8.28.2009

A Contest for the Canadians




I know you're out there! Canadians, Canucks, whatever you want to call yourselves, it's your lucky day. If you have an unpublished book-length manuscript of short or novel-length fiction then you better get really excited for the Metcalfe Rooke Award. "The object of the competition is to uphold and celebrate the tradition of small press publishing and independent bookselling in Canada and to champion new and up-and-coming Canadian writers." I'm highlighting this award because there is NO entry fee and the prize is simply fantastic: "a publishing contract with Biblioasis, a leather-bound copy of the book, a $1,500 prize, a regional book tour to include festival appearances, a profile in The Quarterly, and a story published in Maisonneuve, summer issue." The deadline is September 30th. Oh, to be Canadian!

8.15.2009

Contest for the Young 'Uns!


Speaking of Narrative, this fall they're hosting a "30 Below" story contest. They accept various forms of stories--fiction, non-fiction, even documentaries--click on the link for details. The contest opens on September 21 and closes October 29, 2009, so you've got lots of time to finish a new piece or polish an old one. Online submissions only!

Auden on Writing

Narrative, a non-profit organization that houses a great online catalogue of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from "the best new and emerging writers," has a great link to Writing: An Essay by W. H. Auden (who is obviously not a new or emerging writer, but this seems to fit in the writing guidance section). You can sign up for free to read the essay in its entirety online or print out the pdf. 

Below is my favorite phrase from the essay, which, while a bit long, is quite enjoyable, frank, and as always with Auden, beautifully written:

"Poetry is not magic. In so far as poetry, or any other of the arts, can be said to have an ulterior purpose, it is, by telling the truth, to disenchant and disintoxicate."


8.07.2009

Pimping Your Words Out: WordHustler.com


As I was about to submit some poems to a literary magazine today via online submission manager, I saw a third option at the bottom of the page: WordHustler.com. Intrigued, I clicked on the shiny button and signed up. While certain aspects of WordHustler had me tingling in anticipation--smooth submission process, automatic cover letter and project pdf formatting, and submission history organization--the less-than-helpful search engine and the service fee left me rather cold.

The search engine--meant to help you find contests, agents, publications, publishers, and fellowships--provides a seemingly straightforward selection process. You choose a submission type, then a genre and then you click on as many boxes of "market" types (i.e. their predominant subject/reader group) that might fit with your writing. I tried this with publications: poetry, selecting only literary magazines and a few other similar types in an attempt to narrow my search. I still ended up with 392 potential "markets" (WordHustler calls each publication/contest/etc. a "market"). 

Now, perhaps there really are 392 "markets" for my work, however, how am I supposed to whittle that down to a manageable (and affordable) number? Granted there is a small paragraph description and a star rating (which I really don't see the purpose of--who is rating them and on what?) for each "market," but that's still 392 paragraphs to decipher. This may be more helpful if you have a very specific audience/subject: religion, scuba-diving, cowgirls. 

In addition, WordHustler charges for each submission. Signing up is free, but using the service will cost you. I can see using this in lieu of snail mail for those magazines and contests that require an envelope/stamp effort, but there is no point in paying to submit to a review when they already have a free online submission manager...unless you really need someone to organize your submission history for you.

All that being said, I do appreciate the effort on the part of WordHustler's creators. The submission process is a long and grueling one, and dearly in need of a technological makeover. As someone who really hates paper cuts, I will probably look to them as my snail mail alternative in the future.

8.06.2009

Opportunity Knocks: Poets, Polish Your Prose!

Robert Lee Brewer, editor of Poet's Market is accepting article pitches for 2011 Poet's Market until September 1, 2009. Put your pitch in the body of an e-mail with an outline of your article idea and a short bio. Send the e-mail with the subject line 2011 Poet's Market Query to robert.brewer@fwmedia.com. He suggests referencing the 2010 Poet's Market to get an idea of what articles have been accepted in the past--you can usually find it on the shelves of most local bookstores. Brewer is mostly interested in business/marketing-related pieces, but craft-related articles are fine, too. He is not interested in poet interviews, profiles.

(Thanks to Funds for Writers--a great resource for contests, job markets, and grants--for the heads up!)

8.05.2009

WILA: Future Women's Writing Conference


I received a little invite this morning, via Facebook, to join a group of female writers who intend to start an annual writing conference (a' la AWP--for writers, not scholars). The conference will be called WILA--for Women In Literary Arts. Here is a link to the original letter from Cate Marvin, poet and English Professor at College of Staten Island, CUNY that spawned the idea as well as some explanatory paragraphs about the conference from the group's Facebook page (written by Erin Belieu, future Co-Director of the WILA conference and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Florida State University). 

WILA could be a great opportunity, not only for women writers of fiction and poetry to discuss the female writer's experience, influences, and literary history, but also for the future endeavors Marvin and Belieu light upon on their Facebook page: the possibilities of a literary journal, a retreat/mentorship for young women writers, and even a press of female writers. I also see a rare chance here to get involved in the formation of a (one day) large writing conference. If you have any skills that might help--send them a message or join the group!