Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Flash Fiction Contests

If you’re up for a flash fiction challenge, I have three no-fee Flash Fiction Contests to share with you, listed in the order of their deadlines. Follow the links for more information.

Flash Fiction Chronicles “String-of-Ten”

This is the second "String of Ten" contest being held by FFC. It opened on 2/7/10 and ends 2/14/10. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story (250 words max) that includes at least four of the ten words supplied, as well as a quote that is meant to inspire your piece. Prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place.

Joel Willans, nominated for the Pushcart Prize and winner of the Yeovil Prize and Global Short Story Award, is the guest judge for this contest.


SFF World "Fantasy Cliches"

SFF World, a writers forum dedicated to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror is holding a flash fiction contest for their members (registration is free). The theme is “Fantasy Cliches” and you must follow their process to choose a specific title. The word limit is 1200, and the deadline is February 19, 2010. The forum is entirely member-driven and controlled, and the prize is the honor of nominating the theme and hosting the next contest.


Word Vault Flash Fiction Contest

The Writer's Beat is a creative community of writers that provides forums for discussion regarding tips and advice on the craft of writing, and welcomes excerpts from your writing to get feedback and critique. They hold monthly writing contests and group writing exercises. Registration is free.

Members of The Writer's Beat are invited to participate in a 250 word Flash Fiction contest in which you must use at least one of the words supplied.

The deadline is April 30, 2010. The Staff will select a winner to be published in the next issue of Writer's Beat Quarterly.

How about you? Are you tempted to give one or more of these a shot? Busy working on something else? My story, "The Delivery Room" placed as a finalist in the first FFC "String of Ten" contest last September. I'm hoping to finish and polish a story in time for their 2/14 deadline; then I may give the Word Vault contest a try.

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11 comments:

David Cranmer said...

Sounds like a lot of good opportunities for writers.

Crystal Phares said...

I will definitely try to do at least two of the three. Thanks so much for sharing these great opportunities!

Kathleen A. Ryan said...

David,
I love these contests, as it may provide a prompt for a writer to be challenged to rise to the occasion and give it a go. Then they have another story under their belt, and it may inspire the writer to write more!

Crystal,
I read about so many, and I'm happy to share them in case it strikes a chord with someone. With many of these, as you know, it's not the size of the prize, but the satisfaction of completing a story and the potential recognition; sometimes it's the chance to have your work read by a particular judge -- another incentive. Good luck!

Charles Gramlich said...

Thanks for the heads up. That last one sounds interesting to me.

Kathleen A. Ryan said...

You're so welcome, Charles! That's the spirit! Go for it!

Elaine Will Sparber said...

Good luck to everyone who enters any of these contests!

Kathleen A. Ryan said...

Thanks, Elaine! Ditto!

Gay Degani said...

Thanks for posting this, Kathleen. I hope FFC will get a couple entries from you too.

Kathleen A. Ryan said...

Hi Gay!
Thanks for stopping by; it's my pleasure to blog about your "String-of-Ten: Two" contest. I'm hard at work on my submission, which will be coming your way soon! I'm having a lot of fun with it; those words are like a puzzle, and it's fun putting them together!

Ubud Writers and Readers Festival said...

Hi,
There is also Flash Fiction Contest in www.ubudwritersfestival.com. It is an annual writers festival held in Ubud, Bali. I think it will be great if everyone here can participate.

Thank you.

Kathleen A. Ryan said...

Thanks for the notification of the Ubud Writers Festival contest ~ I'll spread the word!