Tag Archives: Humor Contest

Start August With Writing Fun

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I cannot believe it’s already August, but calendars don’t lie (they do, however, mock you) so we need to get down to some writing business. Happily, it’s writing funny business!

I saw where Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is having an Inanimate Object Photo Caption Contest. How fun is that? You only need to come up with a caption. Just a couple of brilliant words. That’s easy enough for the beginning of the end of summer, right? So take a look at the examples (I laughed out loud at the drunk octopus), grab your cameras, and start clicking and captioning.

I also saw that Pockets is having their Fiction Contest once again, and that should be fun if you’re in the mood to write a children’s story. Or maybe you have a story that just needs a bit of polishing before you send it out. Or maybe you’re going to take the story that you sent to the last Pockets Fiction Contest, change the names, and try again.

Or maybe that’s just me. Anyway, take a look at their Writer’s Guidelines to get a feel of the Pockets kind of story and get ‘er done before the 15th.

And extra points (and a bronze medal, at least) if you can get those done while watching the Olympics.

Tuesday’s This ‘n That: Writing Contests!

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I’ve found two interesting writing contests, and for once, you’re getting plenty of time to work on your entries!

CONTEST 1: The Washington Post Humor Contest

What I like about this contest is the prize money ($1,000) and no entry fee. I’m also rather fond of the idea of writing a true memoir, as I write that sort of thing all the time. Of course, it has to be funny and as we know, if we follow Cathy C. Hall’s posts regularly, I do not always excel at “trying to be funny.” So maybe I’ll try the Twitter joke or funny photo part of the contest. Because I can enter all three. For free!

What I don’t like about this contest is that right in the middle of reading the example put forth by The Washington Post, I had to sign in and create an account. But then, I suppose I have to have an account to enter the contest. I mean, dang. Don’t these people know I’m easily distracted by accounts to things like The Washington Post? And that I’ll never remember my user name and password? Plus, it appears that each contest has only one winner. ONE. Also, I’m more than a little intimidated by that list of judges. Don’t go look at them. You’ll be intimidated, too.

CONTEST 2: Write-on-Con’s Writing Contest Sponsored by The Reading Room

What I like about this contest is also the big money prize: $1,000! And it’s free to enter! And the winner gets an author profile at The Reading Room! And possible consideration by agent Catherine Drayton! And it’s 450 words from a YA/MG novel so I don’t have to think up anything new!

What I don’t like about this contest is that five submissions will be selected and then members of The Reading Room will vote to determine the Grand Prize Winner. Whenever a vote comes along in a contest, I’m not so thrilled. I mean, have you ever noticed that “vote” and veto” are the same letters? Of course, first I’d have to get to the Top 5. And then there’s only ONE winner. The odds of winning this contest are semi-staggering. Plus, I have to join the Reading Room and then I have to deal with remembering that whole username/password thing again.

I guess that’s about all I’ve got on the writing contests today. But I will leave you with this final thought: Someone has to win these contests. Why not you or me?

 

When Blunders Pay

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So according to Merriam-Webster a blunder is a “gross error or mistake, resulting usually from stupidy, ignorance, or carelessness.”

I’d be a a very rich writer if I could earn money from my bucket o’ blunders. But maybe this time, I’ll get a blunder or two to pay off. Because Birds and Blooms is sponsoring a Backyard Blunder Contest. All I need to do is a. write 400 words or less about a funny birding or gardening blunder, b. send it in by March 15th and c. win the $500!

Easy-peasy. What may be a tad more difficult is really honing in on what a backyard blunder is. Because I’m not sure that picking up a hanging plant and throwing it three stories off our deck to make my point, could be classified, technically, as careless. Stupid, yes.  Hilarious, definitely. But there was no mistaking what I meant.