WritingSpirit Resources

Duotrope's Digest -- Short Story, Novel, and Poetry Market Search Engine

Duotrope's Digest is a database of over 2150 current markets for short fiction, poetry, and novels/collections. You can search by writing type, theme, length, pay scale, and more. They have a theme calendar that lists theme based calls for submission, organized submission due date.  They also have a free online submissions tracker for registered users (membership is free).

Be sure to check out the navigation button labeled “curious.” It leads to a series of lists and stats that include:

• The 25 markets with the slowest average response times

• The 25 markets with the fastest average response times

• The 25 markets with the highest percentage of rejections

• The 25 markets with the highest percentage of acceptances

Operation First Novel 2008

Christian Writer's Guild Membership Deadline ($149): Sept. 17, 2008
Entry Deadline: Oct. 1, 2008
Winner Announced: Feb. 12, 2009
Submission to include complete novel from 75,000 to 100,000 words.

The winner of Operation First Novel 2008 will win $20,000 and publication by Tyndale House.

This book-length fiction contest is open to any current student or member of the Christian Writer's Guild who has not had a book published by a traditional, royalty-paying publishing house.

Taos Writer's Spa 2008

Jennifer Louden & Suzanne Falter-Barns
July 26 - August 1, 2008
Taos, New Mexico

The Taos Writer's Spa is a week-long workshop designed for serious beginners and professional writers who want to rekindle the spark in their writing, dig deeper into their creative process, and make a whole new commitment to their work. It's also for any busy, working writers who wish time to rest, juice their creativity, and get a new perspective on their work. The Writer's Spa is even for those with a creative vision of any kind that needs a shot of mojo.

Spend the week with Jennifer Louden, coach and author of five books, including the bestseller The Woman's Comfort Book, and Suzanne Falter-Barns, novelist and author of the creativity classic, How Much Joy Can You Stand? Together, they'll provide supportive coaching, in a structured, non-competitive, beautiful retreat environment.

More than just a writer's retreat or workshop, this is a spa, a place to relax, and unwind with your writing. Let Jennifer and Suzanne help you renew and nurture your writerly self -- and that helps you claim your full emotional power as a writer.

London Book Fair

April 14-16, 2008
April 20-22, 2009
April 19-21, 2010
Earl's Court, London, England

The London Book fair is the global publishing community's leading spring forum for booksellers, publishers, librarians and book production services worldwide. Ideally timed to provide you with a concentrated 3-day trading and educational platform offering access to the world's books, real business contacts and shared knowledge.

This three day conference includes:

• Seminar Programme - The 2008 seminar programme will hone in on three key areas: Digitisation, Children's Books & Publishing, and Film & TV. Each strand will have a programme of seminars that will be of interest to all sectors within the industry. There will also be a masterclass on How to Get Published. 

• Exhibition Hall - This year there are several dedicated exhibitor sections: Academic STM/ELT Publishing; Art, Architecture,and Design; Children's and Young Adult Publishing; General Publishing; Publishing Solutions; Remainder and Promotional; Travel Publishing and Maps; and Retailing Solutions.

• Author Programme - Each year a number of authors come to The London Book Fair and participate in events. Past authors have included Tariq Ali, Margaret Atwood, Paulo Coelho, George Szirtes and Joanna Trollope. Author events range from taking part in panel discussions, performing readings and talking about their work. You may even have the chance to have a drink with your favourite author!

• International Rights Center - The London Book Fair's International Rights Centre (IRC) is the leading location in the Spring for the trading of global literary, television and film rights. The IRC offers a focused 3-day trading period during a key buying time for the publishing industry. As the Centre is situated on the gallery level of Earls Court and partitioned off from the main show halls it provides a more private and comfortable meeting space with an appointment only entrance system.

• New Cookbook Zone - In conjunction with the world famous Gourmand World Cook Book Awards you can experience demonstrations and culinary delights courtesy of celebrity chefs from around the world, including renowned Lebanese chef Ramzi Choueiri, chefs from the Cordon Bleu Cooking School and Art Smith from the Oprah Winfrey Show.

London Book Fair

Guide to Literary Agents -- Editor's Blog

Guide to Literary Agents--Editors Blog
Where and how to find the right agents to represent your work.

In his blog, Chuck Sambuchino, editor of the annual edition of Writer's Digest Books' Guide to Literary Agents, keeps track of all news related to literary agents and writing conferences. Common features include agent interviews, new agency listings, agency profiles, upcoming conferences of interest, contests and other publishing opportunities, valuable writing resources, submission tips and information, and a blogroll of other agent blogs.

2008 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards

Submission Deadline: May 1, 2008
Entry Fee: $100 for the first entry, $50 every entry thereafter.
Grand Prize: $3,000 plus several avenues of publicity and promotional help.
1st Prize: $1,000 to the winner in all 9 categories.
All entrants will receive a judge's commentary and a listing with a link on the Writer's Digest Web site

Book Categories:
*  Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age)
*  Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books)
*  Nonfiction
*  Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs)
*  Poetry
*  Mainstream/Literary Fiction
*  Genre Fiction
*  Children's Picture Books
*  Middle Grade/Young Adult books

Writer's Digest is searching for the best self-published books of the past few years. Whether you're a professional writer, part-time freelancer, or a self-starting student, here's your chance to enter the only competition exclusively for self-published books!

16th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards

2008 Nelson Algren Awards for Short Fiction

Submission Deadline: Postmarked by February 15, 2008
Word Limit: 2,500-8,000 Words
Entry Fee: None
Awards: $5,000 First Prize and three $1,500 Runner-up Prizes

The annual Nelson Algren awards (given in memory of the Chicago author) are for short fiction. Submissions must be written by an American and must be unpublished.  Winners of the Nelson Algren Awards are notified late September to mid-October. The four winning Nelson Algren Awards stories will be published in the Chicago Tribune.

2008 Nelson Algren Awards for Short Fiction

The 2008 Foley Poetry Contest

Submission  Deadline: March 31, 2008
Word Limit: Submit only one poem of 30 lines or less.
Entry Fee: None
Prize: $1,000

America (the National Catholic Weekly) sponsors annually the Foley Poetry Award, given in honor of William T. Foley, M.D. America publishes about one poem a month. For the most part, these poems are selected from the runner-ups in the Foley Poetry Contest. Because America receives so many excellent submissions as part of the Foley Poetry Contest, it does not at present accept unsolicited poems for publication except those submitted as part of the contest.

America Magazine
The Foley Poetry Contest

77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition

Submission Deadline: May 15, 2008.
Late submission (add $2 per submission) up to June 2, 2008.
Word Limit: Varies
Entry Fee: $15 first submission, $10 additional submissions. Poems: $10 first submission, $5 additional submissions.
Prizes: Grand Prize is $3,000 plus trip to New York City to meet with agents and editors. More than $30,000 in cash and prizes, including a First Place Prize for each category of $1,000.

There are ten categories:

• Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
• Memoirs/Personal Essay
• Magazine Feature Article
• Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story
• Rhyming Poetry
• Non-Rhyming Poetry
• Stage Play (* submission by mail only)
• Television/Movie Script (* submission by mail only)
• Children's/Young Adult Fiction

In 2007 there were 15,845 entries.

77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition

2008 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards

Submission Deadline:  July 1, 2008
Word Limit: Submit up to 3 poems of 30 lines or less.
Entry Fee: $15 Entry Fee Adults / No Entry Fee Youth
Prizes: $ 1,000 Adults, $ 200 Youths (13 to 18), $ 200 Youths (12 and under)

The Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Award is an annual series of awards created to encourage poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit. Open to people worldwide, the contest has been held since 1996. The contest honors the late Barbara Kelly, a Santa Barbara poet and longtime supporter of peace issues.

2006 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards