Monday, April 4, 2016

C is for Contests

Each day I am bringing up a tool for book marketing or promotion and asking all of YOU for experiences, knowledge, and ideas.

Oh, to be this badass...
CONTESTS

Contests are something I actually have a bit of experience with. (Not the sort on the left, except in my wildest dreams, but the writing sort) I love them, because they provide deadlines for getting something ready and there is typically at least some level of feedback. But I have NOT done a lot of them because I'm just not sure where to FIND them!!!

Also, the contest I used to participate in regularly (the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award) is now defunct. Poof. No more. All gone, bye-bye. (I hate that).

So do any of you know good sources for FINDING contests?

Are there contests that come around regularly that you really like? (what do they cost?) (what genres do they cover?)


So now you should go see some other A to Z participants!

18 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Sorry to hear about the Amazon contest.

I know Preditors and Editors links to contests (not sure how updated the list is): http://pred-ed.com/pubctst.ht .

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

We might have some listed at the IWSG site. I know my blogger buddy Patsy Collins lists one almost every day.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Love your theme, Hart! I subscribe to a site (can't remember who, right now) that provides freelance job openings, but not contest announcements or notifications. I honestly don't know, but a regularly edited list would be a great tool. I believe Shannon Lawrence shares links to some when she finds them.

Nilanjana Bose said...

Hi, here from the A-Z and don't have much info about writing contests that might be going on in N Am. Commonwealth Writers short story and Bristol short story come to mind, and CWW site often mention other writing contests on their site.

Best wishes,
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I like the deadlines and word limits and other restrictions set by contests, but some markets have them for their regular issues though, too - like Nailpolish Stories and 101 Fiction.

M.J. Fifield said...

No more Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award? That's a bummer.

I think the last/only writing contest/competition I ever entered was a scholarship competition for a magazine in my senior year of high school. I won honorable mention...and an electric typewriter.

Tamara Narayan said...

I've googled "short story contest" before and come up with a bunch of hits, but not too many that I like the subject matter or was qualified to enter. It's a good question.

Fran Clark said...

Check out mslexia.co.uk for writing competitions. If I think of anywhere else, I'll come back to you.
Fran
@FranClarkAuthor
Writing Women’s Fiction

Yolanda Renée said...

I don't usually participete, especially if they charge money. Have you googled it. That's usually what I do. LOL But Alex's suggestion sounds good and Wednesday links on the Warrior Muse's blog usually have a few.

http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-flash-fiction-press-best-tree-ever.html

Happy April 4th!

PL Keenor said...

I have entered the occasional contest. The best I ever did was to come third in a national (UK) short story competition. Entry was free. Inspired by that success I looked around for more contests to enter but they all seemed to be quite a rip-off with large entry fees. I will be interested to see the replies you get to this post. Around My Kitchen Table

Jan Morrison said...

Yes, I'm always entering contests! I'm not entirely sure of how it works stateside but every Canadian province and territory has a writers'federation or association. They have sites that list all sorts of contests. As well both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Banff Centre of the Arts give out grants for various artistic pursuits.That isn't helpful to you l realize but there must be something akin in the states. All literary journals hold contests as a way of gaining readerships and interest. I know there is a Southwestern association in the states that has a great novel contest. Check with Pat Stoltey on that one. The Writers Digest not only hosts contests they regularily advertise them. Contests are good because like job interviews they keep us from getting stale on our projects. Depending on winning is a mug's game but people do win! Good (P)luck to you.

Rosa Temple Writes said...

I haven't entered a single writing contest, to my shame. But thank goodness I came here, a few suggestions to check out. Good luck!
Rosa
@RosaT_Author
Rosa Temple writes...

L. Diane Wolfe said...

The self-publishing page at the IWSG site has contests listed at the very bottom.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I have entered poetry contests. Never won but it's good practice. I think the Kindle Scout program that replaced the Amazon Breakout Contest is a pretty good one. You have select books getting picked monthly for publication and more authors have a chance at getting published.

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, some awesome suggestions! And one even close to home! I will go check out the IWSG list right away!

Helena said...

The closest I ever came to entering a writing contest was the Amazon Breakthrough one, but I had no idea it's now ended. Unlike you, Hart, I never got past the blurb stage. Anyway, I did a quick googling and it looks like Poets & Writers digital mag lists some contests. Hope that helps.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I miss not having ABNA to fuss at. :-) It was the only real writing contest I ever entered regularly. It was the doing it with everyone else that made it fun.

Unknown said...

They are out there and new ones are being formed all the time.
Great theme for the A to Z
Im blogging for the A to Z Challenge from Fill the cracks and Moondustwriter's Blog. Happy A to Zing!