Write fiction inspired by this photo. Photo credit: Robb Hill / Robb Hill Photo
Fiction contests are a great motivator. Contests can earn you a little money and prestige, give you some publishing credits (often contest winners are published) and even bring agent interest. In a contest judged by Joyce Carol Oates once, I was named a runner up. No money or publishing credit, but my story was passed to an editor in New York who contacted me asking for more work. At the time, he wanted a novel, which I didn’t have or hadn’t started. But when I’m done, he’ll be the first person I call.
To me the main benefit to the contest is the deadline. Tonight for example, I found this gem, NPR’s Three-Minute Fiction Contest. NPR book critic Alan Cheuse will choose a winning story to be read on-air. A three-minute story is about 600 words. This is the third round of their contest and for it they want original fiction inspired by the photograph above. Check out the contest. Enter. I did. You may not win, but it’ll get you writing and that’s what counts.
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