Category Archives: Writing Contests

Short Short Fiction = Big Big Winning

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Oh. My. 78 words. Can you write short fiction? ‘Cause this contest is AMAZING.

The Aspen Writers’ Foundation and Esquire Magazine want your short fiction. Not just any short fiction. Your 78 words of short fiction. Yes, it must be 78 words. 78 really amazing words.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Writing 78 brilliant words is tough. Really tough. But if you can pull it off, you can win something big. Really big. TEN writers will be flown to New York for a fiction workshop taught by Colum McCann. And the grand prize winner will win a full scholarship to the advanced fiction workshop at the Aspen Summer Words in 2012.

78 words. No entry fee. No fancy formatting. Just 78 winning words. (By October 7th)

LAST (Contest!) CALL

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The last few days of the month are always a mad dash for me…I look up at the calendar above my desk and think &^*%! Two days? I’ll never make it!

Maybe it’s a conference I need to sign up for (along with a formal manuscript critique), or a writer-ish bill to pay. (Okay, The Beneficent Mr. Hall is going to pay that bill. But I still have to remind him.) And then there are the CONTESTS. So as it’s August 30th (OH MY GOSH, IT’S AUGUST 30TH!), we really don’t have time for dilly-dallying about if we want to make these deadlines:

The 2011 Good Housekeeping Fiction Contest on a theme that reflects some aspect of women’s lives today. Good news? That’s practically anything (including Zombies)! Bad news: You’ve only got till September 1st. More good news? It’s online entries, so you can wait till the last possible minute! More bad news? There can be only one (winner). Okay, there can be three, actually. I just like to use the Highlander line.

The 2011 Family Circle Fiction Contest on a theme…hmmm. There appears to be NO theme. Wheee! But I’d suggest a quick look see at some of the past winning stories to get a handle on what Family Circle likes. Good news? You have till Septemeber 9th for this contest! Bad news? You have to mail the entry. But you can send TWO entries!

Now, off you go, my little writers. TIME’S A-WASTIN’!

Tuesday Tip on a Submissions Goldmine

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I cannot tell a lie. (Well, I can. And have. Many times. This is not one of those times.) Um, where was I? Oh, yeah. I did not want to share this rich vein of submission deadlines. Truly, Sally Clark’s blog is that good and the little devil on my shoulder said, “Now, Cathy C., here’s a goldmine you can sit on, and cash in big.”

But the little angel on my shoulder said, “Shame on you, Cathy C.! Now you get your little boomerosity in that chair, go to your blog, and share what you found.” Well, I don’t need to tell you that when your angel starts talking about your boomerosity, you better listen.

So if you’re looking for one blog to check regularly for a ton of submission opportunities, then you shouldn’t miss the Christian Writers Submission Information. And if you want to catch up on deadlines, then zip over to this page and check out the month.

There’s enough there to keep you busy writing all month long. And that’s a good thing. Because as you know, an idle mind is the little devil’s workshop.