July Contest Deadlines - Take A Chance on Winning

Today's forecast for St. Peters, MO: Chance of thunderstorms, high 89 degrees.

Nothing like a hot day to keep me inside writing. One productive way I spend my time between large writing projects is entering writing contests, although some of my writing friends claim it's a diversion from finishing my YA novel. But that's another story.

Over the years I've entered many writing contests, and I've even judged a few. Sometimes I think my submission is the greatest, but it doesn't win anything. Other times I send something I don't think is my best work, and it wins. Who knows? One thing for sure, just like the Lottery, you can't win if you don't play--or in this case--enter.

The contests below either have no entry fee or very affordable entry fees. All have deadlines in July.

July 18 - "Three-Minute Fiction" Contest is sponsored by National Public Radio. Thanks to Amanda H, a member of Saturday Writers, who e-mailed me about this contest. No fee to enter, a 600-word limit, and lots of guidelines to follow. I'm working on a story I hope to finish in time.

July 24 - White County Creative Writers - is a great group of writers from Arkansas who sponsor fun contests in conjunction with their annual conference. You don't have to attend the conference to enter. I've entered a few of this group's contests over the years--and won a couple times. The entry fee is $5 for first entry and $3 for all others.

July 31 - Green River Writers from Kentucky sponsor several contests each year--mostly poetry, but some fiction and one novel contest. The one contest I've had the most luck with is the Jim O'Dell Memorial Limerick Contest. I'm definitely not a poet, but writing Limericks is fun, and winning money for them is icing on the cake. Their entry fees are also affordable.

So, take a chance on winning. Good luck! If you enter and win, please let me know, so I can share your good news with my visitors.