Not sure if you guys have seen this, I think this is the most appropriate forum, if not please move.
http://www.warrenadler.com/writing-contest.shtml
http://www.warrenadler.com/writing-contest.shtml
Warren Adler Short Story Contest
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Whenever I see a contest with an entry fee, I think what a gimick! I am sure there are honest people out there. I know what it's like to lose a great non-profit program because the proper amount of funds weren't generated.
I have no time to write a story for a contest where I have to pay to get in.
It looks like they have contests winter, spring, summer, and fall. If 1000 people pay to enter each contest...that's $60,000 per year in contest income. Minus almost $2,000 in prizes per contest they have $42,000 to pay judges, hostesses, the liquor delivery man, the pizza man, the lights, the heat, the rent, college tuition, retirement, summer vacation, lots of other vacations.
I have no time to write a story for a contest where I have to pay to get in.
It looks like they have contests winter, spring, summer, and fall. If 1000 people pay to enter each contest...that's $60,000 per year in contest income. Minus almost $2,000 in prizes per contest they have $42,000 to pay judges, hostesses, the liquor delivery man, the pizza man, the lights, the heat, the rent, college tuition, retirement, summer vacation, lots of other vacations.
RexZentah, I understand your frustration, but can also say (from the perspective of someone that has worked on a story contest) that anyone that's running story contests for the money is in the wrong business. There are also expenses like postage for shipping stories, maintaining/paying for a web-submission system, advertising, and other incidentals. That said, as a writer, I wish the fees were less. I actually don't know of a contest that doesn't charge a fee.
I don't know of too many literary contests that don't have entry fees, but there are still some genre ones around.
Here's one that closes to subs in a couple days: SFReader 2010 Story Contest.
And the Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest is still free to enter, and has cool prizes apart from the pro-pay.
But most literary-themed competitions i see are fee-based.
Here's a site I refer to often and subscribe to their newsletter: www.winningwriters.com. They have a lot of free writing contests that are run by lit mags.
They're out there if you look. I don't like paying to be entered into a contest. As for reputable places (like Glimmer Train) that charge a reading fee for their contests, they also have months where you can submit just to the magazine and not the contest, for no reading fee.
They're out there if you look. I don't like paying to be entered into a contest. As for reputable places (like Glimmer Train) that charge a reading fee for their contests, they also have months where you can submit just to the magazine and not the contest, for no reading fee.
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Depending on your genre.... check out Ralan for listings.
No fee contests listed: 4. (It should be 5, but the PARSEC contest isn't listed yet).
Sure the majoriy have fees, but some don't. Pick and choose.
My Contest
For years I have posted information about my contest on this forum because I received a positive response from writers who were looking for a short story contest to enter that was prestigious enough, offered a cash prize and the opportunity to be published. I recently published the first anthology of Warren Adler Short Story Contest winners on Amazon. I can assure you, I'm not in this for the money. I'm in this because I have a strong love of the short story and want to keep this short form alive. I hope you'll submit your stories and if not, at least read our selected winners.
For years I have posted information about my contest on this forum because I received a positive response from writers who were looking for a short story contest to enter that was prestigious enough, offered a cash prize and the opportunity to be published. I recently published the first anthology of Warren Adler Short Story Contest winners on Amazon. I can assure you, I'm not in this for the money. I'm in this because I have a strong love of the short story and want to keep this short form alive. I hope you'll submit your stories and if not, at least read our selected winners.
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The point I made. When you have to pay to enter a contest, money is flowing away from you, and usually for no gain whatsoever. Winning most contests means no more than whistling in the wind.
Oh, big deal. There are plenty of respected writing competitions that have an entry fee. Winning means you beat the rest of the entries and took the prize. I've known people who have not only won many prizes, but have come to the attention of agents on the back of it. If that somehow contravenes Yog's Law, then to hell with Yog's Law. No-one enters a contest with a fee unless they wish to, and they do so knowing that they're not guaranteed a win. They do it anyway, and good luck to them.
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