tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19108163592770596072024-03-04T21:20:55.900-08:00The Competitive WriterThis site is a chronicle of my adventures in the world of writing competitions. I'll share my entries to various writing contests, poetry contests, and everything in between. I'll review writing contest websites, interview writing competition winners, share tips and tricks, and reflect on the lessons I learn along the way. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-63236252114003526582016-09-04T06:07:00.000-07:002016-09-04T06:07:19.801-07:00Website Review: Mash Stories (@mashstories)<a href="http://cdn29.elitedaily.com/content/uploads/2016/05/18142826/I-spend-the-weekend-dating-for-free-food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn29.elitedaily.com/content/uploads/2016/05/18142826/I-spend-the-weekend-dating-for-free-food.jpg" height="100" width="200"></a>My first experience with <a href="http://www.mashstories.com/" target="_blank">Mash Stories</a> involved corruption, pizza and a selfie.<br>
<br>
My submission, <i>Naked Men and a Pigeon</i> did not make it to the shortlist. However, I did get a bit of feedback.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2016/09/website-review-mash-stories-mashstories.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-23987668997112313242016-02-13T02:16:00.000-08:002016-02-15T09:28:29.984-08:002016 GameplanHello internets. I know I have not been giving you the attention you deserve. I've been busy. I've changed jobs, and life on the home front has required me to give a little more attention to the fam and a little less attention elsewhere. I hope you understand. I plan to make it up to you though.<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51eVsPKJLAL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51eVsPKJLAL._UX250_.jpg" width="179"></a></div>
<h3>
More Writing Resources!</h3>
First - I've added a new resource in the links side of the page.<a href="http://www.christopherfielden.com/"> Christopher Fielden</a>, welcome. Dr. Yeoman sent out an email for a blog post <a href="http://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/7-big-mistakes-when-entering-story-contests.php">about 7 mistakes people make when entering writing contests.</a> The article is on Chris Fielden's website, and although I don't know the guy, I like what he's trying to. You know - sharing writing, talking about writing contests, that whole deal. It's eerily familiar. He's also a fellow competitor having entered <a href="http://www.writers-village.org/">Dr. Yoeman's Writing Village</a> Contests. And I like to know what I am up against. Lastly, he brings a love of rock and roll, a sense of humor, and a flair of fantasy to the table that I find quite enjoyable.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2016/02/2016-gameplan.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-43444095046430094242015-09-19T04:51:00.004-07:002016-02-13T02:21:25.528-08:00Writer's Village Winter Competition<br>
<h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">$1600 top prize for short fiction in Writers’ Village Contest winter 2015</span></h2>
<br>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">$1600 is the top prize on offer for short fiction in the Writers' Village International Short Fiction Award winter 2015, with cash prizes totaling $3200. The second prize is $800, third prize $400 and there are five runner up prizes of $80. Ten further Highly Commended entrants will have their stories acknowledged at the site and gain a free entry in the next round.</span><a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2015/09/writers-village-winter-competition.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-8505721293665508652015-05-25T09:01:00.000-07:002016-02-13T02:21:48.588-08:00$1,600 Writers' Village International Short Fiction Award <a href="http://www.writers-village.org/resources/yeoman.jpg?timestamp=1358440257682" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.writers-village.org/resources/yeoman.jpg?timestamp=1358440257682"></a><br>
<h2>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">$1600 top prize for short fiction in Writers’ Village Contest summer 2015</span></h2>
<br>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "garamond" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">$1600 is the top prize on offer for short fiction in the Writers' Village International Short Fiction Award summer 2015, with cash prizes totalling $3200. The second prize is $800, third prize $400 and there are five runner up prizes of $80. Ten further Highly Commended entrants will have their stories acknowledged at the site.</span><a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2015/05/1600-writers-village-international.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-15394263630397094642014-06-16T08:13:00.003-07:002014-06-16T08:13:28.267-07:00You'll Never Win a Contest If...You never enter.<br>
<br>
Duh.<br>
<br>
I know, it's an obvious statement. Yet, this statement rang like a bell when I read Annette Young's recent article on her writing contest website Creative Competitor.<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">"<span style="font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">The main element to winning is to enter in the first place. It’s as simple as that"</span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #111111; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br></span>
<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2014/06/youll-never-win-contest-if.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-1598872397480037812014-05-02T06:35:00.001-07:002014-06-16T07:37:17.174-07:00Claim A $800 Cash Award For Your Unpublished Novel<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">A $800</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">cash prize can be won for a debut novel in the Writers' Village International Novel award, closing 30th June. Novels that have previously been self-published are also eligible. The winning author will be assessed by international literary agency A. M. Heath for possible representation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The top eight contestants will receive personal feedback on their novels by the judge, novelist Michelle Spring, Royal Literary Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Entries are welcome worldwide.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Entry is $22.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Details at: <a href="http://www.writers-village.org/foundation.php">http://www.writers-village.<wbr></wbr>org/foundation.php</a></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-31925718670592395842014-03-16T10:27:00.001-07:002014-03-16T10:27:09.657-07:00$4800 Prize for a Short Story - Plus the top 50 get critiques!$4800 is the top prize on offer for short fiction in the Writers' Village International Short Fiction Award summer 2014. The second prize is £$800, third prize $400 and there are 15 runner up prizes of $80. The top 50 contestants also gain a free critique of their stories, win or lose. <br />
<br />
With $7200 in total prize values, the Writers' Village award is one of the world's largest short story competitions that welcomes new writers from anywhere in the English-speaking world.<br />
<br />
Winners will be awarded the title ‘Winner, the Writers’ Village International Short Fiction Award summer 2014’ and see their work showcased online.<br />
<br />
Any genre of prose fiction may be submitted up to 3000 words, except playscripts and poetry. Entries are welcomed world-wide. The fee is $24 and multiple entries are permitted. Deadline is midnight 30th June 2014. Entry rules plus all winning stories since 2009 can be found at:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.writers-village.org/">http://www.writers-village.org</a><br />
<br />
Also - there's still time (until March 31, 2014) to enter the bursary competition <a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2014/01/800-bursary-offered-to-debut-novelists.html">- Check it out here! </a><br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-47102934364911429052014-01-27T04:53:00.001-08:002014-01-27T04:53:55.059-08:00$800 Bursary Offered to Debut NovelistsDebut novelists can win a $800 bursary to have their novel professionally critiqued at the Writers’ Village Foundation, a not-for-profit award scheme established to help new authors. The top eight submissions will also gain personal feedback from the award judge, novelist Michelle Spring, a Royal Literary Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Entry is $19 and the deadline is 31st March 2014. Details at: <a href="http://www.writers-village.org/foundation.php">http://www.writers-village.org/foundation.php</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-24323130525678537752013-11-21T06:17:00.000-08:002013-11-21T06:17:07.282-08:00Frodo, Harry Potter, Hercules, and You<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15X4YDDxSXdwzwQ6P-IUSW6clII8c6PWHeUmhZTxEUwHDUBQc6NZ5Oq6NQmlJ2B081TyHIN9r2Cw7bgxgdlgCdbAghLz67mrjrNOaT4ZfGFNSUTBHiNwz2DOtH6tWbUwS5eYJwasgSrQt/s320/writing+contests.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15X4YDDxSXdwzwQ6P-IUSW6clII8c6PWHeUmhZTxEUwHDUBQc6NZ5Oq6NQmlJ2B081TyHIN9r2Cw7bgxgdlgCdbAghLz67mrjrNOaT4ZfGFNSUTBHiNwz2DOtH6tWbUwS5eYJwasgSrQt/s200/writing+contests.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Are you ready to go on an epic quest? Ready to face nefarious foes and push towards glory? Well, at least when it comes to writing competitions?<br />
<br />
Author Annie Douglass Lima has graciously featured me in a guest posting spot. <br />
<a href="http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com/2013/11/writing-contests-choose-your-quest.html" target="_blank">Writing Contests: Choose your Quest</a><br />
<br />
Shout out to Angela Ackerman at <a href="http://writershelpingwriters.net/" target="_blank">Writers Helping Writers</a> for making this connection happen.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-42152707668764650402013-11-11T08:19:00.000-08:002013-11-11T08:19:45.824-08:00My Personal Judgment Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/John_Laskey_Woolcock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Judge of writing with awesome wig" border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/John_Laskey_Woolcock.jpg" title="Writing contest judge" width="235"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I had an awesome wig to wear when I was judging the writing contests.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Recently I volunteered to help <a href="http://www.onthepremises.com/" target="_blank">On The Premises</a> judge a writing contest, and the experience illuminated some truths that <b>changed the way I think about and approach writing competitions</b>. Plus, in my quest to be the ultimate writing competition expert, I need to see contests from as many angles as possible.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/11/my-personal-judgment-day.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-79061626963149569042013-10-11T10:55:00.000-07:002013-10-11T11:20:12.883-07:00Recent Reading - Jacob Appel's Novels<br>
Any serious competitor must study the greats. In the world of writing competitions, Jacob Appel is one of them. To find out why, see <a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/05/the-new-york-yankees-of-writing.html" target="_blank">my interview with Jacob Appel.</a> I recently jumped into his book <u>The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up ,</u> winner of the Dundee International Prize for a debut novel (which happened to be judged by Stephen Fry). Then I followed it up with <u>The Biology of Luck</u>. Both novels have something to offer for recreational readers, and a wealth of exemplary writing for studious readers who want to achieve success in writing competitions. I'll break down both books in this post.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/10/recent-reading-jacob-appels-novels.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-32866877843204562952013-09-14T21:55:00.000-07:002013-10-11T10:30:35.853-07:00Would Howard Stern Think Writers Have Talent?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Howard_Stern.jpg/507px-Howard_Stern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Howard_Stern.jpg/507px-Howard_Stern.jpg" width="270"></a></div>
I'm watching <a href="http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/" target="_blank">America's Got Talent </a>the other night and have the following thought - could I go on the show and simply read a piece of my writing? Would Howard Stern like it?<br>
<br>
Can you imagine?<br>
<br>
Standing in front of an audience of thousands, broadcast on national TV, a man stands in front of a microphone and just begins to read his novel/poetry/essay.<br>
<br>
What would it take to keep the judges and the audience entertained? How would America be persuaded to call in and vote for the writer to move on in the competition?<br>
<br>
While it seems extremely unlikely that a writer could compete head to head against someone who juggles chainsaws while riding a unicycle and singing opera, the concept is compelling. After all, the writer<b> is competing</b> against the operatic chainsaw juggler every time someone chooses to turn on the TV instead of reading his book.<br>
<br>
I wrote a post a while back about <a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2012/10/lesson-learned-tv-show-voice-and.html" target="_blank">how the show The Voice made me think about the writer's voice</a>. Well, America's Got Talent had me thinking about what the contestants who do well have in common and if that can be applied to writing.<br>
<br>
<h3>
How to Win America's Got Talent - and Succeed as a Writer</h3><a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/09/would-howard-stern-think-writers-have.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-54989871526253956332013-09-05T04:44:00.000-07:002013-09-05T04:44:51.921-07:00Words With Winners - David M. Armstrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEnBu0UZX9Jnsc4J_iGILmuYyB28G4k7dSiCDQgwKQDptO4peyZ5KcWJcvRhJgXABdaYSFaveyalkdODZ4FGlGvVtEAya-09MTTErMehzgj5WQTGN0ynM4W3zC4igvQjIInfwiGqBvTY/s1600/Armstrong-Headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="David Armstrong Writing contest winner" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEnBu0UZX9Jnsc4J_iGILmuYyB28G4k7dSiCDQgwKQDptO4peyZ5KcWJcvRhJgXABdaYSFaveyalkdODZ4FGlGvVtEAya-09MTTErMehzgj5WQTGN0ynM4W3zC4igvQjIInfwiGqBvTY/s1600/Armstrong-Headshot.jpg" height="200" title="David Armstrong" width="146"></a></div>
<a href="http://davidarmstrongfiction.com/" target="_blank">David Armstrong</a>’s story collection, Going Anywhere, recently won<a href="http://www.leapfrogpress.com/contest.htm" target="_blank"> Leapfrog Press’s Fiction Contest </a>and will be published in fall of 2014. His individual stories have won the <a href="http://www.usm.edu/mississippi-review/index.html" target="_blank">Mississippi Review</a> Prize, the<a href="http://newsouthjournal.com/contest/" target="_blank"> New South Writing Contest</a>, <a href="http://www.jabberwock.org.msstate.edu/" target="_blank">Jabberwock Review’s Prize for Fiction,</a> and <a href="http://orlo.org/news/news-item-1/" target="_blank">Bear Deluxe Magazine’s Doug Fir Fiction Award</a>, among others. His latest stories appear in <a href="http://www.baltimorereview.org/" target="_blank">The Baltimore Review</a>, <a href="http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/" target="_blank">The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction</a>, <a href="http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/alt.aspx?id=18937" target="_blank">Potomac Review</a>, Mississippi Review, and elsewhere. A PhD candidate in Fiction at UNLV, he’s fiction editor of <a href="http://witness.blackmountaininstitute.org/" target="_blank">Witness Magazine</a> and recipient of the <a href="http://blackmountaininstitute.org/" target="_blank">Black Mountain Institute</a> Fellowship. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Melinda, and their dog, Prynne.<br>
<br>
<br>
The Competitive Writer is proud to present the following interview with Mr. Armstrong in which he discusses his win with Leapfrog, how his experience at the Black Mountain Institute is shaping his writing, and why he'll likely become one of the "most fortunate human beings on the planet."<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/09/words-with-winners-david-m-armstrong.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-48293581509023037432013-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:002013-08-30T08:18:45.313-07:00Andrew Blackman's $250,000 Contest List<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://andrewblackman.net/" target="_blank">Andrew Blackman</a> is a transatlantic journalist and writer. He's also a writing contest veteran (Winner of </span><a href="http://www.danielsinger.org/" target="_blank">Daniel Singer Millennium Prize</a> for an essay on The Soul of Socialism, and <a href="http://forward.legendpress.co.uk/mainsite/luke-bitmead-bursary.html" target="_blank">Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary</a>. Shortlisted for <a href="http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/" target="_blank">The People's Book Prize</a>, the<a href="http://www.dundeebookprize.com/" target="_blank"> Dundee International Book Prize</a>.)<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Not only has he used writing contests to propel his career, he kept records of the contests he entered and compiled them in a fantastic resource for people who sign up for his newsletter. The Competitive Writer interviewed Mr. Blackman about the creation of this resource that covers over $250,000 worth of contest prizes</span><b style="font-family: inherit;">. This resource can be yours as well, FOR FREE, just look for the details at the end of the interview.</b><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br></b></span>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiT6mWiMZyLp4V6hnMZ4rBvqHuV9_3W_9UpM-vA7rGP0QuMFJwjM9S3dMCxizADAG9EQqFEEkAuayNHnW4WWupFFwiiJ21byPqBFWkbfeokUCAqR9VlkhDIBT36LPY06mzcZDgcXBIhfL80RcMZtvNpfUg3vsDD7OowUMNY1b1QKNZNPnPeNacMsqWg7_Ndng=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://andrewblackman.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/AndrewBlackman-300x233.jpg" height="248" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/08/andrew-blackmans-250000-contest-list.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-44968102120336511342013-08-29T11:42:00.000-07:002013-08-30T11:43:51.052-07:00Honorable Mention at Writers Weekly!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1jQTBl_LF1zTpzEte_yr5xd0lt-eUMXYbro2mjeoKy12A8Hq-g8SI4kANVA07QjTpBhuxooFbBqOabIlUv33E-lIScc74mmQfGFoTtJijzJBm8jrJ8HW58yEFNR5RyOgmoHFQ_7U_A8/s1600/HonorableMention.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1jQTBl_LF1zTpzEte_yr5xd0lt-eUMXYbro2mjeoKy12A8Hq-g8SI4kANVA07QjTpBhuxooFbBqOabIlUv33E-lIScc74mmQfGFoTtJijzJBm8jrJ8HW58yEFNR5RyOgmoHFQ_7U_A8/s1600/HonorableMention.PNG" height="249" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
Writer's Weekly's 24 hour contest is quickly becoming my favorite contest. This is my third time around. I'm bummed I'll have to sit out the fall contest due to other plans.<br>
<br>
Several things level the playing field for this contest:<br>
<ul>
<li>Topic is unknown until the day of the contest</li>
<li>Time matters</li>
<li>There is a fixed word limit</li>
<li>There is a fixed number of participants</li>
</ul>
Plus there are tons of ways to win something. You could place, and get cash + prizes. You could earn an honorable mention (like me) and get a prize. You could get a prize just for entering via raffle!<br>
<br>
Here is the prompt for this round, which must be used in some way in a piece under 950 words:<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Holding the sleeping infant on her shoulder, she </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">gazed peacefully at her surroundings. Tourists </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">wandered in and out of stores, an old man was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">setting up his easel by the lakeshore, and a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">child's balloon escaped into the breeze. A </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">moment later, she looked up as shouts startled </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">her and the baby. Everybody was running in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">her direction...</span></blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.ownapainting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Monet-Terrace1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ownapainting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Monet-Terrace1.jpg" height="235" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
The <a href="http://writersweekly.com/contest/1stsummer13.html" target="_blank">winning entry is available here</a>. It's a fantasy type story with magic and a unique ritual. The second place story actually had a similar concept to mine. It picked up on the painter in the prompt and fused the painting with the narrative.<br>
<br>
My honorable mention entry is a story of a woman reflecting on the end of the world.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/08/honorable-mention-at-writers-weekly.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-126261107751763312013-08-19T22:26:00.000-07:002013-08-19T22:26:09.732-07:00Words With Winners - Michael Grabell<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Michael Grabbel Winner of the Finishing Line Poetry Contest 2012" border="0" height="213" src="https://finishinglinepress.com/images/66grabell_Michael_Headshot.jpg" title="Michael Grabbel" width="320"></div>
<br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://www.michaelgrabell.com/Home.html" target="_blank">Michael Grabell</a></b> is an award winning poet, a journalist for ProPublica, and winner of The Finish Line Press's 2012 Open Chapbook Competition. His chapbook, Macho Man, is<a href="https://finishinglinepress.com/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=1852" target="_blank"> currently available for preorder </a>at FLP<span style="background-color: white;">.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Grabell's first book </span><em style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Money-Well-Spent-Trillion-Dollar-Stimulus/dp/1610390091/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326554670&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Money Well Spent?: The Truth Behind the Trillion-Dollar Stimulus, the Biggest Economic Recovery Plan in History</a> </em><span style="line-height: 18px;">was published in 2012 by PublicAffairs. He has been a guest on CNN, Fox News, CNBC, C-SPAN, PBS NewsHour, ABC News, CBS News, NPR's Fresh Air and the Diane Rehm Show</span><span style="color: white; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's an excerpt from his poem <i>Definition of Terms. </i> (See others excerpts at his <a href="http://www.michaelgrabell.com/Poetry_ILG7.html" target="_blank">website</a>)
</span><br>
<blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: garamond, serif;">Maybe it's because my mother met my father through the kosher butcher,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: garamond, serif;">kosher meaning conforming to stubbornness,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: garamond, serif;">butcher meaning to walk through life with bloody hands,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: garamond, serif;">& me, the bread of this affliction,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: garamond, serif;">leavened with the yeast of insistent immigrant ancestors.</span></div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
In The Competitive Writer's first interview with a poetry chapbook author, Michael talks about winning this contest as well as the experience of living at the confluence of poetry and journalism.<br>
</span><a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/08/words-with-winners-michael-grabell.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-41245899858360630332013-08-11T06:33:00.000-07:002013-08-11T06:33:15.414-07:003 Authors Expose The Realities of Hosting Writing ContestsWriting contests, like writers, come in all shapes and sizes. Many are hosted by literary magazines, universities, foundations, and other literary vehicles. Occasionally, one pops up on the website of a fellow writer. These have always intrigued me.<br>
<br>
Most writers, myself included, experience writing contests as a participant. We send our beloved creations to a stranger, at the mercy of their judgement. Then we wait for a few months, hoping our writing comes back with praises for their keen insights on the human condition, and maybe a little bit of cash to help pay the rent.<br>
<br>
<b>However, what happens if writers turn this model upside down?</b> Instead of entering writing contests, what if they hosted them?<br>
<br>
I've compiled material from a set of writers who have met some basic criteria. First, they have all hosted multiple contests. Second, they awarded prizes other than recognition. Third, they have published their own books. Without further ado, let me introduce my panel:<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4gL7eN2Lms6psIrAQZW5ZAv5lUgRB6rBHIArD4NfEEOluVQmui44xldW2ud5fCrCxCSKQO1gasy7AUNylwRxGH1xsuj0-F-MJQGeQbxLZoH6b1Mb2QWlZ_FuEzx5TUwsGwrOTP0A3Sgx/s200/Susanna+Hill+and+Baahb+read+at+MCP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4gL7eN2Lms6psIrAQZW5ZAv5lUgRB6rBHIArD4NfEEOluVQmui44xldW2ud5fCrCxCSKQO1gasy7AUNylwRxGH1xsuj0-F-MJQGeQbxLZoH6b1Mb2QWlZ_FuEzx5TUwsGwrOTP0A3Sgx/s200/Susanna+Hill+and+Baahb+read+at+MCP.jpg" height="200" width="142"></a></div>
<ul><span style="color: #660000;"><b><b style="color: #20124d;"><a href="http://www.susannahill.com/" target="_blank">Susanna Loenard Hill</a></b><span style="color: #20124d; font-weight: normal;">, is </span></b></span><span style="color: #20124d;">the award winning author of nearly a dozen books for children, including: </span><span style="color: #20124d;"><u>Punxsutawney Phyllis</u> (A Book List Children’s Pick and Amelia Bloomer Project choice), </span><span style="color: #20124d;"><u>No Sword Fighting In The House</u> (a Junior Library Guild selection), </span><span style="color: #20124d;"><u>Can’t Sleep Without Sheep</u> (a Children’s Book of the Month), and <u>Not Yet, Rose</u> (a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Winner.) Her books have been translated into French, Dutch, German, and Japanese, with one hopefully forthcoming in Korean. She lives in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley with her husband, children, and two rescue dogs. </span></ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://chopeclark.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Author-Pic-Tree-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://chopeclark.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Author-Pic-Tree-small.jpg" height="200" width="131"></a><b style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://chopeclark.com/" target="_blank">C. Hope Clark</a></b><span style="color: #660000;">, is a mystery writer and founder of </span><a href="http://www.fundsforwriters.com/" target="_blank">Funds For Writers</a><span style="color: #660000;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">a weekly newsletter service she founded that reaches 40,000+ writers to include university professors, professional journalists and published mystery authors. Writer’s Digest has recognized the site in its annual 101 Best Web Sites for Writers for a dozen years.</span><span style="color: #660000;"> She recently published her second novel, </span><u style="color: #660000;">Tidewater Murder.</u><span style="color: #660000;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">It is </span><span style="color: #660000;">the second in the Carolina Slade series, following </span><u style="color: #660000;">A Low Country Bribe</u><span style="color: #660000;">. Her full bio is available</span><a href="http://chopeclark.com/bio/" target="_blank"> here</a><span style="color: #660000;">. </span></div>
<div>
<b style="color: #274e13;"><br></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/AbouttheAuthors_files/image004.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/AbouttheAuthors_files/image004.gif" height="200" width="147"></a></div>
<div>
<b style="color: #274e13;"><a href="http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/AbouttheAuthors.html" target="_blank">Victoria Grossack</a></b><span style="color: #274e13;">, coauthor for the<u> Tapestry of Bronze</u> series and host of the Ode to Olympians Prize. </span><span style="color: #274e13;">Her writing has been published in <i>Contingencies</i>, <i>Woman’s World, I Love Cats,</i> and <i>The Journal of Actuarial Practice</i>. She is a regular columnist for Writing-World. In addition to the five Greek mythology based novels that she has written with Alice Underwood, she is the author of <u>The Highbury Murders: A Mystery Set in the Village of Jane Austen’s Emma</u>. She also tutors mathematics, as solving problems in algebra and geometry make a nice break from creative writing.</span><span style="color: #274e13;"> (*Most of the information I used here comes from her Goodreads article </span><i style="color: #274e13;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/1520166-the-other-side-of-the-slush-pile" target="_blank">The Other Side of the Slush Pile</a></i><span style="color: #274e13;">.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br></span></div>
<div>
In the rest of this post, these authors will discuss:<br>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Why Should Writers Consider Hosting A Writing Contest?</li>
<li>What are the Best and Worst Parts of Hosting a Writing Contest?</li>
<li>How Do You Determine The Prize?</li>
<li>What Advice Would You Give Participants?</li></ul></div></div><a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/08/3-authors-expose-realities-of-hosting.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-17816823193476616562013-08-01T12:24:00.000-07:002013-08-01T12:24:03.350-07:00Why Writing Contests Matter - Kat Bastion<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">" I was in love with every page"</span></i></div>
</span></i></span></blockquote>
Wouldn't you like someone to say this?<br />
<br />
See how romance writer Kat Bastion uses her contest winnings as a way to promote her credentials on her <a href="http://www.katbastion.com/awards/" target="_blank">website</a><br />
<br />
Read an <a href="http://www.katbastion.com/contest-excerpt/" target="_blank">excerpt</a> from her contest winner<br />
<br />
Then stop by her<a href="http://talktotheshoe.com/2012/08/23/why-writing-contests-matter/" target="_blank"> blog</a> to check out her article.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-83681998841588213342013-07-27T18:48:00.003-07:002013-07-27T18:48:46.289-07:00Is Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind a Writer's Dream Come True?The other night I watched one of my favorite movies, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/" target="_blank">Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind</a>. It's probably the tenth time I've seen it, but it was the first time I've sen since I started getting serious as a writer.<br />
<br />
What struck me was the moment in the movie when they make reference to the poetic verse from which the movie is titled. The first thought I had at that moment was <i> wouldn't it be cool to inspire an entire movie based on just a few passages of my writing?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
To be clear I'm not seeking ego/fame/fortune, it's simply fascination. I view it as a sort of personal challenge to figure what sort of tinder could ignite an explosion of creativity. When I researched the poem, I learned things went even deeper.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/" target="_blank">Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind</a> gets its name from a line in a poem called<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174158" target="_blank"> <i>Eloisa to Abelard</i></a> by Alexander Pope. His poem is inspired by a brutal love story from the 12th century.<br />
<br />
To recap - a story inspired a poem that inspired a movie...that inspired a blog post that inspired....?<br />
<br />
There have been many other movies that draw the either adapt a book to film, or were inspired by a book/short story/poem/graphic novel. Other artistic media has gained inspiration from ink on paper: painting, sculpture. There is a strong connection between verse and song. <b>What are some of your favorite art pieces inspired by prose or poetry?</b><br />
<br />
It's an interesting goal, one that I don't think many writers think about. I think many of us define success much more mundanely. If one other being on this planet picks up our story and reads it, we find relief. <b> How would it change your approach if you knew that in a hundred years, someone would read your work and use it as the basis of inspiration for their art? </b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lnSgSe2GzDc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-90888375189426859532013-07-20T07:05:00.000-07:002013-07-20T07:05:15.021-07:00Winning Writers Website ReviewIt's been a while since I have done one of these, but I was reading the recent <a href="http://winningwriters.com/index.php#.UeqXaY1OSSo" target="_blank">Winning Writers</a> newsletter and I knew that this solid contest resource was due for a review.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/07/winning-writers-website-review.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-50800019486238869562013-07-10T09:55:00.001-07:002013-07-10T09:55:19.837-07:00Recent Reading - The Best American EssaysA coworker recommended <u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8253165-the-best-american-essays" target="_blank">The Best American Essays</a></u>, compiled by Robert Atwan, to me. I had a great time reading it.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348068684l/8253165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348068684l/8253165.jpg" height="320" width="213"></a></div>
<br>
<br>
<ol>
<li>The essay is a distinct style. The essay is nonfiction, yet all these essays had stylistic elements reminiscent of some of my favorite fiction books. Some were even poetic.</li>
<li>This particular version is meant for studying. It includes questions to consider after each work, and has a huge intro featuring past editors opining on the essential qualities of a "best" essay.</li>
<li>There are some solid writers and writing here. Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and Michael Lewis, among others.</li>
<li>There is amazing content. You get pieces where the controversy the writing will incite makes the book feel heavier in your hands. You get passionate points of view that propel you to cheer on the author's cause, at least for the moment.</li>
</ol>
<br>
<br>
There are thousands of essay writing contests. I'll try my hand at a couple before the year is over. I talked about writing essays vs. writing fiction in <a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/06/words-with-eric-lemay-emergency-press.html" target="_blank">my interview with Eric LeMay</a>. <br>
<br>
I'm still undecided which is a better strategy for a competitive writer -<i> diversification </i>(trying many styles, genres, etc.) or <i>specification</i>. In other words, is it better to be a master at one thing, or competent in several? It may be a little more complicated than that because the various forms of writing are not mutually exclusive. Learning to juggle will not help you grow better tomatoes. However, writing flash/micro fiction could help you write a concise essay. And lastly, writing is writing. Certain things (sentence formation, cutting passive voice, vocabulary, etc.) transcend genre. <b>What do you think?</b><br>
<br>
Back to the essays, I'll cover some of my favorites from this collection:<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/07/recent-reading-best-american-essays.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-72705065223675186672013-07-04T14:59:00.001-07:002013-07-04T14:59:12.175-07:00Who Ate My Hotdog?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
This is my entry for the<a href="http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-4th-of-july-secret-mystery-writing.html?showComment=1372680332163" target="_blank"> Susana Loenard Hill The Fourth of July Secret Mystery Contest.</a> Enjoy this 333 word whodunnit story for children and Happy Independence Day!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Hotdog_(4739769948).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Hotdog_(4739769948).jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark (Hotdog Uploaded by FAEP) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every Fourth of July, my entire family comes over for a
barbecue. Usually, it’s a lot of fun.
This year, there was a serious problem. Somebody ate my hotdog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was there one
minute, and then it was gone. I left it to get a root beer. When I came back, there were only some crumbs
from the bun.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Who ate my hotdog?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad said he’d been grilling the whole time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mom said she ate too much of Aunt Rosie’s pasta salad and
was already full.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was probably Peter.
It was the sort of thing my older brother would do. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nope, it wasn’t Peter.
He’d been helping Uncle Fred get the fireworks set up on the dock.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could grandpa have done it?
There’s no way grandpa would steal my hot dog. But wait, is that ketchup on the corner of
his mouth? I always eat my hotdogs with
lots of ketchup. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Grandpa did you eat my hot dog?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He chuckled. “No, my
boy, I ate my hotdog, not yours. But I
think I might know who did.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He pointed a long shaky finger toward the picnic table. Who was he pointing at? Cousin Sally?
Then something caught my eye. A
hotdog was moving across the table. It
inched its way along the red and white checkered table cloth. It went past the
potato salad, past the watermelon, past the corn on the cob until it fell to
the ground. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I peered into the shadows under the table and then I saw the
guilty party. Our dog, Jack, gobbled up the spoils of his sneaky theft.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, at least I knew who ate my hotdog. The only thing to do now was to ask dad for
another one. I made my way back to the grill.
Dad gave me another hotdog. I
covered it with ketchup. I sat at the
table and was about to enjoy my first bite when I realized something awful had
happened. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Someone drank all my root beer!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-49130032783097804872013-07-04T05:58:00.000-07:002013-07-04T05:58:47.392-07:00Words With Aesthetica Creative Writing Contest Winner Kate NowakowskiI did not do this interview, the folks at<a href="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/" target="_blank"> Aesthetica Magazine</a> did. Kate Nowakowski talks about her win, how it helped her career, her thoughts on writing contests and more.<br />
<br />
For example:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Writing competitions like the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition, which provide an opportunity for recognition and publication to unpublished writers, are hugely valuable as they give the new writer something to realistically aim for.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
Kate won the Short Fiction Contest for 2012 with her story<u><a href="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/blog/a-cuckoos-broken-wing-short-fiction-winner-from-aesthetica-creative-writing-competition-2012/" target="_blank"> A Cuckoo's Broken Wing.</a></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/KellyBlevins_Fabric-550x758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/KellyBlevins_Fabric-550x758.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There is still time to submit for the 2013 Short Fiction and Poetry contests. Deadline is 31 August.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/blog/interview-with-kate-nowakowski-winner-of-the-aesthetica-creative-writing-competition/" target="_blank">Find the interview here.</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/creativewriting#sthash.AiqanEWi.dpuf" target="_blank">Aesthetica Competition Page</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-83190567309706581312013-06-27T13:49:00.001-07:002013-06-27T13:49:49.886-07:00Are Writers Ever on Vacation?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-CZE0M8ApMgOX01fyPAcl4I1rSrPsijkGEnU-48fxeqGllqpvpupl22TJwwz_lmOtSxoOEntmlrAZ3uXTtY6mJ-gnU5MDeRlTKVSNcGowRjZhtz-rkJxSdfpFi2f7Q5AAVIey_NPNtQ/s880/glass.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-CZE0M8ApMgOX01fyPAcl4I1rSrPsijkGEnU-48fxeqGllqpvpupl22TJwwz_lmOtSxoOEntmlrAZ3uXTtY6mJ-gnU5MDeRlTKVSNcGowRjZhtz-rkJxSdfpFi2f7Q5AAVIey_NPNtQ/s880/glass.png" height="320" width="190" /></a></div>
Just got back from a trip to Seattle. Found myself noting little nuances everywhere I went.<br />
<br />
-the salt laden air at the beach, with the fish smell of seaweed ripening as it warmed in the sun<br />
-a peculiar crow who had a fascination with a whimsical butterfly<br />
-the symphony of sounds in a bustling coffee shop at dawn as barristas concocted lattes for their patrons<br />
-a tattooed twenty something staring out over the bay while wisps of cigarette smoke swirled above her<br />
<br />
In my mind these things became scenes, characters, plot lines, and made all sorts of other intrusions into the workshop between my ears.<br />
<br />
I'm convinced that since I tasted the writing potion, I'll never see the world the same again.<br />
<br />
How about you? Can you escape viewing the world through a writer's eye? Where do you find your inspiration?<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com0Seattle, WA, USA47.6062095 -122.332070847.2636815 -122.9775178 47.9487375 -121.68662379999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1910816359277059607.post-24423035835399313962013-06-14T13:01:00.001-07:002013-06-14T13:01:54.419-07:00A Writing Contest That Pays Everybody?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVoyJ7GSHn9Z5v27G4dGlcbpWkpOx5eGZw0_0DtvGHYEj7ZJAspptuMVaUCcSHqbJwCjBBeWMKbKmX0sHsoXl9FNPQIFo-upfaDnDAclnimpe5R4jCkLyJbZBdUf3ZhpkfPBavnVlars/s1600/coins.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A payout for winning a contest" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVoyJ7GSHn9Z5v27G4dGlcbpWkpOx5eGZw0_0DtvGHYEj7ZJAspptuMVaUCcSHqbJwCjBBeWMKbKmX0sHsoXl9FNPQIFo-upfaDnDAclnimpe5R4jCkLyJbZBdUf3ZhpkfPBavnVlars/s1600/coins.PNG" height="105" title="" width="320"></a></div>
I started off on the path of writing contests for the thrill of the chase. However, the prize money made me wonder how else you can get paid as a writer. I came up with the following list, and it was in my exploration of one of these items that I found this contest that pays its participants, <u>even if they don't win</u>.<br>
<a href="http://www.competitivewriter.com/2013/06/a-writing-contest-that-pays-everybody.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.competitivewriter.com</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052775732906474764noreply@blogger.com1