Summer Writing Contests and Submissions

Yes it is summer at long last. These are the few months that we endure cold, harrowing winters in Michigan for and they are absolutely worth it! That being said, summers are not the easiest time to write. Free time seems much better spent reading at the beach or swimming out to some sand bar to lounge like a lizard and watch the fat clouds roll by. If, however, you are more diligent than I, look below for some contests and markets open to submissions.

Contests:


Creative Nonfiction.org: True Crime Essays : Fee - $20: Prize - $1,000

Rattle Poetry Prize: Fee -$18: Deadline- Aug. 1st 2011

Terrain.org 2nd Annual Contest: Submit poetry, fiction or nonfiction: Fee- $10: Deadline- Aug. 1st 2011

8th Annual Gival Press Short Story Award: Submissions of original, unpublished short stories: Fee- $25: Deadline- Aug. 8th 2011.

H.O.W. Journal is Hosting Three Contests: Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry: Fee- ranges from $5-$20: Deadline- Aug. 15th 2011.

Smartish Pace Erskine J. Poetry Prize: Fee-$5: Deadline- Aug. 15th 2011


Memoir Journal: Prize for Prose and Poetry, Graphic Memoir and Photography: No Fee: Deadline- Aug. 16th 2011.

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest: Entry Fee- $4: Deadline- Aug. 31st 2011.


Submissions

Cliterature: Theme is Madness: Submit up to ten pages of poetry, prose or creative nonfiction. Deadline: Aug. 12th

Spittoon Literary Journal: Accepts poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction.

Specter Literary Magazine: Accepts fiction and poetry.

Palehouse: Submissions for Letters to Los Angeles: Deadline - Sept. 2011

Subliminal Interiors: Accepts poetry, nonfiction and photography.

Extended Play: Accepts long pieces of poetry and prose.

Lyndsey D'Arcangelo My Story is Out: High School Years: High School stories by individuals 25 and younger. Deadline: Jan. 1 2012.

The Ides of March: Accepts poetry with a historical slant.

Heavy Feather Review: Accepts poetry, short fiction, photography, comics, creative nonfiction and hybrids.

Freelance Markets

Happy March Writers. I began this post as a listing of jobs; however, several of my usual job sites are down this evening so I bring to you instead some submission information. Magazines submissions are a great way to earn a living as a freelance writer. Consider areas of interest or, better yet, areas of expertise when brainstorming article ideas.

Also keep your network of friends and family in mind as they are great resources for interviews. For instance, do you have a girlfriend who owns a bakery? A single interview could leave you with a variety of pitches such as women in business, small business during recession, baking trends for 2011 and many more. Most magazines prefer a query first, which allows you to offer some ideas without having to pen the entire article. See the end of the post for some links on How to Write Query Letters.

Magazines and Websites

Fourtean Times: World of Strange Phenomena

Smoking Mountains Living Magazine 

Backpacker Magazine 

Submissions for Thin Threads and MamaZina Magazine 

The Escapist Magazine 

Fiasco Magazine 

Praise and Coffee Magazine 

Defenders of Wildlife Magazine 

Upper Room Writing Devotionals 

Road and Travel Magazine

Bird Times Magazine 

Blue Suit Mom Online Magazine 

I Love Cats Magazine

Fuse Magazine: Art, Culture and Politics

Short Story Submissions/Contests

Suns and Silences: Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction

Room Magazine: Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry

Short Story Contest for Deadly Ink 

The StorySouth Million Writers Award

Trading Card Fiction Contest  

Witness: Accepts Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry

Query Letter Help

Writing.com: Query Letter Do's and Dont's 

How to Write an Assignment Winning Magazine Query Letter 

What no wife of a writer 

can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out of the window.  ~Burton Rascoe