CONTEST: The Night postmark deadline January 10, 2011 Co-sponsored by The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies Judged by Susan Orlean Creative Nonfiction and The Salt Institute are seeking essays about “The Night”: It was a dark and stormy night; Strangers in the Night; the night sky; Friday Night Lights; things that go bump in the night; Take Back the Night; night owls; The Night Before Christmas; The Night Watch; The Night...

Think you can turn this logline from master screenwriter Simon Kinberg into a killer script? “A spy who has spent life wining and dining young women suddenly gets a major surprise when his daughter knocks on the door.” Break out your scriptwriting software and get to work, because the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest gives you the unique opportunity to spin this idea into solid spec screenplay that could be your ticket to...

NEWS: 100 Words or Fewer Writing Contest Contest Number Six September 18, 2010—December 18, 2010 Fiction We are continuing with four opportunities to win. First prize winner will receive $500. Runner up prizes will be $150, $100, and $50. For Contest Six, story subjects are up to you, with attention to specifications on the “WHAT WE WANT…”  page. Do take a good look at “TIPS” on that page. Visit the website for...

We aren’t picky.  Well, kind of.  But not really. You want to be paid for your writing.  All writers do.  We want you to be in our marketplace.  It’s poor economics to not have inventory.  Let’s meet in the middle. Whatever your genre (if you have one), it has to get past our editor.  That means it has to be good.  A good story sucks in readers whether it’s about goblins or your high school prom.  We appreciate, respect,...

The Warren Adler Short Story Contest is the most prestigious international short story contest online thanks to the extraordinary literary quality of our submissions. The theme is short fiction in all of its varied genres. We are looking for original, imaginative pieces featuring compelling characters and creative plots. Your story entry can be mainstream fiction, romance, horror, fantasy, science-fiction, satire, mystery, or any of their...

Bestselling author and former Booker Prize judge Frank Delaney is hosting a Halloween Writing Challenge on Twitter. From Monday, October 25 to Wednesday, October 27, he’s challenging people to introduce the creepiest character possible in 140 creepy characters. Please enter! (Don’t forget to include the hash tag #FDcreepy in your tweet.) You just might win a secret creepy prize picked by Frank Delaney. Full rules are...

Call for Submissions: Here Come the Brides! The Brave New World of Lesbian Marriage (Seal Press, 2012)   2,000-4,000 words   Editors: Audrey Bilger and Michele Kort. Audrey Bilger is the Faculty Director of the Writing Center and Associate  Professor of Literature at Claremont McKenna College. Michele Kort is Senior Editor at Ms. magazine, a freelance writer, and author of three books (including Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura...