FundsforWriters - March 27, 2020 - Ten Lessons from Entering Hundreds of Short Story Competitions

Published: Fri, 03/27/20

Volume 20, Issue 13 | MARCH 27, 2020

Message from the Editor

Each week this virus-thing gets a little more series, doesn't it? It's making me look at life through a different lens.

I went out for the first time in a week, to get my mail from the post office, only to feel like I was venturing out into some post-apocalyptic, weird dystopian environment. Once busy streets empty. I was afraid to touch things. Came home, stripped, threw everything including shoes in the washer, and showered. Wiped down a few doors.

A friend I know loves puzzles. She and family had put all theirs together and tried to order more on Amazon. The prices of puzzles had tripled.

But I also saw a neighborhood come together in spite of the virus, to build a ramp for someone when he suddenly lost his ability to walk due to his illness.

A friend with a coffee shop has customers buying gift cards right and left to help him make ends meet. Ordering four coffees then only having them fix one.

We are coming together in so many ways, but I'm also seeing people a bit more distraught and fearful. Some folks fear going out, others fear staying in. Businesses are not sure how to cope. Some are paying more attention to the customer, in hopes of keeping them in the future....others have to look at the bottom line now making for a different reaction with the public. I just lost $500 on a vacation rental.

"May you live in interesting times." is a Chinese curse. I kind of get it now.

I'm not going to tell you to write a book about all of this. Probably on the contrary. There will be a zillion of them over the next year or so, with nobody really wanting to read them. However, you might consider journaling during these times. Your children and grandchildren might want to read about the experience from someone who endured it first-hand.

But regardless, whether you write them or read them, let words soothe you. Watch authors read live on Facebook. Tuck yourself away in a calm setting and settle into a story. Write on your porch. Edit in your recliner. Take care of yourself physically and mentally and let words help you do it.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS

DEVELOPING THE HABIT

In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration. Consequently there must be some quality of fierceness until the habit pattern of a certain number of words is established. There is no possibility, in me at least, of saying, “I’ll do it if I feel like it.” One never feels like awaking day after day. In fact, given the smallest excuse, one will not work at all. The rest is nonsense. Perhaps there are people who can work that way, but I cannot. I must get my words down every day whether they are any good or not. ~John Steinbeck

I try to touch my work daily. Editing, writing drafts, rewriting. . . doesn't matter. I feel empty if I do not spend time with my words. That's called habit, which isn't something you develop by willpower. It's done by repetition and ultimately turns into a type of muscle memory.

Don't know what to write? Then write a poem. Write a short story. Write in your journal. Write a blog post. Because if you aren't sure what to write, it isn't the time to invest in a book quite yet, but put words on paper. Sometimes it's simply writing about what's on your mind that gets the creativity flowing. Practice using more complex phrasing. Attempt to use words not in your normal vocabulary. Practice dialogue. Attempt multiple points of view.

But write daily. It takes you a couple months to embed a habit into your being. Why not start today while many of us have time at home, sequestered. Come out of this virus pandemic with a new talent. . . the ability to write each and every day.

I’ll get the book done if I just set one day’s work in front of the last day’s work. That’s the way it comes out. And that’s the only way it does. ~John Steinbeck

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Ten Lessons from Entering Hundreds of Short Story Competitions

By Dan Brotzel

Do the Obvious Stuff

Follow the submission guidelines. Get the formatting right. Make sure the story is anonymised if it has to be. Check you haven’t left any details in the doc from a previous contest requirement. Don’t send a 500-word bio when they want 75 words max.

Look for Author-Competition Fit

Contests typically change judges every year, but you still can learn the sense of story flavour that seems to do well. Some competitions will have a better fit for your work than others, so consider re-entering competitions where you’ve been successful before.

Use Competitions to Free You from Creative Blockage

Story contests get you writing again when you’ve been blocked. Choose one with a soonish deadline and an interesting prompt – and get cracking!

Work That Title

We all know the importance of starting strong, but judges wish more attention was paid to titles. An original title helps a story stand out, and too many have very similar titles, e.g., "The Visit" or "An Affair." Also, with a very common title, if the shortlist is published without the authors’ names (as is often the case), you’ll have the agony of waiting to see if that story is really yours.

Ask Yourself Why You’re Entering

Would even an honourable mention feel like a big achievement, or do you have a story you really believe in and think could achieve great success? Or are you just testing the waters with a new voice or style? Deciding will help you choose which contests to dare enter which stories.

Think Carefully about Multiple Entries

Smaller contests and literary mags may be more likely to accept your work, and sooner, which may mean having to withdraw from bigger comps and never knowing how that special story would have done. Better to time your entries – and not waste your entry fee - so you hear from the big venues first.

Don’t Enter for the Sake of It

Sometimes you are tempted to enter a competition because everyone is, or you haven’t entered anything in a while. But if you have to shoehorn your story to make it fit the prompt or if it’s not ready, it’s unlikely to do well. You can affect your odds.

Read the Judges’ Comments from Previous Years

Most winner announcements come with a summing-up from the judge(s) about the chosen stories. Also, they often write follow-up articles advising people about common mistakes to avoid and how to craft stories to improve chances. These are always well worth reading.

Keep a Record (and Don’t Forget to Withdraw)

Keep a record of where you’ve entered so you can withdraw a story if accepted elsewhere. (Generally a story that gets longlisted or even in many cases shortlisted doesn’t have to be withdrawn from other comps, but always check the terms and conditions). You must withdraw any story that is no longer eligible for a competition. Not doing so can cause a major headache for organisers.

Think About Rights

Always check what rights you give away before you enter a contest, especially if you aim to publish a collection of your stories at some point.

BIO - Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is author of a collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, and co-author of a new comic novel, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). To order Kitten on a Fatberg for a ten percent discount, quote KITTEN10

COmpetitions

YEMASSEE FICTION AND POETRY CONTEST
http://yemasseejournal.com/2020-fiction-contest/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 15, 2020. The author of the winning story will receive $1,000 and publication in Yemassee 27.2, the Fall Issue of 2020. To enter, submit one story up to 7,500 words or three pieces of unpublished poetry.

PEN PARENTIS WRITING FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW PARENTS
https://www.penparentis.org/fellowships/guidelines/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 17, 2020. One talented writer who is the parent of at least one child under ten years old will receive $1,000 to further their writing career, a year of mentorship, and will be offered the opportunity to read their winning story at the Pen Parentis Literary Salon in New York City on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) as well as included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology. Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story—any genre, on any subject—of up to 710 words, double-spaced in Times New Roman 12 point or similar font, with one-inch margins.

MIDWAY JOURNAL -1000 FLASH PROSE AND POETRY
http://midwayjournal.com/contest/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 31, 2020. First prize: $500 + publication, second prize: $250 + publication, and third prize: $50. Poetry: up to two poems per entry, up to 40 words per poem. No more than one poem per page. Prose (Fiction and Nonfiction): one piece per entry, up to 1,000 words per piece.

PIPELINE UNPUBLISHED
https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest
$45 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2020. Exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction: Young Adult, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Mystery / Thriller, Literary, Outsider / Experimental, Nonfiction. Select publishers and agents get first look at the top selections for each category, including LGR Literary Agency, Katherine Tegen Books, and Verve Publishing. $2,500 for each category winner. Immediate circulation to publishers, agents, editors, and other execs. Consideration from producers seeking projects for film and TV adaptation.

PIPELINE ADAPTATION CONTEST
https://bookpipeline.com/shop/adaptation-contest
$55 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 20, 2020. The Book Pipeline: Adaptation competition seeks published books, graphic novels, short stories, and plays for film and television adaptation. There are no genre restrictions, and judging criteria is weighed evenly between concept originality, marketability in the current landscape, and overall writing talent. Every entrant receives general feedback on their submission, specifically on its adaptation potential. Comments are emailed after final judging is completed. Winner and finalists receive one-on-one assistance from Book Pipeline execs prior to industry exposure, in addition to the following: $10,000 to winner, $2,000 to two runners-up ($1,000 each).

CUTBANK CHAPBOOK PRIZE
https://cutbank.submittable.com/submit/37627/cutbank-chapbook-contest-prose
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 31, 2020. Publication, $1,000, and 25 contributor copies. This competition is open to original English language manuscripts in the genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Please submit 25 to 40 pages of typed prose.

KRAKEN BOOK PRIZE FOR MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION
http://fitzroybooks.com/the-kraken-book-prize-for-middle-grade-fiction/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 6, 2020. Winner receives $750 and book publication by Regal House Publishing. Must consist of compelling fiction for the Middle-Grade market. Minimum of 120 pages, maximum of 350 pages. Winning manuscript will be published in 2021/2022 in paperback, hardcover, and ebook editions.

FICTION OPOSSUM PRIZE
https://opossumaliterarymarsupial.submittable.com/submit/154103/fiction-opossum-prize-judged-by-ben-fountain
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 31, 2020. First Place $1,000 plus Opossum Prize trophy featuring gold opossum! Second Place $400. Third Place $200. All winners receive publication in the 2020 issue of Opossum (release date October 2020) and ten copies of the issue/7" record. All submissions must be under 7,000 words and engage the world of music in some way.

ROBERT DAY AWARD FOR FICTION
https://www.newletters.org/writers-wanted/may-writing-contests
$24 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 18, 2020. Awards $2,500 and publication. Limit 8,000 words.

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

A STUDIO IN THE WOODS EMERGING WRITERS RESIDENCIES
http://www.astudiointhewoods.org/apply-for-local-writers-residencies/
Deadline April 13, 2020. Emerging Writers’ Residencies at A Studio in the Woods invite local poets, playwrights, and prose writers (fiction and nonfiction) to apply for one-week residencies at our Writer’s Cabin to support new or ongoing work. Residencies last one week and will take place between September 2020 and May 2021. Flexibility in your dates is appreciated as we try to accommodate everyone’s schedules. Emerging poets, playwrights, and prose writers (fiction and nonfiction) living in southeast Louisiana—Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington parishes — are eligible to apply.

WRITER'S ROOM OF BOSTON
http://www.writersroomofboston.org/fellowship/
Deadline April 1, 2020. Open to serious writers living in the greater Boston area. Every year The Writers' Room of Boston awards fellowships to four emerging local writers of limited means. Fellowship recipients receive full membership to The Writers' Room for 12 months (March through February) at no cost. Fellows also receive a reduced rate for membership for another 12 months following the fellowship period. All fellows and members enjoy 24-hour access to a light-filled workspace in the Financial District of downtown Boston and the opportunity to be part of a supportive and diverse community of writers. The Fellowships are open to writers working in any genre or form, from fiction, memoir, and poetry to comics, audio drama, or videogames. Fellows must be committed to using the Room on a regular basis throughout the 12-month period, to writing a minimum of six blog posts for our website, and to assisting with WROB readings and events.

DEFINE AMERICAN IMMIGRANT ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
https://www.defineamerican.com/arts
Deadline March 31, 2020. Define American recognizes a broad definition of artist, including painters, designers, writers, comedians, poets, actors, sculptors, filmmakers, interdisciplinary artists, etc. This program is uniquely suited to supporting artists who have a deep commitment to their local communities. Selected artist fellows will receive $5,000 stipend, regular coaching check-ins with Define American staff, professional development workshops. Tools to collaborate with community-based organizations in their local communities, opportunity to apply for additional project-based arts funding, and opportunities to collaborate with national and regional Define American programs and campaigns as the artist is interested.

ARTS FOUNDATION FOR TUCSON AND SOUTHERN ARIZONA
https://artsfoundtucson.org/artists-organizations/artist-organization-opportunities/grants-sponsorships/
Deadline April 6, 2020. Our Grants and Sponsorships provide direct funding for individual artists, arts organizations, and community-based arts projects throughout Tucson, Pima County, and Southern Arizona. This cycle, applications will be open to the fields of Visual Arts, Literary Arts, and Video/Film/Moving Image. Up to five awards of $4,000 will be granted.

NATIONAL PARKS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/arts/air.htm
Whether staying in a remote wilderness cabin at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska or contemplating history at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in Iowa or working in a contemporary studio overlooking the stone-lined fields at Weir Farm National Historic Site in Connecticut, these programs provide artists with unique opportunities to create works of art in varied natural and cultural settings. There are programs for visual artists, writers, musicians, and other creative media. Programs vary, but residencies are typically two to four weeks in length, and most include lodging. Often artists are invited to participate in park programs by sharing their art with the public. Over 50 locations to consider.

THE BOOK TRADE CHARITY - UK
http://www.btbs.org/
We aim to ensure book trade people know how, where and when to approach BTBS for confidential support, advice, and to help relieve need and distress caused by financial difficulties, emergencies and unexpected events, illness (including long-term or terminal), disability and the impact of redundancy and unemployment.

FREELANCE MARKETS

YOUR TEEN
https://yourteenmag.com/about/write-for-ytm
Your Teen for Parents is a publication for parents of teenagers—from middle school, high school and the first year or two of college—and for professionals working with teenagers. Our mission is to be a trusted source—and a fun, informative read!—for readers who are seeking information about teenagers. Pays up to $300.

TABLET
https://www.tabletmag.com/about
Tablet is a daily online magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture. Please submit a full pitch—including a detailed description of what you’d like to write, a brief biography, links to previously published stories, and, if necessary, a short writing sample to the appropriate section editor. Do not submit a completed piece. Pay starts at $150.

ALTERNATIVES JOURNAL
https://www.alternativesjournal.ca/contributor-guidelines-article
A\J is dedicated to in-depth analysis of environmental issues, including their ecological, social and economic dimensions. It combines the learned rigor of an academic journal with the accessible style and format of a general-interest magazine. Each issue of A\J contains both on- and off-theme material. To receive detailed calls for proposals on specific themes, please subscribe to our newsletter. Feature Articles (ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 words, including endnotes) cover a vital topic in depth. Reports (500 to 1,200 words) are less analytical than features and are usually written to convey a story or inform the reader of new initiatives or recent developments in policy, thought, technology or action. We have a limited budget of about ten cents per word.

DISCOVER MAGAZINE
https://www.discovermagazine.com/about
Discover magazine reports captivating developments in science, medicine, technology, and the world around us. Spectacular photography and refreshingly understandable stories on complex subjects connect everyday people with the greatest ideas and minds in science. Want to get in touch with the Discover editorial staff? Email us at [email protected]. Pays $1 to $2 per word.

FOLK REBELLION
https://www.folkrebellion.com/write-for-us/
Topics of interest: Slow Living, Connection, Travel, Adventure, Boredom, Zeitgeist, Nature, Consumerism, Simplifying, Productivity and Busy Disease, Technology, Hustle Culture, Societal Norms, Parenting, Anti-Establishment, Rebellion, the Psychology of Motivation and Change, Neuroscience and Eastern Practices, Storytelling through Data. We’re also always looking for relevant and timely pieces but try to create content that is timeless. Pays up to $350 per article. NOTE: Fantastic guidelines.

Publishers/agents

FEMINIST PRESS
https://www.feministpress.org/submissions
The Feminist Press publishes books that ignite movements and social transformation. Celebrating our legacy, we lift up insurgent and marginalized voices from around the world to build a more just future. We publish feminist literature from around the world.

REES LITERARY AGENCY
http://www.reesagency.com/
Founded in 1983, the Rees Literary Agency is renowned for its work with leading authors. We represent the following genres: literary and commercial fiction, memoirs, history, biography, business, young adult and middle grade, self-help, psychology and science.

VERTICAL INK AGENCY
http://www.vertical-ink-agency.com/
The Vertical Ink Agency represents a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction for general audiences. For nonfiction, we focus particularly on the genres of Mind/Body/Spirit, Health & Wellness, Business & Leadership, Inspiration & Motivation, Current Events & Politics, Popular Science & Psychology, Pop Culture, Memoir, Humor, History, and Sports, and we are willing to consider proposals in other nonfiction genres as well. We are more selective when it comes to the fiction we take on, but it’s fair to say we love fiction that successfully rides the line between “literary” and “literate” while still maintaining something of a commercial sensibility.

WOODBINE HOUSE
https://www.woodbinehouse.com/
Woodbine House is a publisher specializing in books about children with special needs. Our titles within the Special-Needs Collection cover AD/HD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, early intervention, inclusion, special education, communication skills, and more. Since 1985 we've prided ourselves on publishing books of the highest quality and best value for parents, children, therapists, health care providers, and teachers.

BLUE MOON PUBLISHERS
https://bluemoonpublishers.com/write-for-us/
While we focus on Literary Fiction and Women’s Fiction, as well as novels for those in the Young Adult and Middle Grade age ranges, these stories span the Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Science Fiction/Fantasy, and Humour categories, also. We’re interested in any idea that has originality and compelling storytelling. Currently, we’re particularly interested in stories that have series potential.

NOBROW PRESS
https://nobrow.net/submissions/
Interested in comics and graphic novels, picture books and illustrated nonfiction for children, and fiction/nonfiction manuscripts for either young adult or adult of 40,000 to 90,000 words.

PELICAN PUBLISHING
https://pelicanpub.com/viewer.php?region=92
We publish an average of 30 new titles a year. Specialties are popular history (especially Louisiana/regional), biography, true crime, cookbooks, architecture books, and children’s books. We believe that ideas have consequences. One of the consequences is that they lead to best-selling books.

TURNER PUBLISHING
https://www.turnerpublishing.com/about-us
Headquartered in Nashville, TN & operating since 1984, Turner currently publishes 5,000 titles. Turner has a broad array of titles in fiction & nonfiction, including business, young adult, history, romance, mystery, cookbooks, health & wellness, animals, design, and more. Turner continues to expand its titles by acquiring innovative content from existing and debut authors worldwide. Turner books are currently being sold in over 55 countries and continuing to grow.