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Flash Fiction Contest and Novel Suspense

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Attention Short Story Authors –

Flash Fiction Chronicles, a blog devoted to the art of short-short stories, is having their fifth annual String-of-10 Flash Fiction Contest. The basic idea: they give you ten prompt words, and you have until this Saturday (Feb. 9th) to write a very short story (250 words or less) that seamlessly incorporates at least four of the ten words. There is no cost to enter the contest, and the prizes include money, publication, t-shirts, books and other cool stuff. Each author can enter up to two stories. I entered last year, and had a total blast writing my story! It’s a great mental challenge, and a great workout for your author muscles. So, why not give it a shot?

You can find the rules, prompt words, links to past winners and all other relevant info here:

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/string-of-10-five-flash-fiction-contest-begins-now/

Have fun!

Also, for those who dig writing longer works, I came across this nifty article with tips on how to really crank up the suspense in the first fifty pages of your novel. The author gives clear, easy-to-understand advice, followed by numerous specific examples of how to apply that advice to your book. It’s great stuff, so go check it out:

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-raise-the-stakes-in-your-first-50-pages-of-your-novel

-Gretchen

Writing Challenge: Day Eight (Plus Awesome Screenwriting Links!)

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Before we get to the challenge, I thought I’d share some super-helpful links for budding screenwriters. If you’ve always dreamed of writing a screenplay or teleplay but didn’t know where to start, these are the links for you. They will give you all the info you need, laid out in simple, easy-to-understand instructions. You’ll come away from these websites knowing all the terminology and formatting rules you need to get started writing your very own script.

This first website has numerous sections, based on what type of script you’d like to write (e.g. movie script, tv episode, etc). This is where you learn all the most basic elements and how to use them on the page:

http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/eng/howtoguides

Once you’ve mastered the bare bones, go to this website for slightly more advanced info about how each page of your script should look, and what to do in special situations, like when a character’s dialogue runs over onto the next page, or how a complicated action should be conveyed:

http://www.simplyscripts.com/WR_format.html

Both of these sites have great, detailed examples. Once you’ve gotten the hang of writing for the screen, another important thing to do is look at examples of actual scripts that are similar to the one you’re working on. These are plentiful on the Internet, and easy to find thanks to Google. If you’re writing an action film, try to track down scripts of other action movies. If you’re writing an episode of Supernatural, hunt down some bona fide Supernatural scripts and be sure to model your teleplay after the style and format used by the show’s writers. This is really important for spec scripts, because every show has its formatting quirks.

A few final notes about screenwriting:

1.) Re: Fonts: Courier and Courier New are NOT the same. Use Courier.

2.) Re: The Art of Screenwriting: If you’re a fiction writer, like me, the transition to writing scripts can be a little bit bumpy. It’s a very different artform, and to be honest I didn’t like it that much at first. I thought it was “clunky” and lacked the artistry of short stories and novels. Then someone mentioned to me that a script isn’t the final product. Short stories and novels, once sufficiently edited, are ready to go out and meet the world. The reader of a short story or novel experiences the words exactly as they are written on the page. With scripts, this is not true. Scripts are a blueprint – a guide that will help literally hundreds of other people, including actors, directors, make-up artists, special effects people, and cameramen, all collaborate to create the final version: the version the audience sees on screen. When I started looking at things this way, I fell in love with the idea of being a part of such an amazing group effort, and I fell in love with the art of script writing. I hope you will, too.

And now, on to Day Eight of the Writing Challenge, which is the last of these challenges I’ll be posting (unless I manage to dig up the old notebook where I wrote Day Four).

Author’s Note: This is a not-for-profit work of fiction. No offense or infringement is intended. Please don’t sue me.

Day 8: Rewrite a fairy tale from the bad guy’s point of view.

It’s been done before, and it’s been done better, but I still couldn’t help myself. I give you:

 

The Big Bad Wolf: A Barbara Walters Exclusive
by Gretchen Bassier

Announcer:  It was the story that shocked the nation: A senior citizen, eaten alive. A beautiful young woman, viciously attacked. A very big, very bad wolf.

Since his 1998 conviction, Mr. Wolf has refused to speak publicly about his alleged crimes. But tonight, in an exclusive Barbara Walters interview, we take you inside Sing Sing for a live chat with the big baddie himself.

Barbara, what are your thoughts right now, as you wait for the guards to bring him in?

Barbara:  It’s hard to say what my thoughts are, Steve, but my heart is racing. I’m sitting here in front of bulletproof glass – looking at what appears to be a large dog kennel – while holding a panic button in my hand.

Announcer:  So, not a standard interview, then?

Barbara:  Not by a long stretch, Steve.

Guard #1:  Ms. Walters? They’re going to be bringing him in, now.

Barbara:  All right.

Guard #2:  Get in there, you! Go on! Crate. Crate! Okay, now sit and stay. STAY!

Barbara:  Will he be able to talk, with that muzzle on?

Guard #1:  We’ll take the muzzle off, as soon as he’s shackled. See? Now Mike’s going to secure the cage door…Those are titanium bars, by the way, so you should be perfectly safe. Theoretically.

Barbara:  That’s reassuring…

Guard #2:  Okay, we’re good. Just remember, if you feel threatened at any time, all you have to do is press the button. We’ll be right outside.

Barbara:  Thank you.

Guard #1:  We’ll also be listening for distress noises, in case you don’t get a chance to press the button.

Barbara:  …

Guard #2:  Good luck!

Barbara (to camera):  …All right, if you’re just joining us, we are sitting here live inside of Sing Sing prison, where Mr. Wolf is currently serving a life sentence for crimes almost too heinous to mention. Now, for the first time ever, Mr. Wolf is reaching out to the media, hoping to tell his side of the story.

Barbara (to wolf):  Good evening, Mr. Wolf.

Wolf:  Good evening, Barbara.

Barbara:  Can you hear me all right, behind all that glass?

Wolf:  I can hear you very well. I can see you even better.

Barbara:  That’s good. Now, Mr. Wolf—

Wolf:  You can call me B.B.

Barbara:  All right, B.B. Since you brought it up, do you feel that your parents giving you the name “Big Bad” predisposed you to a life of crime?

Wolf:  That’s a common misconception, Barbara. I was actually named after B.B. King. My parents were huge blues fans. And, as to my “life of crime”…why don’t we leave it up to the audience to decide whether or not I’m actually a criminal, once they’ve heard my story?

Barbara:  Then let’s cut right to the chase: B.B., you were convicted of cannibalizing an elderly woman.

Wolf:  That charge is ridiculous.

Barbara:  But human remains were found in your digestive system, shortly after your arrest…

Wolf:  Yes. Exactly – human remains. I’m a wolf, she was a person. That’s not cannibalism. That’s one species eating a completely different species. If I ate another wolf, then it would be cannibalism.

Barbara:  So…you’re not denying you ate Mrs. Hood?

Wolf:  I’ve never denied that.

Barbara:  Then what is it you wanted to tell our audience tonight?

Wolf:  That it wasn’t my idea. It wasn’t something I set out to do. I mean, why would I want to eat an old lady?

Barbara:  Well, you are a carnivore…

Wolf:  I’m also an excellent hunter. When I want a snack, all I have to do is hop a fence, corner a nice juicy lamb, and tie on a bib. So, why eat an old person? They’re boney. Their skin is like leather. They smell like formaldehyde…Does that sound like five-star cuisine to you?

Barbara:  Then why did you do it?

Wolf:  For Red.

Barbara:  Little Red Riding Hood?

Wolf:  Yes.

Barbara:  The victim’s granddaughter?

Wolf:  Yes. Although to hear her tell it, she was the victim. At least that’s the story Red hooked me with, when she asked me to do the job.

Barbara:  She asked you to kill her own grandmother?

Wolf:  Absolutely. It happened the very first day we met. I was just lifting my leg, minding my own business while preparing to, well, do my business, when all of a sudden this hot little red-head number comes skipping through the trees.

I thought she would run the moment she caught sight of me, but she didn’t. Instead, she walked right up to me – smiling, batting her big doe eyes, swinging her hips in that four-inch mini-skirt.

“Oh, Mr. Wolf,” she said, “I have been looking all over for you…”

Naturally, I was taken aback. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” I asked.

She shook her head, making that red hair flicker like fire. “I want your help,” she said. “I need your help.” Then she walked a circle around me, running her fingers right through my fur.

Now, I could’ve killed her right then and there. But I was curious. And a little impressed. So I said, “What in your life is so bad, that you’re not afraid of a big wolf like me?”

And that’s when she started to cry – big, fat teardrops rolling out of her eyes, ruby lips all quivering. “It’s my Nana,” she whimpered. “She’s wicked.”

Barbara:  Wicked?

Wolf:  That’s right. Red went on to give me a whole sob story about how her witch of a grandmother got mad because Red apparently ate some candy in the house that was just meant for decoration. Granny got so peeved, in fact, that she tried to shove Red in the oven and cook her for dinner. Now that would have been cannibalism. But somehow, Red escaped. She told me she ran away and had been hiding in the woods, cold and scared and too afraid to go home until someone did something about her grandma.

“Now, I’m just a little girl,” Red said. “I’m not strong enough to fight her off. But you, Mr. Wolf…you have such big teeth. And such strong paws. I just know you could help me.” Then she ran her fingers through my fur again, and pressed her cleavage right against my shoulder and yes, I admit it, I was affected. But I don’t do charity work.

So I said, “What’s in it for me?”

Red explained that she had an inheritance from when her parents died, but she couldn’t access the money while Grandma was still alive.

“If you help me, we can split it,” she promised. “One-point-three million each.”

From my point of view, it seemed like a win-win situation: Red would be safe, a mean old lady would be kibble. Not to mention, one-point-three million dollars buys a LOT of steak…

Barbara:  So you agreed?

Wolf:  I did. Red gave me directions to her grandmother’s house – “It’s just over the river and through the woods” – then she told me to wait until after dark. When I showed up at the cottage that night, Red was hiding in the bushes. She gave me the key and wished me luck…

Barbara:  Then you went inside and…

Wolf: Ate Nana. Like I said, not exactly five-star cuisine. I was actually still trying to wash her down with some milk when Red came running in, yelling that she’d seen the Huntsman riding up the path to the cottage.

Barbara:  The Huntsman?

Wolf:  Yes. It’s a nickname Sheriff Smith gave himself. He makes everyone call him that. It’s pretty stupid, actually, but no one wants to tell him because he’s always carrying a gun. And sometimes an axe…

Barbara:  You’ve had some experience with that axe yourself, haven’t you?

Wolf:  Most unfortunately. But that’s skipping ahead. So first, Red ran in, yelling that the Huntsman was coming. Naturally, I freaked. I had just eaten a human being, not to mention I already had three warrants out for my arrest for destruction of property and home invasion – completely fabricated, but we’ll get to that later – so I asked Red to help me sneak out the back.

“There’s no time!” she hissed. “You’ll have to pretend to be Nana!” Then she threw her grandmother’s pink nightie at me and told me to put it on.

Barbara:  Did you?

Wolf:  I am sad to say, yes. I was desperate. Of course, as soon as I caught sight of myself in the bedroom mirror, I knew it wasn’t going to work – sure, Nana had a few whiskers, but she wasn’t Lon Chaney, Jr. And those glasses made my eyes look huge. But Red insisted that if I got in the bed and pulled up the covers, the Huntsman would never know. So I pulled the blanket right up to my chin, and Red ran out of the room.

For about five minutes, I lay there, terrified, trying to make old lady breathing noises.

Then all hell broke loose: the Huntsman burst through the door like a crazed axe murderer, and Red rushed in right behind him, all tearful and earnest.

She pointed right at me and said, “That’s him, Sheriff – that’s the wolf that ate Nana. And he tried to eat me, too!”

Barbara:  Were you shocked?

Wolf:  Speechless. I didn’t even have time to throw the covers off before the Huntsman was on top of me, chopping into me like some psychopath! Just LOOK at these scars! These are NOT from an appendectomy!

Barbara:  According to his testimony, the Sheriff was trying to save Mrs. Hood’s life by removing her from your stomach.

Wolf:  Does that even make sense? Think about it! I had to chew her before I swallowed her – how would she still be alive? Not to mention the fact that she was already partially digested…

Barbara:  Yes, let’s not mention that…

Wolf:  Anyway, I lost consciousness at some point while he was hacking into me. I woke up later in the hospital. They aren’t even sure how I survived. I guess once Huntsboy realized he wasn’t getting granny out in one piece, he came to his senses and called nine-one-one. After all, a Sheriff axing an unarmed suspect to death might lead to a few problems for the police department…

Barbara:  You believe he called the ambulance to protect himself from a lawsuit?

Wolf:  Absolutely.

Barbara:  He couldn’t have done it out of the goodness of his heart?

Wolf:  The Huntsman’s not the upstanding member of society most people think he is. He’s got darkness in him. Wanna know what really happened to Bambi’s Mom?

Barbara:  Probably not.

Wolf:  Good choice. That story gives me nightmares…

Barbara:  Getting back to your story, B.B…

Wolf:  Well, you know how it ends, Barbara – after the hospital, I went to jail, and then I went on trial. You should’ve seen Red in the courtroom: the cute little hooded sweater she wore, the basket of muffins she brought the judge, those big brown eyes…and of course, the waterworks. Always the waterworks. I knew I didn’t have a prayer. I was lucky to get life in prison…

Barbara:  So she duped you, and the Sheriff, and the judge?

Wolf:  She is something. From the moment she ran her fingers through my fur, I knew she was something…

Barbara:  Do you still believe her Grandmother abused her?

Wolf:  No, Red stole that story from an old newspaper article. Turns out it actually happened to some German kids back in the 1800s – Hans and Greta, or something like that…Anyway, that’s my story.

Barbara:  Shocking.

Wolf:  It’s not exactly a fairytale, that’s for sure.

Barbara:  Do you feel better, now that you’ve told your side?

Wolf:  A little.

Barbara:  Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to clear up? You did mention those destruction of property and home invasion charges…

Wolf:  I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: I HAVE ALLERGIES!

 

Writing Challenge: Day Six (Plus Twenty-Five Reasons You Might Get Rejected)

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Before rewinding back to Day Six of the challenge, I thought I’d share a nifty article I came across on the Writer’s Digest website, which discusses how optimism, insanity, and yes, even a little arrogance can be good things when tackling the difficult task of getting published. Also, there’s a hilariously accurate pie chart detailing the road to publication, and both of those can be found here:

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/the-importance-of-being-slightly-arrogant-as-a-writer?et_mid=596701&rid=233787571

In addition, I found a helpful link on the Flash Fiction Chronicles site, which contains a list of twenty-five reasons an agent might reject your manuscript – often after only reading the first paragraph. The list has some really interesting items that you might not think of, so definitely go check it out:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2010/09/sept-2-top-25-reasons-your-submissions.html

Also, coming up in the New Year on as the HERO flies:

For Writers:

-The very best websites for beginning screenwriters
-Awesome flash fiction market resources
-My favorite fiction e-zines

For Fans:

-New Mentalist fan fiction
-New Supernatural fan fiction
-New episode reviews

Moving on to the writing challenge, I give you Day 6: Select a book on your shelf and pick two chapters at random. Take the first line of one chapter and the last line of the other chapter and write a short story (no more than 1000 words) using those as bookends to your story.

The book I selected was Ghosts Caught on Film by Dr. Melvyn Willin. I used the first line of Chapter Two, and the last line of Chapter Five (which, although I didn’t realize it at the time, turned out to be the very last line of the book).

Notes and Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters Sherlock Holmes or John Watson, and I make absolutely no profit from writing fan fiction. This story was written in December of 2011, before there was a totally and completely fabulous show called Elementary, and this fic does not take place in that universe (i.e. Watson is not a girl in this story).

Elementary
by castiello

“Can we photograph thoughts, the very pictures in our minds?”

Watson looked up from the bit of fiber he was studying. Holmes was over by the wall, gazing at a dreary oil painting of a cobble-stone street.

Watson sighed. “Not likely. ‘Thoughtography’ has no basis in science, Holmes. Scholars have disproven nearly every claim. We’ve even disproven a few ourselves, over the years. Remember?”

“Ah, yes,” Holmes murmured absently. “Of course.”

Watson went back to examining the fiber, which appeared to be silk. “What brought it to your mind, anyhow?”

“Oh, it just fluttered in, like a small bird…perhaps through that window—” Holmes pointed a withered finger at the painting “—Or maybe through…another…” His voice trailed off, cataract-dull eyes wandering vaguely.

“Maybe we should focus on the case at hand,” Watson suggested gently.

Holmes’ eyes fogged over completely. “The case…?”

Watson winced. He’d been trying to persuade his old friend to retire for years. “The one we’re helping Inspector Cartwright with. The Niesen murder.”

Holmes stared blankly.

Watson’s heart twinged. His voice softened. “Why don’t you sit down, old fellow? Have a smoke and ponder things, while I finish looking over the crime scene.”

“What crime scene?” Holmes asked, frowning. His eyes were still foggier than a London morning.

“This room,” Watson replied patiently. “The one we’re standing in.”

More fog.

Watson sighed. “This is the room where the girl was murdered,” he explained, gesturing at the clothing-strewn bedchamber, which bore obvious evidence of a struggle.

The fog evaporated in an instant. “Oh, she wasn’t murdered in here,” Holmes announced confidently.

Watson raised his eyebrows, cautiously hopeful. “How do you know that?”

“There’s not a drop of blood in sight.”

“She was strangled, Holmes.”

“Ah, yes…Just as I suspected…” Holmes nodded knowingly, making his grey mane bounce.

Watson gritted the few teeth he had left. “Why don’t you—” he started to say, but Holmes cut him off with a sudden shout:

“Look here, Watson! A clue!” Holmes began to bend down, presumably to pick something up off the floor, but he froze in mid-stoop. “Oh, dear,” he said faintly.

“What’s wrong?” Watson asked.

“My back – it seems to be locked in this position…”

“You can’t move?”

“Neither up nor down,” Holmes confirmed. “How is it that I could be stuck in such a state?”

“I don’t know,” Watson murmured, hobbling over to help his friend. “It’s a mystery we may never solve.”

Children’s Writing Tips

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I recently had the pleasure of attending a writing workshop with children’s author Jean Alicia Elster, who has written a four-book illustrated series for children (the “Joe Joe in the City Series”) and two novels for eight- to twelve-year-old readers. She’s also done ghostwriting, grant-writing, editing, and has even written those short stories found on standardized tests. This writer really knows her stuff! It was easily one of the best workshops I’ve ever been to – just jam-packed with useful tips and info – and now that I’ve managed to decipher my own handwriting, I thought I’d pass along some of what she shared.

 

Tips and Info from an Awesome Children’s Author:

-There are many fallacies when it comes to writing a children’s book. Here are a few facts to clear things up: You do NOT need to find your own illustrator before submitting your children’s manuscript. You do NOT need to illustrate the manuscript yourself. Doing either of these things is like waving a red flag that says “amateur.” Publishers won’t take you seriously. Also, it is NOT necessarily faster or easier to write a children’s book than it is to write an adult novel. It can take just as long to write a fifty-word book as it can to write a 120,000-word book. It can take years of effort just to get those fifty words absolutely perfect. The fewer words you use, the better they have to be.

-When writing for children, it is important to actually like kids. Not only that, but it’s important to know kids – know how they speak, know how they act, know what noises they make, and know what types of things interest them.

-Listen to the rhythm of how kids talk – often, they don’t use the same natural pauses that adults do, which means their dialogue should include fewer commas. Also, pay attention to how young people interact with one another on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Texting and other forms of electronic communication are (for better or worse) becoming more and more prevalent in the way kids talk to each other.

-Know which audience you’re writing for, and include things that particularly appeal to that audience. Boys, for example, like reading about sounds, so make sure to include lots of onomatopoeia. Boys also enjoy gore, like squirting blood, and other “gross” things, like boogers and flatulence. Girls, on the other hand, like reading about scents.

-Worrying too much about word-count limits while you’re writing can lead to a rushed ending. Tell your story the way you want to, and worry about cutting it afterwards.

-Children’s books with series potential have a better chance of getting published than stand-alone books. Series’ are more profitable because they are more visible on bookstore shelves, and because they can grow in popularity with each new book. A series can build a following in a way that stand-alones can’t.

-There is a difference between illustrated fiction for children (e.g. The Velveteen Rabbit) and a picture book (e.g. Where’s Spot?). Know which one you’re trying to write.

-When writing for children, it is important to have a mission. Jean Alicia Elster’s mission is to educate kids about history, racism, and difficult situations faced by today’s urban youth. Another author at the workshop had a mission to expose children to nature and wildlife in an engaging way. Have a clear understanding of your mission – and your message – before you start.

-Kids are smart – don’t underestimate their intelligence or dumb the story down for their benefit. Write a story that has a strong plot, structure and character development. Leave room for your characters to grow and evolve with you and your audience. Write stories that are multilayered and will appeal to a wide range of ages on different levels – for example, in Jean Alicia Elster’s illustrated fiction series, there is an adult character named Cecil. It is never specified what Cecil’s occupation is, and younger (five- and six-year-old) readers simply know that Cecil is a bad guy – he’s doing something that is wrong/illegal. However, older readers instantly pick up on the hints that Cecil is the neighborhood drug dealer.

-Read tons of children’s literature. Study the classics. Try to discover what specifically makes them so appealing, what makes them stand the test of time, and then try to emulate that. If you read a bad book, study that, too. Ask yourself why you didn’t like it, where it went wrong, and try not to do that.

-Don’t read a terrible book and think, “Well, if this thing got published, then my book can, too.” Don’t strive to be better than an awful book. Strive to be as good as the best.

-When you’ve finished your story, trying re-writing it from another character’s POV – you might get a whole new story out of it! Some authors can write an entire novel series about a single event, each book told from a different character’s perspective.

-A typical children’s book is thirty-two pages. Chapter books are sixty-four pages. (I had no idea about either of those things.) Young Adult novels used to have a specific page-count as well, but that has gone out the window with the likes of Harry Potter and Twilight. In any case, when writing a children’s book, you do not have to worry about which lines of text go on which page – the editors will take care of that.

-Look around you for inspiration – did you experience something that upset you, that moved you, that challenged you? Let your passion guide you in your storytelling. If your message comes from within, the audience will feel that.

-If you’re serious about writing for children, consider joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (www.scbwi.org). They are an international organization that has a U.S. national chapter as well as state chapters. The author mentioned that the Michigan chapter has great, in-state workshops, and one of the coolest things about these is that many times editors and agents will agree to read manuscripts submitted by attendees. You can indicate on your manuscript that you were at the workshop, and the editor/agent will pull your book from the slush pile and actually read it. (This is an excellent opportunity, because most unsolicited manuscripts in the slush pile will never actually be read.) Some workshops also have a “pitching lottery,” where you can run your book idea by agents and editors and get real feedback. The Highlights Foundation Workshops ( http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/ ) are also recommended.

To learn more about the wonderful author Jean Alicia Elster and her upcoming works, please visit her website: www.jeanaliciaelster.com . She has a new book coming out called The Colored Car, a sequel to her first children’s novel, Who’s Jim Hines? She also has an excellent illustrated fiction series called the “Joe Joe in the City Series.”

Hope these tips were as helpful to you as they were to me! Next workshop on the schedule: “Submitting a Novel.”

In the meantime, keep writing!

-Gretchen

Writer’s Markets

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So, you’ve written a story…

You’ve polished it, you’ve let someone else read it, you’ve listened to that person’s comments and polished it some more, and finally, after wiping the sweat from your brow, you’ve printed out the final draft. Now, only one question remains, and it’s a biggie:

Where the heck do you send this thing?

I don’t know about you, but for me, one of the biggest frustrations of being a writer is simply not knowing where to send my work. Whether it’s a flash-length piece, a short story, a poem, a non-fiction essay or a novel, I want to give my writing the best possible chance of getting published. To do that, I need to know what publishers are out there, and what types of material they’re currently accepting. Lucky for me (and you, if you’re a writer, too), there’s a super-cool, FREE site that can give us all of that info (and much, much more) in just a few clicks:

https://duotrope.com/

There are many free writer’s market listings on the Internet – most are hopelessly outdated, some no longer functional. Duotrope is the exact opposite: a continually-updated, constantly evolving and extensive database with an easy-to-use search tool that can help you find the best home for your work, no matter what you write. They track response times and acceptance rates, and even let you organize your search results according to what matters most to you (highest pay rate, highest acceptance rate, etc.). It is a beautiful, well-organized site that currently lists 4,527 markets for fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

The only other reputable writer’s market listing I know of is called (prepared to be shocked) Writer’s Market. They release new print books each year, their titles ranging from the standard, all-in-one Writer’s Market, to other, more specialized books for people specifically interested in children’s writing, short stories, novels, poetry, etc. These are great books packed with useful info, including examples of good and bad query letters, contest listings and tips on the writing process. Only trouble is, they’re kind of expensive. For those like myself, who are perpetually cash-strapped, a more affordable option would be to check if your local library has the latest editions of these books in stock (many libraries do).

The website WritersMarket.com is another option. An online extension of the books, this site lists many more markets than can fit in the standard 1,000+ pages of the print edition of Writer’s Market. The website should also (theoretically, at least) be more up-to-date. However, WritersMarket.com, like its paperback companions, is not free. They do offer a seven-day money back guarantee, though, so I guess you could take it for a trial run and see if you like it – if not, refund time!

There’s only one thing you need to be careful about, and this goes for all of the books and sites mentioned above: you must always, ALWAYS, check the home website of whatever publisher/magazine/agent you’re submitting to, BEFORE you submit. DO NOT rely solely on the information you find on Duotrope or in Writer’s Market. These databases are starting points only. In the publishing industry, things can change quickly, and information gets outdated faster than you can snap your fingers. The magazine you’re submitting to might have hired a new editor since the database was last updated. The publisher you’re eyeing for your new fantasy novel might have just stopped accepting fiction. Don’t put the wrong name on that envelope. Don’t send your sci-fi story to a non-fiction magazine. Do your homework.

If you didn’t know where to start, hopefully now you do. So, what are you waiting for? 🙂

And the Winner Is…

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Whether you’re already published or just starting out, writing contests can be a great way to get your work noticed. They can also work well as motivating tools, especially for some of the more reluctant writers – deciding to enter a writing contest can help you get your butt in gear, get that story finished, and get it submitted. If you work well under pressure, a deadline can be a beautiful thing. 🙂

That said, be careful which contests you choose to enter – especially if they’re asking for an entry fee. Always do your best to make sure the publication or organization running the contest is reputable. Check how long the contest has been running, and do a little research to find out whether agents and publishers view the contest as respectable. Also, take into account the prizes being offered: are they rewards that will help you take the next step in expanding your writing career (e.g. money, exposure, one-on-one attention from agents/publishers), or just something to make you feel special and encouraged about your skills (certificates, winners’ names published in a special magazine issue, etc.)? Either one is fine, depending on what you want to get out of the experience.

To help you get started, here is a teensy-tinsy sampling of some of the contests available. The first two are free (best kind, in my opinion), the third one is a reputable contest with a reasonable entry fee:

For the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writer:

Writers of the Future Contest

This contest has a big range of allowable word-counts, and has four entry periods (and four first-place winners!) per year. Prizes include a $5,000 grand prize, $1,000 first-place prize, and publication in an illustrated anthology. Cool stuff! My tips: enter early in the quarter, enter electronically (you’ll get your results more quickly), and don’t check the forums – it’ll drive you mad when other people start getting results and you still haven’t heard anything…Other notes: The Contest Administrator, Joni Labaqui, is super-helpful and she will always write back quickly to answer any questions you might have.

Find out more:

www.writersofthefuture.com/

 

For the Literary Short Story Writer:

Three-Minute Fiction Contest

All stories here must be 600 words or less, so put on your flash fiction hat. Prizes for this one vary, but usually include having your story read aloud on National Public Radio, and getting interviewed on the air. Finalists also have excerpts from their stories read on air. Tips: enter early (as always), and read the previous finalists’ stories (they’re all available on the website) to see what the judges are looking for. Again, don’t check the website all the time, unless you enjoy going crazy. Other notes: This contest tends to focus on literary stories. The best definition I have found for a literary story (and there are some really bad, super-confusing definitions out there) is the following: A literary story is a story that cannot be easily categorized, a story you will be thinking about for a long time after you read it, and a story that can be interpreted in multiple ways. So, think deep!

To find out about the current round, or when the next one starts, go to:

www.npr.org/series/105660765/three-minute-fiction

 

For the Short Short Story Writer:

The Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Contest

This is a contest for short stories of 1,500 words or fewer. I think all genres are eligible, but you may want to check out the previous winners’ stories (I think you can read them somewhere on the website) just to see what type of thing the judges are looking for. I’ve never done this one, but Writer’s Digest runs reputable contests, and their support staff if also very helpful and responsive. The entry fee is $20 and the deadline for entries is November 15. Winner gets $3,000 and a trip to the WD Annual Writing Conference. 2nd through 25th place stories also get various prizes and recognition.

To get more info, go to:

www.writersdigest.com/competitions/short-short-story-competition

 

Best of luck!

-Gretchen

The Whole Story

astheheroflies1 Comment

There are many reasons short stories get rejected. Many, MANY reasons. So many, in fact, that it would be impossible to safeguard your story against all of them. If the slush reader’s having a bad day, if the editor just doesn’t dig your writing style, or if the magazine JUST accepted a story about a cross-dressing werewolf (which is exactly what YOUR story happens to be about), there’s not much you can do about those things.

There are, however, a few things you CAN do to vastly improve your story’s chances, and one of these is to make sure that you have a complete story. Conflict, change and growth are the lifeblood of all stories, both long and short, and a lack of these elements is one major reason that many short stories get rejected.

Now, the advice “write a complete story” might sound like an obvious no-brainer, and if we were talking about novels, it would be. If your novel’s main character doesn’t have a problem, then you, as the author, have a big one.

But short stories, especially flash fiction (1,000 words or less), can be a little trickier. With so few words, it can be easy to fall into the trap of writing a beautiful scene without any actual substance, or a trick-the-audience, twist-ending story in which nothing actually happens (I’ve been guilty of both of these charges myself, and I’ve got the rejection letters to prove it!).

Consider these two examples:

I could write a moody, atmospheric piece about Katie, the sailor’s daughter, staring out at the ocean on a misty morning, thinking about her father, who’s been lost as sea for eight months. If done well, this has the potential to be a really gorgeous, heartbreaking scene. However, unless Katie actually DOES something—maybe she decides to go hit the high seas and look for Dad, or realizes she has to let him go and get on with her life—then it’s not a complete story.

I could also write a tale about Nora, the meek, mousy, small-town librarian, who, as it turns out, spends her nights as a wildly-popular exotic dancer. Now, this is certainly a fun idea, but simply setting up the character as a soft-spoken, overlooked librarian and then revealing at the end that she’s a smokin’-hot stripper isn’t enough for a full story. Nothing changed for Nora—she knew she was a stripper all along. The only thing that’s changed is the audience’s perception of her—and that’s just if they didn’t see the ending coming (which many readers—and editors—will).

So, what does it take to make a complete story, and how can you make sure your piece fits the bill? Here are three simple tests to put your stories through before you send them out into the big, bad, rejection-filled world:

1.) Ask yourself: What is the CONFLICT in my story? Is it:

-Man vs. Man
-Man vs. Nature
-Man vs. Himself
-Man vs. Society
-Man vs. God

If you can identify a clear conflict, chances are you’ve got a full story.

2.) Ask yourself: What CHANGES in my story? How are things different at the ending than they were at the beginning? If you can see a clear difference in your story’s character or situation as the result of the events that took place, you’re probably in good shape.

And the final test:

3.) Boil your story down to a single-sentence summary, e.g.: “Katie thinks about her father, who is lost at sea” or “Nora the dumpy librarian is actually a highly-paid stripper.” When you’ve got your story in this bare-bones state, look for key words that indicate change or conflict, such as:

-realizes
-discovers
-learns
-decides
-struggles

Notice that neither of the two examples above have words like that. However, if I make a few tweaks to the storylines: “Katie, the sailor’s daughter, DECIDES to go look for her father, who is lost at sea” or “Nora, the dumpy and over-looked librarian, DISCOVERS true joy when she takes on a secret life as a stripper”—now I’ve got something that maybe, just maybe (if all the stars are aligned and neither the slush reader nor the editor are going through a messy break-up) has a chance of getting published.

Best of luck on your submissions, and keep writing!

-Gretchen