peterson, for taking first place in the Monthly SouthWest Writers Contest! Marcia's winning non-fiction article, "Get a Deadline and Get More Writing Done," took first in the January 2008 International Writing Competition. You can see the announcement here:https://southwestwriters.com/monthlycontestwinners.phpEach month SWW puts on a themed contest to sharpen your skills. Here's what's lined up: ---- March 2008 Show, Don’t TellFor this month, a cover sheet is okay. Write a two-part entire or portion of a short story or impression that demonstrates the writing adage: Show, don’t tell. Part I (up to 250 words) uses the passive technique of the author telling things to the reader (e.g., "He was angry."); Part II (up to 250 words) rewrites the same work, using strong, active verbs that show things to the reader (e.g., "He slammed the door."). Up to 500 words total, double-spaced. Cash Prizes: Prizes: $50 1st Prize; $30 2nd Prize; $20 3rd Prize + certificates. Entry Fee: $5 SWW members/$10 non-members. Postmark deadline: March 31, 2008----- April 2008 Poetry MonthA cover sheet is okay for this month. Write a poem of any style, form, format, spacing or subject matter. Polish those words. The sky's the limit. One page limit. Cash Prizes: Prizes: $50 1st Prize; $30 2nd Prize; $20 3rd Prize + certificates. Entry Fee: $5 SWW members/$10 non-members. Postmark deadline: April 30.---- Find out more details by visiting:https://southwestwriters.com/monthlycontest.phpCongrats Marcia!! We're proud of you! Labels: Marcia Peterson, SouthWest Writers Contest, writing contests
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