#Writing contests

[marlynnofmany]

You guys know about Writing Battle, right? The many-times-a-year writing contest with a short wordcount and a short deadline? Cool prompts, entry fee, big prize money?

It's pretty awesome. I've entered a couple times (honorable mention, woo!) and now I've been invited to be one of the Pro Judges!

The next battle starts this coming Sunday, January 12th (2025) -- since it's nearing Valentine's Day season, the subgenres to choose from will be along romantic lines. The other contests for this year will be different (SFF theme is in April, FYI).

If that sounds like your kind of fun, check it out! I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.

[nicholaskyleedwards]

Penana小說平台 Short Story Contest Volume I

Theme: Open to all themes and ideas!

Let your imagination run wild; write a short story on any topic, genre, or concept. Whether it’s a heartfelt slice of life, a thrilling mystery, or a whimsical fantasy, the possibilities are endless. This is your opportunity to captivate an audience with your storytelling skills.

Rules:

Word Count: Maximum of 5,000 words.

Originality: Submissions must be your original work, (published elsewhere is a-ok).

Content Rating: G-rated only (no explicit content, violence, or language, NSFW, etc).

Deadline: 

Judging: Stories will be ranked by community like count.

Bonus: Each participant will receive personalized feedback and critique!

Prompts for Inspiration:If you’re stuck, here are three random prompts to spark your creativity:

A mysterious letter arrives at the doorstep of a quiet family, promising to change their lives forever.

A child discovers a hidden door in their school library that leads to a magical world, but something isn’t quite right.

A small-town cafe begins receiving visitors from the future, each with a unique story to tell.

How to Participate:

Click the “Take The Challenge” button and submit your short story.

Engage with fellow writers and readers by leaving feedback and supporting each other's work.

Awards:

🏆 Top Story (by likes): Recognition, 1st Place Badge.

Followed by 2nd Place Badge & 3rd Place Badge

Why Join?

Get exposure for your work.

Build connections with fellow writers and readers.

Receive feedback to grow your skills as a storyteller.

Link: Penana小說平台 Short Story Contest Volume I | Penana

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

The Hidden Gem Website Every Serious Writer Needs to Join

Hi there, friends. Back on May 7, I wrote a post on my Substack about my experience with Writing.com. I would like to share some insight with you about Writing.com as a tool you want to have in your writer’s toolbox. Writing.com is a great site. A husband-and-wife team created it years ago. They continue to run it with great efficiency. I love Writing.com because it provides a great library of…

[genderfluidficklehousecat]

Soooo, I'm picking writing back up again. Not gonna focus so much on smutty topics. Right now I'm doing one of the prompts on Reedsy and hopefully will submit it before the deadline. Fortunately I have a couple of more days, and they give new prompts every week. Hopefully this gets my creative juices flowing and helps me make a bit of money on the side.

[soulgalaxywolf]

I'm attempting Nanowrimo this year!

I've been struggling to write for a long time. I would come up with stories, plan on writing them, then get overwhelmed. I heard that it's good practice to write short stories, but I tend to go overboard, lol.

So this year, I decided to follow along the REEDSY's weekly writing contests (I'm not entering, but I will post those stories for the prompts) to get that practice in :)

I already have 947 words towards the contest for this weeks contest. So, imma finish it today or by tomorrow, and edit the crap outta it to turn it in.

How you guys participating in Nanowrimo? ^^

[americanfirstmagazine]

Just 3 more days to enter

Our annual poetry contest closes to submissions Monday night at midnight.

Get your entries in while you still can.

[elfwreck]

On the one hand: that looks charming.

On the other - emphasis added:

by completing the Release, each Confirmed Finalist hereby irrevocably and exclusively grants to the Contest Entities, and their licensees, affiliates, and assigns (collectively, the "Licensed Parties"), an irrevocable, royalty-free and fully paid up right and license, including the right to sublicense on the terms herein (but not obligation) to use the Entrant's Entry (including Piece Submission and Personal Statement), photograph, likeness, statements, voice, and biographical information related thereto which are provided with the Entries, or connected to the Contest or Entrant’s participation thereto (collectively, the "Materials"), in whole or in part, throughout the universe, in perpetuity in any and all media, whether now or hereafter known or devised, for any and all purposes, including but not limited to commercial or advertising purposes, without review, credit, permission, or further compensation or consideration except as expressly provided herein. Without limitation, each Entrant understands and agrees that the rights granted herein include reproduction and/or exploitation of the Materials or derivatives thereto, in whole or in part, in any media throughout the world, including but not limited to reproduction in the Book, in perpetuity and throughout the universe as may be conferred upon the Licensed Parties under all applicable laws, regulations, or directives. Entrant hereby irrevocably waives all so-called "moral rights of authors" and "droit moral" rights (and any similar rights under the laws of any country of the world) in connection with the Materials and exploitation of any nature.

Finalists get $100 and a copy of the book. There will be 50-100 of them. They book may not contain them all.

They will hand over their 500-word essays and/or Instagram-shaped artwork to be used however the company wants, forever, including using entrants' photos and bio info, however they want, forever.

Minors have to get parental consent, because minors can't sign away their rights like that directly.

I get that "let's have a writing contest to get submissions for a book about queer youth culture." But writing contests are almost universally scams, ways to avoid paying writers, ways to teach writers to submit work on the maybe-possibly chance of getting paid... but they get to keep and use your work either way.

This is less scammy than most. They pick out 50-100 entrants, and ask them for the Release form (excerpted above); the ones that fill in the details and give permission, get paid $100 and a book. They're not claiming full rights on all submissions, the way some contests do.

That's not bad payment for a few hundred words of writing. I've been paid about that for nonfiction essays.

It's a bad set of rights to go with a payment. My payment was "rights to publish in a single book, in perpetuity" - print or ebook; as long as the publisher is distributing that book, my essays are allowed to be in it.

They don't claim the right to use them in future books on other topics. Nor the right to use my name and image in other promotions. Nor the right to translate or make derivative works of them.

Be wary of writing contests. Even ones run by well-intentioned nonprofit orgs.

LGBTQ+ youth: what would your ✨LGBTQ+ utopia✨ look like?

Queer youth ages 13-24 can submit your visual art, photography, poetry, short essays/stories and more NOW through September 15, and they might end up in QUEERBOOK 2024: a powerful collection of queer youth voices capturing your thoughts, feelings, and hopes during this year.

(Y'know, like a yearbook...but make it queer!)

Creators of selected pieces will be compensated for their work AND receive a free copy of the published book. Queerbook 2024 will also be sold in our shop at itgetsbetter.org and free copies will be distributed to select schools/GSA clubs throughout the U.S.!

Submit your piece now and read all submission guidelines (including word counts, dimensions, number of submissions, etc) here!

🔗 itgetsbetter.org/blog/queerbook-2024

Can't wait to see what you create!

[getbookhelp]

Poets: Stop scrolling, stop making excuses, go enter your poems at WinItWrite.com, keep being awesome.

[fanstorywritingcontests]

Avoid These Common Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Chances in Writing Contests

Joining writing contests is a big chance for writers to show skill and get recognition. Some contests also give rewards, but not all writers win. It is not always because of bad writing. Many times, small mistakes reduce chances. Writers must be careful, so they do not lose because of things they can control. Knowing mistakes helps to avoid them. A strong entry is not only about talent but also about good preparation.

One mistake is not reading contest rules well. Every writing contest has rules about word count, format, and deadlines. Some writers submit too fast without checking details. If a story is too long or does not match the theme, it may get disqualified. Even a good story cannot win if it does not follow the rules. Before submitting, reading the guidelines again helps to make sure everything is correct.

Another factor is weak editing. Writers feel excited when they finish a story, so they send it fast. But even strong writing can look bad if it has grammar mistakes or unclear sentences. A judge sees many entries, so a story with errors may not get attention. Editing takes time, but it is important. Reading the piece again or asking someone to check it makes it stronger.

Some writers pick topics only because they think judges will like them. But if a writer does not feel connected to the topic, the writing may not have deep meaning. In writing contests, judges read many entries. They can see when writing feels forced. A strong story comes from real feelings and thoughts. Writing something personal or meaningful makes it stand out more.

Another factor is a lack of originality. Some writers choose ideas that are too common. Every idea is used before, but how a writer tells the story makes it special. A new way of thinking or a different style helps a story stay in the judge’s mind. If a story feels like many others, it may not win. Taking time to add a unique touch can make a big difference.

Another factor is not following submission instructions. Some contests ask for a certain file format or subject line in an email. If these details are not correct, a writer may lose the chance before the entry is even read. Checking instructions twice helps to avoid simple mistakes. Even a great story cannot win if the contest does not accept it.

Writers can also learn by looking at past winners. Every contest has its own style. Reading past winning entries helps to understand what kind of work is successful. This does not mean copying, but it gives an idea of what judges like. A writer can learn much by studying what worked before. This helps to prepare a better entry.

Avoiding mistakes is as important as writing a strong piece. A great idea alone is not enough. A writer must also prepare, edit, and follow rules. Writing contests test more than talent—they test attention to detail.

[shadowboxerinc]

From Poets & Writers...Contests for January 2025

12.27.24 Good evening, all, we have returned from our three-day Christmas vacation, but we have a few more days for New Years. I promised more writing contests from Poets & Writers for January 2025. There are plenty of contests to choose from and register for. Just click on read more to find out more information. Credit Source: Poets & Writers Mississippi Review Mississippi Review…

[blumoonfiction-blog]

Writer's Digest: A Resource for Aspiring Writers

Writer’s Digest: A Resource for Aspiring Writers Writer’s Digest is a comprehensive resource for writers of all levels, offering educational content such as webinars, tutorials, writing prompts, and expert advice to help writers across all genres improve their craft and succeed in the publishing world. Recommended Reading and Writing Ages: Ages 18+: Ideal for adult writers looking to improve…

[heritageposts]

Translation: What a shitshow. This years Eurovision has gone to hell. And it's first and foremost the EBU's fault.

Also, excerpt from the same article:

Throughout the course of the Eurovision Song Contest, the EBU has acted as if they live in a parallel universe. Eurovision is one thing, the world outside something else. The EBU has stuck its head in the sand. Shoved the problem under the rug. Held their hands over their ears and shouted LALALALALA. They appear to have done everything they can to pretend it's possible to hold an apolitical event in a world that's on fire. We have come together to be "united by music", they say, but the sharpshooters on Malmö's rooftops have nothing to do with us! In its struggle to remain apolitical, the EBU has become like a small fascist state in itself, where the artists' space for expression and action has been reduced as much as the undergarments of the Spanish dancers. It is reprehensible.

Reminder again to BOYCOTT EUROVISION 🇵🇸

Don't watch, don't vote.

[genderfluidficklehousecat]

So the story I WAS planning on submitting for this week's prompt got cut because I wasn't that happy writing it. Like I still wanna write it just for funnsies.

This last week's prompts were about tea. The one that I focused on specifically was pouring yourself or another person a cup of tea.

Okay, pretty easy prompt, something I could run with.

The story I wanted to do was one that involved poisoning a cup of tea, where the reader was the drinker, and they were getting poisoned by the narrator for something they did. When I got to this point I hadn't decided what I wanted the reason for it happening. I had also lost the spoons to write a murder story.

What I did decide to do was write about the routine in the narrator when they got news that a polar vortex was coming. Pretty relatable to my own life since I did hunker down during a polar vortex around the time of the pandemic.

Now I gotta look at this week's prompts and formulate what I'm gonna write.

[authortoberecognized]

  WRITER’S FORUM  WRITING PROGRAMS

                        WEBSITES HELPFUL TO WRITERS This is a series of posts which, I think, will be beneficial to writers. But first, I would like to include my usual warning about using websites. Whenever you check a website you are, in my opinion and I talk from experience, being put on a list for sale. So, expect the possibility of being bombarded by ads from companies you, perhaps, have…

[americanfirstmagazine]

Our poetry competition is open to submissions all month.

Winners to be announced in July!

[author-mandi-bean]

On another year older ...

I'm another year older and instead of believing I'm another year farther from the life I imagined, I'm working on embracing the belief I'm another year closer to a life beyond my wildest dreams.

Apologies; the post is later than scheduled this week because Wednesday was my 36th birthday. I had a wonderful time celebrating with friends, and it helped keep the existential dread that accompanies turning another year older at bay. At least for a little while. But inevitably, the fear that I’m falling behind creeps up on me. Being completely vulnerable and almost completely honest, by this…