Scorching Texas temps signal fall literary events

 (Updated July 13 to include Richardson Reads One Book)

July temperatures in Texas are in the high-90’s with “feel-like” temps in the triple digits. Which is great news because – it means autumn’s on the way!

So, for the next few months, here are some literary events in the state to look forward to. But first, a couple of contest updates.

First: The Writer’s League of Texas reminds me their manuscript contest is still open. But only until July 10. Which I’m guessing means the League really, really wants to see our work. I even dug out an older manuscript, brushed it off and sent it in, with the promise of whether their editors loved it or hated the tar out of it, I’ll get feedback in September.

A couple of things in this contest were new to me, although possibly not to more recent participants. Usually, the entry form requests the first 10 pages of manuscript plus a synopsis. This time, the limit is 2,750 words INCLUDING synopsis. My advice – keep the synopsis as short as possible, using the format from my February 22, 2025, post “Writing a synopsis – the short road to a long tale.”

Check the WLT’s site for full details.

Second: Since I posted about the Laree Bryant Memorial Scholarship Contest sponsored by Dallas Mystery Writers the group has updated some of its requirements.

Previously, the contest was advertised as open to all fiction genres. DMW has now added “except erotica” to that list.  Also clarified is that entrants may not be traditionally or self-published in any form of fiction for the past year. That’s after September 5, 2025, for this year’s contest ending September 5, 2026.  Previous winners must wait three years to re-enter.

Unlike the WLT’s contest, there’s no entry fee for this one, and the winner receives a paid in full registration for the October 2026 Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Conference . Again, see my post, “Sunny days of writing & reading – plus a new writing contest,” for details. 

image from  Pixabay

Now, to upcoming events: 

Sept. 11-13: ArmadilloCon 2026, the sci-fi/fantasy/horror convention has a new hotel – Holiday Inn Austin Midtown, 6000 Middle Fiskville Rd. Other than that, it’s the same fan-run, fan-generated convention that’s been putting the “weird” in Austin since 1979.

Besides chances to hear and see favorite genre writers and artists, it includes a writers workshop on the 11^th.

Early bird adult memberships are $80 or add the writing workshop for a total of $179, including Friday lunch and membership in the rest of the convention. See th-ole site for registration and special rates for student and child memberships.

Hotel reservations at convention rates are also available, but this is the weekend for the Texas v. Ohio State football game, so the hotel expects to sell out quickly.

Sept. 15: Richardson Reads One Book, the North Texas city's municipal-wide read-a-thon, returns with New York Times best-selling author Kate Messner's The Trouble with Heroes. The story follows 13-year-old Finn Collins, who lashed out at fate following the death of his father in the COVID pandemic by vandalizing the grave of a legendary woman mountain climber. The woman's daughter offers a surprising chance at redemption--if Finn can match the climber's record while accompanied by her dog.

Free online tickets for the author discussion available starting in September. Contact the Richardson Public Library at 972-744-4100 or at richardsonreadstx@gmail.com for more information.

Messner will appear at First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway, Richardson, at 7: 30 p.m. Sept. 15. 

Sept. 23-27: Archer City Traditional Workshop, sponsored by the Larry McMurty Literary Center . is open to writers of nearly every genre  -- fiction, nonfiction narratives, memoir, history, features (even poetry and songwriting!) at all levels of experience. At the Spur Hotel, 110 North Center Street, in Archer City, with opportunities to visit McMurtry’s former “Booked Up” bookstore and the home of the Larry McMurtry Literary Center. See the site for detailed information, itinerary and registration.

Cost: $795 by Sept. 1, $895 thereafter, $100 non-refundable deposit required upon first registration. Fee includes lodging and even meals Wednesday through Saturday. 

For hotel questions or questions about Archer City, contact Kathy Floyd at kfloyd@lmcmurtrylitcenter.org.

Sept. 30 – Oct. 4: The Larry McMurtry Literary Center also sponsors the workshop, Writing Dynamic Memoir: From Lived Experience to Gripping Story, with instructors Ronin Plank and Glenn Stout. Also at  the Spur Hotel in Archer City.

Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times and numerous other venues. Glenn Stout is the author, editor or ghostwriter of more than 100 books for both adult and  juvenile audiences.

Cost: $1,395 by Sept. 1, $1,495 thereafter, with $100 non-refundable deposit. Fee includes lodging and evening meals Wednesday through Sunday. See the site (www.lmcmurtrylitcenter.org)  to register.

For hotel questions or questions about Archer City, contact Kathy Floyd at kfloyd@lmcmurtrylitcenter.org.

Oct. 3-4: DFW Writers Conference returns to the Hurst Convention Center, 1601 Campus Dr., Hurst, TX. Lots of programming and a ticket buys one chance to pitch to the agent or editor of your choice (while time permits).

Regular registration through September 20, $449. Regular one-day registration through Sept. 20, $250. Late registration Sept. 21-Oct. 1, $499 (two-day) and $299 (one-day). See the site  for registration and additional information. Or add on the pre-con Pitch Perfect Workshop, Oct.2 for $20.

Hotel reservations at the adjoining Hilton Garden Inn are also available at convention rates while space is available.

Oct. 16-18: Hay Festival Forum Dallas 2026 presents writers, musicians and activists in conversations, performances and book clubs across the Bishop Arts District in Dallas.

Limited information so far, but Hay Festival Forum Dallas will highlight over 25 artist and 30 events. Now in its eighth year, this will be the largest and most inclusive Forum yet, offering big stage conversations, workshops and book clubs in venues across the city, including The Texas Theatre, Dallas Public Library, Whose Books, Oak Cliff Assembly, and The Wild Detectives bookstore.

The bilingual program promises a world of different perspectives, celebrating the range of backgrounds, languages, and experiences represented by its guests, while bridging the border with local writing stars and headline names from further afield.

Nov. 14-15: The Texas Book Festival returns for venues at the state capitol and around Austin! Stay tuned to the site for more details.

 

Sunny days of writing & reading -- plus a new writing contest

 School's out -- what you gonna do with the kids? Sleep all day, play video games all night? Seriously?

How about a writing camp? With apologies for my lateness, registration for the Dallas Writer's Garret summer writing camps ends today, May 29. If these are for you, contact the Garret promptly!

Here are the options:

Time Trekkers -- discovering Dallas history by traveling through the city and walking its walks, ultimately creating Camp Zine from student writing. Dates: June 8-12.

Rail Riders Summer Camp -- journalism in motions, via the DART light rail system, uncovering real stories at every stop, and creating a Dallas Beat news magazine from student writing. Dates: June 22-26.

Art Quest Summer Youth Writing Camp -- creativities combing visual art with writing, with field trips to area museums including the Dallas Museum of Art and the Amon Carter Museum. Dates: July 13-17 or August 3-7.

All camps are for ages 11-14, maximum of 15 campers for each. Cost: $450 for each camp. See the Garret site for additional information and registration.

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OK, maybe you want something free, with options for all ages? How about the Dallas Public Library's Science, Math, Art, Reading and Technology (SMART) Summer program, starting this Saturday, May 30, at multiple sites.

The free, 10-week program is aimed at encouraging Dallas residents of all ages to continue reading during the summer. Readers -- even adults -- enrolled in the program can even earn free books.

See the library site for more information, and sign up at dallaslibrary.beanstalk.org or at the Beanstalk app.

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For Richardson, Texas, residents entering grades 5-9, there's still time to sign up for the (also free) Richardson Public Library Young Authors program. Participants must be city residents with Richardson Public Library cards. (Not sure not to get a card? Ask a librarian -- they love to help!)

Registration runs through June 9, with classes through August 4.

With the help of guest speakers, including children's book author Nancy Churnin, participants will learn to write and illustrate their own picture books. They'll get one glossy, hardbound copy to keep, while a second goes into the library's permanent collection. Imagine seeing your own book on a library shelf!

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And now, for some contests. I didn't find any age limits on these, so why not encourage some of your teen writers to take a bite?

Image from Pixabay

First, the for-pay one. 

Now through July 10: Enter the Writers' League of Texas manuscript contest. This is separate from the WLT's conference. See the site for details and submission requirements. You don't need a completed manuscript, only the first 10 pages plus a synopsis. Winners in a number of fiction, nonfiction (including memoir) and children's writing categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent -- the final judge in their category -- via Zoom. All contestants, winners or not, can opt to receive a written critique from an experienced editor.

Cost: $65 for WLT members/$85 for nonmembers, which includes the critique. Or opt out of the critique and pay $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers.

See the site for details.

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And/or, if you want a contest with no entry fees (who doesn't?) take a look at the Dallas Mystery Writers updated memorial scholarship contest.

• No entry fee! And open to all fiction genres
• Entries can be submitted electronically. (I'm not sure how else you would submit them, unless you show up at a DMW meeting -- held the first Saturday of each month) to hand them over. Which could be a great start!)
• Entrants must be on the Dallas Mystery Writers mailing list. There's no charge to join the list. See the group's tech bro, James, for information.
  
• Entrants cannot be traditionally or self-published in any form of fiction for the public in the past year.
• Entrants must submit a sample of their writing, between 1000-1500 words, along with a bio of not more than 300 words which includes their writing goals.
• Deadline for entries is September 5, 2026.
• Entries must be on a double-spaced manuscript with 1-inch margins, in Times New Roman font, 12-point only, in WORD (.docx) format
• Email entries to sandysteenwrites@gmail.com
• All entries will be judged by DMW

The winner will receive a paid in full registration for the DFW Writers Conference, with a value up to $500. The scholarship will be awarded in time for the conference, October 3-4, 2026.

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Want more literary events? I like Lone Star Literary Life for its state-wide lists. Plus, still to come at this site: fall events including ArmadilloCon, the Dallas Hay Festival Forum, the Archer City Traditional Workshop (held in the hometown of great Texas writer Larry McMurtry) and the DFW Writers Conference, among others.

Spring into summer with Texas literary events

 April showers bring out literary events in Texas! Here's a sampling of upcoming ones:

April 25: Oak Cliff Book Crawl -- one day, six bookstores, plus music, food, drinks and community. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Participating bookstores: Whose Books, Pan-African Connection, Blush Bookstore, Poets Books, The Wild Detectives, and Lucky Dog Books.

No charge except to buy books, eats and drinks. Parking is limited, so consider walking, bike riding, or using a ride share if you're out of the area. All stores are located at or near the Bishop Arts area in the Dallas Oak Cliff neighborhood, although Pan-African Connection, one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the area, does require a short drive. Organizers recommend using it as your starting or ending point.

Please note, the parking lot at Whose Books will be used for vendors and outdoor festivities.

Check individual store websites for more information. And yes, feel free to stop by any of the other Bishop Arts restaurants and shops!

May 6-9: Dallas Is Lit!, A project of the Dallas Writers Garret, has everything from slam poets to literary organizations, to local bookstores. Located (where else!) in the Dallas Bishop Arts district, it offers activities for a variety of ages and interests. See the site for specific programs, venues, and ticket purchases.

May 26-August 4: The Young Authors program returns to the Richardson Public Library for students entering grades 5-9. This one's just for residents of Richardson, Texas, but it's one of my favorites. Free, but participants must be Richardson residents with Richardson Public Library cards. Registration runs from May 26 to June 9, with classes running through August 4. 

With the help of guest speakers, including children's book author Nancy Churnin, participants will learn to write and illustrate their own picture books. They'll get one glossy, hard bound copy to keep, while a second goes into the library's permanent collection. All for free!

To register, call 972-744-4358 or visit the Youth Services Help Desk at the library. Librarians can also help with library cards for eligible students who don't already have one. For more information, visit the library website at  www.cor.net/Library

June 11-13: Reading to find writing inspiration in the local that inspired a Texan to invent one of fiction's most iconic characters? That would be Conan the Barbarian (or Cimmerian, as his creator, Robert E. Howard, preferred). 

Howard Days is the annual festival held in Howard's hometown of Cross Plains, Texas. Technically, the festival runs June 12-13, but this year organizers have added an Emerging Writers Workshop on the 11th at the Cottonwood Downtown Cafe, 240 Main St., in Cross Plains, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Note that, despite the term "emerging writers," the workshop only means the manuscript submitted to it must be unpublished. Also, the submission does not need to be heroic fantasy but may be any of the fiction genres in which Howard wrote, including sword & sorcery, western, historical fiction, boxing tales, horror, detective, or comedic versions of these.

Instructors are authors Adrian Simmons, Jason Waltz, and Howard biographer Mark Finn. Cost: $50, which includes workshop, discussion, and written critique. Most of the proceeds will be used toward the ongoing Howard House Preservation Project.

image by suki for Pixabay

See the Robert E. Howard page on Facebook or the details at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly for more information. 

But get a move on, pardner! The submission deadline is May 10.

Note: updated April 30, 2026, to add proper link to Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.

June 11-14: For the young or young at heart, CALF aka, Children's Art and Literacy Festival, features the classic stories and art of Winnie-the-Pooh, with readings by Young Audiences of Abilene. See the site for additional information and events around the city of Abilene.

Early registration until May 15 is $12 for children ages 3-12, $20 for adults age 13 and older. 

June 26-28: The Writers League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference takes over downtown Austin from its perch at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Conference registration is open but going fast. From now through June 28 (as seats are available), registration is $549 for WLT members, $599 for nonmembers.

Perks are days filled with panels, meet-ups, and chances for information talks with agents, book editors, and fellow writers. For writers with finished manuscripts, consultations with agents or editors are available for individual purchase as space allows. See the site for details and registration.

Now - July 10: The Writers League of Texas manuscript contest  is also open for submissions, separately from the conference. See the site for details and submission requirements. It is not necessary to have a completed manuscript, only the first 10 pages plus a synopsis. Winners in a number of fiction, nonfiction (including memoir), and children's writing categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All contestants, winners or not, can opt to receive a written critique from an experienced editor.

Fee: $65 WLT members/$85 for nonmembers, which includes the written critique. Or writers can opt out of the critique for a fee of $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers.

See the site for details.

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Want more literary events? I like Lone Star Literary Life for its state-wide lists! Plus, still to come at this site -- fall events including ArmadilloCon, the Dallas Hay Festival Forum, the Archer City Traditional Workshop (held in the hometown of another great Texas writer, Larry McMurtry), and the DFW Writers Conference, among others.

Race to win with these spring writing contests

 As promised, here's a slew of new contests to get our writerly juices flowing!

Now--February 28: From across the pond, Flash 500 supports a number of writing contests. Its annual short story competition closes the last day of February -- remember the time difference if you enter this. The site also hosts a flash fiction contest which repeats quarterly, beginning March 31, and an annual novel writing contest which closes October 31. Cash prizes for winners. See the site for details, entry fees and optional critiques. 

Now--March 3: At least, that's the early pricing deadline for the Book Pipeline Unpublished and Adaptation contests in several fiction and nonfiction categories. Cash prizes for winners in each category, chances for industry circulation, and more. Fee: $45 for early entries (March 3); additional deadlines are May 20, September 22, and October 15, with increasing fees. Winners announced December 1, 2026.

March 1--March 15 (early bird): Fees for the Pulp Literature Magpie Awards are $25 for first entry, $10 for each subsequent entry. Fees for entries after March 15 through the drop-dead deadline of April 15 are $35 for first entry, $25 for each subsequent entry. But note, the number of allowed entries is limited to 500. So, the early bird . . . you know. Cash prizes for winner and two runners-up. All entrants gain a one-year digital subscription to Pulp Fiction. See the site for details.

 Now--April 1 (early bird): The early bird fee for entry in Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Competition is $100 for first entry, $85 for each additional entry. Fees increase for entries up to the final deadline of May 1. See the site for details and formatting.

Now--May 4 (early bird): And now for the most popular of Writer's Digest contests, the Annual Writing Competition, including poetry and several other writing genres. For poetry: early bird fee is $20 for first entry, $15 for each additional entry, with fees increasing slightly through the final deadline of June 1. Fees for manuscript entries are $30 for first entry, $25 for each additional for early birds, increasing until the June 1 entry deadline. Again, see the site for full details.

Image by Oleksandr Pyrohov for Pixabay

Want more contests? Of course we do! Their deadlines keep us on our writing toes. Check out offerings from the likes of Reedsy,  New Pages, and Erica Verrillo's blog, Publishing And Other Forms of Insanity

Did some old favorites seem left out? The Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest isn't available yet--it normally opens in March. I'll update here as new information becomes available or check the site for details.

Dallas-based Carve Magazine is currently on hiatus. 

And one of my favorite contest sites, the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has closed permanently after more than 40 years of delighting us with its takes on what was possibly the worst opening sentence in all of English literature. Farewell, dark and stormy nights!

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Still to come--a set of new posts I'm calling Texas Writer Smackdowns, pitting classic Texas writers against modern contenders in the same genres. Some of these will surprise you!

Looking ahead to fall: a contest & a conference

I was ready to post about the annual DFW Writers Conference, October 4-5, when a related post hit my inbox: a contest for a scholarship to the conference.

First, because the scholarship contest deadline is September 1, here's the lowdown about it.

The scholarship is from Dallas Mystery Writers, in memory of LaRee Bryant, a founding member of the group. The scholarship's winner will receive paid-in-full registration for the 2025 DFW Conference, valued at $500, to be awarded at the September 6 meeting of the DMW.

Now for the contest rules:

• No entry fee!
• Open to all fiction genres
• Contestants must be on the Dallas Mystery Writers mailing list. There's no for joining the list. See the site and click on the link "James" -- that's James Gaskin, the group's tech coordinator. Or email him directly at james@gaskin.com
• Contestants cannot have had fiction traditionally or self-published within the last five years. This applies to both short and long-form fiction works.
• Contestants must submit a 1000-1500-word writing sample, along with a bio of not more than 300 words, to include their writing goals.
• Entries must be submitted electronically as Word (docx.) documents, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, in 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Email entries to sandysteenwrites.@gmail.com  

All entries will be judged by the DMW Board of Directors. The deadline, again, is September 1.

LaRee Bryant was involved for more than 34 years with Dallas Mystery Writers. She was also a chapter administrator for both the Harvard Club of Dallas and the Harvard Business School Club of Dallas. See the DMW site for additional information and/or to contribute to the Harvard Clubs GoFundMe campaign to renovate LaRee's homestead.

Now, for some asides.

I'm not eligible to participate in the contest, due to recent short fiction publications. However, I hope my previous experience with this group may be helpful. 

A few years ago, I and several members submitted writing samples for evaluation by the DMW board. My sample was written in present tense. One of the board members insisted--loudly--that she couldn't even read anything written in present tense. Another simply wrote "Present tense. Ick," on my pages. The matter generated a protracted discussion in the group about how many of them detested anything written in present tense.

It's possible the prejudice about tense no longer exists. But you have now been warned. If the winner turns out to be someone who sent an entry in present tense, I'd love to hear from you!

I'm also not sure how the scholarship winner's registration to the DFW Writers Conference will be dealt with if the person had previously registered. That's probably a question to put to the conference organizers themselves.

Image: Pixabay 

So, now to the DFW Conference information.

The conference is a program of the nonprofit DFW Writers Workshop. It will be held at the Hurst, Texas, Conference Center, 1615 Campus Dr. As of this writing, the adjoining Hurst Garden Inn Dallas still has rooms available at conference rates.

 

Regular conference registration for both October 4-5 is $449 through September 21. Regular one-day registration for either day is also available through September 21 for $250. Late registration from September 22-October 2 is $499 (two-day) or $299 (one day only).

Registration includes attendance at craft and business workshops with industry professionals, one complimentary pith/consultation session with a literary agent or editor (with additional pitch sessions available for purchase), lunch with keynote speakers, and more. 

See the site for additional information and a list of agents and editors who have committed. 

The conference also hosts a pre-con workshop, "Finding Your Voice," taught by award-winning, multiply-anthologized author Ari Tiso, a member of the Bribri tribe of Costa Rica.

The pre-conference workshop is October 3, from 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Attendance is $50 for conference attendees, $100 for non-attendees. See the site for additional information and registration.

Hot enough for you? Check out summer writing events!

 Hot or cold, sunny or dry, no matter the seasons, there's aways time for writing that works out our story muscles. Here's a sampling of contests and submission openings hitting my inbox.

July 11: As mentioned in a previous post, this is the deadline for entries for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest. See the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis describing the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: For writers who request the written critique -- $75 for Writer's League members, $95 for nonmembers. For those not requesting a critique the fee is $35 for members, $75 for nonmembers.

See the site for online submission forms and additional information.

July 15-August 5: Wattpad's Watty Awards opens to stories in a variety of genres, written in either English, Spanish, Filipino or Portuguese. Stories must be complete, with word count of at least 50,000 (for English language entries) or 40,000 and marked "complete" for Spanish, Filipino and Portuguese entries.

Entrants must have a Wattpad account but there are no fees either for setting up the account or submitting stories. In fact, if a story posted at Wattpad meets the Watty requirements, it will automatically receive a designating banner.

The contest offers a variety of prizes, including $5,000 (USD) for grand prize winners in each of the four language categories. See the site for full details.

Now-July 31: Quarterly ezine New Myths is open to submissions. Editors try to balance issues between science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction, and longer and shorter works. 

Submissions should be 10,000 words or less and previously unpublished. Pay for accepted stories: 3 cents/word with minimum of $50. See the site for details.

Image: Jill Wellington from Pixabay

August 6: Also as mentioned previously, this is the deadline to submit manuscript entries for the horror/fantasy/sci-fi writing workshop of Austin's ArmadilloCon. Dates for the convention itself are September 12-14, but workshop participants need time to read their fellow writers' stories! As always, at Austin's Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row.

See the general site for basics, then follow the link for entry fees for the entire event, including workshop, as well as detailed instructions for writers.

Now-December 14: Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America announce their Best First Crime Novel competitions. Open to writers who have never published a book-length work (although check special rules for self-published authors). The winner will be offered a publishing contract by Minotaur Books with a $10,000 advance.

Manuscripts should be original books not less than approximately 65,000 words. And of course, a murder or other serious crime should be at the heart of the story!

At the contest site, readers may notice that Minotaur's Malice Domestic award for best first traditional mystery went unclaimed in 2025. Wouldn't it be a shame for that prize to go unawarded again? See the contest site for specifics, which include mysteries on the cozy-ish side.

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Is there more? Of course!

Check out hundreds of possibilities at Reedsy and Contest Lists
.

Happy writing!

Looking ahead -- Texas literary events & contest updates

 When I last posted here about spring literary events in the state, some had only limited information available. So, some updates!

Now-April 30: Submissions are open for the Houston Writers Guild anthology Journey into Hope contest. Word count should be no more than 5,000 words, and submissions in all genres must involve the anthology's theme, journey into hope, in some way. Winners and honorable mentions will be published, with first through third place winners also receiving cash prizes.

In addition, all prize winners will receive complementary 3-Day Pass registration to the AuthorPalooza Conference hosted by the HWG October 3-5, 2025.

Entry fees: $30 for HWG members, $40 for nonmembers.

Site the site for details.

May 15-18: Tickets will soon be available for the annual Dallas is Lit! festival of the Dallas Writer's Garret. Events include music, an evening with U.S. poet laureate Jo Harjo, books and author fair, Common Language Project reading event, and more. Check the site for details and to reserve space for authors, bookstores, literary organizations, and creative businesses.

Now-July 11: The site for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest is now open with complete information.

Use the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis describing the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: $75 for Writer's League members and $95 for nonmembers who request the written critique/$35 members/$75 nonmembers without critique.

See the site for online submission form and additional information.

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Of course, check my previous posts for ongoing contests and state literary events. Meanwhile, wouldn't it be nice to have something local, preferably free, especially for those of us not close to major metropolitan areas?

Image by XWu from Pixabay

Lucky us! Besides its many in-Austin and online classes, the Writers League offers two free morning writing workshops in small Texas libraries in April.

April 19, Meg Gardiner (Unsub) and Stacey Swann (Olympia, Texas) visit the Coleman Public Library, 402 S. Commerce St., Coleman, for a writing workshop beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-register at (325) 625-3043.

April 26, Swann teams with Amy Gentry (Good as Gone) at the Salado Public Library, 1151 N. Main St., Salado, beginning at 10 a.m. Again, free, but pre-register at (254) 947-9191. Light refreshments provided at both sites.

By the way, attendees at the Coleman workshop are only about a half hour drive from the town of Cross Plains, home to early 20th-century writer Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian and more. However, note that Howard's house at 625 SW St. in Cross Plains probably will not be open to the public until the annual Howard Days festival June 13-14. More on that still to come!

Writing contests, classes & conferences: welcome to fall!

 What a summer it's been! I'm back from the hades that is summer in Texas, amazed at how good it felt recently to have days when the temperature didn't top 101 degrees F. (What we in the Lone Star State call a "cool spell.") Even cooler, the new season come with a fresh list of writing conferences, classes and contests. I'm partial to Texas-related events but sometimes include others, especially if they're online.

First: the contests:

Now-Oct. 15: Pulp Literature's Raven Short Story Contest for unpublished short fiction (500-2,500 words). No need to include birds but hurry, total entries are limited to 200. Early bird entry fee (before September 15) $15, regular entry fee $20. Or add an editorial critique for $25. 

Now-Oct. 24: A Texas contest! The Kathryn McClatchy Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the Writers Guild of Texas. Entries must be unpublished, with word counts between 300-1,000. Limited to WGT members but for a fee of $35, non-members receive a one-year membership as well as entry into the contest. Cash prizes for first through fourth (honorable mention) winners. See the site for details, including format and judging criteria.

Now-Oct. 31: How about, from across the pond, Flash 500's Novel Opening & Synopsis Competition? For novels, whether started or completed, with strong, credible characters, page-turning plots and compelling synopsis. Send first chapters (up to first 3,000 words) of unpublished works only, plus synopsis. Cash prizes. Entry fees: £10 for one novel, £18 for two, £26 for three. Online payment methods will happily translate these amounts into dollars. See the site for details.

Oct. 1-mid-Nov.: Carve Magazine's Prose & Poetry Contest seeks the best literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Carve is based in Dallas, Texas, but accepts writers from all over the world. Cash prizes in each genre, with winners published in the magazine's spring issue. See the site for details.

Dec. 1: Still missing the now-retired PitMad? Don't be sad! Try Cam Cat Books version on X (formerly known as Twitter). Check out details at www.twitter.com, #CamCatPitMad.

Want more contests? Check out lists from Publishing. . . and Other Forms of Insanity, Writer's Digest, Reedsy and Writers of the Future.

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Now, about polishing the craft, pitching, networking, and just plain loving the whole writing and literature thing with Conferences and Classes:

Sept. 9-10: Hay Forum Dallas, at indie bookstore The Wild Detectives, 314 W. 8th St., Dallas, features writers from several Latin American countries as well as the United States. The format is based on the original festival at Hay-on-Why, Wales, which has since branched across Europe and Latin America. Free. RSVP at the site for times and details. 

Sept. 13 (repeating monthly): Another Texas goodie from Dallas Writers Garret and The Wild Detectives -- a monthly poetry series. RSVP at The Wild Detectives site for an evening with featured writer Christine Suggs, followed by a brief open mic session.

Sept. 16: Indie bookstore The Dock in Fort Worth celebrates National Literacy Month with the Trinity River Book Festival, featuring more than 20 local and national authors plus other family-friendly events. At Trinity River Pavilion 1, across from Chuy's Restaurant, West 7th St., Fort Worth.  See the site for details.

Now-Nov. 28: Arts & Letters Live continues its literary and performing arts series, sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art. Guest speakers include Jonatha Eig, Barbara Kingsolver, Mary Beard, Jesmyn Ward, Zadie Smith and more. Ticket prices and venues vary. See the site for details.

Sept. 26: Richardson Reads One Book Author Lecture at 7:30 p.m., in First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway in Richardson, Texas, showcases Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures. Free, or add on an author interview and luncheon at the University of Texas at Dallas Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. See the site for details, including how to secure free tickets for the lecture and purchases for the interview and luncheon.

Image: Carlos Villada for Pixabay 

Oct. 7-8: The DFW Writers Conference offers more than 50 classes, 12+ agents and editors, and guest speakers Dave Eggers and Evangeline Lilly, at the Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Dr., Hurst, Texas. See the site for full agenda and tickets.

Nov. 1-30: Neither a class nor a conference, but NaNoWriMo offers a full month of incentives to finish that first draft of a novel. Free. See site for details, including ways to become involved locally and with other writers.

Nov. 11-12: The Texas Book Festival in Austin includes national and regional authors such as Ann Patchett, Abraham Verghese, Time magazine editor Walter Isaacson, political leader Stacey Abrams, and more! Free. See the site for details and venues throughout downtown Austin.

Dec. 9-10: The last few years were big on virtual conferences and the online format's become a staple. So, I can't resist mentioning the Writer's Digest University Historical Fiction virtual conference. Contents include webinar presentations from six award-winning, best-selling historical fiction authors, query letter feedback, and more. See the site for cost and details. 

In there more? Yes, indeed! The Writers League of Texas offers numerous classes both in person and online. See the site for details.

***

Still to come: Stuff I learned while it was too hot to post!

Post-pandemic writing conferences and contests revive

Are we experiencing a break in the pandemic clouds? So many literary events have restarted since my last posting, I'm in a hurry to catch up. Here's a rundown of Texas-centric in-person events for late summer into fall as well as virtual events and contests open no matter where you live:

July 23: Writers loved last year's virtual conference of the Historical Novel Society North America so much, the society announces a one-day virtual event this Saturday (July 23). Registration is $49, closing July 22. See the site for details.

Now-July 31: DL Hammons' reader-favorite WRiTE CLUB contest has had suffered from a decline in entries during the last two years of the COVID pandemic, and numbers this year were not sufficient to support the contest as envisioned. Here's hoping for a return for 2023!

August 5-7: ArmadilloCon, a science fiction/fantasy convention, will be in-person at Austin Southpark Hotel, Austin, Texas. Registration $65. Entries for the writing workshop are closed but still plenty of chances to meet and hear some of the best science fiction and fantasy writers in the business.

Now - September 30: L. Ron Hubbard's season Writers of the Future Contest for new writers of science fiction and fantasy. No entry fee, cash prizes. See the site for details.

September 16-18: FenCon, the Dallas-area science fiction/fantasy convention returns in-person at the Sheraton DFW Airport hotel, In Irving Texas. Early bird memberships for adults are $45 through September 1. FenCon will not hold its usual writing workshop this year (2022) but holds out hope for 2023.

October 8-9: Also returning in-person (for the first time in three years) is the DFW Writers Conference at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas. Three-day registration through September 15 is $399 which includes one free pitch session to an agent or editor. Details about agents/editors and classes still to come.

Upcoming:

October 1-mid-November: Dallas-based Carve Magazine's Prose & Poetry Contest offers winners cash prizes and publication. I'll update as more information comes available.

***

Some of my favorite contests and events bit the dust for reasons pandemic or otherwise. Pitch Wars and Twitter-fav PitMad are no more. The Writers Guild of Texas has yet to post its annual fall flash fiction contest, although I still have hopes of seeing it now that the Guild is meeting in-person. Writers Organzations 'Round Dallas WordFest event also seems to be on hiatus, although it managed a virtual event earlier in the pandemic.

I'll be back closer to fall to see what goodies cooler weather may bring to life. In the meantime, a number of sites are always available online and always free to search for contests and other writing events:

Reedsy offers a pick of 2022's best writing contests, searchable by genre.

Arthur Klepchukov's seasonal listings, now of Fiction Writing Contests Worth Your Time in Summer 2022 are always worthwhile.

Erica Verrillo's continues her monthly gathering of conferences, contests, publishers and agents at Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.

Ralan.com also offers searchable listings of writing outlets, including contests.

(Updated to show cancellation of WRiTE CLUB contest.)

Weird & wonderful fall writing contests and events

(Updated November 15 with information about DL Hammons' WRiTE CLUB contest.)

How long has it been since I posted about writing contests? Well, that's too long! Here's a sampling, both wonderful and weird, to whet your writing appetite. The good news -- they're all virtual!

First -- WRiTE CLUB, DL Hammons' popular reader's choice contest, has officially kicked off for 2021. Submissions accepted November 15-28. It's fun! It's Free It's got great prizes. See DL's site  for details.

Now-October 26: The Writers Guild of Texas annual flash fiction contest offers cash prizes to the top four stories. Entries must be 300-1000 words, original, and not previously published. No poetry, essays or fan fiction. See the guidelines for additional requirements. First entry fee for nonmembers is $35, which includes a complimentary WGT membership through December of the following year, $15 each for additional entries (maximum of three). WGT members may submit one entry at no additional cost. Additional submissions cost $15 per entry. See the site for additional guidelines.

Now-November 15: Carve Magazine's Prose & Poetry Contest 2021 offers cash prizes and publication for winners in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Writers may submit multiple entries, with maximum wordcounts of 10,000 for prose, 2,000 for poetry. Stories (literary only -- no genre fiction) essays, and poems must be previously unpublished (including on-line publication). Entry fee: $17. No mailed submissions. See the site for full details.

Image: Ryan McGuire for Pixabay

December 2: Twitter's quarterly pitch your book by tweet event, #PitMad (brought by Pitch Wars) tempts literary agents and acquisition editors to request manuscripts by "liking" the authors' 280-character pitches. Open to all unagented writers working in all genres. Work must be completed and polished but unagented. Include the #PitMad hashtag and an age sub-hashtag. Writers may also include multiple genre or additional hashtags and may multiple manuscripts. Just don't pitch more than three times for any single work during the day. Not yet ready to query? No fear -- #PitMad repeats quarterly, starting again March 2022. See the Pitch Wars site for details.

Now-December 31: L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest is for new and amateur writers of science fiction and fantasy. Repeats quarterly. Cash prizes for first through third-place, with each quarter's first place winners competing for an additional annual prize. Original works only, not previously published in professional media, up to 17,000 words. No entry fee. See the site for details.

Want more? Need more? Of course! So check out Arthur Klepchukov's Writing Contests Worth Your Time and Erica Verrillo's Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity blog. And don't forget Reedsy's list of contests as well as Ralan.com!

***

Then there are the writing/literary conferences. Pandemic protocols moved many of what were normally spring and summer events into late autumn, even early winter, so there's till time to catch some old favorites and make new ones.

October 25-28, 30-31: The Texas Book Festival opted for a hybrid formal. October 25-28 events are virtual, those 30-31 in-person at outdoor venues in Austin, Texas. Free as always, but check the site for details.

November 1-30: Maybe NaNoWriMo (short for National Novel Writing Month) isn't exactly a conference. But this self-described seat-of-your-pants creative writing event has gone world-wide. Start a book, make friends virtually or in-person, and give yourself an excuse to let someone else roast the Thanksgiving turkey!

November 4-7: The World Fantasy Convention goes bravely hybrid -- live from Montreal, Canada, or in your living room. Many details still to be hashed out, so see the site and remember to check COVID-19 protocols for international travel.

November 5-6: New to me is the Fiction Intensive Virtual Writing Conference, taught by the likes of of Steven James, Donald Maass, Tosca Lee, and more authors, agents, and editors. As always, see the site for registration and complete details.

November 18-20: The RWA Conference (Romance Writers of America) opted for full-on virtual. Check the site for details and registration.

December 15-17: Finally on my list of major literary conferences is WorldCon, the international science fiction event, to be held in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned to the site for details.

As we near the end of 2021, look ahead. Some 2022 events are staying virtual -- which means less expensive. Events like Donald Maass's BONI (Breakout Novel Intensive), going virtual June 13-19, 2022; and Breakout Novel Graduate Learning Retreat January 17-23, 2022. And yes, there are in-person versions of both. See the Free Expressions site for details.

(Post updated to include Writers Guild of Texas flash fiction contest)

First things first – our story’s opening sentence

An email about Thrillerfest’s “best first sentence” contest reminded me it’s been way too long since I posted about opening sentences. Fortunately, Reedsy’s “First Line Frenzy” event with editor Rebecca Heyman was coming up. I sent in one of my opening sentences. So did more than 2,000 other writers worldwide, over a range of genres. Although Heyman had time to deal with fewer than 30, the results were instructive.

What did she like?

n  Pertinent details. (But see the caution below about getting to the heart of the character.)

n  Short and punchy (although she made exceptions).

n  Funny and intriguing. (For which she could forgive a writer whose sentence otherwise got a little “weird.”)

n  Something out of the ordinary. Regarding a sentence that basically started with a character opening his mail – “find something more interesting that’s going on here.”

n  Solid analogies.

What didn’t she like?

n  Starting with the word “it.”

n  Too many questions, not enough details.

n  Grammar problems. Watch the order of clauses. And mind the punctuation. Opening sentences probably don’t have enough going on to warrant the use of semi-colons. (Also see Heyman’s warning about run-on sentences below.)

n  Word use. Watch out for articles such as “the” and “a” which Heyman called “pointing” words.  and “a” Also word endings – a sentence full of verbs ending in “-ing” got a knock.

n  Run-on sentences. (By which she meant “run-on” in the traditional sense of splicing multiple sentences together without punctuation. Not exactly the “just too long” sense in which some of us use the term, which also veers into dangerous territory.) “Way too many ideas” packed into a single (more or less) sentence – “just tell us the one important thing. You have to get our attention with a unified notion.”

n   Info dumps. “It’s not necessary to teach with a heavy hand. . . Show us the danger, don’t tell us it exists.”

n  Outward description that doesn’t get to the heart of the character. “I’d like to be more inside (the character’s experience instead of surface details.”

What was iffy?

n  Starting with dialogue. But there were exceptions. “I usually discourage starting with dialogue without context but (one can be) an interesting enough snippet that I’m not bored with it.” (Proceed with caution!)

n  Word repetition, such as the “week/weekly” in one example.

***

I also unearthed some basic no-nos for opening sentences, courtesy of North Texas science fiction/fantasy writer Alex Martinez, from a previous year’s Roanoke, Texas, writers’ conference. At that point, Martinez had nearly a dozen published books (probably many more by now!), and years of participating in writing critique groups. “I’ve heard a billion chapters, including plenty that make the same mistakes over and over.”

The easiest things to fix are the cliched openings, for which Martinez’s list of don’ts includes:

n  Don’t start with descriptions of weather (goodbye, dark and stormy nights!).

n  Don’t start with a character waking up.

n  Don’t start with a character looking in a mirror.

n  Don’t start with a dream sequence.

“Well, maybe you can have one of the dreaded cliché openings,” he admitted, “but they have to be really exciting.” On the other hand, he noted, “agents and editors know that first sentences are the easiest things to fix. . . Just try not to have typos in your first sentence.”

***

I’ll conclude with some winners from Thrillerfest’s 2020 best first sentence contests for inspiration. I wonder which of these would have made editor Heyman’s thumbs-up list.

n  If there is a special place in hell for particularly heinous acts, I will be going there because I just bounced a blind man off my front bumper.

n  “Ten thousand bodies lie under the New Orleans sidewalks,” the tour guide told his group in a sepulchral tone, as he did every night below my Bourbon Street balcony.

n  She swore she’d never turn into her PI father. . . but that was before she ran over the body.

n  I wrote my first obituary when I was twelve.

And my personal favorite:

n  Dorie told the truth on the installment plan.

Happy writing! And if you should find yourself itching to try your luck with Thrillerfest’s contest, get a move on – it closes tomorrow, June 15!

Contests to put the spring back into our writing

 For every writer whose pen/paper/keypad needs to have the pandemic dust cleared off, here’s a list of current writing contests to do just that. Why contests? To paraphrase writer/blogger Erica Verrillo, contest deadlines force us to FINISH a piece, and many of them also require a synopsis and pitch – both essential for approaching publishers and agent. Oh, and winning a contest can boost our chances of getting published! (Also see her list of free contests, because if it’s free, what is there to lose?)

April 30: Did we almost lose sight of the Writers League of Texas annual manuscript contest? Because the WLT’s annual conference has been delayed by the pandemic, the contest was also extended – but the deadline is coming up fast! No completed manuscript needed but contestants must provide a short synopsis and the opening pages of an unpublished work (2,750-word limit) in any of several fiction and nonfiction categories. Winners in all categories win free registration to the WLT conference September 17-19, meet with a top literary agent in their genre, and be recognized at the conference. All contestants can also receive specific written feedback on their work. See the site for details. Entrance fees: $55 for WLT members/$65 nonmembers. Or writers may opt out of receiving written feedback for a lower cost of $25 for WLT members/$35 for nonmembers.   

Image: Wikimedia Commons

May 7: Early bird pricing deadline for Writer’s Digest annual writing competition. The competition’s nine categories offer chances for cash prizes, interviews and a paid trip to the Digest’s 2-21 conference in New York City. Early bird entry fees: $20 for first poetry entry, $15 for additional poetry entry; $30 for first prose entry, $35 for additional prose entry. See the site for details and entry form.

May 15: Dallas-based Carve Magazine’s annual Raymond Carver Short Story Contest offers chances for publication, cash prizes and publication of prize winners in the magazine’s October issue. Winning entries will also be read by three literary agents. Unpublished literary fiction only, no genre stories! Up to 10,000 words. Fees: $17 per entry. See the site for details.

May 20: Early pricing deadline for Book Pipeline Adaptation Contest seeks published books, graphic novels, short stories and plays for film and television adaptation. No genre restrictions, both traditional and self-published works accepted. Winner receives cash prize plus film/TV industry circulation and project development. Fee: $55. See site for details.

May 30: Masters Review Flash Fiction is looking for emerging writers for fiction under 1,000 words. Cash prizes for first, second, and third-place winners, chosen by author Stuart Dybek. $20 entry fee allows for two story entries. All stories are considered for publication. 

June 1: Early pricing deadline for the Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest in several fiction and nonfiction categories. Cash prizes to winners in each category, industry circulation and more. Fee: $45. 

June 3: #PitMad is the Twitter party where writers tweet a pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts to agents and editors. One day only, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Repeats quarterly.) Free. 

June 30: Need a break from the serious? Dare we try our hands at this year’s Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest ? Named for the prolific 19^th-century writer who penned the sentence that began with the infamous, “It was a dark and stormy night” and continued for more than 50 additional words. Each entry must consist of a single sentence, but the judges plead for us not to go beyond 50 or 60 words. There will be overall winners as well as winners in several genre categories – including “Purple Prose” and “Vile Puns.” For their pains, winners will receive a pittance and bragging rights. Free, with unlimited number of entries. See the site for details and to check out the stress-relieving previous winners, including North Texas writer Lisa Hanks’ masterpiece which received a “Grand Panjandrum’s Special Award.”

***

What’s missing? DL Hammons’ popular WRiTE CLUB contest is on hiatus, possibly due to the delayed scheduling of its sponsor, the DFW Writers Conference. I’ll post as soon as information is available.

As always, crazy for contests writers may check out the options at Erica Verrillo’s previously mentioned site, Ralan.com, New Pages, Reedsy, and Writer Unboxed’s
Arthur Klepchukov.