Warning: Adult Content

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT



As the author of this blog, I want to warn you that there is some sexual language within these stories. It's not vulgar, nor is it explicit, but if you would be offended by the language in a typical male (or female) locker room, then you should probably leave.


These are romances, therefore, expect romantic situations. Is it PG-18? Probably not, which is why I have not set this blog to ask if you are over age. In all honesty, I think most of these "safe-guards" are a load of crap because we all know that a kid can access whatever they want by lying. If you are a parent and insulted, then I hope that you are keeping healthy tabs on what your kids are reading both online and off. Healthy--like discussing with them what you find appropriate or not for whatever maturity level they are.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Free Writing Contests

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find real free writing contests--it seems like some genius (no sarcasm intended) realized early how to profit off people who will pay $5 a month to enter writing contests. Technically, they're free and numerous, but for me they just get in the way when I'm looking for legitimate contests to enter. So, here's my contribution. Every time I find a legitimate contest, I'll put it here. They're in roughly chronological order.

NOTE: These are contests open to anyone in (at least) the US--there are plenty of contests open to really specific individuals (a school system, a city, a state, etc). I encourage you to look up these on your own. For MY future reference, I'm including any contests I may find specific to my neck of the woods (Hampton Roads, VA). If you find a contest you think I should link to, leave a comment.

NPR Three-Minute Fiction 

  • Premise: Write a piece of fiction based on a prompt in 600 words.
  • Round 10 was in March 2013, but Round 11 just ended in May 2013. Will there be a Round 12?
  • NOTE: Round 11 started and ended in a week, so stay on your toes for this one.

L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future

  • Contests close on: October 1, January 1, April 1 and July 1 (YEARLY)
  • 17,000 words MAX; No prompt
  • There's also an illustrator's contest (same link)
  • Follow the Promt
  • Short deadline, so stay on your toes.
  • Next deadline: June 3, 2013
    • Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left.


JANUARY

  • January 27, 2013-- Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award
    • There are lots of little parts, but if you have an already finished novel and aren't published elsewhere, this is perfect.


MAY
  • May 31, 2013--BOROUGHS 2013 NOVELLA CONTEST
    • 25,000-40,000 word, completed novella based on the title of a song – any song – that you adopt as the title of your story

JUNE

  • June 1, 2013--WRITE IN HEMINGWAY'S HOUSE
    • The Oak Park-based Foundation, which owns the home where Hemingway was born, is seeking applicants for a year-long program designed to give writers what they most need in order to create great work: space and inspiration.
    • The writer will be given use of the workspace for one year at no cost (see application for details), and will be asked to provide cultural programming – lectures, workshops, presentations, or other programs – to the general public.
  • June 30, 2013--Drue Heinz Literature Prize
    • NOTE: The award is open to writers who have published a novel, a book-length collection of fiction, or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. On-line publication and self-publication do not count toward this requirement.
    • A collection of short fiction.
September
  • September 19, 2013--The Sixth Annual Life Lessons Essay 
    • TOPIC: What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
    • maximum of 1,500 words
    • All submitted essays must be nonfiction. 
  • September 30, 2013--The Iowa Short Fiction Award
    • The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages.
    • We do not accept e-mail submissions.
    • Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition.
2014


  •  First Crime Novel Competition  
    • Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story.
    • no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words
    • No date given yet--possibly December 17, 2013
    • **Despite full and careful consideration of all of this year's entries in the 2013 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition, unfortunately Minotaur Books could not find a winner that met our high standards of quality. We look forward to reading next year's entries.**
      • In other words, I'm REALLY excited to try my hand at this one :-)



I don't write poetry, but it's only fair for me to share what I've found in my searches:



MAY

  • May 24, 2013--Putting Our Heads Together; Poetry Contest, 2013
    • Subject must be headache or Migraine related, but may be metaphoric or abstract.
    • Form: Rhymed, free-verse, most forms of poetry, but not prose.
    • Length: Maximum of 60 lines, no more than 80 characters per line (including spaces and punctuation). Please make special note of the 80 characters per line.This means LINES, not paragraphs.
OTHER SITES:

Creative Writing Now--This is a sign-up site, but it claims to be free, is open about it's founders and offers lots of free writing tips, so I'm willing to list it here. There are supposed to be writing contests, but none are listed yet.

Writer's Relief--It's a standard vanity publishing site/company, but I like this free list of upcoming contests. I've linked to all the free contests here, but if you're willing to spend money to enter a contests or I haven't updated this list recently, I recommend you head there.
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