Land of Lincoln issue, Crab Orchard Review call for submissions:

Deadline: Oct. 31, 2009

Website: http://craborchardreview.siuc.edu/guid2.html

Type: Call for submissions for writing from and about Illinois

Reading Fee: n/a

Prize: n/a

Looking for: Original, unpublished poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction in English or unpublished translations in English

Accepts: Snail Mail Submissions

From their site:

Special Issue: Land of Lincoln ~

Writing from and about Illinois

CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW is seeking work for our Summer/Fall 2010 issue focusing on writing by Illinois writers and writing from writers outside Illinois about the people, places, past and present of Illinois.

All submissions should be original, unpublished poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction in English or unpublished translations in English (we do run bilingual, facing-page translations whenever possible). Please query before submitting any interview.

For our general submission guidelines, check our Web site at

http://craborchardreview.siuc.edu/guid2.html

Mail submissions to:

CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW

Land of Lincoln issue

Faner 2380, Mail Code 4503

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

1000 Faner Drive

Carbondale, IL 62901

United States of America

The submission period for this issue is August 1, 2009 through October 31, 2009. We will be reading submissions throughout this period and hope to complete the editorial work on the issue by the end of February 2010. Writers whose work is selected will receive $25 (US) per magazine page ($50 minimum for poetry; $100 minimum for prose) and two copies of the issue. Include SASE for reply or for manuscript return.

LifeBytes - Call for Submissions - Dating Stories

Initial deadline: June 15, 2009

LifeBytes - Submission Guidelines from their website.

Guidelines for submitting your dating story:

First and foremost, we are looking for evocative stories that can be funny, poignant, provocative, scary, weird, edgy, sexy or happy. We're looking for submissions with a unique voice and point of view. Imagine your story as a vignette that you can see acted out on screen and give us the feeling that we are there with you, sharing your experience. In other words - Is this a story that even someone who has never dated online will find intriguing and engaging.

We are looking for submissions that are well-crafted. Submissions should be able to stand alone as solid, well written short non-fiction stories. Tell your tale in a way that will involve the reader in your adventure. Let it come from your heart, your story is important!

What we are NOT looking for is:
1. An essay or a sermon
2. Advice or a how-to guide to online dating
3. Revenge stories

Visit their site for more submission information.

What's The Worst That Could Happen?

If you've been through a particularly harrowing experience, a nightmare road trip where everything that could go wrong did, the Road Junky 2008 Travel Writing Contest -- Hell Trips is the perfect contest for you! They want to hear about your worst journeys, your near-death experiences, where you were beaten up, robbed, extorted, heartbroken or brainwashed. There's no fee to enter this contest from the dark side of life on the road, and the deadline's not until December 31, 2008, so there's plenty of time to figure out the best way to approach and describe for maximum effect. Not only that, there are prizes to be won!

• First Prize: $400
• Second Prize: $200
• Third Prize: $100

Also, if they choose to print your story in an anthology, you will get paid decent royalties. Send your 800 to 1500 word non-fiction story to editor(at)roadjunky(dot)com, and be sure to put "2008 Travel Contest" in the subject. Please go to their website to check out the rest of the contest guidelines.

Peace, Love and Rock 'n' Roll: Woodstock Revisited

Where were you in 1969? If you were at Woodstock and can come up with a true 850 to 1100 word story, you might want to submit it to Literary Cottage's Woodstock Revisited Anthology Contest. You'll have to hurry, though: the deadline is September 7, 2008. Adams Media will pay authors $100 per story, plus one copy of the anthology. Not only that, Literary Cottage offers prizes!

• 1st Prize: $100
• 2nd Prize: $75
• 3rd Prize: $50

So, if you were there and can remember the experience, or if you know someone who was (they are also accepting "as told to" stories), write from the heart, tell your story with imagery and humor, end with a satisfying conclusion, and email your story to sreynolds(at)literarycottage(dot)com. They have many guidelines for submissions as well as tips for writing a fabulous story, so please go to their website and check them out.

The Best Advice You Ever Had ~

FundsforWriters, (and its annual sponsor IdeaWeaver), is announcing its 7th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest. FundsforWriters changes its theme every year; this year they are offering two topics to choose from that have one thing in common: write about the best advice you ever had.

• Topic 1: The Best Advice I Ever Had and Ignored
• Topic 2: The Best Advice I Ever Had and Followed.

FundsforWriters is "all about the writer," so your essay should be writing-related, or, at least will tie back into a writing lesson. The deadline is October 31, 2008, essays should be 750 words or less, and you have both No Fee and $5 Entry Fee options, (the $5 entry fee option has bigger prizes). Those that select the $5 entry fee option will also receive the ebook of their choice.
$5 Entry Fee Category:

• First Place: $200
• Second Place: $20 - and a free copy of IdeaWeaver software (a $49.95 value)
• Third Place: $10

No Entry Fee Category:

• First Place: $50
• Second Place: $20
• Third Place: $20

The same piece cannot be entered in both categories. Submit your entry in the body of an email to hope(at)fundsforwriters(dot)com. Please go to their website for the rest of the contest guidelines and to read previous winning essays.

Narrative Prize

Narrative Magazine is holding a fabulous writing competition. According to their site:

"The $4,000 Narrative Prize will be awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.

The deadline for entries for each year’s award is June 15.

The winner is announced each September, and the prize is awarded in October.

Notices of the award, citing the winner’s name and the title and genre of the winning piece, will be placed in prominent literary periodicals. Each winner will also be cited in an ongoing listing in Narrative. The prize will be given to the best work published each year in Narrative by a new or emerging writer, as judged by the magazine’s editors. In some years, the prize may be divided between winners, when more than one work merits the award.

All submissions are carefully considered for publication. To submit your work for the Narrative Prize, please see the submission form below or visit our Submission Guidelines page.

Submissions by new and emerging writers are eligible for the prize, and we accept submissions year-round. For further information, please read our Submission Guidelines."