Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest

unicornjam · May 31, 2009

I did a search and couldn't find anything.

Has anyone heard of the Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest? The new deadline is July 15, 2009.

http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/registration_form/

I don't write for children and don't keep up with the news, but I just saw the Cheerios box sitting on the kitchen counter. If this is old news to you all (apparently, this has been going on since at least 2007), sorry!

Williebee · May 31, 2009

wow. 500 words max.
For age groups 3-8

You are not eligible to enter and will be disqualified if:

* You are a professional writer, such as a novelist, magazine, blogger or newspaper writer who writes books or articles for pay.
* You have authored a work of fiction that has been published or is about to be published in exchange for payment.

500 words... sounds like quite a challenge.

Newguy1428 · Jun 1, 2009

Hey does self publishing count? Nobody has bought my book yet.

naimas · Jun 5, 2009

From the site:

"You can see her book come to life on www.spoonfulsofstories.com."

Actually YOU CAN'T. It redirects you to a pointless Simon and Shuster page.

Goes in my slush pile of confusing, annoying websites. Sorry, I hold contests, agents and companies to the same standard they hold writers to.

sissybaby · Jun 5, 2009

I've never entered one of these contests, but I'm a bit confused by their rules.

It says the Grand Prize Winner will receive $5000.00 and publication by a reputable publisher. But it also says that if you are the grand or one of the first prize winners, your story becomes the property of General Mills and they can do whatever they want with it.

So it will be published, maybe, but the writer will no longer own it.

Is that typical?

MsJudy · Jun 5, 2009

sissybaby said:
I've never entered one of these contests, but I'm a bit confused by their rules.

It says the Grand Prize Winner will receive $5000.00 and publication by a reputable publisher. But it also says that if you are the grand or one of the first prize winners, your story becomes the property of General Mills and they can do whatever they want with it.

So it will be published, maybe, but the writer will no longer own it.

Is that typical?

Yes. Magazine stories sold to companies like Highlights are usually sold outright, the author no longer has the right to use it for other purposes. So it's different from selling a PB manuscript.

Newguy1428 · Jun 5, 2009

It depends on which rights you sell. Rights to a story can be carved up. I read that the book will be included in boxes of cereal in the coming years, then sold through the usual channels. Try it out. Why not?

V-Man · Jun 6, 2009

Great find, UJ! I tossed my hat in the ring.

tigerlily · Jun 6, 2009

A bilingual (English/Spanish) version of the 2007 winner's book is currently in some Cheerios boxes (the biggest size box). Amazon says that book (in English, according to the pictures shown), is available for pre-order & will be released in July 2009 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

The link at the start of this thread says the 2008 winner also got a book deal out of it (tho publication is not guaranteed.) The rules say only the top 3/winning stories become "the sole property of General Mills..." (Beware, the rules to some contests say the sponsor gets all rights to every entry!)

I actually gave this a go last year--after asking if I could use a pseudonym... But of course I didn't win, so it really didn't matter!

Cyia · Jun 6, 2009

I entered one to see what happens.

sissybaby · Jun 7, 2009

Well, everything I've written that falls within the length guidelines is rhyming PBs, so it would probably be fruitless for me to enter. There would most likely be no chance of converting them to another language.

Oh, well. It sounds like a great opportunity for someone. I wish all of you much luck.

naimas · Jun 7, 2009

I would just make sure about the rights and about the time limit for being disqualified. The 2010 book hasn't come out, so they are finding a winner for 2011. Some of us might be signed or published by then. My book comes out in October. I guess that means I wouldn't qualify.

Also, the only things I can think of would easily translate over to film. It would suck to see them give me 5 grand and then have all the rights. I am not sure if it sucks or is cool that the book will be in a cereal box. Probably a little of both.

But I have seen worse offers by far and I wish everyone luck.

Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest

unicornjam

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Newguy1428

naimas

sissybaby

MsJudy

Newguy1428

V-Man

tigerlily

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

sissybaby

naimas