I learned my first lesson this month in paying close attention to deadlines. Yes, I messed up.
Haunted Waters Press held a writing contest for their summer publication of From the Depths. I admit I struggled with the theme for a while and it took me some time to settle on an object to write to about. But I did it! I have a completed short story that meets the specifications laid out and it is sitting on my computer as we speak. Their deadline was May 25. That day I was out enjoying myself at a pool party and completely forget to send in my story. I have a bad habit of waiting till the very last minute to submit my writing. I never feel like they are good enough and I am known to make changes and alterations up until I hit 'send'. A very bad habit and I know that I am setting myself up for disaster, case in point, but I do it anyway.
The good news is I found another fun project. I discovered Flash! Friday on Twitter through a six degrees of separation coincidence to Haunted Waters Press. Every Friday, founder Rebekah Postupak posts a new photo prompt and theme to use in a flash fiction story. She has created a fun and encouraging environment where writers share their mini-stories. Unfortunately I had to miss the last two weeks because of sick kids and a brief hospital stay, but I am really looking forward to next week.
Looking forward to June, I found two new things to write about. Chilling Tales for Dark Nights is asking for short horror stories for their July contest. Submissions are open through June 11. There is a photo prompt with which to inspire you. The top ten finalists will be voted on by the public. The second contest is L. Ron Hubbard's Writers and Illustrators of the Future. Sci-fi and fantasy stories are due by June 30. I'm really excited by both of these subjects. I have tried my hand at mystery, but never at horror or sci-fi/fantasy. I accept the challenge!
Incidentally, congratulations to the winners of We Said Go Travel's writing competition. There were so many amazing writers that have traveled to so many amazing places that I have no idea how they were able to pick their winners. The theme for the summer writing competition has been announced. Write about a place that allows you to feel free. All entries are due by July 4.
Wish me luck, and I'll do the same for you.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Happy May Day!
A late season cool front has left us Texans feeling refreshed and (almost) ready for summer. I know that once the temperatures start reaching triple digits, we'll miss these sweater weather mornings. I, for one am ready to start anew. I have been feeling a little down after a set back with my health, but I am hoping to be back on track soon and ready to tackle this month's challenge. First let's take a look back and see how the last few months have stacked up.
In February I participated in the We Said Go Travel Inspiration Travel Writing Contest. They are going to be announcing their Independence Travel Writing Contest sometime this month so check their site often if you are interested. I know I will! If you are interested in reading the piece I submitted you can click the link here.
In March I was excited to work on a short story for Three Cheers and a Tiger's mystery writing contest sponsored by Literary Journal, Toasted Cheese. Congratulations to the winners! I am looking forward to the June publication so I can read your wonderful stories. Three Cheers and a Tiger will have a science fiction/fantasy writing contest in September. I have never written anything in this genre, but this is the year to expand my horizons, right? So why not give it a go?
April was National Poetry Month. My personal goal was to write a poem a day with Writer's Digest blogger and poet, Robert Lee Brewer on his Poetic Asides blog. I started off strong, writing sometimes multiple poems a day. They weren't always very good, but that wasn't the point of the challenge. The point, for me, was to write every day. Something I am very bad about. Almost halfway through the month I thought I was going to make it, then I had a very bad bout of dizziness and vertigo and couldn't stand to look and the computer screen. C'est la vie; especially around here.
And that brings us full circle to May. I searched and searched for something new to work on in May, but ended up finding another short story. Haunted Waters Press is calling for open submissions for their June publication. They are looking for works of prose, creative nonfiction and poetry for their quarterly literary journal, From the Depths. I can write a short story of 3500 words or less, flash fiction of any length, or creative nonfiction of 1500 words or less. They want a story that revolves around the ordinary objects in our lives. It can be any type of story and any type of object; let your imagination go wild.
Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.
In February I participated in the We Said Go Travel Inspiration Travel Writing Contest. They are going to be announcing their Independence Travel Writing Contest sometime this month so check their site often if you are interested. I know I will! If you are interested in reading the piece I submitted you can click the link here.
In March I was excited to work on a short story for Three Cheers and a Tiger's mystery writing contest sponsored by Literary Journal, Toasted Cheese. Congratulations to the winners! I am looking forward to the June publication so I can read your wonderful stories. Three Cheers and a Tiger will have a science fiction/fantasy writing contest in September. I have never written anything in this genre, but this is the year to expand my horizons, right? So why not give it a go?
April was National Poetry Month. My personal goal was to write a poem a day with Writer's Digest blogger and poet, Robert Lee Brewer on his Poetic Asides blog. I started off strong, writing sometimes multiple poems a day. They weren't always very good, but that wasn't the point of the challenge. The point, for me, was to write every day. Something I am very bad about. Almost halfway through the month I thought I was going to make it, then I had a very bad bout of dizziness and vertigo and couldn't stand to look and the computer screen. C'est la vie; especially around here.
And that brings us full circle to May. I searched and searched for something new to work on in May, but ended up finding another short story. Haunted Waters Press is calling for open submissions for their June publication. They are looking for works of prose, creative nonfiction and poetry for their quarterly literary journal, From the Depths. I can write a short story of 3500 words or less, flash fiction of any length, or creative nonfiction of 1500 words or less. They want a story that revolves around the ordinary objects in our lives. It can be any type of story and any type of object; let your imagination go wild.
Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.
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