Advice our group has been given by established writers and publishers clearly indicates one way to get noticed is to enter (and, in a perfect world, win) contests. This page is dedicated to a list of opportunities. Deadline dates will vary. Many contests are annual affairs so if you miss this year’s cut-off, prepare for the next one.
| Annual Contests (rotating dates) | |||
| Sponsor | Contest title or Genre | Deadline or Submission window | link |
| Boston Review (Discovery) | Poetry | Jan. 1, 2013 | website |
| Dream Quest | Fiction, Poetry | Jan. 13, 2013 | website |
| Our Stories | Flash Fiction | Jan. 16 – April 15 | website |
| Prisim | Short Fiction, Poetry | Jan. 25, 2013 | website |
| Chapter One | Short Story | Jan. 30, 2013 | website |
| Chapter One | Novel | Feb. 28, 2014 | website |
| Glimmer Train Family Matters | Fiction about family | April 30, 2013 | website |
| Our Stories | Emerging Writer | May 1 – Jul 30 | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Mainstream/Literary Short Story | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Children’s/Young Adult Fiction | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Television/Movie Script | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Stage Play | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Non-rhyming Poetry | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Rhyming Poetry | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.) | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Magazine Feature Article | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Memoirs/Personal Essay | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest 82nd Annual | Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious) | TBA | website |
| Our Stories | Emerging Writer | May 1 – July 30 | website |
| BlackMountain Press | Book Length | May 17, 2013 | website |
| Boston Review (Annual) | Poetry | Jun. 1, 2013 | website |
| The New Guard | Fiction | TBA | website |
| The New Guard | Poetry | TBA | website |
| Dream Quest | Fiction | Jan. 13, 2013 | website |
| Dream Quest | Poetry | Jan. 13, 2013 | website |
| Chapter One | Self-Published Book | Feb. 28, 2013 | website |
| HISSAC | Fiction | TBA | website |
| Narrative Magazine | Fiction | TBA | website |
| New Millenium | Poetry | TBA | website |
| New Millenium | Fiction | TBA | website |
| New Millenium | Nonfiction | TBA | website |
| SEÁN Ó FAOLÁIN SHORT STORY COMPETITION | Fiction | TBA | website |
| This magazine | Fiction | TBA | website |
| Our Stories | Open | Aug 31 – Sep 30 | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Science Fiction | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Thriller | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Young Adult | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Romance | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Crime | TBA | website |
| Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction | Horror | TBA | website |
| Zoetrope | Short Story | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Scare The Dickens Out of Us | Horror | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Boston Review | Short Story | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Missouri Review | Fiction | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Missouri Review | Poetry | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Missouri Review | Essay | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| American Literary Review | Short Story / Poetry | Oct. 1, 2012 | website |
| Our Stories | Short Fiction | Oct 1 – Jan 15 | website |
| Cutthroat | Fiction / Poetry | Oct. 10, 2012 | website |
| Ruminate | Short Story | Oct. 15, 2012 | website |
| Georgetown Review | Fiction/Poetry/Essay | Oct. 15, 2012 | website |
| VenturaCountyWC | Short Story | Oct. 15, 2012 | website |
| BlackMountain Press | Book Length | Oct. 19, 2012 | website |
| Chapter One | Children’s Story | Oct. 31, 2012 | website |
| Our Stories | Short Fiction | Oct 31 – Jan 15 | website |
| Narrative – 30 below | Fiction | Oct. 30, 2012 | website |
| Glimmer Train Family Matters | Fiction about family | Oct. 31, 2013 | website |
| Tampa Review | Fiction | Nov. 1, 2012 | website |
| CBC | Short Story | Nov. 1, 2012 | website |
| Writer’s Digest Short, Short Story | Fiction | Nov 15, 2012 | website |
| New Millennium | Fiction, nonfiction, poetry | Nov. 17, 2012 | website |
| Prisim | Literary Non-Fiction | Nov. 28, 2012 | website |
| Atlantis | Short Story | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Albedo | SF, Fantasy, Horror | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Narrative | Story | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Fish Publishing | Fiction | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Chapter One | Children’s chapter | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Prairie Fire | Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction | Nov 30, 2012 | website |
| Ink Tears | Fiction | website | |
| Boston Review | Essay | Dec. 1, 2012 | website |
| Saints & Sinners | Fiction | Dec 1, 2012 | website |
| Writer’s Digest Poetry | Poetry | Dec 3, 2012 | website |
| Ladie’s Home Journal | Personal Essay | Dec 7, 2012 | website |
| Pheobe Journal | Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction | Dec 15, 2012 | website |
| Carve | Natural disaster story | Dec 31, 2012 | website |
| Freefall | Fiction | Dec 31, 2012 | website |
| Flash 500 | Flash fiction | Dec 31, 2012 | website |
| Writers Of The Future | Fiction | Dec 31, 2012 | website |
| Boulevard | Fiction | Dec 31, 2012 | website |
Wooden Rocket Press
WOODEN ROCKET PRESS’ “The Sunday Paper” | Accepting fiction submissions
Wooden Rocket Press is looking for new writers with fresh, seralized fiction to be published on our website every month. There are no restrictions on content, as long as your story is fun, engaging, and leaves people wanting more.
We will post one part of a four-part story every Sunday morning just in time for breakfast. We will blog and tweet and face and linkin and lafango (whatever the hell that is) to let everyone know when the next piece is ready. (If your story is not naturally broken into four pieces, we will do this for you).
Word limit is anywhere from 3000-4000 words for the total story (roughly 750-1000 per segment). We want to give people a decent-sized chunk with their morning orange juice and eggs (or tofu scramble). For the first electronic publishing rights to your story, we will pay you $0.01/word, to a maximum of $40. (Rights remain with the author).
This is a never-ending call, so don’t stop sending in those stories. Send all submissions to submissions [at]woodenrocketpress [dot] com
We’ll see you at breakfast.
Dave and Michael,
Wooden Rocket Press
Waiting for 2012’s contests. I seemed to have missed this years. What are the restrictions for the contests?
There are plenty more for 2011 – John is just slow about getting them posted. Will try to do better.
from long lake beds
To the towering trees
I still live on misty seas
Near the mercy waters
Out in the cove
Where two waters meet
Back in the shadows is where I eat
Close to sundown
Blackened lobsters roasted on ember
The work is gone, The day… Gone
A grasp of cold crisp air ruffles
Netted balconies and rough bottoms
While waves swallow and heave
A vessel from all directions
All dishes are cleaned
Sleep…
The sun…
It is a day of no clouds
But early morning chill
Reminds of the painful
Winters and their Arctic winds
A taste of coffee
And a can of sardines
A pack of smokes
The engine won’t start
A key turns Nothing
Down below gaskets are loose
What can be done in these boots
Four hours of clatter and tinkering
Encouraged the diesel powered beast
To suddenly turn on
And begin to feast
An arm
A leg
A scream of terror and pain
Could hardly be heard amongst
The roar of the Lion
Tearing flesh
Bloody trail to the radio
What a mess
What a mess!
Yelling, terror, pain
All were like twenty bullets to the vein
A moment of clouds
Of white
Very white
Sincere
Snap out of it
“Medical Help needed!!! Vessel 21 here”
Attention made clear
A medical kit for temporary relief
Thoughts from days all made way
Then no pain Just faint
Faint
Faint
By, Michael Rideout
New competition for Canadian Independent Authors
Vancouver, BC [March 21, 2016] – New Literary Award Recognizes the Best of Independent Publishing
This year’s Whistler Writers Festival, October 13–16, will include the presentation of the inaugural Independent Book Awards. The Whistler Independent Book Awards will be open to Canadian authors or permanent residents who have independently published a book or books in the last five years. There will be a single winner, with two additional finalists, in each of four categories: fiction, non-fiction, crime fiction and poetry. The shortlist will be selected by the Canadian Authors Association (Vancouver) and the three finalists in each category will be independently judged by a panel including a respected Canadian author or poet and an appointee of the Whistler Writing Society. Judging the Fiction category will be author and translator Genni Gunn, whose most recent novel, Solitaria, was nominated for the 2011 Giller Prize. JJ Lee, whose debut book,The Measure of a Man, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, will judge the Non-Fiction category. Crime novelist, journalist and publisher Linda L. Richards will judge the Crime Fiction category, while former Vancouver Poet Laureate Evelyn Lau will judge the Poetry category.
Eligible authors can submit their entries to the Whistler Independent Book Awards until Friday, June 3, 2016. Submissions can be made via http://www.whistlerwritersfest.com and http://www.tidewaterfestival.com. All entries will be evaluated and authors not longlisted will receive a written assessment from the nomination committee. The Canadian Authors Association (Vancouver) will select the shortlist, and the twelve finalists, three in each category, will be notified by July 22. Finalists will receive a significant prize package and will be invited to attend several Festival events, including the popular Literary Cabaret, where winners will be announced. There will be a cash prize of $500 in each category, and winners will participate in a Festival event or reading and will have their books retailed by Whistler’s Armchair Books for three months after the conclusion of the Festival.
Jointly produced by the Whistler Writing Society and Vivalogue Publishing, the Whistler Independent Book Awards mark the evolution of independent publishing. While the industry has grown dramatically in the last decade, there have been no juried Canadian awards recognizing exceptional quality in these titles—until now. “These awards reflect our ongoing commitment to inclusiveness,” said festival organizer Stella Harvey. “We are proud to welcome accomplished independent authors to the Festival and to celebrate their work.”
Media Inquiries About the Awards: Contact Lynn Duncan, lynn@vivalogue.com or 604-522-6222
Media Inquiries About the Whistler Writers Festival: Contact Stella Harvey stella25@telus.net
About the Whistler Writers Festival: Now in its 15th year, the Whistler Writers Festival has hosted more than 100 leading Canadian authors. This year, the event runs from October 13 – 16. The Festival is organized by the Whistler WritingSociety, which also sponsors a Writer in Residence and Authors in Schools program.
About Vivalogue Publishing: Vivalogue offers comprehensive print and online publishing and editorial services for individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations. In addition to its work with independent authors, Vivalogue partnered with Heritage House Publishing to create a new young adult imprint, Wandering Fox Books.