Free Writing Contest by Highlights

Here is a free contest sponsored by Highlights. Good luck!

GUIDELINES

HIGHLIGHTS 2013 FICTION CONTEST

CATEGORY:

Stories for beginning readers in 500 words or fewer. We welcome stories of any genre (mystery, historical fiction, sports, humor, holiday, friendship, etc.) as long as the stories are intended for kids ages 6–8.

PRIZES:

Three prizes of $1,000 or tuition for any Highlights Foundation Founders Workshop. (For a complete list of workshops, visithttp://www.highlightsfoundation.org.)

ENTRY DATES:

All entries must be postmarked between January 1 and January 31, 2013.

RULES:

No entry form or fee is required.

Entrants must be at least 16 years old at the time of submission.*

We welcome work from both published and unpublished authors. All submissions must be previously unpublished.

Stories may be any length up to 500 words. Indicate the word count in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of your manuscript.

Include your name and the title of your story on your manuscript.

No crime, violence, or derogatory humor.

Entries not accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope will not be returned.

Manuscripts or envelopes should be clearly marked FICTION CONTEST. Those not marked in this way will be considered as regular submissions to Highlights.

SEND ENTRIES TO:

FICTION CONTEST
Highlights for Children
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431

WINNERS:

The three winning entries will be purchased by Highlights and announced on Highlights.com in June 2013. All other submissions will be considered for purchase by Highlights.

* We're sorry that we cannot consider contest entries from children under the age of 16. Young writers are welcome to submit their work for consideration elsewhere in the magazine. Guidelines are available on HighlightsKids.com

Want to Be a Published Children's Book Author. Contest Announced!

"MeeGenius is searching for the next great children’s book author, and is extending an invitation to aspiring and published authors to submit a manuscript. Winning manuscripts will be beautifully illustrated, professionally edited, and published online at MeeGenius. It’s as simple as writing, submitting, and having MeeGenius’ online community vote" or having a judge choose your project as their favorite.

Details:
FIRST PRIZE: Publishing Contract + $1,500 + Meegenius library donated to school of your choice.

THREE RUNNER-UP PRIZES: Publishing Contract with $500 Cash Prize
Your book will be professionally edited, beautifully illustrated, enhanced with all of MeeGenius’ features, and then published to the iPhone, iPad, Android, Google TV and the Web. In addition to the $500 prize, you’ll continue to rake in cash with royalties on each of your books sold.

QUICK DETAILS OF THE HOW AND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR:

1.Write a great children's book for readers ages 2-8
2. 10-20 pages max, roughly 75 words per page (450 characters)
3. submit by November 1, 2011 (winner announced by March 7, 2012)
4. Follow all the formatting guidelines (see example here) and do not submit illustrations


Follow this link for guidelines AND please follow formatting instructions to a tee!

Formatting

• Make sure to Download the Example Manuscript, which shows how to properly format your entry.
• Each page should be no more than 450 characters (roughly 75 words per page).
• Triple-space between pages, and label the page number in the manuscript (please see the example manuscript).
• No text formatting — all of the type should be the same size and style.
• Please make sure your entry is free of spelling errors and has been thoroughly edited prior to entry.

Conditions

• Please review the Official Rules and Conditions, and the MeeGenius Publishing Agreement

More Questions?

• Please email the people at Meegenius at challenge@meegenius.com

FOR ENTRY FORM LINK CLICK HERE

Contest: ARC Giveaway

CONTEST:  WIN AN ADVANCED COPY!

Quinn Cummings is hosting her first ever ARC giveaway.  She is offering a signed copy of Sara J. Henry's debut novel LEARNING TO SWIM (click link if you'd like to see my review). 

Here's what Ms. Cummings has to say about the novel:

"... Fresh setting, well-realized characters, cleanly written, with a mysterious and suspenseful story - just what I was looking for." - Daniel Woodrell, award-winning author of The Death of Sweet Mister and Winter's Bone

Did you catch that? WINTER'S BONE! The man who wrote maybe one of the most interesting thrillers I've read in years thinks Sara's book is great. He's right.

To Win a signed copy of LEARNING TO SWIM, please comment on Quinn Cummings blog  Good luck!

Would you like to see a contest on my blog too?  Let me know

Writing Contest: NPR's Three-Minute Fiction

NPR's three-minute fiction writing contest

LAUGHING/CRYING

snap shot of the details: 

1.  entry dates between January 8, 2011 and January 23, 2011

2.  600 words or less of fiction

3.  one story/one entry per person

4.  story must include one character who tells a joke and one character who cries

5.  Entrants must be 18 or older and legal resident of U.S. 

6.  The Judge: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of the critically acclaimed books Purple Hibiscus and Half a Yellow Sun; judging will be based on originality, creativity, and quality of writing

5.  Prize--a radio broadcast interview and your story read on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered plus a copy of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's collection of short stories, "The Thing Around Your Neck."

If you prefer to read the legal official rules, click here

To submit your story click here