Rejections can hit writers hard, and although there can be many reasons for a rejection, sometimes journals just have too many submissions to sift through. You can improve your odds by seeking out younger journals, but that can be a pain to research.
Thanksgiving is just a week away, with Christmas rolling in right after it. This time of year, having a bit of extra cash can go a long way. Plus, there’s never a bad time to get some of your work published, and these deadlines are coming up fast.
This time of year, it can be hard to make deadlines. The holiday bustle can take up so much of your attention, that before you realize it a deadline for a publication opportunity has passed. Take some of the pressure off publishing and use that time to craft something you know will get accepted.
Ready to get your writing out there? Don’t miss out on a publishing opportunity because of submission fees. It can seem impossible to find markets and magazines that don’t require a reading fee, but if you know where to look it can be so much easier.
That’s why we’re here, to make the struggles of publishing your work a thing of the past so you can focus on what really matters: writing.
Many writers never reach their goals because they don’t know what their goals are. More precisely, their goals are too vague.
In order to have quality goals, we really need to quantify what those goals are. That gives you clarity on your own vision for your writing career. With clarity, you can work toward a specific goal every day, meet your writing dreams, and ultimately live the author lifestyle.
Feeling blocked lately? Tired of the long slog of writing a novel? Have a talent for poems or dialogue and want to make a quick buck?
One of the top techniques we use in the Writing Gym to get creative juices flowing is doing short writing exercises apart from your main work in progress.
That’s right, we tell writers to stop working on their novel and write something else for a little while instead. It seems counterproductive, but it can seriously help you get out of your head, let go of expectations, and get into their creative zone. Think of it like doing scrimmages or drills before a real sports game.
Trust us, it works. There’s a reason our writers finish and publish their novels so quickly.
What if I told you that you could take an hour or two today to use this technique, not only to unlock your creativity, but also to get paid and published too?
Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s not.
Here’s a pro-tip on how to win: don’t just write the thing and submit. Talk to a professional who understands what literary journals, publishers, and contests look for in winning pieces. Our experienced writing coaches can work with you on your first 5 pages (which will cover the entire submissions for the poetry contests) to give you tailored feedback so you’re 100% ready to win. Drop yourself into our calendar to reserve your slot.
If these aren’t your thing, no worries. We put out a curated list of the latest publishing opportunities each week. Be sure to check back here in 7 days for 3 more opportunities! Or, you can get on our mailing list to have this list delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a publishing opportunity again. Click below to sign up.
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Who They Are: Better Than Starbucks is “not your ordinary poetry magazine.” It is run out of Florida and was founded in 1995.
Contest Details: This contest is for a metrical sonnet. Previously published work okay, as long as you own the rights. You may submit up to 2 sonnets
Length: Sonnets are 14 lines long.
Deadline: November 30, 2020
Prize: 1st place: $350. 2nd Place: $100. 3rd Place: $50
Get more information and submit here.
Who They Are: Black Hare Press is a small, independent publisher based in Melbourne, Australia. They aim to make opportunities for authors all around the globe to participate in short form story anthologies in various Speculative Fiction and Horror genres.
Contest Details: A story told in dialogue only. At least one character must be from a speculative fiction world (alien, superhero, werewolf, zombie, vampire, faerie, etc). A good example of this is The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy.
Length: About 5,000 words
Deadline: November 30, 2020
Prize: 1st place: $100. 2nd Place: $25. 3rd Place: $10, Plus Publication
Get more information and submit here.
Who They Are: The Society of Classical Poets aims to “preserve humankind’s artistic traditions; to reestablish poetry as one of the most widely appreciated forms of literature, communication, and entertainment; to increase appreciation of centuries of rhyming or metered poetry; to support poets who apply classical techniques in modern poetry through publication and performance opportunities and awards; and to advance language arts in education and culture.” They publish a journal of poetry.
Contest Details:
Above is a recent photograph of Chateau Boswell, a winery, vineyard, and tasting room located in California. It has suffered terribly because of the recent “Glass Fire” in Napa Valley. Write a poem based on the above photo. You may submit up to 2 poems.
Length: Any length
Deadline: November 8, 2020 by midnight EST.
Prize: $100
Get more information and submit here.
Is your work good enough to win these contests?
Contests are, by nature, highly competitive. Are you 100% confident your work is the best of the best?
We help writers hone their craft so they can feel confident about submitting their work to even the most competitive contests out there. We’ve had many of our writers win contests, like Lauren and Dana. If you’re serious about publishing and winning writing contests over and over again, you can speak to a member of our team to learn more about our programs. Book a call here.