Fiction Scribe

It’s been entirely too long since I posted any calls for submissions or contest announcements. Today and tomorrow, I’m going to remedy that.

12TH ANNUAL ZOETROPE: ALL-STORY SHORT FICTION CONTEST

Judged by: Elizabeth McCracken

First Prize: $1,000
Second Prize: $500
Third Prize: $250

The winners and seven finalists will be considered for representation by the William Morris Agency, ICM, Regal Literary, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, Inkwell Management, Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency.

The deadline is October 1, 2008. The winners and finalists will be announced at this website December 1, 2008, and in the Spring 2009 issue of Zoetrope: All-Story.

Complete Contest Guidelines:

We accept all genres of literary fiction. Entries must be: unpublished; strictly 5,000 words or less; postmarked by October 1, 2008; clearly marked “Short Fiction Contest” on both the story and the outside of the envelope; accompanied by a $15 entry fee per story (make checks payable to AZX Publications). Please include name and address on first page or cover letter only. There are no formatting restrictions; please ensure only that the story is legible.

We welcome multiple entries ($15/story) and entries from outside the U.S.; please send entry fee in U.S. currency or money order. While we cannot return manuscripts, we will forward a list of the winning stories to any entrant who includes an SASE; as well, we will e-mail contest updates to anyone who provides an active e-mail address. Entrants retain all rights to their stories.

Mail entries to:

Zoetrope: All-Story
Attn: Short Fiction Contest
916 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

Please e-mail us at contests@all-story.com with further questions. Thank you for your interest, and good luck!

*****
Texas Review Press George Garrett Fiction Prize Competition

Rules and Guidelines

Mail to: Texas Review Press
Department of English
Sam Houston State University
Box 2146
Huntsville, TX 77341-2146

1. Submitted manuscripts must be postmarked by September 15.
2. Manuscripts may be up to 250 pages in length.
3. Manuscripts are handled as blind submissions at all levels of the judging process.
4. Manuscripts must be submitted to the address above with two title pages—one with the author’s name, address, and telephone number, and one without.
5. The author’s name must not appear on any other page of the manuscript.
6. The envelope label should be clearly labeled “George Garrett Fiction Prize Competition.”
7. SASE must be included for the purpose of a reply only; manuscripts will not be returned.
8. A reading fee of $20 must accompany each manuscript. Checks should be made out to “Friends of the Texas Review Press.”
9. Each person who enters the contest will receive a one-year subscription to The Texas Review, and will also receive discounts on winning books.
10. The winning manuscript will receive a cash prize of $200 and publication.
11. The manuscripts are first judged by a network of published writers. The final ranking is concluded by major American writers.
12. All judges have pledged to return to TRP immediately any manuscript whose author they have identified. Any manuscripts so returned will be sent to another initial judge. In the case of a finalist manuscript being returned, it will be an automatic finalist in the following year’s competition.

NOTE: Some years we publish the best book of short fiction and the best novel.

Remember: I don’t have the time or the resources to check out all calls for submissions that I come across. It’s up to you to do your research and use your judgment. I take no responsibility for what does/doesn’t happen if you submit your work to the sites I mention.

Find more calls for submissions at Creative Writing Contests