New Writing Challenge Submissions

We've had some exciting responses to the writing challenge so far: each one has taken a completely different approach to the prompt. Nadine C. Keels wrote a poem that works with the image of the prompt but also incorporates a bit of free association. James Abel started with a more literal interpretation: "I took the approach of wondering in what context a wedding cake would ever be in a road." He came up with two possible conclusions and then used one for his story, which takes us into the contemporary art world. And a reader who asked to be known as JMS submitted a chilling modern-day fairy tale, which explains the image in a completely different way.

Take some time this Monday morning to read and comment on the submissions so far, and consider sending in your own story. (The challenge is open until February 28.) Thanks to all the writers who have submitted work so far. A few other responses have come in: I hope to have them up shortly.

New Writing Challenge Submissions originally appeared on About.com Fiction Writing on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 09:26:07.

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Contribute Self-Publishing Stories

As self-publishing becomes easier and more acceptable -- and traditional publishing contracts become ever more elusive -- many people are choosing to circumvent the traditional publishing industry. However, with so many companies to choose from, it's actually harder these days to tell the difference between legit presses and opportunistic ones.

It occurred to me that the best way to help writers who are considering print-on-demand or self-publishing is to provide stories from people who have done it. If you've self-published, or used a print-on-demand service, please review the company you used. What did you think of your experience? What would you do differently? Let other readers know what they can expect from the various companies out there.

Contribute Self-Publishing Stories originally appeared on About.com Fiction Writing on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 09:22:36.

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February 2010 Writing Challenge: The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road

The writing prompt for this month comes from an exercise created by NPR host Susan Stamberg and novelist George Garrett for a radio series in the early 1990s. For the series, they charged six authors with the task of writing a short story using the image "the wedding cake in the middle of the road." The stories were read on Weekend Edition, and then anthologized, along with 17 others, in a book called The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road: 23 Variations on a Theme. We'll essentially be creating our own anthology this month, though with any luck, we'll have more than 23 variations.

The theme appealed to me at this time since Valentine's Day looms large in February here in the United States. The image clearly offers love-wary cynics opportunities for inspiration, but creative romantics should find many possibilities as well.

To participate, write a short story of 2,000 words or fewer using the wedding cake image and submit them by February 28. (For those who took to last month's exercise, prose poems are also perfectly acceptable.) Submissions must follow these guidelines to be included. If you'd like an immediate response, or would like a response on some other piece of writing, please post your story in the forum under "Share Work." Either way, thanks for sharing your work, and happy writing.

February 2010 Writing Challenge: The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road originally appeared on About.com Fiction Writing on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 11:00:52.

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Call for Submissions – William Saroyan International Prize for Writing

Writing Contest | “Family Stories” | No Fee