Write To Win: Writing Contests Of All Varieties

By Betsy Mikel in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 23, 2010 7:30PM

Could you use some extra money, tickets to see David Sedaris, or some connections to Hollywood producers? Well then you should enter a writing contest. Here's a short list of some local contests with fast-approaching deadlines.

Funny Fiction or Nonfiction: StoryStudio Chicago will be giving away tickets to see David Sedaris at Auditorium Theatre on April 17 to four authors of funny, humorous, and poignant essays. You don't need to be a member or student at StoryStudio to submit an essay. Winners will be notified by April 2, and their essays will also be published in StoryStudio's online magazine, Cooler by the Lake. Essays must be under 1500 words and the deadline is this Friday, March 26. For inspiration, listen to one of our favorite David Sedaris pieces, Jesus Shaves.

Screenplays: The 2010 Chicago Screenwriters Network Contest is now accepting full-length action, comedy, drama and horror screenplays. The grand prize winner wins $1,000, but the winner of each genre gets a cash prize as well and a shot at being read by Hollywood production companies, agencies and managers. The contest is only open to writers in the Midwest (Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin). Enter here by March 31 and pay a $55 entry free. Enter by April 15 and pay a $65 fee.

Women's Poetry: Switchback Books, a nonprofit feminist press that publishes poetry written by women, has opened submissions for The Gatewood Prize. This is their annual competition for first or second full-length collection of poems by a woman - that includes includes transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, and female-identified poets. Co-written entries are accepted, but both poets must meet the eligibility requirements. Each entry costs $15 and the deadline for submissions is June 1. Manuscripts should be between 48 and 80 pages long. Read some sample Switchback poems to familiarize yourself with what type of poetry they are looking for.

Nonfiction Secular Stories: Nonprophet Status, a blog that aims to provide a secular perspective without being anti-religious, has a call out for personal stories written from a secular perspective. They're looking for true stories up to 800 words in three different categories: youth, interfaith, and moral imagination. Winners from each category will receive various prizes and the chance for publication in Killing the Buddha, or Jettison Quarterly, or the Washington Post's "On Faith." Submissions will be accepted until May 15. An example of the type of submissions they are looking for can be found here.