Writers Digest Poetry Competition

This just in from Writers Digest:
We're pleased to announce the only WD competition exclusively for poets, the Writer's Digest Poetry Awards! Regardless of style—rhyming, free verse, haiku and more—if your poems are 32 lines or fewer, we want them all. Submit your entries by the December 20, 2007 deadline ... and your words could be worth cold hard cash!

First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100
Fourth Through Tenth Place: $25
Eleventh Through Twenty-Fifth Place: $50 gift certificate to Writer's Digest Books

Plus, the names and poem titles of all First- through Tenth-Place winners will be printed in an upcoming issue of Writer's Digest, and all winners will receive a copy of the 2008 Poet's Market. Click here for guidelines and to enter online!

Audio Short Stories To Go

Sniplets is working to establishing themselves as a new short story publisher with a goal of becoming the best place to find short stories to download to your MP3 player, cellphone, or "whatever." They will pay $50 to $150 upon publication of stories between 50 and 10,000 words. They welcome the work of new as well as established authors, but don't want anything hateful, pornographic, or excessively violent. All genres, including some poetry, are welcome.

Story Quarterly Fiction Contest

The SQ Fiction Contest
FINAL WEEK — the deadline for submission is November 30.
The contest offers a First Prize of $2,500, a Second Prize of $1,500, and a Third Prize of $750.
Additionally, ten Finalists will each receive $100.
Winners will be announced by December 31.
Log in and enter at StoryQuarterly.com.

Glimmer Train Press - Contest

The November Short Story Award for
New Writers closes on November 30.
We welcome your submissions online: www.glimmertrain.org, then hit the
yellow Submissions tab.

"Read this article," he said. "Why?" I asked. "It's good," he replied.

Both fiction and news writing work better when you let your characters use their own words to tell your story. This article by Andrea Di Salvo explains why, and gives some pointers on using quotes to give a creative twist to your writing.

Los Angeles Open Mic

This just in:
On November 20th, The Valley Contemporary Poets presents Carine Topal at the :

Cobalt Café
22047 Sherman Way in Canoga Park,
(just west of Topanga Canyon)
9pm
Free – one drink minimum
Open Mic

Short Short Story Competition

Writer's Digest's 8th Annual Short Short Contest is happening now! They are looking for work that is Bold, Brilliant, but Brief: 1500 words or less, and the deadline is December 3, 2007. You may enter online or via regular mail, and the entry fee is $12 per manuscript. There will be prizes: 1st Place: $3000, 2nd place: $1500, 3rd place: $500, 4th through 10th place: $100, and 11th through 25th place: a $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books.