Friday, December 18, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #157

Column will return on January 2, 2010.
A very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah to all my readers and my good wishes for a prosperous and fulfilling New Year.


MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JULIETTE LACOVARO, age 84, for three decades drew maps for the U.S. government, charted the intricate contours of Hawaii and handled classified work during the Vietnam War. Now 84, the McLean resident sees a dream task emerging just a mile from her home: mapping the new Tysons Corner. She still keeps busy, and works refilling stacks of maps, helping hungry and lost shoppers find their way in the mall, ushering Northern Virginia's political and commercial luminaries up a sweltering elevator to a birthday bash and transportation ribbon-cutting ceremony atop a seven-story parking garage.

BOSTON REVIEW - nonfiction, fiction, fillers on culture, political analysis, reviews, poetry. 4000-5000/wds. Reads fiction and poetry submissions between Sept. 15 and May 15 each year. Boston Review also runs an annual short story contest. Guidelines: http://www.bostonreview.net/about/writers_guidelines

RENAISSANCE MAGAZINE - mag targeted towards re-enactors of Late Medieval and Renaissance periods. While they do publish straight history articles, it's best to have articles be of direct use to re-enactors. Such articles in the past have included pieces on costume, armor, and the culture of the period. Average feature length 2,000 words. Pays $0.10/word on publication. Guidelines: http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/subguide.html

CREATE & DECORATE – gen’l craft pub designed to teach readers principles and techniques for crafts, lay foundations that encourage readers to develop their own ideas. Offers columns that are informative and of interest to inform readers of new ideas, products, and trends within the industry. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Neg. fees and rights. Guidelines: http://www.createanddecorate.com/information/guidelines.shtml

AMERICAN HERITAGE - Devoted to American history, like articles showing how the American experience is different from that of other countries w/some link to the present. 6000/wds/max. Neg rates. Guidelines: http://www.americanheritage.com/contact (link bottom of page)

PYRAMID - tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), with most articles devoted to either generic (systemless) gaming or GURPS, with the occasional (rare) dabbling into other systems as the mood strikes us. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork for Role playing games, board games, card games, strategy games, miniatures, wa rgames. 4cts/wd and they edit. Guidelines: http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/writing.html

APRON STRINGS, UK - Essential reading for all mothers. Personal essays to be of length 800/4000/wds. Original, insightful works. Fiction (up to 4500 words) - we welcome pieces in the short story format but it’s really the personal essays that make up the bulk of this publication. €60 - €100/essay. For commissioned pieces such as book reviews and longer feature articles, we neg. w/individual writers. Guidelines: http://www.apronstringsmag.com/index_files/Page2047.htm

ROCK AND ICE - climbing mag, the leading pub for world-class writing, training and technical tips for climbers of all levels, hard-hitting gear reviews and stunning photography. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork on climbing, profiles, destinations, current outdoor/climbing-related issues. Guidelines: http://www.rockandice.com/contributorinfo.php

BRITISH COLUMBIA MAGAZINE, BC - quarterly geographic and travel magazine which focuses on British Columbia. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.bcmag.ca/guidelines

PILL HILL PRESS “LOVE KILLS” SHORT STORY CONTEST - Deadline Jan. 15, 2010. No Entry Fee. Winning stories will be published in a print anthology. 1st - $125 + 1 copy; 2nd - $50 + 1 copy; 3rd - $25 + 1. Runners-up - 1 copy. Looking for SCARY stories, written in third person, featuring the theme LOVE KILLS: MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Stories should take place at or around Valentine's Day. 3000-5000/wds. Guidelines: http://www.pillhillpress.com/love-kills-contest.html

MALAHAT REVIEW NOVELLA PRIZE (Canada) - Deadline: Feb. 1, 2010. Entry Fee: $35 CAD; $40 USD;. Submit a single work of fiction, 10,000 wds/min- 20,000/wds/max.. No restrictions as to genre, subject matter, or aesthetic approach. $500 CAD is awarded, plus payment at the rate of $40CAD/pg upon publication. Guidelines: http://www.malahatreview.ca/novella_contest/info.html

ATLAS ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION’S SOUND MONEY ESSAY CONTEST – Deadline: Jan. 15, 2010. You must be a legal resident of the U.S. or engaged as a full-time student in the U.S. You must also be no more than 35 years old on the date of the contest deadline. $5000 prize. Two additional prizes of $1000 each will be given to outstanding essays written by junior faculty, graduate students, or policy writers. Three additional prizes of $500 each will be given to outstanding essays written by undergraduate students. http://atlasnetwork.org/programs/sound-money-project/sound-money-essay-contest-2009

HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN FICTION CONTEST - Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. Short Stories Open to age 16+. Write a children's story based on your family. 750/wds/max. Stories for beginning readers 475/wds/max. 3 prizes of $1000 or tuition for the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. Guidelines: http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest

AUTHORS NOTE - Work created by unidentified (unknown) authors have a copyright life of only 95 years from publication or 120 years from the work’s creation—whichever comes first. If the author is named (known) and registers his pen name (whether it's his real name or a pseudonym), the copyright term for the work is the author’s life plus 70 years.

CONSUMER MAGAZINES: These are the types of magazines you might find in a grocery store check-out line, convenience store, in your airplane seat pocket, or your doctor’s office and they pay the best.

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS –Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams

Friday, December 11, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #156

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN, age 89, whose stubborn, lonely and combative literary struggles gained the force of prophecy as he revealed the heavy afflictions of Soviet Communism in some of the most powerful works of the 20th century. Solzhenitsyn had been an obscure, middle-aged, unpublished high school science teacher in a provincial Russian town when he burst onto the literary stage in 1962 with “A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.” The book, a mold-breaking novel about a prison camp inmate. Suddenly he was being compared to giants of Russian literature like Tolstoy, Dostoyevski and Chekhov. Over the next five decades, Solzhenitsyn’s fame spread throughout the world as he drew upon his experiences of totalitarian duress to write evocative novels like “The First Circle” and “The Cancer Ward” and historical works like “The Gulag Archipelago.” “Gulag” was a monumental account of the Soviet labor camp system, a chain of prisons that some 60 million people had entered during the 20th century.

VETERINARY ECONOMICS – monthly prof’l trade mag for practicing veterinarians that provides detailed articles about the business of client and patient care. We cover topics related to practice management, including personnel solutions, communication, practice finances, personal finances, day-to-day management issues, client relations, life balance, and more. 250-1200/wds, depending on dept. Guidelines: http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/vetec/static/staticHtml.jsp?id=356190

TEXAS MONTHLY – solidly researched reporting that uncovers issues of public concern, reveals offbeat and previously unreported topics, or uses a novel approach to familiar topics. Any issue of the magazine would be a helpful guide. Stories must appeal to an educated Texas audience. Covers Texas, general interest, travel, business, technology. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Neg. fees. Guidelines: http://www.texasmonthly.com/writeguide

ONLINE – Exploring Technology & Resources for Information Professionals. Written and edited for librarians and other professionals who routinely use online services for information delivery, research, and knowledge management. Practical, how-to advice on the efficient and effective use of electronic information. The readership runs the gamut from novice to experienced researcher, and covers the entire range of electronic information topics, including industry trends; new products and technologies; professional, business and consumer online services; the internet; enterprise-wide information management; practical search and information management techniques; information professional roles and responsibilities, electronic content; quality issues; web design from an information professional perspective; intranet/extranet creation and promotion; and search engines. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.infotoday.com/online/authors.shtml

2010 NORTHWEST PERSPECTIVES ESSAY CONTEST – (University of Oregon) Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. No entry fee. Open and Student categories. 2000 wds/1500 wds for Student category. Prizes: Open Category – 1st $750; 2nd $300; 3rd $100. Student Category – 1st $500; 2nd $200; 3rd $75. Guidelines: http://www.oregonquarterly.com/essay.php

DAME LISBET THROCKMORTON FICTION CONTEST – Deadline: Jan. 31, 2010. Entry fee: $17. Original short stories, or chapters that stand on their own, should use 3500/wds/max to dazzle the judges. Four cash prizes: $350, $125, $75, and $50. Winning stories will be pub’d in an anthology w/selections from the short list. Four winners will receive complimentary copies. Also offers a critique service for those who wish to see their story's score and comments from the judges. (This service is an additional $25.) Guidelines: http://www.coffeehousefiction.com

PLOUGHSHARES - Seeks fiction, fillers. Subjects: Short story, poetry, novel exerpts. Also see editorial callender. Guidelines: http://www.pshares.org/submissions/page.cfm?intContentID=28

SCALE AUTO ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE – All about model cars. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork, and looking for model builders, collectors, enthusiasts who feel their models and/or modeling techniques, experiences would be of interest and benefit to our readership. Looks at the quality of accompanying photos and illustrations, content of the how-to-material, and the writing style. Guidelines: http://www.scaleautomag.com/en/The%20Magazine/Submission%20Guidelines/2009/11/ARTICLE%20SUBMISSION%20GUIDELINES.aspx

WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR WRITING 2010 - Deadline: Jan. 31st, 2010. Given by Stanford University Libraries in partnership w/William Saroyan Foundation, recognizes newly published works of fiction and non-fiction w/$5000 award for the winner in each category. The prize is designed to encourage new or emerging writers and honor the Saroyan literary legacy of originality, vitality and stylistic innovation. Official entry forms: http://library.stanford.edu/saroyan

TRAVEL AFRICA, UK - quarterly mag w/8-9 features on traveling in Africa per issue w/a variety of destinations and themes - wildlife, history, travelogue and activities. Prefers articles with accompanying high-resolution photographs. 1000-2000/wds. Deadlines given in Writers' Guidelines. Rates negotiable depending on length and if illustrations available. Guidelines: http://www.travelafricamag.com/content/blogcategory/104/65 (follow link for pdf doc)

W.B.YEATS SOCIETY of NY POETRY COMPETITION - Deadline Feb. 1, 2010. Open to members and nonmembers of any age. Entry fee $8. Poems in English up to 60 lines, not previously pub’d, on any subject. First prize $250, 2nd $100. Winners and honorable mentions receive 1-yr memberships in the Society and are honored at a Society event. Guidelines: http://www.yeatssociety.org/contest.html

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL & LIFE - requirements are that the writing be superb, the subject be something unique and interesting, and the writer must know his/her material. Readers demand behind-the-scenes stories, off-the-beaten-path destinations and ahead-of-the-curve knowledge about the Caribbean. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, fillers, photos/artwork about vacation, travel, recreational, cultural opportunities of the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda Island. Guidelines: http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/article.jsp?ID=36466

DO YOU LIKE ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES? – Then write about your interest. Visit thrift shops, granny's attic, secondhand bookstores in person for old books and mags w/glimpses of the good ol' days. Write about the history of objects. Reseach the net for information to help. Find an unusual object? Look it up, and write an article.

JOURNAL WRITING - Canvass local shelters. Lead creative writing workshops at abused women's shelters, juvenile offenders' centers and other places where writing can heal and illuminate. Select projects that build on strengths. Workshop leaders help participants express previously inexpressible thoughts and feelings. Team up with a psychologist or other behavioral therapist for the most beneficial effect on your students.

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS – Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams

Friday, December 4, 2009

MORE BITS & PIECES FOR Writers/Authors #155

MORE REASONS TO KEEP WRITING - JOSHUA LOGAN, age 79, American stage and film director and writer. Logan began his Broadway career as an actor in Carry Nation in 1932. When most people are already well into retirement, Logan form 1983-1986 taught theater at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton until his death in 1988. He was also responsible for bringing Carol Channing to Broadway in Lend an Ear.

VBT/ WRITERS ON THE MOVE – Ongoing virtual book tours w/new & famous authors about books, tips, & more. URL: http://vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/2009/11/december-2009-virtual-book-and.html

TECH DIRECTIONS – pubs elementary school science teaching techniques, classroom projects, laboratory admin procedures.Looking for nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Guidelines: http://www.techdirections.com/guidelines.html

REASON - covers politics, economics, culture, and science from a broad-minded libertarian perspective. Looks for original analysis and research and do not like simple rehashes of well-worn libertarian positions. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts. Guidelines: http://reason.com/submissions

RESPONSE MAGAZINE - Cutting-edge content for professionals involved in all facets of direct response marketing. Seeks nonfiction, columns/depts, photos/artwork. Editorial Calendar: http://www.responsemagazine.com/editorial-calendar Guidelines: http://www.responsemagazine.com/contributor-guidelines

GEIST 6th LITERAL LITERARY POSTCARD STORY CONTEST (Canada) - Deadline: Jan. 15, 2010. Entry Fee: $20, $5 for each additional entry. First prize: $250; 2nd $150; 3rd $100.. Submit a postcard along with a story that relates to the image. 500 words max. Guidelines: http://www.geist.com/contest/6th-annual-geist-literal-literary-postcard-story-contest

4th ANNUAL SAINTS & SINNERS GLBT LITERARY FESTIVAL FULL-LENGTH PLAYWRITING COMPETITION – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $10. The winning play will be produced by the Marigny Theatre Corporation and will premiere the weekend of the 8th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, May 13-16, 2010. The winning entry will receive complimentary registration to the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival and a stipend of $250. Previously produced plays will be considered as long as they have not been produced in the greater New Orleans area. Characters should be kept to a minimum--5 or under. Staging should be simple or adaptable to a small stage. Guidelines: http://sasfest.org/first-annual-short-fiction-contest

UNIVERSITY OF LaVERNE JOSH PRIZES - Deadline Dec. 15, 2009. Entry Fee: $10. Poetry: Submit 1-3 poems (5/pg/max. Fiction: Submit one short story 8000/wds/max.Prize: $250 plus publication. Guidelines: http://www.laverne.edu/academics/arts-sciences/prism-review/contests

POOR MOJO'S ALMANAC 33 1/3 CONTEST - Deadline Dec. 31, 2009. No entry fee. In the spirit of our dear Morgan Johnson's popular essay "Industrial Espionage and the World's Greatest Sangria Recipe", we currently seek RANTS featuring "The Best Recipe You'd Never Guess." Rants should be fewer than 3000/wds. The finest rant will be rewarded with $33.33 in legal US tender. Guidelines: http://www.poormojo.org/contest.html

2009 NAT’L FANTASY FAN FEDERATION AMATEUR SHORT STORY CONTEST – Deadline Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $3 & $5. Open to all amateur writers in the field, no membership required. An amateur is someone who has sold no more than two (2) stories to prof’l science fiction or fantasy pubs. Stories must be original, unpub’d,, 8500/wds/max in length, be related to science fiction, fantasy, or similar genres in the opinion of the judges. 1st is $50, 2nd- $30, and 3rd - $20. Honorable mentions & semi-finalists will receive a certificate of award. Guidelines: http://www.n3f.org/N3Fssc.shtml

CLOUDBANK BOOKS POETRY CONTEST – Deadline: Dec. 31, 2009. Entry Fee: $15. $200 prize awarded for one poem. Two contributors' copies will be sent to writers whose
work appears in the mag. All poets who enter the contest will receive a 1 yr subscription to Cloudbank mag. Guidelines: http://www.cloudbankbooks.com/Contest.html

LITERARY CONTEST SCAMS –Writers should bookmark this link & check the list before entering any contest. http://windpub.com/literary.scams