After the success of last year’s IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, we decided to create another book. This time it’s a short story competition with the top ten stories getting published in the anthology.
Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebook member. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free.
Word count: 5000-6000
Theme: Alternate History/Parallel Universe. That’s right, we’ve decided to go the speculative route. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines, except erotica or graphic violence.
Story deadline: November 1st 2015
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to TheIWSG at gmail dot com before the deadline passes. Make sure to include your contact details.
Judging: We have some top industry editors, agents and authors to judge for us. We are super excited! For more information, please check here.
Prizes: The winning stories will be edited then published by Freedom Fox Press in the IWSG anthology next year. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. The winners will also receive an exclusive badge to display on their blog.
We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!
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The Second Big Announcement: The Body Institute by Carol Riggs
When 17-year-old Morgan Dey joins up as a Reducer at The Body Institute, her job is to take over another girl’s body, get her in shape, and then return to her own body. It’s innovative weight loss at its finest. Only there are a few catches…it’s not long before Morgan must decide if being a Reducer is worth the cost of her body and soul.
Congrats to Carol! I'm certain it's going to be a huge success. It's a great read with lots of thought-provoking concepts and plenty of page-turning twists.
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Next mini announcement: A quick look behind character creation.
If you want to know a little more about what I've been up to lately, I've written an article about character creation for games. You can check it out here.
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Final announcement: Since today is IWSG Day where we post about our insecurities or encourage others, I am happy to share that this is a very rare occasion: Little-to-no insecurities are currently plaguing me. Woo! How about you?
Have you read The Body Institute yet? Do you already have ideas for our writing contest? What have you been up to lately?
65 comments:
A great competition to mark the anniversary. I'm sure there will be lots of entries. Good to hear you are not suffering any particular insecurity at the moment.
Oooh, I do like a writing competition!
Awesome no insecurities!
This contest is going to rock.
It will be fun to see all of the entries for the contest.
Congrats to Carol.
That's great you have no insecurities. Very excited for Carol's new book.
Glad you are having a good, insecurity free month! Carol's book sounds amazing. What a creative premise! As for the contest, well, IWSG continues to amaze me in how they (you? it?) create(s) opportunities for writers. Thank you to all!
So very exciting for the #IWSG!!! I'm sure it will be fantastic. Major congrats to Carol, too! She's just wonderful.
Hi Lynda, I have added The Body Institute to my TBR list. Excited about the IWSG news. Hoping I am able to write a story for it.
Awesome contest indeed. No insecurities is great as well
The Body Institute has a fab cover and sounds like a great story.
Bring on the contest... it's going to be awesome!
Excited about the contest. The Body Institute sound like an interesting premise. Adding to my TBR list too. Love the cover.
Juneta Writer's Gambit
Excited about the contest. The Body Institute sound like an interesting premise. Adding to my TBR list too. Love the cover.
Juneta Writer's Gambit
Happy IWSG Day, Lynda. Wish somebody could invade my body long enough to get it in shape. Any shape. LOL. Nice cover. The story sounds like an intense read.
The contest sounds great. Good luck to all who submit. :-)
Anna from Elements of Writing
Happy IWSG day! Congrats to Carol!!!
And, I'm in the mood swings of transitions in life (didn't post about those) and various writing mood swings . . . so I'm kind of insecure about the roller coaster loops, dips, and mountains that I seem to be on at the moment.
The contest should be loads of fun. And congrats to Carol!
I'm sure lots of great writers are already polishing their stories for the contest. Good for you to have no insecurities.
Susan Says
Aw, thanks, Lyn, for featuring me as part of your blogpost! :D Sounds like a great opportunity, with the anthology!! Exciting.
Very exciting news, indeed! Congratulations, Carol!
Love the news from IWSG! Great fun. And The Body Institute's premise is excellent.
Can't wait to read The Body Institute. It's going to be epic. Do you have your pen out and ready to go, or are you sitting the contests out?
Cool news today. Wishing everyone good luck with the contest. :)
I'll bet you had a lot to do with setting up the contest, Lynda. Thanks for all the hard work.
I may try my pen at this one. But I need to stop being a slacker with my ISWG post.
Yay for no insecurities! My wheels are turning for the contest. Fascinating premise to Carol's book.
I wonder.... who is going to win this competition.
Such a great announcement. I was wondering what it would be. I have Carol's book.
Hi, I haven't read The Body Institute yet, but I saw it on Twitter and retweeted it. I knew I wanted to read it. I must have misunderstood the tweet b/c I thought it announced a soon to be released date. If it's out, I'm getting it now.
Thanks for the update/reminder.
Those roller coaster loops and dips etc are normal for any creative person unfortunately. I'm sure my writing mood swings will flare up again soon enough, and that's ok. It's all part of the process.
Alas, because I'm an admin for the IWSG and taking part in a lot of the background work behind the contest, I can't take part as a contestant. It's a shame because it's such a great opportunity...and I do love writing short stories.
That's the big question! I'm looking forward to reading all the entries.
Any time, Carol. It's so awesome your book is finally out!!
The Anthology looks tempting!! The Body Institute looks awesome!
Two big announcements. I won't be entering the contest, nothing ready and no brain power to even try. It's all I can do to keep plodding along a few measly words at a time. Reading should help though, and The Body Institute looks like a great read.
you never know...you might come up with a great idea. But yes, reading always helps.
Glad to hear you're not feeling insecure this month, Lyn. I just did a great masterclass with Mike Jones at the Brisbane Writers Festival, who writes horror, spec fic, produces games, does movies and tv. He was amazing. Maybe you'll know him. He made it look easy.
Awesome announcement! Great competition!
Oh! I'm so jealous, even though I hadn't heard of Mike Jones (had to look him up). That masterclass must've been so good.
Yay for no insecurities today! I can't wait to get a copy of Carol's book! I'm not sure what I'm going to write about for the contest, but it's pushing my limits a bit.
I've never won anything in my life. What do you reckon that says about your friend Blue, Lynda? Aptly named? haha
Congrats to Carol on the new release! It sounds like an intriguing book. TP is cute! Interesting article on character creation. I envy you your no insecurities. Have a great weekend!
I had a bit of a mini breakthrough on my IWSG submission while walking the dogs today, so I'm hoping to get cracking soon! I've been intrigued by Carol's book and will have to check it out.
You need to enter to have a chance of winning, my blue friend ;)
Ha, glad you like TP. I worked hard to make him cute.
That's great to hear, Nick. Gotta love those kind of breakthroughs.
=( Darn. Well, at least you'll get to enjoy all the awesomeness of peoples entries, eh?
I wish you all the luck with the speculative fiction book. Unfortunately, I'm concrete based. However, Carol's book seems intriguing. I'll need to check it out. Oh and by the way, I'm in love with TP, your little robot-looking game person. I read your August post. I'm also technically challenged, so there's NO WAY I could have done that even with your enumerated steps.
I know, but... I'm already snowed under, metaphorically speaking :(
Turn the snow into a slushy and then I can start calling you sunshine...
I'm super thrilled you love TP. It is a bit technical to get him to that stage, but well worth the effort.
Congrats to carol!! Hey, wanna collab one for it? Kidding!! That's so out of my element for a genre!! Good luck to anyone doing it.
congrats to Carol
What a great theme for an anthology! I look forward to hearing about progress!
I am SO happy for Carol! It's on my list to read!!
absolutely!!!
I'm feeling really out of the loop by blogging only once a month. That said, I've seen Carol's book around the internet and it looks fabulous! I've also read news of the anthology - that's awesome! And now you have an article up, too. Congrats!
I know the feeling. I'm so busy that I can't blog more than once a month at the moment too. Must...finish...multiple..projects...
Super cool! Thanks for setting this up:)
I love the writing competition- it sounds like such fun. I am so far behind on my current ms that I am trying to focus my efforts in that area right now. Good luck finishing all of your projects!
~Jess
I'm blushing. A reddish kind of blue :)
Aw, I didn't think anyone else blushed these days other than me...
It has been far too long since I stopped by here! Hope you are doing well!!
A bit technical? Let me just say that with my new Lenovo laptop, I'm still bothering my personal geek...a lot! I hope your speculative fiction book is coming along fine, Lynda. And if I could ever find more time, I'd like to participate in the Insecure Writers Support Group.
Time is always the issue. I have so many things I want to do but it seems like there isn't enough time in the day! I'm certain that no matter how much time we're given, it's never enough.
Hi Meradeth! Lovely to see you again :)
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