GCWA November Zoom meeting

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Below are the instructions to register for the GCWA November Zoom meeting.

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Nov 21, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUodOCopjsoHdLDJaAwcPkMo2DxYmSdhHEx

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

November 2020

Zoom meeting. Directions to follow.

Speaker: April O’Leary
Topic: What Publishing Path is Perfect for You?

April O

Decades ago aspiring authors had only two options secure a traditional publishing deal, or if you couldn’t get one, publish your work yourself for a small fortune. Fortunately, writers have many more publishing paths available to traverse today that include various levels of difficulty. In this presentation, April O’Leary, founder of O’Leary Publishing, will discuss the pros and cons of each path including the amount of time and technology skills required for the author, the upfront cost, the opportunities for distribution and ownership of your work. You’ll walk away with a clear trail guide to help you publish your book with success. See you at the top!

About April
April O’Leary is the founder of O’Leary Publishing, a hybrid book publishing company that serves independent authors who want a book to grow their brand, share a message or build a community. She is the author of six books and the host of the I’m Booked podcast. For more information you can visit www.olearypublishing.com and download The Influencer’s Path to Successful Publishing free today.

Meeting: November 21, 2020, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon (Zoom meeting)

NaNoWriMo

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NaNoWriMo 2020 is right around the corner. This wildly popular phenomenon, National Novel Writing Month, starts November 1, and you’re urged to write an entire novel by the end of the month.

Wouldn’t it be great to actually finish a 50,000-word novel in 30 days? Since 1999, that very idea has inspired millions of writers from all over the world to embark on this journey. In 2015 alone, more than 430,000 finished their manuscripts.

NaNoWriMo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides tools, structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds — on and off the page.

NaNoWriMo believes in the transformational power of creativity. Writing a novel alone can be difficult, even for seasoned writers. NaNoWriMo helps you track your progress, set milestones, connect with other writers in a vast community, and participate in events that are designed to make sure you finish your novel. Oh, and best of all, it’s free!

What is NaNoWriMo?

Sign up here.

Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-book Awards

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Self-Published E-Book AwardExtended DEADLINE: October 12, 2020

Enter Writer’s Digest’s Annual Self-Published E-book Awards now to win $5,000 and a trip to the WD Conference in New York City.

This competition spotlights e-books in 8 categories including Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Memoir, Young Adult and Nonfiction.

Here’s what you could win:

  • $5,000 in cash
  • A feature article about you and your book in the May/June 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest
  • A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference
  • AND more!

For the chance to earn the prestige you deserve and watch your career soar to new heights, enter  Writer’s Digest’s Annual Self-Published E-book Awards.

Women’s National Book Association Writing Contest

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WNBA contestThe 2020 WNBA Writing Contest is now open!
Deadline December 1, 2020

Do you want to show the world your writing?
Does the chance to win a cash prize and to get published excite you?
Then enter the 2020 WNBA Writing Contest!
We want to read your creative writing.
You can enter your work in four categories: fiction, creative nonfiction, flash prose, and poetry.

WNBA members receive a 25% discount on the submission fee, so join or renew now!

We can’t wait to read your work and hear your voice!

submit

 

Vic Larson

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Vic Larson

Ask me what I DO and I’ll tell you I’m retired. Ask me what I AM and I’ll say that I’m a writer. I’ve been writing either professionally or as a hobby since college at the University of Illinois where I wrote for the school newspaper. If I could do it all over again I’d pursue a degree in Communications or Journalism.  When I became a writer, and then manager, of a Corporate Writing Services department in the Chicago area I joked when interviewing potential employees that I wouldn’t give myself my old job back with my degree in Medical Technology. As I told my wife the day I got my writing position, “I think I just ruined a perfectly good hobby.” And indeed, writing from nine to five is a job like any other. But I fully understood how difficult it is to make a living as a freelancer or novelist.

After twenty-seven years I left that job and moved to Port Charlotte Florida.  I now write daily, developing posts for two of my own blogs. I also post frequent movie reviews to a third site. I am Webmaster for the Port Charlotte Garden Club and Outreach For World Hope, a non-profit that rescues starving Guatemalan children. I enter contests, write reviews for new or favorite local businesses, and currently have a piece being considered for a podcast at Walt Disney World Magazine. Other than that, I live on a steady diet of rejections and M&Ms. You can find my writing at https://viclarson.blogspot.com, and movie reviews at https://www.vixflixreview.com.

GCWA 2021 Writing Contest

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GCWAThe GCWA Writing Contest is now open for entries.
Deadline: January 31, 2021

Writing Contest is open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17.
Enter as many times as you want in each of the four categories.

FOUR CATEGORIES
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Stories

Prizes for each category:
FIRST PRIZE ($100 cash)
SECOND PRIZE ($50 cash)
THIRD PRIZE ($25 cash)

Guidelines and Entry forms are available here.

WOW! Fall 2020 Flash Fiction Contest

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WOW flash fiction

FALL 2020 FLASH FICTION CONTEST

Deadline: 11/30/2020

OVERVIEW:

WOW! hosts a (quarterly) writing contest every three months, and has done so since 2006. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, great writing, and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants. The contest is open globally; age is of no matter; and entries must be in English. We are open to all styles and genres of flash fiction, although we do encourage you to take a close look at our guest judge for the season (upper right hand corner) if you are serious about winning. Please make sure you download our Contest Terms & Conditions PDF below for complete guidelines. Get creative, and let’s have some fun! Remember, we only allow for 300 entries, so enter early to ensure your spot. We look forward to reading your work!

WORD COUNT:

Maximum: 750
Minimum: 250

OPEN PROMPT!

That’s right, this is your chance to shine, and get creative. You can write about anything, as long as it’s within the word count and fiction. If you’re feeling inspired, write something new, or dig out those stories you started way back when and tailor them to the word count.

We’re open to any style and genre. So, get creative, and most of all, have fun.

Click to Download the FALL 2020 FLASH FICTION Contest Terms & Conditions PD

https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest

WOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

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WOW! is proud to introduce our newest essay contest! The mission of this contest is to inspire creative nonfiction and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants. The contest is open globally; age is of no matter; and entries must be in English. Your story must be true, but the way you tell it is your chance to get creative. We are open to all styles of essay—from personal essay to lyric essay to hybrid essay, and beyond! Please make sure you download our Contest Terms & Conditions PDF below for complete guidelines. Get creative and let’s have some fun! We look forward to reading your work!

WORD COUNT:

Maximum: 1000
Minimum: 200

$12 entry fee; critique option for an additional $13. Deadline: October 31, 2020

TOPIC:

OPEN TOPIC!

You can write about any subject you want to explore, as long as it’s within the word count and nonfiction. If you’re feeling inspired, write something new, or dig out those essays you started way back when and tailor them to the word count.

Click to Download the CREATIVE NONFICTION ESSAY CONTEST Terms & Conditions PDF

http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#EssayContest

2021 St. Martin’s Minotaur/ MWA Competition

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MWA2021 St. Martin’s Minotaur/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

The competition is open to any writer aged eighteen or older who has never been the author of any published novel (in any genre), as defined by the guidelines on the website, and who is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Authors of self-published works may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work. Only one manuscript entry is permitted per writer. Murder or another serious crime or crimes must be at the heart of the story. If a winner is selected, Minotaur Books will offer to enter into its standard form author’s agreement with the entrant for publication of the winning manuscript and receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. The winner will be recognized at the Edgar Awards Banquet in New York City in April 2021. Submissions must be received by 11:59 pm EST on January 1, 2021.

See complete guidelines here: https://mysterywriters.org/about-mwa/st-martins/