Writing Contests

Contests are a terrific way to spur your productivity. I’ve been putting some thought into these lately, and I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you. All of these have NO entry fee.

Blog Battle–happens weekly at http://rachaelritchey.com/category/weekly-entries-to-blogbattle/. Follow link for more details. 🙂

Michael Brookes has a 500 word flash contest every month, with an image prompt. This month’s is: http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/november-short-fiction-contest.html. There’s even a generous cash prize. You should definitely go check this one out if you write flash.

Michael also has a drabble contest coming up–for those who don’t already know, a drabble is a story told in 100 words. It also has a cash prize. You can find out more here: http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/festival-of-drabbles-2015-drabble.html.

A site called On the Premises (http://onthepremises.com/) has short story contests in December and June with prizes that go three digits. They also have mini-contests over the course of the year.

Thinkerbeat has prizes, and I particularly like these guys because I won second place in one of their monthly contests, and they’re putting me in one of their anthologies. You have to join, but it’s free, and they have modest cash prizes and a chance to be in a trade anthology. Good combo.

Baen has regular contests. One that’s running right now is: http://www.baen.com/baenmemorialaward.asp. This one focuses on near-future sci-fi, and the winner is paid professional rates and published on Baen’s site, and y’know, they’re a trade publisher who actually gets their books into bookstores. They also have a fantasy award that’s over for the year, but the link is: http://www.baen.com/baenfantasyaward.asp. I’ll be entering this one when it opens again. Baen also has a monthly contest, accessed from the bottom of their main page, www.baen.com. The last one was how to keep aliens from destroying the Earth in 250 words or less.

At the top end of the prestigious spectrum, Writers of the Future has a contest: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/. Prizes every three months between $500 and $1000, which is definitely enough to get your attention, with a five grand award for the best of the year. And this contest is a big enough deal that even an honorable mention would be something I’d put in a query letter. I entered this one, so I’ll definitely blog about it if I get anything besides a consolation email.

What about you? What are your favorite writing contests? Please tell everyone in the comment section. 🙂

About cathleentownsend

Avid writer and reader of Faerie tales and noblebright fantasy.