Some Fall Writing Contests

Autumn's oranges and browns will soon dominate the lush green of summer. Now is the time of year in which summer readings begin their initial step back in lieu of winter writings. Of course, there is always time for both.

If you are like me though, I look forward to the pick-up in my writing production during the colder months. Something about sipping hot beverages, flipping fire logs, and the anticipation of the holiday season feeds my creative hunger. It also helps that Mother Nature is more determined to keep me indoors for the next four months.

Looking for some writing contests to enter this season? Here are some links you may find useful.

October

Narrative's 30 Below Story Contest is open to artists ages 18-30. This is an annual contest focused on finding emerging new artists in such categories as fiction, non-fiction, photography, film, and graphic novels/comics. Submission deadline is October 29.

Glimmer Train is accepting submissions for its Family Matters category throughout the month of October. The Portland, Oregon based press offers this opening biannually for short stories that focus on...well, family! 

Inkwell's 13th Annual Short Fiction Contest and 14th Annual Poetry Contest is accepting submissions. Deadline is October 30.

The Writing Site is sponsoring the 6th Annual Arthur Edelstein Prize for Short Fiction. The contest is welcome to all writers during the month of October. Stories may be up to 6,000 words.

November

Middlebury College's Bread Loaf Writers' Conference accepts submissions for its Bakeless Literary Publication Prizes until November 1. Prizes are awarded to the categories of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry.

Narrative is also accepting submissions for its Fall 2010 Story Contest. Here are some of its guidelines:

We’re looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Glimmer Train Press, Inc.'s Short Story Award for New Writers accepts submissions all throughout the month of November. As the contest title indicates, submissions focus on original, unpublished works from new voices. Stories may be up to 12,000 words.

Roanoke Review is accepting submissions for its $1000 Short Story Contest. Stories should be 5,000 words or fewer. Deadline is November 8.

The Writer's Guild has these fall submission deadlines for its awards:

OCTOBER
Fri. Oct 15 - Deadline for submissions: TV-Radio and Paul Selvin Award scripts
Fri. Oct 15 - Deadline for online submissions: Drama/Comedy/New TV Series
Tues. Oct 26 - Preliminary Drama/Comedy/New TV Series online voting begins
NOVEMBER
Fri. Nov 19 - Deadline for submissions: Theatrical Screenplays
Tues. Nov 23 - Deadline for Documentary Screenplay, New Media Writing and Videogame Writing submissions
Tues. Nov 30 - Deadline for Preliminary Drama/Comedy/New TV Series online voting

Choose your contest(s) wisely, as entry fees can add up in a hurry. And remember to always follow each contest's submission deadlines exactly how they are written. 

Best of luck to you and write on!