2008 Caketrain FICTION Chapbook Competition

Caketrain Journal and Press is proud to announce our 2008 Caketrain Chapbook Competition, the fourth installment of our annual creative writing contest. This year, in an effort to further expand the horizons of our book series, we have decided for the first time ever to look at chapbook manuscripts in the fiction genre (never fear, poets — your genre of choice is slated to make its triumphant return in 2009). We’re very excited about this new development and the fantastic work that is sure to emerge.

Each year, we bring a special guest into the selection process, a writer whose work we hold in very high regard, and this year is no exception: for 2008, we ourselves remain amazed by the news that Brian Evenson will serve as our final judge. Evenson is the Director of the Literary Arts Program at Brown University and the author of seven books of fiction, most recently The Open Curtain (a Time Out New York Best of 2006 selection) and The Wavering Knife (which won the IHG Award for best story collection). He has translated work by Chrstian Gailly, Jean Frémon and Jacques Jouet. He has received an O. Henry Prize as well as an NEA fellowship.

The winner of the competition receives a $250 cash prize and 25 copies of their chapbook. The chapbook will be published in a 200-copy run on sixty-pound, acid-free text stock bound with a full-color cover. We hear we’ve put together some gorgeous books so far — to see how they’ve turned out, please check out our previous winners, Elizabeth Skurnick’s Check-In (2005), Tom Whalen’s Dolls (2007), and Claire Hero’s afterpastures (2008).

Eligibility and Reading Fee (Print and Electronic Formats):

This competition is open to fiction manuscripts written in the English language — this can entail a single work (i.e. a novella) or a collection of shorter works. While previously-published stories or excerpts of stories may be included in the manuscript, the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Translations and previously self-published works are ineligible. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable; please note, however, that reading fees are non-refundable, and Caketrain is to be notified as soon as possible if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Manuscript revisions will not be considered during reading period. Please do not include cover artwork or photographs with your submission. Author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with Brian Evenson or any Caketrain Journal and Press staff member; if an author is unsure whether this policy applies to him or her, Caketrain will gladly address inquiries.

In a change from previous years, the reader may now choose between two reading fee amounts: either $15 for consideration only or $20 for consideration and a copy of the winning chapbook upon its release.

For more info, visit www.caketrain.org/competition08.html

The Next Big Writer Contest

Writers must be a member of the site to enter but membership is only $50 per year and gets recipients access to the feedback section of the site and entry into all contests we run, including the yearly Strongest Start Novel Competition.

Tell us why you started writing and you might get published in our upcoming book project.
Do you remember when you first realized you wanted, or even needed to write? When you realized it was an itch that wouldn’t go away? We’re looking for writers on TheNextBigWriter to tell us about their “gotcha” moment in a story between 1,500-5,000 words. The story must show the moment, or moments when you realized that you were destined to spend your life writing.

We’re going to select ten that tell the most insightful, thought provoking, and interesting stories and offer the authors a paid publishing contract to have their work included in our upcoming TheNextBigWriter book My Writing Life.

To enter: Posting your writing story anytime during the Contest period. The submission must include the tags My Writing Life (entered as my_writing_life) in it.

Deadline: 11:59 PM ET on August 13, 2008

Awards:

$50 publishing contracts to the 10 selected winners. Winning entries will be included in the My Writing Life book.
Submit Your Story

See all entries
Questions and Frequently Asked Questions
Competition, Rules, and Regulations
Sample publishing contract
Discuss the My Writing Life Project and Competition

More info can be found at: www.thenextbigwriter.com/competition/index.html

The Annual Dream Horse Press Poetry Chapbook Prize

Guidelines & Information for 2008

The postmark deadline for entries to the 2008 Dream Horse Press National Poetry Chapbook Prize is May 31, 2008. To enter, submit 20-28 paginated pages of poetry, in a readable font, table of contents, acknowledgments, bio, email for results (No SASE), and a $15.00 non-refundable fee for each manuscript entered. All manuscripts will be recycled. The winner will receive $500 and 25 copies of a handsomely printed chapbook. The 2007 winner was Charles Sweetman for Incorporated.

Multiple submissions are acceptable. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere you must notify Dream Horse Press immediately. Entry fees are non-refundable. Judging will be anonymous; writers’ names should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Please include your name and biographical information in a separate cover letter. Please be sure to include your email address.

C. J. Sage is the judge for the 2008 contest. Close friends, students (former or present), and relatives of the judge or the press owner are NOT eligible for the contest; the judge reads all entries and will immediately alert DHP if a close friend, student, or relative has entered. DHP will then disqualify that entry and return the entry fee.

The Annual Dream Horse Press Poetry Chapbook Prize entries may be sent, following the guidelines above, to:

Dream Horse Press
P. O. Box 2080
Aptos, California 95001-2080

Make checks payable to: Dancing Bear

Nation Student Writing Contest, 2008

Sponsored by the BIL Charitable Trust to recognize and reward the best in student writing and thinking.

We’re looking for original, thoughtful, provocative student voices to answer this question: What have you learned from a personal experience that the next president should know before setting the agenda for the country? Essays should not exceed 800 words and should be original, unpublished work that demonstrates fresh, clear thinking and superior quality of expression and craftsmanship. We’ll select five finalists and two winners–one from college, one from high school. Each winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a Nation subscription. The winning essays will be published and/or excerpted in the magazine and featured on our website. The five finalists will be awarded $200 each and subscriptions, and their entries will be published online. Entries (only one per student) will be accepted through May 31, 2008. A winner will be announced by September 4. Please send entries to studentprize@thenation.com.

Eligibility
The contest is open to all matriculating high school students and undergraduates at American schools, colleges and universities. Submissions must be original, unpublished work (the writing can have been published in a student publication). Each entrant is limited to one submission. Entries will be accepted through May 31, 2008. A winner will be announced by September 4, 2008.

Submissions can be e-mailed to studentprize@thenation.com. Please include the essay in the body of the e-mail. All e-mailed submissions will be acknowledged. Each entry must include author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail and short biography and school affiliation – and say “student essay” in the subject line.

Please email studentprize@thenation.com for questions.

The Shya Scanlon 7-Line Contest

Opium’s wacky contests have led to loads of sensational work, from the 500-Word Memoir contest judged by Daniel Handler (for Opium5) to the 250-Word Bookmark Contest judged by Aimee Bender that will debut along with Opium6. Now it’s time to reignite Opium4’s contest–The Shya Scanlon 7-Line Story Contest–this time judged by Brian Evenson.

The rules? Easy. Write a story that is seven lines or less within margins that are 8.5″ or less. Fiction, non-fiction, prose poetry or any other excellence is allowed. The winning story, along with a handful of finalists, will appear in Opium7 which will debut on Oct. 6. Below, read two shining examples–finalists from Opium4.

Enter, and tell the world so they can enter, too!
The Deadline: August 15, 2008
The Reward: $1,000, and publication in Opium7.
The Cost: $10 for a single entry; $17.50 for two
How to Submit: Send your story to OpiumPrize@gmail.com, and pay the entry fee(s)
The Odds: We can’t know this until all entries are in, but know that we do publish many stories from our contests (10 appear in Opium6, along with over 30 on OpiumMagazine.com).
The Judge: Brian Evenson is the Director of the Literary Arts Program at Brown University. He is the author of six books of fiction, most recently The Wavering Knife (which won the IHG Award for best story collection) and The Brotherhood of Mutilation. He has translated work by Chrstian Gailly, Jean Frèmon and Jacques Jouet. He has received an O. Henry Prize as well as an NEA fellowship.

The TNPR Book Prize Series

Submit 45-80 pages of poetry with a $25 reading fee (personal check only, please; no money orders), a cover letter with your bio and your manuscript’s acknowledgments, and your email address for results (no SASEs please; manuscripts will be recycled).

IMPORTANT: Checks payable only to “CJ Sage”

IMPORTANT: SPECIAL ENTRY ADDRESS FOR BOOK PRIZE ONLY:
National Poetry Review/TNPR Book Prize
PO Box 2080
Aptos, CA 95001-2080

Postmark Deadline : August 31, 2008.

The winner of The National Poetry Review Book Prize for 2008 will receive $1000 plus publication and 15 copies of the book, which will be published in 2009. All entrants will be considered for publication. In 2006 two runners up were given publication contracts in addition to the winner. In 2007 the winner was James Haug.

Please note that students, close friends, and family of the editors are not eligible for the prize. We believe that this policy promotes objectivity in judging and fairness in publication.

The National Poetry Review is a non-profit organization.

2008 First Annual Benu Press Creative Non-Fiction Award

Required Entry Form

Benu Press will publish the winning manuscript. The initial press run will be 1,000 copies. Benu Press pays authors 7% of book profits.
The postmark deadline is July 25, 2008.

Contest Process

1.Once the reader’s fee has been verified, cover page will be removed and an entry number will be stamped on the first page of your manuscript.
2.All manuscripts are read and considered anonymously. Benu does not use students to review manuscripts at any stage of the competition.
3.After identifying information is removed, the field will be narrowed by Lois Roma-Deeley, Marianne Roccaforte and Le Roy Chappell. The top 50 will be ranked. The top 12 manuscripts will become finalists. Peggy Shumaker will select the winner, first- and second runner up. If Peggy Shumaker does not select a winner from the pool of finalists, the prize will go un-awarded for this year.
4.Benu Press may offer publication to finalists after the competition. We do not publish vanity anthologies.
5.Authors may include a self-addressed stamped envelope for contest results only. Results will be posted on September 30, 2008 at http://www.benupress.com.
6.If you have studied with, or have a personal relationship with, Peggy Shumaker, Lois Roma-Deeley, Marianne Roccaforte or Le Roy Chappell, you are not eligible for this competition.

2009 National Writing Contest in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry

www.warrenadler.com

$10 Entry Fee
$500 First Place Prize
Postmark Deadline: October 1, 2008
Our annual contest awards $500 plus publication for the first place winner in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Additional winners selected for publication will be paid in copies (4). $10 entry fee, checks payable to Alligator Juniper. Every entrant receives one copy of the 2009 issue, a $10 value. The issue will come out in summer 2009. There is no theme for the 2009 issue. Work is selected upon artistic merit. By entering our contest you agree to allow us to select your work for publication even if it does not place first. We encourage submissions from writers of all levels, especially emerging or early-career writers. We accept simultaneous submissions; inform us in your cover letter and contact us immediately if your work is selected elsewhere.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions accepted May 1st through October 1st, 2008 (postmark deadline).
Include a brief cover letter, including the statement below.
Include S.A.S.E for response only; manuscripts are recycled, not returned.
Include a $10 entry fee payable to Alligator Juniper for each story or essay (30 page limit per entry), or up to five poems.
Additional entries require additional fee.
Indicate category with a large F, NF, or P on cover letter and mailing envelope.
Manuscripts must be typed with numbered pages. Prose double-spaced.
Double-sided copies encouraged. No email submissions.

Send to: Alligator Juniper, Prescott College, 220 Grove Avenue, Prescott AZ, 86301

IMPORTANT: Unfortunately, due to recent problems with misinformed entrants and withdrawals, we ask that you include the following statement in your signed cover letter: “I have read and understand the guidelines for Alligator Juniper’s national writing contest.”

Back issues are available for all but 1995 (the premier issue) and 2001. Send $7.50 to above address and specify what year you would like to receive.

The American Poet Prize for Poetry & The American Poetry Journal book prize

The American Poetry Journal announces The American Poet Prize for Poetry.

The winner will receive $500 plus publication in The American Poetry Journal. All entries will be considered for publication. Submit up to three original and unpublished poems (10 pages maximum total), cover letter with bio and contact information including email address, & SASE for results with a $16.00 reading fee to (ad $3 for outside of the USA):

J. P. Dancing Bear, Editor
The American Poetry Journal
P. O. Box 2080
Aptos, CA 95001-2080.

IMPORTANT: Please make checks payable to: Dancing Bear.

Postmark Deadline: June 30, 2008.

Simultaneous submissions acceptable with notice. Multiple submissions acceptable with separate reading fee for each group of three poems.

All entries will receive a year’s subscription to The American Poetry Journal.

All selections and winners are made by the editor. Personal Friends, Relatives, and/or Students of the editor are NOT eligible for the contest and their entry fees will be refunded.

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The American Poetry Journal book prize
Guidelines & Information for 2008

The postmark deadline for entries to the 2008 The American Poetry Journal book prize is February 29, 2008. To enter, submit 50-65 paginated pages of poetry, table of contents, acknowledgments, bio, email address for results, No SASE (manuscripts will be recycled), and a $25.00 reading fee for each manuscript entered. The winner will receive $1000 and 20 copies. All entries will be considered for publication. Both free and formal verse styles are welcome. Multiple submissions are acceptable. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere you must notify The American Poetry Journal and/or Dream Horse Press immediately. Fees are non-refundable. Judging will be anonymous; writers’ names should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Please include your name and biographical information in a separate cover letter. Please be sure to include your email address. The winner is chosen by the editor of The American Poetry Journal, J.P. Dancing Bear, Close Friends, Students (former or present), and Relatives of the the editor are NOT eligible for the contest and their entry fee will be refunded.
The American Poetry Journal book prize entries may be sent, following the guidelines above, to:

The American Poetry Journal book prize
P. O. Box 2080
Felton, California 95001-2080

Please make checks payable to: Dancing Bear.

Central Coast Writers 2009 Spring Writing Contest

Poetry and Short Story winners will each receive $500

Their winning work will be published in the Spring 2009 Homestead Review produced by Hartnell College. Note: All contest entries will be considered for publication in Hartnell College’s Spring 2009 Homestead Review.

Contest Rules

Eligibility: Open to all work not previously published. Simultaneous submissions allowed, but you must notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere.

Entry Fee: Short stories: $15 per entry. Poetry: $5 per entry.

Multiple Entries: You may enter as many times as you wish.

Maximum Length: Short story: 4000 words. Poetry: no restriction.

Submission Period: August 15, 2008 through November 15, 2008 (by postmark)

Submit to: CCW Contest, c/o Michael Thomas, P.O. Box 51805, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Make your check payable to Central Coast Writers. Please note: entries will not be returned.

Format: Typed, white 8½ x11 paper, unstapled, single-sided, numbered pages, with title only (not your name) on upper left corner of all pages. Short stories must be double-spaced. Poetry should be formatted as you want it to appear. Include a single cover sheet for short stories and a single cover sheet for poetry. The cover sheet(s) must include the title(s) of your entry, your name, address, email address, phone number, and word count for short stories.

Notification: Winners will be notified by March 31, 2009 and announced in Scribbles, the Central Coast Writers branch monthly newsletter.

Finalist judges will be Homestead Review editors Maria Garcia Teutsch and Dr. Jessica Breheny, published authors in their respective genres of poetry and fiction.

Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies Fellowship

2009–2010 fellowship information: www.radcliffe.edu/fellowships/83.aspx

The Michigan Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Fellowship

2008-2011 Postdoctoral Fellowships Application information:
www.rackham.umich.edu/faculty_staff/sof

Costa Rica Pages Travel Writing Competition

Costa Rica Pages has launched a Writing Competition with a chance to win a luxury $3,000 vacation to Costa Rica. Entries should be between 300 and 800 words about the writer’s favorite vacation moment or experience and how they were affected by it. Entry is free and there are no catches, they just ask for an e-mail address and username so that the winner can be contacted. All entries must be in by July 31st, 2008 and the winner will be announced on August 4, 2008. All the details can be found on the competition site here: www.costaricapages.com/Competition

The Summer 2008 Warren Adler Short Story Contest

SHOW ME THE FUNNY:

Suggested by the recent publication of Warren Adler’s latest novel, Funny Boys, the theme for the Summer 2008 Warren Adler Short Story Contest is humor. We’re looking for humorous stories in all their varied forms. From satire to farce, from the whimsical to the uproarious, all writers looking to get a laugh (in a good way!) should enter. We are looking for the subtle and the pungent, the black and dark, the sporty, the salty, the waggish, or whatever can spark a knowing smile, a sly chuckle, or a hysterical belly laugh. In other words, anything goes, just as long as it falls into this category, however one stretches its elastic boundaries.

Entries must not exceed 2500 words, and there is a minimum length of 1000 words. As in the previous contests, all stories will be judged on the basis of character authenticity, plotting, narrative drive, and the skillful manipulation of the short story literary form.

Submissions will be accepted from May 1st to August 15th. Entry fee up until August 1st is $15. After August 1st, a late entry fee is $20.

Five cash prizes will be awarded.

The winning story will be awarded the $1,000 grand prize and a personalized first edition of Funny Boys. Mr. Adler will also choose his top five for a People’s Choice award that will also be awarded personalized first editions.

Although Mr. Adler will have already chosen the winner, five finalists’ stories will be posted on the Warren Adler website on September 1st and the People’s Choice winner will be determined by public voting. Warren Adler’s top choice, along with the People’s Choice winner, will be announced September 15th. Prizes will be as follows:

1st Prize: $1000
People’s Choice Prize $500
Remaining finalists receive $150 each

The Cupboard CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Cupboard is a quarterly pamphlet of creative prose published in Lincoln, Nebraska. Each volume features a body of work by a single author in a uniquely designed chapbook format. Our first volume will be out in June and features Samedi the Deafness author Jesse Ball.

We are currently looking for prose submissions of anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 words. Submissions can be composed of one piece or multiple pieces. We make no demands on content or genre with the exception of verse poetry, which we don’t publish. We read fiction and nonfiction and are happy to see collections that include both.

There is no reading fee for submissions, and simultaneous submissions are allowed. All submissions should be sent as email attachments to submit@thecupboardpamphlet.org. For more information, visit www.thecupboardpamphlet.org.

Soul-Making Literary Competition

Entering its 14th year, the open, annual Soul-Making Literary Competition has 11 categories. Ongoing deadline: November 30th. An arts outreach program of the National League of American Pen Women, San Francisco Branch. Complete guidelines:

www.soulmakingcontest.us

Key Hole Chapbook Contest

http://keyholepublications.blogspot.com/2008/04/poetry-chapbook-contest.html

Poetry Chapbook Contest
Judge: Eugene Gloria
Prize: $250 and 25 copies
Entry fee: $15
Deadline: July 30, 2008

Eugene Gloria is the author of two books of poems Hoodlum Birds (Penguin, 2006) and Drivers at the Short-Time Motel (Penguin, 2000), which was selected for the 1999 National Poetry Series and the 2001 Asian American Literary Award. He is an associate professor of English at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

Guidelines:
Manuscripts must be between 18 and 36 pages–include a title page and contact information. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. The reading fee is $15.