Want to stretch your writing muscles? Increase your publication portfolio? Submit to these upcoming contests (list compliments of Hope Clark’s Fund for Writers, Narrative,  WOW).

1. Institute For Writers Sci-Fi First Pages Contest – $19 Entry Fee. Deadline March 31, 2018. First prize $650. Second prize $350. Third prize $100. Fourth prize $100. Fifth prize $100. 750 Word Limit. 
2. First Pages Prize –$25 Entry Fee. Deadline – March 13, 2018. Submit your first five pages of a fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry manuscript.
3. Narrative – The Winter Story Contest. Deadline: Saturday, March 31, at midnight, PDT.  $2,500 First Prize; $1,000 Second Prize; $500 Third Prize; Ten finalists receive $100 each.
4. Wow – Spring 2018 Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest –Open prompt. Maximum Word count 750. Deadline –   May 31st, 11:59 PM. ENTRY FEE: $10.00.First Place: $400.00 cash prize; $25 Amazon Gift Certificate; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. Second Place –$300.00 cash prize; $25 Amazon Gift Certificate; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. Third Place – $200.00 cash prize; $25 Amazon Gift Certificate; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. 7 Runners Up: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog.
5. WOW – Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Open topic. Maximum word count-1000; Deadline– April 30th, 11:59 PM; First Place: $500.00 cash prize; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. Second Place: $300.00 cash prize; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog.Third Place: $200.00 cash prize; Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. 7 Runners Up: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.

A Checklist Before You Submit: 

1. Know your Judge and the journal – A little extra time in research will pay big dividends. Find out the genre, style, and preferred content before making a submission. Reading previous winners is an excellent way to get a feel for what the editors are looking for.
2. Be sure to follow the guidelines! Sounds obvious, but editors say submissions which fail to follow the guidelines are their number one beef!
3. Proofread! – Careless grammar and punctuation errors can sink your submission.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. I’m all ears and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.