CONTEST TIME

Do you work best under pressure? I do. (Don’t judge) Sometimes a writing contest is just the kick in the butt I need to get moving on a manuscript that’s been getting all dusty and lonely. I’ve scraped up a few contests that all have April or May deadlines, so consider this your official kick in the pants to start working on that in-need-of-attention manuscript that you haven’t have a reason to work on–until now. Yeah, you’re welcome.

I can’t personally vouch for the hosts’ honor or intentions of these upcoming contests, but they look pretty good. And it’s hard to find middle grade (MG) contests. I know most people that put these contests on are volunteers and work really hard, and it all takes time away from their own work, so please read and follow guidelines closely.

Please note I rarely advocate for any contest that charges a fee; to me that’s a flag that it’s not legit. I realize some large contests charge money just to keep the riff raff out, but enter with your eyes open. Also check the fine print to see what you win and whether they assume all rights to your work once you submit it. Some of these might have any of those flags, I haven’t checked, so be careful.

This April contest is like the show “Shark Tank.”  Wining entries are posted where editors and agents can “bid” on seeing more of the manuscript. (No guarantee they’ll love it, of course.) It has grown-up books competing too so make sure your submission really stands out: http://scwrite.blogspot.com/2014/03/announcing-writers-tank-contest.html:

This is a Twitter pitch party just for #MiddleGrade and #NonFiction: http://www.jessicaschmeidler.com/?p=1037

Writer’s Digest 22nd Annual Self-Published Book Awards. Categories include Children’s/Picture books, Middle-Grade/Young Adult books, poetry, and lots of adult book caegoriess. Awards: $3,000 in cash, national exposure for your work, the attention of prospective editors and publishers, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference. Early-Bird Deadline: April 1st, otherwise May 1, 2014: www.writersdigest.com/competitions/selfpublished

These three have May deadlines, with thanks to http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/contests.htm for all the deets:

KIDDOS

http://www.freecontestsforkids.com/writing-contests-for-kids.html: I found this website that lists a slew of writing contests FOR KIDS, so if you’ve got a budding Hemingway in da house, take a look here — like with contests for adults, please note I rarely advocate for any contest that charges a fee; to me that’s a flag that it’s not legit. I realize some large contests charge money just to keep the riff raff out, but enter with your eyes open. Also check the fine print to see what you win and whether they assume all rights to your work once you submit it. Some of these might have any of those flags, I haven’t checked, so be careful.

http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/guidelines.php *I know this one charges a small fee

http://www.wipb.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WIPB-PBS-KIDS-WC-Entry-Form-2014.pdf  *Hurry, deadline is April 4

Do you know of any others? Hook me up, man, I love these things.