Coming up for air -- spring literary contests galore

 In my last post -- if I can remember that far back -- I promised the next would be on banned books. April fool! It's a post about spring literary contests. It's been way too long since I posted about contests, and this will also include information about Twitter pitch events.

First, the conventional spring contests including Texas-centric events readers may not always find in their inboxes, followed by links to sites of many, many more:

Now - April 17: The Houston Writers Guild announces its Journey into Art short story contest. Entry fee: $20 for HWG members, $35 for nonmembers. Cash prizes with provision for publication in the Guild's anthology "Journey" series. The contest's focus is on stories that include art -- visual, performance, or literary -- in some form, although art doesn't need to be the main event. 

Now - May 5 (early bird) or June 5 (regular deadline): Writer's Digest is now accepting entries for its Annual Writing Competition. The May 5 deadline is for early bird submissions with reduced fees. These are $20 for first poetry submissions, $15 for each additional poetry submission; and $30 for first manuscript submission, $25 for each additional manuscript submission.

June 5 is the regular, drop-dead deadline for submissions: $25 for poetry + $20 for each additional submission and $35 for first manuscript submission + $30 for each additional submission. Cash prizes for winners in a number of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry genres, plus additional recognition. 

Now - June 20: The Writers League of Texas annual manuscript contest is now open. Although the WLT changed its agents and editors conference to a biannual format, with the next in 2024, the manuscript contest continues annually. This year's winners in all 10 fiction and nonfiction categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judges in their category) via Zoom. Also new this year is the WLT Inklist, a catalog of log lines for all winners and finalists to be shared with literary agents and book editors this fall.

All contestants, winners or not, may opt for a written critique on their entry or entries. Writers may enter up to four entries per category. They may also enter as many multiple categories as they like, with exceptions for memoirs.

Contestants do not need a completed manuscript to enter. All that's required are the first (roughly) 10 pages of the manuscript plus a synopsis that describes the rest of the book the writer plans. Fee for each entry: $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers. Each of these includes a written critique. For writers who do not wish to receive a critique, the entry fee is $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers. 

April 1- to be determined: Dallas literary journal Carve Magazine typically opens its annual Raymond Carver Short Story Contest in March. This year, the site states the contest opens April 1, with no additional details yet posted.

Now - June 30: Feeling stressed about writing? Try the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, which proudly challenges authors "to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never published." Writers may submit as many entries as they can stomach, each consisting of a single sentence. These may be any length, but judges pray that they may not exceed 50-60 words.  

Image: Pixabay

Is there a fee? Next question. Is there a prize? Merely a pittance, plus bragging rights for those who dare. The contest is named for 19th century novelist, Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, whose opening sentence to his novel, Paul Clifford, began "It was a dark and stormy night," and continued for approximately (I lost count) another 50 words aided by a plentitude of punctuation marks. 

As readers may suspect, entrants tend to write with a high degree of hilarity, not the mention nearly unbearable puns. Inquiring writers may wonder, can there possibly be a Texas angle to such silliness? Glad you asked! Texas residents have frequently won honor (so to speak) in the contest's numerous "dishonorable mentions" lists. Check the winning entries and refresh your spirits, dear friends.

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But fee (or fie, foh, fum) on deadlines. The following sources (all free to use) list more contests, as well as regular submission calls, grants, and more:

Reedsy includes weekly themed writing prompts with cash prizes in its contest list.

Poets & Writers lists both writing grants and contest for more literary competitions.

The Submissions Grinder lists contests as well as general literary submissions. This free resource is similar to the for-pay site, Duotrope.

Erica Verillo's Publishing . . . and Other Forms of Insanity posts monthly lists of submissions, contests, conferences and more.

Arthur Klepchukov's Writing Contests Worth Your Time updates seasonally but is currently only available for contests through February 2023.

Writers of the Future hosts science fiction writing competitions, repeating quarterly.

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And then, there's the Twitterverse. 

Although Twitter's popular #PitMad is no more, the concept of literary pitch parties has proliferated. These aren't ways to make money, but some can catch the eyes of agents and editors, or at least promote solidarity among writers. They tend to come and go as quickly as a tweet. The most up to date list I found was at writing community.ca. Unfortunately, this site is on semi-hiatus, but it still lists Twitter pitch parties through the next several months as well as their associated websites.

What's missing from all this? Don Hammons, the writer behind the WRiTE Club readers-choice contest says it unlikely to return for 2023. And Ralan.com, a longtime source of writing submissions and contests, also bit the dust in February of this year. 

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Next up: Will I ever get around to the topic of banned books? Maybe, unless some other bright, shiny object catches my eye first!

Sharpen your pens for a new year of contests

So much stuff to write about for 2020 – writing classes, literary conferences, reading challenges – but most of all, writing contests! Here’s a sample, starting with the most urgent.

January 13: Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition is for writings of 1,500 words or fewer. Among the prizes – cash, a trip to New York City for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, and an interview for a feature article in the WD magazine. Fees: first entry, $30, additional entries $25 each. 

January 15 – February 29: From the indefatigable contest source, Arthur Klepchukov comes a list of winter writing contests he promises are worth our time! Some deadlines have passed, but for those of us still shaking off the holiday grog, Klepchukov extends his list through February. See the site for various contests, prizes and fees.

Yerson Retamal for Pixabay

January 31: Book Pipeline’s Unpublished Contest. Book Pipeline has added new contests to its lineup, including this for unpublished manuscripts in the genres of YA  (young adult), science fiction/fantasy, mystery/thriller, literary,  outsider/experimental and nonfiction. Cash prizes for winners plus possibilities for circulation to publishing professionals. I’ve received helpful feedback in the past from the Pipeline’s reviewers. Fee: $25. 

January 31: From New Pages comes The Screwturn  Supernatural Flash Fiction competition for stories up to 1,000 words. Cash prizes and anthology publication. Fee: $10. 

February 15: Also new to the Book Pipeline contest lineup is its Adaptation Contest. This one is for books, graphic novels and short stories previously published (including self-publication), and published or produced stage plays, suitable for adaptation to film or TV. Fee: $45. 

February 28: That’s the deadline for the current WOW! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction contest. 250-750 word limit. Fee: $10 (Or $20 for those who want a critique). This came from the genre-oriented site, Ralan.com. Follow the “contest” link for more options.

March 10: Yippee! The Writers’ League of Texas 2020 Manuscript Contest has a new and later deadline! Take a breather from earlier contests to polish manuscripts in a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres as well as middle grade and young adult manuscripts. Winners in each category receive free entry to the League’s June 26-28, 2020 Agents & Editors Conference (valued at $400) and a consultation with the literary agent who judged the category. Fee: $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers (includes a written critique), $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers who choose to forego feedback. See the site for details.

Still crazy for contests? In addition to the sources already mentioned, try Reedsy and new-to-me site Published to Death by writer/PEN member Erica Verrillo.

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Still to come – classes to start or polish your writing craft, and of course, literary conferences.

Ready, set, go – a lineup of autumn writing contests

How long has it been since I’ve posted a blog about writing contests? Well, that’s too long! So here goes, with both a selection of current contests and of do-it-yourself resources for ongoing events.

Now – Oct. 15: Time's nearly up for this tribute to the season: Pulp Literature’s Raven Short Story Contest. Fiction up to 2500 words (not necessarily of an avian nature!) can snag a cash prize! Fee -- $20 or opt for editorial feedback for an additional $25. Sponsored by Duotrope.

Now – Oct. 30: The annual Kathryn McClatchy Flash Fiction contest of the Writers Guild of Texas  is also coming down to the wire. Entries must be original stories, 300-1,000 words. First entries are free for WGT members, $15 for additional entries (up to three maximum). Non-WGT members pay $35 for their first entries (which gives them complimentary membership), $15 for additional entries. Cash prizes and publication in the WGT newsletter for first – fourth place winners.

Now – Oct. 31: Flash 500’s annual Novel Opening Chapter and Synopsis Competition, judged by indie book publisher Crooked Cat Books. Fee: £10/€13, with cash prizes for first place and runner-up.  

Now – Nov. 15: Writer’s Digest’s current contest is its annual Short Short Story Competition for stories in 1,500 words or less. First place winner receives cash, publication in the magazine AND a paid trip to the Digest’s annual conference, including a slot in its Pitch Slam. Cash prizes and publication also for second through 10^th place winners, and more! (Cost & details)

image: pixabay

Now – Nov. 30: Speaking of short fiction, check out the WOW! Women on Writing quarterly flash fiction contest, now in session for fall. Word limits: 250-750. Fee $10, cash prizes.

Now – Dec. 31: No matter how you feel about L. Ron Hubbard’s personal views, the late author’s Writers of the Future Contest is a recognized opening for writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. No fee, and potential for cash prizes and publication. Submission periods repeat quarterly – there’s always one ongoing. See the site for details.

Now – Jan. 31, 2019: Writer’s League of Texas 2019 manuscript contest is now open for unpublished book-length manuscripts of fiction, nonfiction and children’s categories. Winners in each category will receive free registration to the WLT’s 2019 Agents & Editors Conference next summer to meet with a top literary agent (and the final judge in their category). Manuscripts need not be completed – only the first (approximately) 10 pages plus a synopsis are required. Entrants – winners or not – may opt for feedback from an experienced editor on their submissions. Entry fees are $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers, which includes a written critique. Fees for authors opting out of the critiques are $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers. Writers need not be Texas residents to enter. See the site for details.

Now – Feb. 28, 2019: Oh, you’ve already published a book? Then check out the Writer’s League of Texas book awards, open for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books and middle grade/young adult categories published in 2018. Books may be traditionally published, indie- or self-published. For this one, authors must be Texas residents. Winners in each category receive cash prizes and public recognition at the 2019 Texas Book Festival. Fees: $60 for authors submitting directly ($40 for WLT members), $70 for agents/publishers submitting on behalf of authors. 

Now – Feb. 28, 2019: Another contest from Flash 500, this one sponsored by Duotrope – its annual short story competition. Up to four entries per author, with cash prizes for first, second, and third place winners. 

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UPDATE! Dallas-based literary magazine Carve's prose & poetry contest is open through November 15. Submissions accepted for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, with cash awards and publication for the winners. Entry fee: $17. See the site for details.

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You may have noticed several mentions of ongoing contests. Several sources provide free, searchable information about current contests. Among these are Ralan.com (source of the L. Ron Hubbard and WOW! contests as well as others), New Pages, and Reedsy.

I also mentioned Duotrope, a wonderful guide to contests as well as other writing information. It’ll set you back, but when I first started writing short stories, I found the $5/month (or $50 per year) fee well worth the cost. Check out a free trial period to see what you think. Plus, once you’ve joined, you’ll forever after receive its newsletter!

Wordcraft -- E-mavens and paper-sniffers

In her keynote address at last week’s Writers League of Texas conference in Austin, Jane Friedman had a naughty name for people who disdain e-books: paper- sniffers. I’d only gone wireless with my new laptop the morning before and already I felt prehistoric.

Friedman saturated her audience with statistics -- Amazon now sells more e-books than hardcover and paperback combined; if Facebook were a country, it would be the third most populous in the world. She assured us that there is benefit to not having an intermediary -- the physical bookstore -- standing between publishers and readers. And as the author of an e-book herself, The Future of Publishing: Enigma Variations, as well as being a visiting editor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati (and former publisher of Writer’s Digest), Friedman was cheerleading heavily for the new media.

Back in Dallas, I met a couple of fellow writers for coffee and talk, at, yes, a brick and mortar bookstore. One friend is heavily into genealogy, the other a soon to be retired school librarian. And although they also had plenty of cheers for the new technology -- easier referencing of sources and the possibility, with color-friendly e-readers, of more illustrations -- they also had horror stories about what the librarian termed the lack of respect for print.

I heard anecdotes about the cutting up of books to make digitization easier and government budget cuts that threaten the conservation of paper documents. I’ve written a novel about an archeological investigation, so I’m familiar with the information that can be lost when shards of cuneiform tablets or papyrus fragments are discarded. But it shocked me to think that the information on my own bookshelves, all of it printed in the last hundred years, may one day be gone.

And what will the fate be of my handwritten notebooks? You’d think in a hundred years nobody would care about my story notes and morning pages. But already my family mourns the decision of a previous century’s good housekeeper to toss a trunk full of molding letters from a pioneering member onto a trash fire. Maybe a future generation will find something helpful in a twenty-first century woman’s ruminations written in pencil. (What’s a pencil, Nana?)

Truthfully, I look forward to getting an e-reader -- as soon as the price comes down some more. And I decry the elitism of limiting access to information to those few who know the location of the hidden library stack, the off-the-catalogue volume. I just don’t want the sources for information to be lost forever.

For more of Jane Friedman’s advice for writers, see her blog, There Are No Rules (jane friedman.com.blog/) And the future of e-media? Twitter has offered its files to the Library of Congress. So watch those tweets. And emails and text messages. Who knows what family reunion they’ll turn up at.

(Next Wednesday -- writing for young people -- children, middle grade or young adult?)