The 2010 Caketrain Chapbook Competition is now open to entries in the fiction genre.

Deadline:

October 1, 2010

Final Judge:

Deb Olin Unferth, author of Minor Robberies and Vacation

Awards:

publication, $250 cash prize, and 25 contributor copies to winner

publication and 25 contributor copies to runner-up

Eligibility:

This competition is open to English language fiction manuscripts. While previously-published stand-alone pieces or excerpts may be included in a manuscript, the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Translations and previously self-published works are ineligible. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable; please note, however, that reading fees are non-refundable, and Caketrain is to be notified as soon as possible if a manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Manuscript revisions will not be considered during the reading period. Please do not include cover artwork or photographs with your submission. The author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with Deb Olin Unferth or any Caketrain Journal and Press staff member; if an author is unsure whether this policy applies to him or her, Caketrain will gladly address inquiries.

Reading Fee:

Entrants may choose between two reading fee amounts: either $15 for consideration or $20 for consideration and a copy of the winning chapbook upon its release in May 2011. (The $20 option is available to domestic U.S. entrants only.)

Guidelines (for print submissions):

Print entries must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2010. Please submit 40 to 80 pages of typed fiction. Include page numbers, table of contents, and, if applicable, an acknowledgments page. Submissions should include two cover pages: one with the manuscript’s title, the other with the title, author’s name, postal address, and e-mail address. The author’s name should not appear anywhere else in the manuscript. Print manuscripts will be recycled at competition conclusion. Please submit manuscripts through the United States Postal Service. A reading fee of either $15 or $20 (entrant’s choice, as detailed above) must accompany each submission, made payable to Caketrain Journal and Press. Submissions may include an SASE for notification of competition results. Results will also be announced via e-mail and posted at www.caketrain.org in January 2011. Submit print entries to Caketrain Journal and Press, Box 82588, Pittsburgh, PA 15218.

Guidelines (for Electronic Submissions):

Electronic entries must be received no later than October 1, 2010. Please submit 40 to 80 pages of typed fiction as an e-mail attachment in either DOC, PDF, or RTF format. Include page numbers, table of contents, and, if applicable, an acknowledgments page. Submissions should include two cover pages as the first two pages of the attached document: one with the manuscript’s title, the other with the title, author’s name, address, and e-mail address. The author’s name should not appear anywhere else in the manuscript. Once the manuscript has been sent, the reading fee of either $15 or $20 (entrant’s choice, as detailed above) can be paid by credit card through Paypal by using the following links: $15 reading fee, $20 reading fee with copy of winner. A reply e-mail will be sent once the manuscript is downloaded and verified intact. Results will be announced via e-mail and posted at www.caketrain.org in January 2011. Submit electronic entries to caketrainjournal@hotmail.com.

Previous Honors: 2004–2009

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