INKTEARS SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2012

Now open for entries – winner’s prize £1,000

Deadline: 30 November 2012

Type: Short story (UK + International)

Prizes: £1,000, £100, £25 x 4, plus all prizewinners get their story published to the InkTears Readers and consideration for a short story collection/anthology publication.   Full results will be announced by 30 March 2013.

Fee: £6.00.  Length: 1000-3000 words, any theme

NB: stories may have been previously published (prior to 30 April 2012) or previously unpublished.

for full details: http://www.inktears.com/Inktears/Welcome.html

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Call for Submission: Unmanned Press’s Short of the Month

SHORT OF THE MONTH

As part of our commitment to emerging and underserved writers, beginning in November 2012, each month we will publish a short work of fiction on our blog and feature that author on our website. Selected authors are paid $250. This year it’s an experiment. Next year, it’s an annual anthology and maybe a podcast. It’s a fluid experiment, OK?  Please visit our Submittable page to send your freakishly awesome short stories our way. Submissions to our Short of the Month are accepted year round, rain or shine. We look for stories that exhibit literary skill and those that bite.

Submission Guidelines:
All submissions must go through our Submittable page

All submissions must be previously unpublished

​Length is entirely up to the author

You are welcome to submit more than one story, albeit not at the same time. Please wait until we respond before sending another submission.

We suggest a $3 reading nod (100% optional)
The $3 reading fee is put toward our small but diligent operation, which means you’ll be supporting awesome small press authors and the independent literary community. That being said, this is NOT a required fee. Unmanned welcomes writers to submit to our Short of the Month series, fee or no fee, and whatever choice you make; it will have absolutely no bearing on your submission(s). We are grateful for the opportunity to read your work and thank you in advance for your interest, support, and readership. We adore you.

Please visit Unmanned Press’s website for more information and to get a general feel for the press: www.unmannedpress.com

Last Call! Writers’ Village Story Contest

Prizes total $1600 in Writers’ Village story contest

A first prize of $800 can be won in the autumn round of the Writers’ Village contest for short fiction up to 3000 words in any genre. Second prize is $400, third is $160 and there are three further prizes of $80.

Every story, win or lose, also gains a free helpful critique – a feature thought to be unique among low-fee writing contests. Winning stories will be showcased at the site. Fee is $16 per story. Entries are welcomed worldwide.

Deadline is 30th Sept 2012.

Details at:

http://www.writers-village.org

Email: cwriting@btinternet.com.

Address: Writers’ Village, The Old School House, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9DP, UK.

Words with JAM BIGGER Short Story Competition 2012

Words with JAM
BIGGER Short Story
Competition 2012

Our Annual Short Story Competition just got BIGGER. Not only do we have our usual 2500 word Short Story Category, but now we have a Shorter Story Category for stories up to 1000 words and a Shortest Story Category for stories up to 250 words.

Overall Prize Pot £1500
1st prize in each category – £300
2nd prize in each category – £100
3rd prize in each category – £50

5 runners up in each category will be published in the first volume of our Short Story Anthology (of which they will receive a copy), and awarded £10.

All winners and runners up will receive a printed copy of our first Short Story Anthology (inclusion optional*)

Closing Date
31^st October 2012

Results
All three winning entries will be published in the February 2013 issue of Words with JAM. Winners will each receive a printed copy.

To Enter

·         Stories can be up to, but not exceeding the category word limits of 2500, 1000 and 250 words, excluding the title.

·         You can submit more than one story. First story submitted is £6 and £4 per story thereafter, regardless of category.

·         Stories must be uploaded as Word Documents. Please DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES put your name ANYWHERE on your Word Document as it will be judged anonymously.

·         To enter please pay by Paypal using the options below or post a cheque made payable to Quinn Publications to 2 Malt Kiln Road, Newbiggin, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0TU, then complete the entry form below and upload your entries.

·         If you have any problems completing the online entry form, please email your Word Document(s) to submissions@wordswithjam.co.uk and include the information requested on the entry form in the body of the email.
A Few Rules
It is vital that you read the competition rules before submitting. There aren’t many!

·         We will not return or keep entries after the winners have been announced. Please keep your own copy.

·         Entries must be in English.

·         You must be 16 years or over.

·         Stories must be previously unpublished either online or in print, and must not have been accepted for publication elsewhere. We do, however, accept stories that have been on critique forums or are currently submitted to another competition.

·         Online entries will be acknowledged within 48 hours, when we have had chance to give them a reference on our system.

·         No alterations may be made to a story once it has been submitted.

·         Copyright remains with the author. However, Words with JAM retain the right to publish the winning stories in its magazine and on its website, and for general PR for a period not exceeding 18 months.

·         Entries from regular columnists of Words with JAM, or any person assisting in the judging process, will not be accepted.

·         Prizes will be paid within 30 days of publication of the winning entries either by cheque, bank transfer, or Paypal.

* Inclusion in our Short Story Anthology is optional, and does not effect eligibility for prize money. Proceeds from the Anthology will be put towards next year’s competition prize fund.

Visit the website:

http://www.wordswithjam.co.uk/#/short-story-competition-2012/4540010935

Fading Light- Open Call for Writing – Juried Book Competition

Open to Interpretation brings together photographers and writers in an exciting and innovative book project that has never been done before. Each book begins with a themed call for photos. The chosen photos become the literary inspiration for the writers’ submissions. A book is created that matches each winning photo with two stories or poems that offer different interpretations of the image. 

 

 ANNOUNCING FADING LIGHT

The photographers sent us their images of shadows, absence of light, twilight, darkness, losing light, and transformation. Now it’s your turn to use the images to inspire your words. Your poems and stories may include the literal description of the work, personal memories, metaphorical associations, or your mood inspired by the image.  

Poetry, flash fiction, narrative, ekphrastic poetry, short story, memoir, non-fiction, song lyrics, myth, tall tale or fairy tale – all genres are acceptable.

 

______________________________

 

 

Book Title: Open to interpretation

Theme: Fading Light

Judge: Jacqueline Kolosov, 

Submission Fee: $20 for 3 images, $10 additional

 

Deadline for submission: November 13, 1012

Results Announced: February 7, 2013

Results Posted Online: February 10, 2013

 

Awards:  $500 Judge’s Selection Award

For full details go to: http://www.open2interpretation.com/submit_writing_fading_light.html

25 Famously Successful People Who Started Off Freelancing

25 Famously Successful People Who Started Off Freelancing

We all love to hear the stories of the single mom who writes a book in her spare time and sells 10 million copies, or the kid who is discovered walking down the street who becomes an A-list Hollywood star. But for many now-successful people, their path to glory was not nearly as straight. They had to put in their time taking jobs here and there for small money and no recognition, perfecting their craft in the process and trying to keep their eyes on the prize. For all the freelancers out there, take heart in knowing these 25 sensations started out right where you are.

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/07/24/25-famously-successful-people-who-started-off-freelancing/

Welcome to the 1st annual International Quill Quarrel poetry contest!

Rules and Guidelines:

Contest accepting submissions from August 15th – October 15th, 2012.

– All submissions must be in English.

– The subject and style of your submissions are left up to you. 

– A maximum of 80 lines per poem. 

– All poems must be original.

– All submissions must never have been previously published or given an award of any kind.

– Entry into this contest shall be considered an agreement that gives permission for your poem to be displayed on the website. If for any reason you do not wish to have your poem posted simply write “Do not want displayed” on a separate piece of paper and insert it with your submission. 

– All letters and paper will be recycled. If you wish to have your submission returned, include a letter with pre-paid postage and your address on it. 

– If multiple poems are submitted with only one reading fee included, the first poem read shall be chosen and the rest discarded. (Reading fee $5.00 per poem submitted. Maximum of 4 poems)

– 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place shall receive 5%, 3%, and 2% of all reading fees collected respectively as a cash prize. There will also be a page created for the winners which will showcase this year’s top three, and in years to come will show all the past winners as well. 

– Submissions will be mailed to:

The International Quill Quarrel
25 Access Place, Conception Bay South
Newfoundland, Canada, 
A1W 4B3

– Reading fees shall be paid in full and be included with the submission in the same envelope. There will be only a few accepted methods of payment. These include Canadian Currency, American Currency, Checks, and Money Orders. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If an alternate payment method is your only possibility, contact the IQQ for assistance and we will try to accommodate you. 

– All checks and/or money orders will be made out to “The International Quill Quarrel”

– All judging will be done by the IQQ.

– Please feel free to include your email address so that you may contacted in following years when the contest opens again (This will not be given out nor used for spam mail.)

– Family members of any employee of the IQQ will not qualify to participate.

– Submissions will not be used for any other purpose than mentioned above. 

Visit the website: http://theiqq.webs.com/

Last Call! > POETRY KIT SUMMER POETRY COMPETITION 2012

> POETRY KIT SUMMER POETRY COMPETITION 2012

> ALL POEMS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT 30th SEPTEMBER 2012

> Our competition this year is for poems on the theme of “the natural world” (this can be broadly interpreted). There are no style or length restrictions but it should be stressed that a short poem is just as likely to be selected as a longer one.
>
> 1st prize is £100.
>
> ONLINE ENTRY ONLY
> Entry is by email to comp@poetrykit.org after an appropriate fee is paid by Pay Pal to the account of info@poetrykit.org and all entries must be received before midnight 30th September 2011 Entries received after this time will be discarded.
> First prize is £100 and the winning poem plus those sellected for special commendation will be published at the Poetry Kit website.
>
> Entry fees are as follows;
> 1 poem £3.50
> 3 Poems £8.00
> 5 poems £10
>
> Competition Judge; Lesley Burt
> Lesley Burt retired from a career in social work and social work education in 2009. She has been writing poetry for the last 12 years, had many poems published online, as well as magazines and anthologies, including: Tears in the Fence, Poetry Nottingham, The Interpreter’s House, Roundyhouse, and Dorset Voices, and in the recent Robin Hood Book, edited by Alan Morrison. She has been placed in several competitions, including 3rd place in the Bedford Open 2011, 2nd place in the Alan Sillitoe Open 2012 and 1st prize in Christchurch Writers’ Poetry Competition 2009 & 2010.
> Lesley runs a poetry group that aims to encourage the writing and enjoyment of poetry in her local community. One of her sessions developed into a chapter included in: Teaching Creative Writing, edited by Elaine Walker, published in 2012 by the Professional and Higher Partnership.
>
> Competition Rules
>
> Poems, which must be in English, can be on any subject and presented in any form or style .
> There are no restrictions on content.
> All poem must be the unpublished work of the person entering them into the competition.
> The actual given name of the entrant must be given, even if the poem is to be published under a pen name.
> Poems should not have any indication within them to allow for the identification of the poet.
> There is no length or content restrictions and a short poem is just as likely to win as a longer one.
> Poems must be entered by email to comps@poetrykit.org after the appropriate fee is paid through PAY PAL in Pound Sterling (GB Pounds).
> Please attach all entered poems in one attachment using a standard Poems will not be accepted by post.
> We cannot accept alterations to the poem once it has been submitted.
> Poems cannot be withdrawn from the judging process once they have been entered.
> Although copyright will remain with the poet, we reserve the right to publish any shortlisted poem on our website.
> The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

> ALL POEMS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT 30th SEPTEMBER 2012

Last Call! Good News Toronto 2nd Annual True Story Contest 2012

Good News Toronto is accepting submissions for its 2012 True Story
Contest.  Open to residents of the Greater Toronto Area.

Submit your creative non-fiction stories (no longer than 450 words) on the topic: A
Good Neighbour.

First Prize: $100, publication in Good News Toronto, and a
1-year subscription.

Second and third runners up: publication in Good News
Toronto.

Deadline: September 30, 2012.

Entry fee: $10 (additional entries:$5).

For complete Rules and Guidelines visit:
www.goodnewstoronto.ca/contests/true-story-contest

The Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs (Updated)

The Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs (Updated)

Whether a creative writer’s heart sits with prose, poetry, or both, there likely exists an author or aspirant author out there with something to offer his or her work. And that, friends, is why the Internet stands as one of the best possible tools for today’s emerging literati. Thanks to the online input of industry pros and fledgling dreamers, today’s writers enjoy some incredible opportunities to finely-tune their craft and seek personalized advice from those who came before.

We have updated our previous list to include some pretty nifty new reads since then, and we hope you’ll find them as advantageous and informative as we do! Please keep in mind that entries are not to be read as ranked in any particular order.

http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2012/07/02/the-top-100-creative-writing-blogs-updated/

Last Call: Meridian Writing Autumn competition

Competition Name: Meridian Writing Autumn competition

Length: max 3,000 words but with no lower limit

Theme/Genre: Any

Prizes: 1st Place – £100, 2nd Place – £50 and 3rd Place – £25,

plus a firstwriter.com voucher worth £10 for each winner

Entry Fee: £5 per story

Eligibility: New and Published authors

Other info: Critique service available

Website: www.meridian-writing.co.uk