Contest Tips

Caroline Walton has compiled this very helpful list of contest-entry does and don'ts to help assure that your submission will be considered and accepted.

Oregon State Poetry Association Contest

The Oregon State Poetry Association's deadline for their Fall anthology is August 31, 2007. Prizes range from $100 to $20. There is a small submission fee, and your entries must not have been previously published.

Tongue and Groove

Go check out Conrad and crew's Tongue and Groove monthly readings and "Offering[s] of Short Fiction, Personal Essays, Poetry, Spoken Word, and Music" hosted by the Hotel Cafe on Cahuenga Blvd in Los Angeles. The groovilicious peeps featured this month are, according to Conrad:

• Salvador Plascencia is an East LA and USC kid who had his first novel published by McSweeneys. He'll be reading a new short story.
• Michael O'Keefe - is an actor, director, lyricist and Zen priest among other things. In his spare time he earned an MFA in poetry from Bennington College. Look for him on the golf course or in "Saving Grace" on TV and "American Crime" and "Michael Clayton" in theatres soon.
• David O'Shea drove cabs in NY for nearly a decade and is a master story teller.
• Laura Diamond is the editor and contributor of a book about motherhood and childhood. Proceeds from her book will go to benefit various women's centers.
• Sharon Mosier is an engineer by day and scribbler by night.
• Musical guest is the wild and wonderful Izzy Cox.

Go. Have fun. Be groovy. Fictionalize.

For the Over-50 Crowd ~

If you will be over 50 by the submission date deadline of August 7, 2007, you're eligible to enter Blinking Eye Publishing's annual poetry competition. The overall winner will have a collection of his/her poems published by Blinking Eye, and 100 copies of that collection. Submission fee is €10 per 5 poems. If the winner is unable to submit the proposed collection of poems, Blinking Eye Publishing reserves the right to offer the winner €500 as an alternative prize.

Call for Submissions: Winter Stories for Anthology

Freya's Bower invites you to participate in "Dream by the Fire: Winter Magic," a special winter anthology to be released in e-book format the first week of December. Please be advised this is not exclusively a Christmas anthology. While Christmas stories are welcome, as are all other winter-time holidays regardless culture or faith, the anthology as a whole will be a collection that celebrates winter, the season of giving, of finding warmth and thanks. Tell a story that will keep a shivering woman warm on the longest night of the year, and you're telling a story that is perfect for this anthology.

Submissions should be romantic tales between 2,000 and 8,000 words. Even though Freya's Bower welcomes romance of all sexual orientations, this anthology will focus on one man, one woman relationships. Stories may be contemporary, paranormal/fantasy, or historical and end happily-ever-after or happily-for-now. Heat levels may range from Sweet to Tangy (see Freya's Bower for heat level definitions).

All submissions must follow regular guidelines as stated at http://www.freyasbower.com.

E-mail submissions and any questions you have to Michelle or Bonnie, fbwinterantho@gmail.com

Deadline to submit is September 30, 2007. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Regarding Loving Your Puppy

Dog Blessings: Poems, Prose and Prayers Celebrating Our Relationship with Dogs is accepting submissions for their next publication. Deadline is October 31, 2007, and they will pay $25 per selection plus one copy of the book.

Dreams and Nightmares Magazine is Accepting Submissions

Fantasy and Science Fiction is their specialty, with a preference for Fantastic Horror. They pay $10 plus two copies upon acceptance of your poems, and $5 for your drawings. They also accept the occasional short story, and there's no submissions fee.

Prestige Plus A Little Cash -- Interested?

The Poetry Society of New Hampshire sponsors four contests each year. The next deadline is August 15, 2007. There's a small submission fee, and your work must not be previously published, have won a prize, or currently entered in another contest. Other than that, if your work is less than 40 lines, mail two copies to them and you're good to go. There's a $100 1st prize.

Is Historical Fiction Your Thing?

Fish Publishing and The Historical Novel Society are sponsoring their 3rd Short Fiction Contest. Closing date is September 30, 2007. 1st prize is €1,500, publication, and 10 copies of the Fish Anthology. There's a €20 submission fee, and for €45 they will critique your work. Check the exchange rate and the entrance rules, and onward to the past!

See Your Poem or Short Story in Print!

The new Dreamquestone.com Poetry and Writing contest deadline is July 31, 2007. The top three winning entries will be published in the Dare to Dream book of poetry. There is a minimal entry fee ($5 for poems, $10 for short stories), but you can even submit pieces that are handwritten!

Two $1000 Prizes Awarded Each Year!

The American Poetry Review is always accepting submissions of poetry without a fee. How can you resist?

Which Contests are Fair?

This is a great little article on how to research the contest you are about to enter. It's always good to check into it. Don't get overwhelmed, though, because you don't want to research your way into never submitting to a single contest!

Put Your Divorce to Work For You!

Send an inspirational short story about your divorce to CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE DIVORCED SOUL STORY CONTEST before July 30, 2007, for a chance at a $350 prize.

Got Poems?

If you're a woman who's got enough poetry to fill a 50 - 80 page volume, you have a shot at a $1000 prize plus publication. Note the $20 submission fee.

AAA Screenplay Contest Deadline Extended

The AAA screenplay contest, sponsored by Creative Screenwriting, has extended their deadline to submit scripts to August 1st instead of the 7/15/07 deadline listed on the site.

Contest Tips - Helpful Hints to Successful Entries

The Cassell Network of Writers (CNW) came up with this handy-dandy list of clear and simple contest guidelines.

Something for Everyone at Oncewritten.com

Oncewritten.com sponsors many annual contests for new and emerging writers. With minimal submission fees, and nice cash prizes / publication as goals, how can you lose?

Poetry/Flash-Fiction Contest - $200 Prize!!

September 30th, 2007, is the deadline for submissions to the Many Mountains Moving Poetry/Flash Fiction Contest. If your work is in English, not previously or simultaneously published, and you can ante up a $10 submission fee, this may be right up your alley. Entries may also be eligible for publication.

Of the Heart Call for Poetry and Short Stories

These folks contacted us today about their call for poetry and short stories for their soon-to-be-published series of books.

They are planning to publish five titles within our "Of The Heart" series, and are looking for submissions for the following titles:

1. Yearnings of the Heart
A Mosaic of Things Hoped For
2. Passions of the Heart
A Mosaic of One's Capacity to Love
3. Railings of the Heart
The People of a Nation Speak
4. Sorrows of the Heart
A Mosaic of Life's Tragedies

If you would like further information please visit their Web site at www.bookmarketingsolutions.com/poetrycall.htm

Short and Fast

This short story/poetry/creative non-fiction/children's literature contest ends as soon as they pick a winner. The only other specification is that your piece be 1,000 words or less.

Short-Short Story Contest

This could be perfect for those of you who don't take long to tell a story! If you submit your work by August 1, 2007, you might win $200 and publication in Big Muddy, a Journal of the Mississippi River Valley. Note: there is a $15 reading fee.

Internet Publisher Looking for Writers

We received an email today from Access Originals:

"We would like to introduce your writers to Access Originals, an internet publisher. We are looking for high quality books that will encourage reader discussion. Authors may also submit short stories to our free monthly short story competitions. Authors of accepted books are paid in three ways: 1 – royalty for book sold on CD or by e-mail; 2 – a share of the pool of subscription fees collected annually; 3 – the number of votes the book receives from our Premium Members annually. More information about Access Originals, including Author’s Guidelines and a catalog of our current offerings, is available at AccessOriginals.com. Please feel free to share this information with your colleagues."

Blencoe Essay Contest - Win a 3 bedroom home

Five bucks and an essay can win you a home in Blencoe, Iowa:

See the website:
Blencoe Essay Contest - Win this 3 bedroom home

For further validation, read an article about the contest in the Sioux City Journal

Deadline: July 28th, 2007

Zoetrope: All-Story: Contests

Fiction contest judged by Joyce Carol Oates

"...First prize: $1,000, Second prize: $500m Third prize: $25....The winner and seven finalists will be considered for representation by the William Morris Agency, ICM, Regal Literary, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, Inkwell Management, Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency.... The winning story will be published at this website as a special online supplement to All-Story's Spring 2008 issue. We accept all genres of literary fiction. Entries must be: unpublished; 5,000 words or less; postmarked by October 1, 2007... "

Cup of Comfort Seeking Essays for Anthology

Now you can make your pain pay off for you. If you are the spouse or child of someone who has Alzheimer's disease, Cup of Comfort is publishing an anthology that might benefit you catharticaly as well as with a small monetary bonus of $100. Your experience might benefit others who read it. Entries must be submitted by August 15, 2007.

Toasted Cheese

What a great resource the Toasted-Cheese website is! Not only do they accept poetry, creative non-fiction, flash fiction, and fiction submissions for their online journal, but they also have a plethora of writing prompts, as a giant list of literary journals.

Los Angeles Open Mic Resources

Even though open mics often get quiet during the summer months - here are a couple
of links where you can check out Southern California open mic events:

http://www.poetryflash.org/socal_opens.html
http://www.poeticdiversity.org/main/calendar.php

and of course for those of you on the west side - Beyond Baroque has
some great open mic nights

http://www.beyondbaroque.org/

Readings at The Hotel Cafe

Janet Fitch and deluxe word weavers at The Hotel Cafe, from the Hotel Cafe email list:

"On this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, somewhere between a burger and the Sopranos, I urge you to show some uncommonly good sense and head over to the Hotel Café to satisfy the literary quotient on your plate. You never know what surprises may happen at the club. Last week for instance, Leonard Cohen took the stage for a song.
This week I'm proud to bring you this group of writers to read/perform for you. One is a local gal and a best selling author. Another just had her first play accepted for publication and the others have novels in progress to share and all are fine writers with unique voices that I hope you come to hear. And I'll have a musical guest treat too. Come and see and hear for yourself because as always it'll be... pound for pound, word for word, and beat for beat, a fine and cool experience."

Super cool venue, guys - go check it out!

The Writer : Short Story Contest

The Writer : The essential resource for writers - The Writer Short Story Contest -: "The Writer Short Story Contest
Prizes: $1,000, first place; $300, second place; $200, third place.

The first-place entry, along with the finalist judge's comments, will be published in The Writer magazine. All three winning entries will be posted on The Writer Web site, www.writermag.com.

Entry fee
$10 per entry, payable to The Writer. Payments must be in U.S. funds drawn from a U.S. bank.

Deadline
Postmarked by June 30, 2007."

Simply Shorts Review Writing Contest

The SIMPLY SHORTS REVIEW Writing Contest deadline is coming up June
11. First Place winner will receive $2,500. If you would like to
submit an entry please do so by Midnight, Pacific Time on Monday, June
11, 2007.

If you have already submitted your material to the Writing Contest
please visit www.simplyshorts.com on Monday, June 18, 2007 to read the
winning entries.

Shriekfest Networking Meeting

This announcement was sent to LAwritersgroup.com:
Welcome to the 2nd Shriekfest Monthly Networking Meeting! Don't miss this chance to join other industry professionals in the horror/thriller & sci-fi fantasy genres for a great night of fun, drinks & networking! Bring those business cards!
Where?
Hollywood Billiards
5750 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
www.hollywoodbilliards.com
When?
Monday, May 28th
(and will continue on the last Monday of every month.)
Time 6:00PM until?
Early Bird drink specials 6pm-7pm
This is a FREE event. Valet parking is available or free street parking!
Drinks and food are very reasonably priced.
Please RSVP to: shriekfest@aol.com
Need more info?
Shriekfest Film Festival & Screenplay Competition
www.shriekfest.com

Hunger Mountain

Hunger Mountain: "The Hunger Mountain manuscript critique auction begins May 1, 2007, on www.Ebay.com. Join us for our second annual fundraising auction, exclusively featuring manuscript critiques with notable authors. One-on-one critiques in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and writing for children will be conducted by phone, e-mail, and mail. This is a great way to study with a writer you admire and support non-profit literary publishing! Click here to learn more about the auction and to view a list of participating authors"
They also have writing contests.

Family Matters

Family Matters: "We are interested in reading your original, unpublished short stories about family! (We don’t publish stories for children, I’m sorry.) Multiple submissions are fine. (You can send more than one submission per competition, if you like, or submit the same story for different categories, if it qualifies). No simultaneous submissions, please. When we accept a story for publication, we are purchasing first-publication rights. (Once we’ve published your story, you are free to, for instance, include it in your own collection.)

Note: In an effort to save our backs from heavy mail buckets, we ask that you send your work via our new online submission procedure. It’s easy, and will save you postage and paper. Just click the yellow “SUBMISSIONS” button above to get started!

Dates:

# April 1 – April 30. A link to results will be posted at www.glimmertrain.org on September 1.
# October 1 – October 31. A link to results will be posted at www.glimmertrain.org on March 1.

Reading fee: $15 per story.

Prizes: 1st place wins $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue. 2nd/ 3rd-place: $500/$300, respectively."

Lorelei Signal - Fantasy Fiction

Lorelei Signal - Guidelines: "The Lorelei Signal will be a quarterly Fantasy electronic magazine - one that will feature strong female characters. This does not mean your female character has to be the main hero or villain in the story. Reading Period: April 15th - May 15th (Oct - Dec Issue)"

CALL FOR STORIES - Christmas Memories

From Adams Media/F + M Publications, Inc., home of the bestselling CUP OF COMFORT series, and the bestselling 2006 holiday anthology, CLASSIC CHRISTMAS, True Stories of Holiday Cheer and Goodwill, comes CHRISTMAS MEMORIES, an anthology of True Stories that Touch the Heart and Renew the Spirit.

Christmas is a time for making memories...and for sharing them. In keeping with that sentiment, we would be honored if you shared your favorite Christmas memories with us.

We’re seeking true inspiration stories that have dramatic flair, pack a punch, and bring all of the senses into play. The best stories will invoke tears or laughter and leave the reader with a satisfied smile. Word count should be between 800 and 1,200. (We are not looking for poetry or fiction.)

EMAIL STORIES TO: hkpolaski@yahoo.com

Submissions should be sent in the body of an email. Include: name, address, phone number, email address, and a 50-word bio. Authors of work selected to be in the book will be contacted prior to publication.

DEADLINE: May 30, 2007

COMPENSATION: $50 and a free book will be given to the author of each story that is published in the book.

Helen Kay Polaski
Book Editor: A Cup of Comfort for Weddings and Classic Christmas
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Gift-Baskets.htm

Symphony Space Selected Shorts Writing Contest

Symphony Space: "SELECTED SHORTS WRITING CONTEST!

ENTER TO WIN THE STELLA KUPFERBERG MEMORIAL SHORT STORY PRIZE

An exciting new contest for writers. The winning entry will be read in the Selected Shorts series at Symphony Space and the winner will receive $1000.

Story requirements:
--Story length: 1-4 double-spaced typed pages
--Required Opening line: I’m not sure I knew I was setting out on an important journey…
--Required Final line: I understood I had finally come home.

Where to submit your story:
Email all submissions to shorts@symphonyspace.org (with “CONTEST” in subject line),
or send to:
CONTEST, Selected Shorts, Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, NY, NY 10025

Deadline: All submissions must be received by March 31, 2007

The Prize: $1000 and two tickets to the May 30 closing night of the Selected Shorts series at Symphony Space, when the prizewinning story will be read."

Bent Pin Quarterly

BENT PIN, a new journal online, is accepting poetry, essays, and flash fiction for its first issue, Spring 2007.

Poetry & the Foley Poetry Contest at America Magazine

Poetry & the Foley Poetry Contest at America Magazine: "Each entrant is asked to submit only one poem of 30 lines or fewer for consideration. No poems will be returned. Only typed, unpublished poems not under consideration elsewhere will be considered. The winning poem will be announced on this Web page in early June and published in America. The cash prize will be $1,000. Deadline: Submissions must be postmarked between January 1 and March 31, 2007. "

Quick Fiction Deadline Extended

The deadline for submissions to Quick Fiction issue 11 has been extended to February 8, 2007. As always, we look forward to reading your stories under 500 words.

Visit us online to read excerpts of work previously published in the journal and to use our new online submission system. Setting up an account is simple and easy, and you will be able to log in any time to check on the status of your submission or to submit more work. Sign up at our website here:

http://quickfiction.org/submit/

Quay - a journal of the arts

Quay - a journal of the arts
"We would like to announce to the world the arrival of Quay, A Journal of the Arts.

QUAY.
Symmetry with error. A pattern you would think is incomplete but is not.

Please consider visiting our site [quayjournal.org] and submitting your work. We are shaping our creative collection, so, at this time, we will only say that we are interested in fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, poetry, art, short plays or monologues and multi-media pieces.

Our goal is to publish three issues a year, online and in print.
* Spring Issue: submissions in January and February
* Summer Issue: submissions in May and June
* Fall Issue: submissions in September and October"

Choka On It

Contribute to the worlds largest Choka:

Choka On It: "Choka is a Japanese form of poetry, related to, but pre-dating haiku. It starts with three non-rhyming lines of 5-7-5 syllables, then repeats with 7-5, 7-5, 7-5. That's where you come in ..."

Karen Quinn’s Wife in the Fast Lane Contest » No Entry Fee

Karen Quinn’s Wife in the Fast Lane Contest » Official Rules: "4. CONTEST DESCRIPTION: The Contest is comprised of three separate online skill-based contests in which participants may express themselves on the subject of juggling love, children, work, self, parents, life passions, to-do lists, etc. in any of three ways (the “Categories”):

a.Video contest 1 (“Video Contest”): Create a video up to 2 minutes in length that is a humorous but truthful expression of your view from “the fast lane.” Specific instructions for completing the Entry form and putting your Video on-line can be found at www.wifeinthefastlane.com.
b.Essay contest 2 (“Essay Contest”): Write a humorous, truthful essay up to 800 words (excluding the title) entitled: Confessions from the Fast Lane. Specific instructions for completing the Entry form and putting your Essay on-line can be found at www.wifeinthefastlane.com.
c.One-Liner contest 3 (“One-liner Contest”): Using humor and truth, finish this thought – I knew I was living in the fast lane when… Specific instructions for completing the Entry form and putting your Essay on-line can be found at www.wifeinthefastlane.com.

Entries may be submitted beginning January 10, 2007 through February 16, 2007, after which judging and voting will take place."

Writers, Editors Say Adios to SASE's

An interesting article on Poets&Writers, Inc. about whether or not snail mail submissions are a thing of the past. LAwritersgroup.com sure hopes so.

"Last August, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) unveiled Submission Manager, an online software system that makes submitting manuscripts a cheaper, less protracted process for writers, while offering greater efficiency to literary journal staffs. "

Net contest hopes to be 'American Idol' of books

Patrick B. points us to this interesting contest:

Net contest hopes to be 'American Idol' of books: "As part of the 'First Chapters' contest, aspiring first-time authors and members of Gather.com can post manuscripts on that social-networking Web site, organizers from publisher Touchstone Fireside and Gather.com said Thursday.

Touchstone Fireside is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, a division of Viacom.

If online readers like the manuscript's first chapter, the author is voted through to the next round. Two more chapters are posted and the public narrows the field in the same fashion."

Poetry Midwest: Submission Guidelines

Poetry Midwest: Submission Guidelines: "Send up to 3 poems OR 1 piece of micro-fiction or creative non-fiction under 350 words."

Submit Your Contest or Call for Submissions Information

Submit your writing contest information, call for submissions information, or interesting site for writers here for inclusion on our blog. Upon review and approval, we will post your request. We also post writing-related events Thank you for thinking of us. If you have any trouble with this form, please e-mail your details to lawritersgroup[at]gmail.com