“It had been a long year.”
This is the first line of the story you’re going to write and submit. What about the long year? What made it long? Why? What was really happening? Write well and surprise the editors with your originality, and you may see your story in print.
Deadline: November 1, 2011
Entry Fee: Free. This is a quarterly journal taking submissions on a regular basis.
Guidelines: The First Line
Deadline: September 9, 2011
Fee: $20-30
Guidelines: Missouri RWA
Here’s a contest for unpublished novel manuscripts. If you enter more than once, the subsequent entries are half price. The thing that makes a contest like this worth the 20 or 30 bucks is you get a critique with your entry, whether you win or not.
The following is the official announcement from MORWA.
***Permission to forward is granted and greatly appreciated.***
**2011 Gateway to the Best – Open now!
Missouri Romance Writers of America (MORWA) is proud to announce the opening of their annual contest – Gateway to the Best. With six categories, there’s sure to be one for your manuscript.
As summer draws to a close, Gateway’s first round judges are waiting for your manuscript.
Contest closes September 9th, 2011
No synopsis needed. Send in the first 7000 words of your manuscript.
Costs: $20 for MORWA Members for 1st entry & $10 for additional entries, $30 for Non-MORWA Members for 1st entry & $15 for additional entries
Eligibility: Open to unpublished authors and authors who have not been contracted in novel-length fiction (40,000+) in last 3 years.
Entry: Electronic entry only. Entry length limited to first 7,000 words (25-28 pages). No synopsis.
Categories: Contemporary Series, Historical, Young Adult, Romantic Suspense, Single Title & Paranormal
Final Judges:
Laura Barth – Harlequin: Contemporary Series
Esi Sogah – Harper Collins: Historical
Adam Wilson – Harlequin Teen: YA
Margo Lipschultz – Harlequin: Romantic Suspense
Katherine Pelz – Berkley: Single Title
Latoya Smith – Grand Central Publishing: Paranormal
Grand Prize: $100 & entire manuscript critiqued by published author.
For more information go to http://www.morwa.org/gateway.htm
Deadline: November 1, 2011
Fee: Free
Guidelines: Reader’s Digest Facebook page
Wow! $25,000 is the grand prize if your story is chosen to appear in the Reader’s Digest upcoming release, Life…The Reader’s Digest Version: Great Advice, Simply Put, Reader’s Digest. Ten runners up will win $2,500.
Similar to the NPR Three Minute Fiction writing contest, Facebook fans will be able to vote for their favorite stories. The people’s choice will also receive $2,500.
Now that I’ve told you all the good news, let’s get down to the important deets. Stories must be about your life, written in 150 words or less. You’ll also be competing against Glee actor Jane Lynch, who submitted an entry. Who knows? Maybe she’ll like your story enough to use it on Glee.
Good luck, and happy writing!
Deadline: September 21, 2011
Entry Fee: Free
Guidelines: Glass Woman Prize
The purpose of this contest is to get women to express themselves in writing and support each other through their writing, honoring each other’s thoughts.It seems to be working; The Blue Fifth Review featured several of the stories from the last contest on their website. Click on the link and read them to get a feel for the quality of the writing submitted to this contest.
Only one submission is allowed per writer, per reading period. Winners receive up to $500 and possible publication.
Word of note: This contest is supported solely by the founder, Beate, whose dream is to help women find their voices.
Good luck and happy writing!
Deadline: September 15, 2011
Entry Fee: $14
Guidelines: The Greensboro Review
This is an annual contest sponsored by the The Greensboro Review, a literary magazine published by the MFA program at the University of North Carolina. Winners receive $1000 and publication in the Spring issue.
You may enter both fiction and poetry. They accept snail mail submissions and online submissions as well.
Good luck and happy writing!
Deadline: July 30, 2011
Entry Fee: Free
Guidelines: Harris County Public Libraries
This contest is strictly for teens in grades 6-12. If you’re looking for something interesting to do this summer, consider sending your best fiction or poetry to this contest. You’ve got nothing to lose, and you could win a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card to finance some more summer reading!
The entry form brochure has tips for writing well, so read it and get going.
Good luck and happy writing!
Posted in Contests, Contests July, Writing
Deadline: August 15, 2011
Entry Fee: $20
Guidelines: Tony Hillerman Prize, Wordharvest Writing Contests
This contest is a big deal for mystery writers. Stories should be 2,500 words or less, set in New Mexico. This year they’re offering a critique from a judge for $100 if you want to fork over the extra cash.
The winning story will be published in an issue of New Mexico Magazine. The winner also receives $1,000 and two tickets to the awards ceremony at the Tony Hillerman Writers Weekend.
I like the straightforward style of the contest rules. They read,
Decision of the judges is final. No whining allowed.
It doesn’t get much clearer than that!
Good luck and happy writing.
Deadline: Opens October 1, 2011, closes January 1, 2012 or after the 25th entry
Entry Fee: Free
Guidelines: Adventure Writers Competition
Who hasn’t read a Clive Cussler adventure novel? Okay, put your hand down and head to the bookstore and pick one up. You’ve been missing out on a good read.
Cussler’s books are imaginative, fast paced, and with a hero that can beat any odds. Sort of like James Bond and Indiana Jones rolled into one character. My friend Ann swoons whenever she picks up a Cussler book.
If you’re unpublished in the adventure genre, you’re eligible to enter your manuscript to this contest for free. The grand prize is a cool $1000.
The guidelines state the contest opens on October 1 and closes when they receive 25 manuscripts. That means that if they receive 25 manuscripts on the first day, the conest is closed. So polish up your work and get your manuscript in to the contest early!
Good luck and happy writing!
Deadline: August 1, 2011
Guidelines: The First Line
The First Line publishes several books a year of short stories featuring writing in a wide variety of genres. As the name implies, each issue requires a specific first line. The line for the Fall 2011 issue is:
Edwin spotted them the moment he stepped off the train.
No changes are permitted to the first line. It’s entertaining to see the range of story development from the same initial words.
There is no fee for entries to The First Line literary magazine.
Posted in Contests, Contests August, Writing, Writing markets
Tagged free writing contests, literary magazines, the first line
Deadline: Varies; check the guidelines
Entry fee: Free
Guidelines: http://www.fivestopstory.com/Write.html
The people at Five Stop Story have introduced a new project, designed to provide commuters with stories to read while on the train, bus, or carpool. Hence the name, Five Stop Story.
They run contests on a regular basis, with closing dates varying for each. Therefore, I’m simply posting this announcement, and I’ll let you check out the site for the current details.
If you’d like to read some background information about the contest and the how and why of it, this article at Essential Writers gives some insight.
Good luck, and happy writing!
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