Hello Writing Corner Contest Group Member

Sorry about missing July – September.  Personal issues, Covid-19 issues (avoiding) and recovering from surgery.  

Below is a list of links to the contests I usually send out. Figured one email from me would be better than several. I apologize for not sending a lot out last month… I was swamped with changes to websites for all my clients due to COVID-19. Fortunately I can now breathe a bit and could take the time to go look up all these contests.

SOME SITES MAY REQUIRE YOU TO JOIN.

Enjoy, and stay safe.

WRITER ADVICE Scintillating Starts Contest
Openings matter. They determine whether a potential agent will represent  your book or move on. Writer Advice’s Scintillating Starts contest is your chance to show Writer Advice how effectively you can grab and hold your readers and get feedback on what is and is not working. Fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction are all eligible. You do not have to have completed the book to enter.

https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/

MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA
ST. MARTIN’S MINOTAUR/ MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL COMPETITION

Rules for the 2021 St. Martin’s Minotaur/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA

OCTOBER – NO CONTESTS OR EVENTS

NOVEMBER CONTESTS

35th Annual Hook, Line & Sinker
Sponsor: Hudson Valley RWA
Fee: $10 through September 15; $15, September 16 – November 1
Deadline: November 1, 2020
Eligibility: Published and unpublished romance and YA authors
Entry: Hone your skills for hooking an editor or an agent. Submit the first three pages of your unpublished romance manuscript. All romance genres accepted. Electronic entries only.
Judges: Experienced published and unpublished authors
Final judge: Rhonda Penders, President, The Wild Rose Press
Trophies awarded 1st through 3rd places
FMI, entry form, rules, and a sample of the scoresheet, please visit www.hudsonvalleyrwa.org or email hudsonvalleycontest@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER ONLINE WORKSHOPS

Blurbs and Tag Lines

Sponsor: Contemporary Romance Online Chapter
Fee: $15 CRW Members/$25 RWA Members/$35 Non-RWA Members
Date: November 1–24, 2020
Presenter: Linnea Sinclair
FMI, http://contemporaryromance.org/workshops/ 

Fights in Fiction

Sponsor: Contemporary Romance Online Chapter
Fee: $15 CRW Members/$25 RWA Members/$35 Non-RWA Members
Date: November 1–29, 2020
Presenter: Merien Grey
FMI, http://contemporaryromance.org/workshops/

Shuffling the Cards: Dealing Yourself More Writing Time in the Game of Life

Sponsor: Contemporary Romance Online Chapter
Fee: $15 CRW Members/$25 RWA Members/$35 Non-RWA Members
Date: November 1–29, 2020
Presenter: Beth Daniels
FMI, http://contemporaryromance.org/workshops/

Fall in Love with NaNoWriMo 

Sponsor: NEORWA
Fee: Free
Date: November 1–30, 2020
Presenter: NEORWA
FMI, http://www.neorwa.com/online-workshops/upcoming-meetings/ 

The Taoist’s Guide to Staying Sane in the Writing Business

(Two week workshop)
Sponsor: Outreach International Romance Writers
Fee: OIRW Member $25| Non-Member $35
Date: November 2–16, 2020 (no workshops on Thanksgiving)
Presenter: Jeffe Kennedy
FMI, http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/#NOV4.

Critical Lens

Sponsor: Central PA Romance Writers
Fee: $15, CPRW member; $30, non-member
Dates: November 2–22, 2020
Presenter: LaQuette
FMI, https://cprw.rwa.org/CPRW/Education/Education or email info@cprw.org

Expand Your Creativity through Reflective Writing

Sponsor: Southern Tier Authors of Romance
Fee: $25 RWA Members | $30 Non-RWA Members
Date: November 2–27, 2020
Presenter: Joy Held
FMI, https://starrwa.org/on-line-workshops/

Hearing Voices 101: Creating Distinctive Characters

Sponsor: RWA Online Chapter
Fee: $15 
Date: November 2-27
Presenter: Midnight Voss
FMI: https://rwaonlinechapter.org/

Plotting Your Novel BootCamp

Sponsor: Outreach International Romance Writers
Fee: OIRW Member $55| Non-Member $65
Date: November 2–30, 2020 (no workshops on Thanksgiving)
Presenter: Susan Palmquist
FMI, http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/#NOV1.

Writing the Psychologist Protagonist and Beyond

Sponsor: Kiss of Death
Fee: $15 KOD Members/$30 Non Members
Date: November 2–30, 2020
Presenter: Bill Percy
FMI, https://www.rwakissofdeath.org/coffin

Writing the Sensational Inspirational

Sponsor: Kiss of Death
Fee: $15 KOD Members/$30 Non Members
Date: November 2–30, 2020
Presenter: Katy Lee
FMI, https://www.rwakissofdeath.org/coffin

Writing a Synopsis BootCamp

Sponsor: Outreach International Romance Writers
Fee: OIRW Member $55| Non-Member $65
Date: November 2–30, 2020 (no workshops on Thanksgiving)
Presenter: Susan Palmquist
FMI, http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/#NOV2.

Mastering Amazon: Ads, Your Backlist, and the Perfect Book Launch [WEBINAR]

Sponsor: Contemporary Romance Online Chapter
Fee: $15 CRW Members/$25 RWA Members/$35 Non-RWA Members
Date: November 17, 2020, 5 p.m. Pacific/8 p.m. Eastern
Presenter: Penny Sansevieri
FMI, http://contemporaryromance.org/workshops/

CHANTICLEER CONTESTS
https://www.chantireviews.com/category/contests/

THE WRITE LIFE CONTESTS LIST
https://thewritelife.com/writing-contests/

JERRY JENKINS ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WRITING CONTESTS THROUGH 2021
https://jerryjenkins.com/writing-contests/

REEDSY BEST WRTING CONTESTS OF 2020
https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&category=&sorted%5Bcol%5D=updated_at&search=science+fiction&commit=Search

POETS & WRITERS WRITING CONTESTS, GRANTS & AWARDS
https://www.pw.org/grants?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_Y29xan-5QIVGKSzCh3cQwAmEAMYAiAAEgJXqvD_BwE

Writing Contests Group
WritingCorner.com

Subscribe writingcontests-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Hello Writing Corner Contest Group Member

Below is a list of links to the contests I usually send out. Figured one email from me would be better than several. I apologize for not sending a lot out last month… I was swamped with changes to websites for all my clients due to COVID-19. Fortunately I can now breathe a bit and could take the time to go look up all these contests.

Enjoy, and stay safe.

WRITER ADVICE Flash Fiction
https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/

WOMENS FICTION, 2020 RISING STAR FOR PUBLISHED AUTHORS
https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA

May Contests

*The Beverley Award for Published Romance
Sponsor: Colorado Romance Writers
Fee: $35
Deadline: May 1, 2020
Entry: this contest named for the late Jo Beverley focuses on the initial hook of the story. Novels and novellas published in 2019, nine categories. Electronic entries only.
Judges: romance readers, authors, and librarians.
FMI, go to http://coloradoromancewriters.com/.

**On the Far Side Contest
Sponsor: Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal RWA
Fee: $20–25
Deadline: May 10, 2020
Entry: back-cover-style blurb and up to the first twenty pages of an unpublished manuscript. Finalists will be asked to include an unjudged synopsis for agents and editors.
Final Judges: please see website for complete list of final-round judges.
FMI, visit https://ffprwa.com/contests/on-the-far-side-contest/ or email the contest coordinator at OTFS@ffprwa.com.

25-4-25
Sponsor: Hudson Valley Romance Writers of America
Fee: $25
Deadline: May 31, 2020
Entry: first 25 pages of your manuscript to receive detailed line and developmental edits.
Judges and Final Judges: published and soon-to-be-published members of HVRWA.
FMI, visit https://www.hudsonvalleyrwa.org/25-4-25.html. Questions? hudsonvalleycontest@gmail.com.

June Contests
No June contests submitted.

July Contests

The Carla Contest
Sponsor: Mid-America Romance Authors
Fee: $25
Deadline: July 1, 2020, 11:59 p.m. CDT
Entry: traditional or self-published books with original copyright date of 2019 (minimum length 40,000 words).
Judges: contest will have no more than five finalists from all categories. First round will be judged by readers.
Final Judges: final judging by a librarian
FMI (entry form, rules, score sheet, contact, website info), visit http://www.mararwa.com/.

The Emerald City Best Blurb Contest 2020
Sponsor: Greater Seattle RWA
Fee: $10.00
Dates: Opens June 1. Deadline: July 8, 2020 11:59 PM PST
Entry: published and unpublished authors welcome; back-cover blurb up to 250 words. Must be written by the author.
Judges: RWA members.
Final Judges: editors and agents attending the Emerald City Writers Conference.
FMI, visit https://gsrwa.org.

The Writer 2020 Contest
Sponsor (chapter name): Land of Enchantment Romance Authors of New Mexico (LERA)
Fee: $25 for members | $35 for nonmembers
Deadline: July 31, 2020, or until cap is met
Eligibility: Open to all authors (both published and unpublished). Cap set at 45 entries. Entries must meet all rules for entry. Visit leranm.com for instruction on entry.
Entry: The opening five thousand (5,000) words of an unpublished romance novel.
Categories: All subgenres of romance, all heat levels, any pairings/combos are welcome. Diverse stories and authors are encouraged to enter. Please indicate which sub-genre and heat level your submission falls into from the list on http://leranm.com.
Judges: Three first-round, trained judges that include at least one published author or PRO member. Score sheets and feedback will be emailed to all contestants at the end of the contest.
Final Judges: Visit http://leranm.com for a list of final judges.
Top Prize: All selected first-round finalists will receive personalized mentoring by a PAN judge. Their updated manuscripts will be entered into the final round and the winner will be named “The Writer for 2020.” See prizes at http://leranm.com.
FMI, please visit http://leranm.com or email: Dianne Lindstrom at lerathewritercontest@leranm.com

CONFERENCES

May Conferences and Workshops
Strengths for Writers with Becca Syme
Sponsor: Missouri Romance Writers of America
Location: Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Creve Coeur, Missouri
Fee: $45–65
Date: May 16, 2020
Presenter: Becca Syme of The Better-Faster Academy
Topic: All Day Writer Strengths and Strategic Planning workshop
Workshop Features: Top 5 Clifton Strengths test, lunch included
FMI, email vp-programs@morwa.org or visit http://www.morwa.org/.

June Conferences and Workshops
Special Operations Writers’ Conference
Sponsor: Danica Winters, Troy Kechely, Special Operations Training, Empire Arms, and MTRWA
Location: Hilton Garden Inn, Bozeman, Montana (discounted rooms available)
Fee: $350 and add-on courses available
Date: June 12–14, 2020
Speakers: Joseph Elliot, character reference and screenwriter for Netflix’s show MindHunter, Ann Leslie Tuttle, Elizabeth Pelletier, Nicole Resciniti, Lesley Sabga, Danica Winters, retired FBI agents, special operations specialists, military contractors (including retired Blackwater Operatives), Navy SEALs, DELTA force members, K-9 trainers and bomb dogs, Gallatin County Dive Team, and many more.
Conference Features: fees include general registration, dinners, breakfast, beverages. Lunch on your own.
FMI, visit http://www.SpecialOperationsWritersConference.com.

July Conferences and Workshops
Contemporary Romance Writers Summer Conference
Sponsor: Contemporary Romance Writers RWA
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Fee: $235 CRW Members / $245 Others
Date: July 24-27, 2020
Kharma Kelley, Shree Aier, Melanie Greene, Win Day, Miranda Darrow (feature Kharma Kelley)
Conference Features: Craft and Career Workshops, DEI Keynote with Kharma Kelley, Bias and Writing Masterclass with Shree Aier, Stiletto Contest Awards Night, Multi-Author Book Signing
FMI, visit https://contemporaryromance.org/events/summer2020conference/

CHANTICLEER CONTESTS
https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

THE WRITE LIFE CONTESTS LIST
https://thewritelife.com/writing-contests/

Cozy Mystery Novel Writing Contest ~2020
https://www.chantireviews.com/services/Cozy-Mystery-Writing-Contests-Chanticleer-Book-Reviews-p21521076

SPRING 2020 SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.writermag.com/contests/

JERRY JENKINS ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WRITING CONTESTS THROUGH 2021
https://jerryjenkins.com/writing-contests/

REEDSY BEST WRTING CONTESTS OF 2020
https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&category=&sorted%5Bcol%5D=updated_at&search=science+fiction&commit=Search

POETS & WRITERS WRITING CONTESTS, GRANTS & AWARDS
https://www.pw.org/grants?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_Y29xan-5QIVGKSzCh3cQwAmEAMYAiAAEgJXqvD_BwE

Writing Contests Group
WritingCorner.com

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The Yahoo Writing Contests group is managed by WritingCroner.com.  We try to add new contests each month or if a member posts information during the month.

Want to know about the latest contests but don’t want to spend precious time cruising the net searching for them?  Well, you’ve come to the right place. Our members share the best and warn you of the worst.

The Writing Contests list is where you’ll find new contests announced and occasional publisher submission requests.

Join the Group

by Kerry Hanslits

Did you know that entering a writing competition is your best opportunity to achieve publication, payment and recognition for your work? Most writers don’t know this and many will only enter writing competitions that do not charge a fee, but following the majority in this instance means that you will miss out on opportunities to give your work an edge in the marketplace.

Whether you are a poet or a short story writer, there are hundreds of contests available to you that provide cash prizes and meaningful publication. And if you are a novelist, there are contests that open doors and make careers without you ever sending a query letter to an agent. Yet, everyday, writers ignore these opportunities because they believe in myths. The most common myth that writers embrace is “entry fee equals scam” when more often the opposite is true these days. Most bonafide organizations cannot afford to offer writing contests with cash prizes without charging an entry or reading fee. It simply isn’t within their budget to offer cash prizes, pay judges, buy advertising and provide funds for the various other overhead costs that are part and parcel of running a contest without subsidizing it with contest entry fees.

Organizations that do offer contests without entry fees should be scrutinized. The cost of running a contest doesn’t disappear simply because there is no entry fee. If the sponsor is footing the entire bill, then one must ask the question of why? Is the money coming from a philanthropist? Is there a specific mission associated with the contest that justifies the cost? Is the contest supported through the sale of services or products to entrants or winners? Does the entry fee include a subscription that will increase the magazine’s circulation numbers?

Every contest must be looked at carefully. You should ask why is it being offered? Who is offering it? What’s in it for you, and a bevy of other questions to ensure that it is indeed an opportunity for you and not a scam. There are contests that exist for no other reason than to relieve you of your money, but there are many that exist for more altruistic reasons. The contests that are most often overlooked by writers are those that exist as sort of a partnership between writer and sponsor. These are the contests that frequently result in the enhancement of a writer’s career, as well as increase the opportunity of publication available to the writer.

I call them a partnership because they are not entirely altruistic in nature, in that most benefit the sponsor in some way. This benefit usually comes by way of a reading or entry fee, which funds the contest or a portion of it. Some organizations even make a profit from the contest, but for most it isn’t much of a profit. It is never as simple as taking the number of entries times the entry fee minus the prizes equals profit. Although I have seen this calculation used as an argument against contest fees, it is naive at best. To avoid the connotations of this myth, some magazines ensure there is no profit by providing entrants with a year’s subscription in exchange for the entry fee. But this too, benefits the magazine in that they can claim larger circulation numbers to garner advertising or other funds that are influenced by a magazine’s popularity. And most hope that the subscription will encourage you to re-subscribe next year or give a gift subscription to someone else.

So it’s obvious that an entry or reading fee helps the sponsor, but what does it do for you? The first thing is does is scare away a lot of your competition. Contests with fees, offered by magazines, consistently attract fewer contest entries than over-the-transom submissions. This means that if you want to be published by The Missouri Review, for example, you have a much better chance of being chosen for publication through their annual Editor’s Prize than you do through an over-the-transom submission to them. Specifically, if you submit a manuscript to The Missouri Review over the transom, your manuscript will compete with approximately 3,600 other manuscripts for publication. If you submit to the Editor’s Prize your manuscript will compete with approximately 1,200 other manuscripts for publication. Consider also, that an over-the-transom submission will garner a maximum of $750 for prose and a maximum of $250 for poetry for publication, whereas the competitions lowest prize is $1,000.Add to this the fact that industry professionals pay particular attention to the winners of the Editor’s Prize and the $15 reading fee becomes insignificant, especially since it gives you a year’s subscription to the magazine.

The Editor’s Prize is not a unique situation, but the ratio of over-the-transom submissions versus contest submission varies by publication. How much attention is paid to the winner by industry professionals varies, prize amounts and pay for regular publication also varies by publication, as does whether or not your reading fee provides you with any bonuses. You also need to consider how many professionally published writers the contest will attract if they are allowed to participate. It is necessary to evaluate each contest for its particular merits and what it has to offer you. What cannot be denied is the added advantage that contest entrants have of being noticed when submitting to a magazine’s contest versus those who submit to the magazine over-the-transom. This consistently exists when writers have a choice of participating in a fee-based contest or submitting their work to the magazine for free over the transom.

There is also value in fee-based contests offered by sponsors who do not run a magazine. There are a multitude of contests offered for novelists where publication is offered as part of the prize-no agent needed. But many of the novel contests are overlooked because publication is not offered. The prize or part of the prize is a meeting with an industry professional or a critique. What authors seem to forget is that if your novel is good, the industry professional is not going to let you get away. And if it needs some work, who better to give you some pointers than someone who works in the industry every day. And the $15 to $50 you will invest to get this opportunity for feedback is a fraction of the cost that you would pay to hire these professionals for the same feedback.

The Paul Gillette Memorial Contest offered through the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, which is designed specifically for unpublished writers, is often overlooked. Yet, this same contest, with its lowly $100 prize and optional low-priced critique, was instrumental in starting the careers of Laura Hayden, Pam McCutcheon, Karen Fox, Leslie O’Kane and Kimberly Willis Holt. Their first published books were winning pieces in the Paul Gillette Memorial Contest, which provided them with feedback and contact with professionals in the industry. The Colorado Gold contest sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Writers Group is similar in nature and the path to success that it has provided to writers.

The opportunities available through contests are everywhere, and the majority of writers are ignoring them. Make that work to your advantage, but keep in mind that not all contests are paths to opportunity. Some are not a direct path to a successful career but may still offer something of value, such as a critique or cash. Others are a scam or a mere millimeter on the legal side of things and offer nothing valuable to the writers who enter or win their competitions even though they sound like they do. Then there are some that are so popular and hyped that they attract 5,000 entries or more. When considering whether or not to enter a contest, it is important to understand the industry in which you aspire to achieve success and your own skill level. This will improve your ability to identify worthwhile contests. Also, ask yourself the series of questions below before entering any contest. There are lots of contests. Find one that’s right for you.