* Contests and Calls For Submissions *

 While going through some papers in my home office yesterday afternoon, I came across an old one that listed 3 websites to check out for contests and such. I'm not really sure where it came from, and I may have even typed it up for myself, but as usual with websites like these, one just leads to another and another. I was on my laptop for what seemed like hours, searching to find posts that appeard to be good ones to pass along to my writer friends. (*How many of you out there visualize what I do when I read  "....was on my laptop"....and especially "...for hours"??*)

Anyway.....I found a few that seemed interesting! Be sure to read all the rules and guidelines. Listed in no particular order, they are:
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Writer’s Digest Your Story Contest
Deadline: Bimonthly on the 10th
Entry Fee: FREE
Guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/YourStory/

Here’s an opportunity to get published both in Writer’s Digest magazine and on their website Every other month, they give a prompt for a story. Using that prompt, you can write any type of flash narrative you like, up to 750 words. According to their guidelines, they are looking for inventiveness, creativity, and humor. Look in the current print issue of Writer’s Digest for the latest contest prompt. If you don’t want to buy it, many libraries carry copies at the circulation desk. Contest #19 ended on July 10, 2009, so the next two contest deadlines should be September 10 and November 10, 2009. The online submission form makes entering a simple process. Don’t’ forget to read past winning entries before you submit your story to “Your Story.”
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The First Line Winter Writing Contest
Entry Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 1, 2009

Guidelines: http://www.thefirstline.com/

“Waiting for change always seems to take longer than you would expect.”

Use this first line, verbatim, create a story between 300 and 3,000 words to enter in the First Line Writing Contest. This is a quarterly contest, so if you miss the deadline for the May contest, there will [...]

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Writers of comedic essays, articles, short stories, poetry, shopping lists and other forms are invited to submit. Entry Fee: $5.00
Deadline: December 1, 2009  (snail mail, postmark date) no submissions online

Mona founded the Foster City (CA) Writers Contest, taught creative writing for San Mateo County and published humorous articles and essays in newspapers and magazines. Her son Brad founded the Prize in 2000 and judges the submissions.

Works up to 750 words in length should be typed, double-spaced, accompanied by a money order or check for $5 to cover administrative costs, payable to "The Mona Schreiber Prize." No limit to entries but each must have a separate fee. Put contact information directly above the title and text on your first page.

No SASEs, please. Include e-mail address for notification of winners. All entries must be postmarked by December 1 for a December 24 announcement of three winners: 1st: $500. 2nd: $250. 3rd: $100. Entries are not returned and must be unpublished. Winners will have their entries posted on www.brashcyber.com. All other rights belong to the authors. Humor is subjective. Uniqueness is suggested. Weirdness is encouraged.

This contest does not accept e-mail submissions. All entries must be mailed to: The Mona Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Nonfiction, 15442 Vista Haven Place, Sherman Oaks, California 91403 USA

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Flannery O'Connor Contest
Prize: $1,000.00. Entry fee: $0.00. Deadline: 10-31-2009.

Shenandoah announces a special issue centering on the works of Flannery O'Connor in celebration of the journal's 60th anniversary. The editor seeks essays, poems, short stories, reviews, photographs and other artwork about, related to or in honor of the fiction and life of Ms. O'Connor. Any queries about particular submissions should be directed to rodsmith@wlu.edu. A prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the best O'Connor-related work published in the issue, which is planned for Fall, 2010.  http://www.wlu.edu/x33932.xml
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** You've may have noticed that these are all No Entry Fee, or Very Minimal Entry Fee contests. I purposely chose them because of that. **