IWSG: Special Announcement!

First Wednesday of the month means IWSG the fantastic group started by Alex J. Cavanaugh to share, complain and celebrate together as writers in this difficult business. Last year the members of IWSG joined together to write the non-fiction book The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond. This year, IWSG brings you another fantastic project. Read the details below and visit the IWSG site to learn more and join in this contest. It's been months in the planning and we're very excited about it.

The IWSG Short Story Contest 2015

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 The story must be previously unpublished.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How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to TheIWSG at gmail dot com before the deadline passes.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: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges:

·         Laura Maisano - Senior editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian fiction

·         Russell Connor – Author and owner of Dark Filament Publishing Startup

·         Candace Havens  - Author and Editorial Director for the Covet, Edge and Select lines at Entangled Publishing

·         Dawn Frederick – Literary agent and the founder of Red Sofa Literary

·         Alice Speilburg – Founder of the Speilburg Literary Agency

·         Michelle Johnson – Founder of Inklings Literary Agency and Writers' Center and Bookstore owner

·         Kendare Blake - Author

·         Lydia Moëd - Associate agent at The Rights Factory

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and 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!

Do you have a short story in mind or an old one you can polish up? How about that list of judges! Are you ready to get published? 

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. We're off to another wedding, a nephew this time. But most of the time, we'll be relaxing at home and enjoying the last few days of having the pool open. Now get to work on that short story.