SHORT STORY CONTEST

New contest announced - now open for submissions!

Last year, while preparing for the launch of the first contest (the site was still called Voidgunner for Writers back then), I checked out dozens of contests to see what other people were doing. I was surprised to find that most weren't worth entering - they had steep entry fees, held stories for months without progress reports, and provided no benefit if you didn't win. Unless you were a top prize winner, you gained absolutely nothing for entering. They didn't tell you why you didn't win. You just never heard from them again. Many charged an entry fee, which meant money wasted as well as time.

This contest aims to change all that. I want you to have fun entering it and get something out of it. Even if you're not a First, Second or Third Place winner, you're a writer - which automatically makes you a winner!

Ready for some details?

First Prize: $250 cash, publication in the Fiction Forum at write-your-short-story.com with payment of 3 cents/word, one month mentorship enrollment ($347 value).

Second Prize: Publication in the Fiction Forum at write-your-short-story.com with payment of 3 cents/word, one month mentorship enrollment.

Third Prize: Publication in the Fiction Forum at write-your-short-story.com with payment of 3 cents/word, Deep Critique on story project of your choice ($67 value).

Entry Fee: $27. Doesn't it tick you off to throw money into a contest pot, knowing that your fee is doing nothing more than adding to the purse? That definitely annoys me. Which is why all entries will receive a Basic Critique (click here for details).

The Basic Critique normally sets you back $47. So, worst case scenario, your story doesn't even make it into the finals – you're still getting $20 off a Basic Critique. How's that for making your entry fee worth something?

Payment: The easiest way to pay is through PayPal, to orders@silvernstudios.com. Credit card payments are accepted through that account. You may also pay by e-check, or personal check/money order sent via snail mail. Personal checks must clear before your entry is accepted.

Contest Rules:

Submit short stories up to 4,000 words. Enter as many stories as you like during each contest period. Entry fee is the same for each story.

No erotica. No gratuitous violence. Keep profanity to a minimum. Bear in mind that stories will be posted in a public forum on the website, where anyone can read them. If your story were a film, would it receive a PG-13 rating?

Online submissions preferred, as an email attachment (Word or OpenOffice). Submit your story to contest@write-your-short-story.com. Snail mail entries are acceptable, but the critique process may be delayed. Contact me for address information.

Your entry must be original, in English, previously unpublished or accepted for publication. write-your-short-story.com retains one-time publication rights to First, Second and Third Prize winners, to be published in the Fiction Forum section of the website.

Use standard manuscript format - 1-inch margins, double-spaced, 12-pitch Courier New font. Place name and address (email or snail mail) on the first page of your submission.

All that sounds pretty normal, right? It's a nice little bonus that you get a critique. At least you'll know why you washed out, and you get some value out of your entry fee.

Here's where things get really interesting. This little wrinkle evolved out of suggestions from last year's contest entrants! Check it out:

Once critiqued, rewrites may be resubmitted for First, Second, or Third Prize consideration (no additional fee required).

I critique your story and send it back. If you rewrite it and submit it again, it's still in the contest!

Why am I doing this? Two reasons: first, I want the best stories I can get, and working together on a rewrite is the best way to improve them. Second, the process is identical to what you'll experience as a professionally published writer - and I want you to know what that feels like!

Call it prep school for professional publication, if you like. It gives you a taste of the editorial process. It's the way I handle the stories I accept for publication in Spacesuits and Sixguns - and it's the way most magazine editors work, too. If you've never been published before, it's valuable insight into the process.

A few final details:

Entries will be processed and critiqued in the order payment is received, so be sure to send your payment when you send the story and avoid unnecessary delays!

If your manuscript is a finalist, you will be notified immediately when it enters the finals. No waiting around for two months to find out what happened.

The contest submission period runs from 1 June 2008 to 15 August 2008. All entries - including those resubmitted after critique - must be received by 15 August 2008 to be eligible. Winners will be announced after the final entries are evaluated and reviewed.

If you have any questions about the contest, use the contact form on the website. And thanks for hanging in there - I've gotten a lot of mail about this, and I know many of you have been waiting patiently for me to announce a new contest. Thanks for your patience.

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