  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Vivian  
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Many people have file drawers or W.Com ports filled with short stories, but those writers are afraid to submit them to a publication. Here's a suggestion: Why not submit those best stories to contests for feedback before submitting them to magazines or anthologies?
Viv
Next week's editor will be darkin
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Testing the Writing Waters with Contests
I've lost count of the number of rejection form letters I've received that stated, "This doesn't meet our needs." I didn't know if the need not met included the whole story being poorly written, or maybe the subject matter wouldn't work. Nothing in that form letter let me know.
However, I know know that one way to test stories before submitting them to publications is to enter contests. Some contest judges will even send a short evaluation of the entries. I enter contests connected with writing conferences and some supported by or listed in writing magazines.
The OWFI writing conference, held the first of each May, has a contest each year. The deadline is February 1 so that judging can be finished before the conference. I entered 15 of the 33 categories this year. After the awards banquet, I'll get my entries, each with an evaluation.
ByLine, a writing magazine, has a list of contests it sponsors. The list is found on the back of its cover. The March issue has six contests for stories, and one is for flash fiction.
Writer's Digest has a major writing competition each year. The 76th Annual contest's deadline is May 15, 2007. Of the ten categories offered, five can be considered in the story genre. Information can be found in the current issue of the magazine or online, www.writersdigest.com.
Currently, The Writer announces a short story contest in the March issue of the magazine, or go to www.writermag.com. The deadline is June 30, 2007.
Opportunities abound to test the writing waters by entering contests. A writer simply needs to search and find those contests and enter -- being sure to follow all guidelines exactly. |
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Words from Our Readers
Thank you for the comments about the newsletter about writing for teens.
Jay is studying 
This particular newsletter was really helpful for me, Viv, as I'm writing something for the first time, and it's targeted at early teens. I listen and watch the behavior of my eleven-year-old and his older friends. Thanks!
Observation is one of the most important tools for a writer.
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Angelica Weatherby-Happy 2025 
This was fun to read. You did a great job explaining that.
Thanks, Fishie.
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CharlotteWheever
I just finished reading the recent newsletter, and I have a couple comments. I guess I just wasn't your average teen, because growing up I would much rather read Patricia Cornwell (her main characters are all at least 40) than J.K.Rowling, something with characters more my age. Then again, I've always been odd.
Thanks for all the tips, great newsletter!
When I was in my teens I was more interested in reading more adult books. In fact my mother and I would go to the library, each check out the maximum number of books allowed. Then we would read the ones we chose before trading and reading the ones the other chose.
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billwilcox
Good job, Viv! You put the Viv in Vivid Writing...
Ah, Wild Bill, I bet you tell that to all the vivacious gals around. 
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Tehanu
I enjoy writing for teens/young adults, and I admit to still reading books for that age range, like Terrier and The Naming. Of course, many of us adults indulge in Harry Potter books, so I hope I am not alone in thinking that, because we all lived through teen-dom, we are able to harness our memories and feelings of that time and mix them in with some imagination to write our stories.
Lovely NL, Vivian. Good topic and I liked your quotes.
I enjoy reading books for teens, if they are well written. I even enjoy reading some pre-teen books and children's books IF they are well written. A good book is a good book. I'm glad you liked the quotes I used, BTW.
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Until next time, I hope you have interesting stories to read and write.
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Short Stories: February 21, 2007 Issue [#1552]
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