OTP is fun because every four months they run a contest that invites you to write a piece of fiction on a very specific theme. It is free to enter and the first place winner gets 180 USD. They don't place any limits on genre: anything goes, from literary fiction to pulp to high concept sci fi or whatever.
Mini contests are super tiny, but still come with a $15 prize for the winner. If you're like me and you're looking for a quick way to boost your writerly self-esteem by submitting some work, this could be it. The current contest has a 25-word limit (and yes, the theme is something you can reasonably complete in 25 words). Deadline is April 28, 2013.
To get the theme for the mini contest, you have to subscribe to the newsletter, which is infrequent and succinct and purple toned (just in case the colour of the newsletter has any bearing on your desire to receive it). OTP uses the newsletter not only to let subscribers know about what's going on with the magazine and contests but also to brag about writers who have been part of their contests and who have gone on to find success elsewhere. They also recommend stories published in other venues, just because they love stories. I think that's sweet.
(I won't say what the current theme is because I think you should just get the newsletter if you're interested, but let's say it's really ripe if you're into horror, suspense, or creepy stuff.)
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6 comments:
$15 for 25 words?
I think those would be the toughest 25 words ever.
I don't have time this month, maybe next.
So I haven't been to your blog in a while and I come back here and instantaneously, which is a fancier way of saying "instantly" which is a fancier way of saying "wow, really fast," which is how you know I am literary and stuff, because I say things all fancy style,
INSTANTANEOUSLY I get more awesome information. First you helped me understand horror and now you clue me in on a contest like this. I'm going to move you up the roster to read more often. I can't put you ahead of Andrew Leon, mind you, as he knows where I live on account of he once sent me chocolates, which were quite delicious and I meant to blog about them more but I got bogged down.
HA I should have said "blogged down." AH, WELL, the things we didn't do often define us.
Seriously: I'm going to read more often. And you should share these stories that you submit, or did you already?
@Briane: Yes, blog about the chocolate! I mean, it's chocolate!
I keep forgetting to enter these. I'm on the mailing list and each time they come, I think 'oooo interesting'
Thanks for the reminder, Elizabeth
Did you enter?
@Briane: Welcome, welcome! I am often blogged down. Uh, if you want to read some of my stuff, you can find some INSTANTANEOUSLY under "Published Stories." Some are in non-instantaneous book format, but others are on the web for free.
@Debs: Yup. You?
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