SHAKESPEARE’S SISTER GRANT – http://aroomofherownfoundation.org/awards/shakespeares-sister/ — The Shakespeare’s Sister Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for a female playwright to be supported by three extraordinary institutions over the course of a year while she writes and develops a new play. In addition to a cash prize of $10,000, the playwright will receive residencies at three geographically distinct...

— NO ENTRY FEE. Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length, Submitted by May 31, 2014. Each entry must be an original unpublished work of fiction that conforms to the tradition of the Nero Wolfe series. The mystery should be “traditional” in flavor. The crime must be solved using the deductive abilities of the sleuth. No coincidences. The detective could be a professional or amateur. The setting could be NYC or Boston or...

— NO ENTRY FEE. Open to all military personnel, veterans, and their families. Call for Submissions and Contest for Volume 3, Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Deadline: June 1, 2014 (postmarked). Five categories for the contest, $250 prize in each. Poetry, Short Fiction, Essay, Photography, Interview with a Warrior. Poetry: up to 3 poems (5 pages maximum). Fiction, essay, interview: 5,000-word limit. Interviews are with military...

THE GASSNER PLAYWRITING AWARD — $10 ENTRY FEE. Two cash prizes will be awarded: First Prize of $1,000, and Second Prize of $500. The judges may withhold prizes if in their opinion no play merits the award. Only full-length scripts are accepted. Deadline April 15, 2014. The competition is open to all playwrights. Submissions must be new full-length plays. Musicals will not be considered. Visit the website: ...

MASON’S ROAD LITERARY PRIZE  — $15 ENTRY FEE. Submissions for Issue 9 are open until May 15, 2014, and we are looking for creative and unique interpretations of our theme: TRUTH. ?Please submit only one document in a genre for each issue, and limit prose and screenplay/drama to 5,000 words (double-spaced), poetry to 3 poems (up to 3 poems in a single document). Our submissions period runs for three months: February 15 – May 15,...

10 Easy Things You Can Do Now To Prepare Your Manuscript For Publishing As An Ebook By Jack Dunigan Before you do too much formatting, consider these preliminary steps in Microsoft Word to make your life easier when it comes time to self-publish your ebook. This is NOT a comprehensive guide for formatting your ebook, but I’ll show you where to get that information for free and don’t fret; it’s easier than you think! 1. Prepare a cover. Check...