"Required reading" for today's smart writer.

"Required reading" for today's smart writer.
Information & inspiration to hone your craft and increase your cash...Since 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Creative Contests and Calls for Submissions...





If you're like most serious writers, I'm betting that one of your goals for 2015 is to increase your exposure and your bottom line. If so, you'll love today's post.

This new year is filled with an array of creative opportunities to get in gear, get published, and get the recognition you desire and deserve. And winning contests is a great way to write a happy ending for all your efforts. As someone who has garnered a few blogging awards and poetry prizes over the years, I can attest that it is rewarding on many different levels.

Accordingly, I'd like to share a listing of publications and places eager to receive your creative projects.

Some competitions pay in cash; while others offer other perks like gift cards, free products, mass exposure, a badge and title for your blog, and of course...bragging rights and brownie points with people in the publishing and blogging industries.

So what are you waiting for?

Here are a few to get you started on an epic year!
Good luck, and be sure to read the fine print. :-)

POSITIVE WRITER
Bryan Hutchinson is seeking entries for a great topic idea, "How writing has positively influenced my life."
Contest runs from Feb.1-June 1, 2015.
See
Positive Writer for details.

HEINZ KETCHUP

You happy? Heinz would like to find out the "secret sauce" of your story. In 122 characters or less, share what makes you happy. Or if video entries would be more your style, you have 6 seconds to win them over. Game? Contest details are available at the Heinz site.

CHICKEN SOUP

One of the most popular anthology publishers ever, is accepting stories for their "Make Your own Luck" edition. Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2015. Get more "Chicken" and details on other 
calls at Chicken soup.com

FLASH FICTION CONTEST

Jenine Boisits, publisher of Literary Beginnings, is sponsoring a competition for unpublished writers only. First prize is $200.00. Deadline is March 1, 2015. Enter at Literarybeginnings.org.

NEW PAGES

Publishes a compilation of ongoing contests  and competitions for poets, visual artists, and others in the creative community. Check out their classified section to get in where you fit in.

Here's wishing you much success! There's a winner in you.

Your turn.
If you found this post useful, or would like to see more in the future, please let me know in the comments.
Have you ever won a creative contest? Do share.

23 comments:

  1. Jen, Thanks! I have a few pieces already sitting at Chicken Soup, but I'll check out the others!

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  2. Hi Jennifer! I was happy to see that you posted my flash fiction contest! When I read the other contests you listed, I was even happier...and excited! I will probably enter one or two and especially liked the HEINZ contest idea and also the New Pages contest idea! Thanks so much!

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  3. Thank you for these submission opportunities. You are a gem!

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  4. Thank you for the info, Jen! Great list - will check it out. Happy weekend! :)

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    1. Glad you liked. Happy weekend to you, Karen. Stay warm. :-)

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  5. Thanks so much for the submission opportunities. You are a gem!

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  6. Many thanks for this wonderful list of opportunities.

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  7. Thank you, Jen! Although I'm familiar with Chicken Soup for the Soul, I'd forgotten about New Pages. And I wasn't aware of the other ones. Thanks again!

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  8. I appreciate your scouring the markets and opportunities. Thanks, Jennifer! And happy Friday the 13th!

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    1. Victoria,

      It's my way of saying thanks to my readers and providing value for their time.
      :-)

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    2. And I just noticed that Chicken Soup extended its deadline on the Christmas collection. I expect that this means that they are running short or that the quality of submissions received so far is poor. This is an opportunity for those with a story to tell.

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  9. Thanks for the list of creative contests, while I once - among other things - won a little color tv with a writing contests from a patato chips company, I have been more frequently successful with other types of creative contests, for example with Photography - & Slogan Contests,

    So I don't think that I will do much actual writing contests, however I do find Flash Fiction interesting since it looks that it has some similarities with Screenwriting,

    When looking at the list of contests I recently did participate in, it currently is mainly things like Slogan -, Photography -, and Greeting Card (Writing/designing) Competitions. For what Greeting Cards is concerned, I also recently actually published a blog post about some Innovations in the Greeting Card Market.

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    1. Congrats on your success, H.P.! Thanks for stopping by today and sharing this.

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    2. By the way, you might find the Fiction Contest sponsored by Literary Beginnings.Org to be of interest.

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  10. Jennifer, thanks for keeping me on my toes about contests and other opportunities to expand my horizons. This is a great list.

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