Writing Contests for July and August

Writing contests are less about prizes than they are about learning. When we write and submit to a contest, we're putting our writing on the line and often stretching ourselves to write within a new genre, category or on a topic that is potentially unfamiliar. Admittedly, I can be a tremendous slacker when it comes to writing contests and often veer towards the free ones, but I read an interesting article recently by LinDee Rochelle, the founder of Women Writers Worldwide, who spoke of writing contests as comparable to mini seminars. She cited a variety of perks to entering writing contests from helping to blast writer's block to assisting aspiring writer's with learning to deal with deadlines (read the full article here).

Find out how writing contests help you grow by entering one of the many contests available in July and August...

Deadline: July 31st

Adirondack Review: Fulton Prize for Short Fiction: Reading Fee $10

The Antigonish Review: Sheldon Currie Fiction Prize: Reading Fee  $30

Bright Hill Press: Poetry Chapbook Competition: Reading Fee $15

Creative Nonfiction: True Stories on Topic Southern Sin: Fee $20

Munster Literature Center: Sean O'Faolain Short Story Competition: Reading Fee $20

White Pine Press: Poetry Prize: Reading Fee $20

Deadline : August 1st

Gazing Grain Press: Feminist Poetry Chapbook Contest: $20

Geist: Erasure Poetry Contest: No Fee

Rattle: 2012 Rattle Poetry Prize: Reading Fee $18

Terrain: Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction Contest: Reading Fee $10

Deadline: August 15th

The Aurorean: Under Graduate/Graduate Haiku: No Fee

Gigiantic Sequins: Poetry and Flash Fiction Contest: Reading Fee $5

Littoral Press: Poetry Prize: Reading Fee $10

Subito Press: Poetry and Fiction Contest: Reading Fee $20

Deadline: August 31st

Black Lawrence Press: Unpublished Collection of Poetry or Short Stories: Reading Fee $25

Bona Fide Books: The Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize: Reading Fee $20

Gemini Magazine: Flash Fiction Contest: Reading Fee $4

Glimmer Train: Short Story Award for New Writers: Reading Fee $15

Graywolf Press: Nonfiction Prize: No Fee

NANO Prize: NANO Fiction Prize: Reading Fee $15

WOW Women on Writing: Flash Fiction: Reading Fee $10

A word is a bud attempting to become a twig. How can one not dream while writing? It is the pen which dreams. The blank page gives the right to dream. -Gaston Bachelard

Writing Events and Contests

Generally, I like to divide these categories up, but to streamline this post, I'm going to bring you events and contests at once. 

Michigan Writer's Events

Ann Arbor: The Author's Forum Presents Ghost Writers: Dec. 7th 

Ann Arbor: Meet Several Local Authors, such as Jonathan Rand, in December at Nicola's Books. 

Detroit Area: Visit the Motown Writer's Network Monthly Calendar to see a variety of writing groups and events in the Detroit Metro area.

Lyons: Leaven Center presents The Sacred in Everyday Life: A Writing Workshop for Women: January 13-15

Marquette: Visit the Regional Author Extravaganza at Snowbound Books in December 

Writing Contests

Beecher Magazine Fiction and Poetry Contest: Deadline Dec. 7

Hunger Mountain Ruth Stone Poetry Contest 

Crab Creek Review Fiction Contest: Deadline Dec. 15 

Toasted Cheese Fiction Contest: Deadline Dec. 21 

Bayou Magazine Fiction and Poetry Contest: Deadline Dec. 31

Boulevard Short Fiction Contest: Deadline Dec. 31

River Styx Micro-Fiction Contest: Deadline Dec. 31

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest: Deadline Jan 3 

Diore Press Fiction and Poetry Chapbook Contest: Jan. 9 

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe