Write Ways to Win
Writing Contests
with special reference to the
Tom Howard & John Howard Reid
Annual Literary Competitions
for Poetry & Prose
Open to All Writers
Each year, John Howard Reid and Tom Howard Books sponsor three
Writing Contests. These Contests are open to all writers worldwide, although please note that all entries must be written in English.
In order of annual closing dates, these contests are:
1. The Tom Howard/John Howard Reid Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest, deadline March 31, 2010. Entries for Contest 18
will be accepted from July 15, 2009. Prize money will total $5,550. The entry fee will be $15. The prize structure for
Contest 18 will consist of a First Prize of $3,000, a Second Prize of $1,000, a Third Prize of $400, and a Fourth Prize of $250.
In addition, six prizes of $150 each, making a total of $5,550.
Full details are posted on this page.
2. The Margaret Reid Poetry Prize for Traditional Verse, closing June 30, 2010. Entries for the 2010 Prize will be accepted from November 15, 2009.
Total prize money has been increased to $5,550. Full details are posted on http://margaretreid.exactpages.com
3. The $5,350 Tom Howard Poetry Contest for Poetry and Verse in All Styles and
Genres, closing September 30,
2009. Entries are now being accepted. Please scroll down this page or use this link for full
details: http://www.tomhowardpoetry.bravepages.com
The Tom Howard & John Howard Reid Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest
The Tom Howard Poetry Contest
for Verse
in All Styles & Genres
Write Way Number One:
One of the very best ways to DEFEAT WRITER'S BLOCK is to take a look at what other writers are writing. Not only what they're publishing, but what they're winning prizes for! It's never too early or too late to start preparing for this and the next round of contests. Most winners submit multiple entries. This is one of the most important tips from my book, "Write Ways to WIN WRITING CONTESTS". I achieved such a high rate of success because I always submitted AT LEAST 3 ENTRIES. You may think you have a certain winner and it may well be a fine piece of writing. The problem is that it may not be an entry that appeals to the judges. It may not be on their wave-length at all. For example, you could write the cleverest baseball poem or the greatest baseball story of all time, but if the judges are not interested in baseball (or even worse, hold that sport in contempt), your entry is headed straight for the reject basket. So, in addition to multiple entries, it's also important to give consideration to POSSIBLE SUBJECTS that you KNOW will appeal to the judges. You can accomplish this aim by buying a copy of the latest Anthology of Prizewinning Poems from the Tom Howard Poetry Prize and the Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse. Only $16.50 for a beautiful print edition from Lulu Books. Or better still, buy now for only $9.95 in Amazon's special promotion. Yes, this is exactly the same book that some other stores (and even the publisher) are selling for $16.50. Over 100 prize-winning poems are featured in this large-format 194-page book.
If you would like to preview some of the poems, please use this link: Lulu Books
WRITE WAY NUMBER 2. Here's absolute-must reading for all who wish to succeed in literary contests and writing competitions! A New, Expanded Edition of my famous handbook "WRITE WAYS TO WIN WRITING CONTESTS: How to Join the Winners' Circle for Prose and Poetry Awards" is now available from Amazon. With right-up-to-date 2009 information, 20 extra pages, including an extra chapter on "Maximizing Poetry Entries", this book is a must-have item. And the really good news is that, despite all the additional information, the publisher has reduced the price to only $12.50. Of course you can also still but the old edition either direct from Lulu at http://www.lulu.com/filmindex or online booksellers.
Yes, you can either buy the New Expanded Edition from Amazon OR the old edition from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other bookstores. What's $12.50 (or $14.99) compared to increasing your chances of carrying off that $2,000 in cash First Prize? Here are some more important tips from "WRITE WAYS TO WIN WRITING CONTESTS":
WRITE WAY NUMBER THREE. Know your judge! What are the writing qualities the judge admires? What is he or she actually looking for in a story or a poem or an essay?
So how do you find out this important information? What sort of stories or poems does the judge write? What subjects interest him (or her)? You'll find an Amazon link for my anthology of original poems, "ANYONE FOR LOVE?", at the bottom of this page. My latest book of stories and essays has also just been released. Please click this Amazon link for a description:
Also important is knowing what work has won awards from the judge in previous contests? You'll find some of my favorite poems in "SAILING IN THE MIST OF TIME".
Here now are yet another two tips for a winning entry from WRITE WAYS TO WIN WRITING CONTESTS: "A catchy but appropriate title. Remember that first impressions count and your title is the first thing the judge sees. And what is the second thing he or she sees? Your opening lines. Make sure they arouse interest and capture attention."
The 18th annual John Howard Reid & Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest will open on July 15, 2009!
The Contest will offer
a
$5,550
total prize pool!
Second
Prize: $1,000
Third
Prize: $400. Fourth prize: $250
Plus six Most Highly Commended Awards of $150 each.
Please note that the judges will endeavor to award at least one of the cash prizes this year to a humorous story, essay or article.
Your
story or prose piece should be no longer than 5,000 words. There is no minimum
length. Closing date is March 31, 2010. You can enter a story that has already been
published or even won prizes in other contests (so long as you hold the online publication rights). Unpublished stories are certainly
most welcome too! The judges are positively anxious to discover talented writers.
All ten winning stories/essays will be published on the WINNING WRITERS web site. At
his discretion, the publisher may also from time to time offer selected winning works print
publication in an Anthology such as "Watching Time". WRITERS ARE COMPLETELY FREE TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE SUCH AN INVITATION.
WRITE WAY NUMBER 4. If I were entering this contest myself, my first thought would be to read some of the previous winning stories and essays included in the latest anthology, "WATCHING TIME". This has proved the most popular book I've ever published. I was both proud yet embarrassed that the initial trade edition completely sold out. The wholesaler had no stock at all. There were still a few copies around in the stores, but they were selling for fancy prices like $145.00! The book was finally reprinted in July, 2008, and went back on sale at Amazon and other bookstores for $12.95. But now, April/May, 2009, it has almost completely sold out once again! Amazon still have a few copies for sale, and fortunately, the publisher is still able to supply proof copies. The price is the same as both the now almost sold-out trade editions, namely $12.95, even though the printing is of higher quality. Please use this link to the publisher and then scroll right down to the bottom of the page: http://www.lulu.com/filmindex The latest good news is that the two previous short story anthologies, "Mr Christian and the Bag Lady" and "Keep Watching the Skies!" have been reprinted and are now available at Amazon and other stores!
Entry
forms are not necessary, but by entering this contest you agree to abide by
all its conditions. Decisions by the chief judge are final. You retain all rights and are free to accept or decline any offers of print publication.
ENTRY FEE: $15 per story/essay.
Maximum
length: 5,000 words.
No
minimum length requirements. No restrictions on the type or theme of the
stories or prose pieces you may submit. Send as many entries as you like!
Entries
must be postmarked on or before March 31, 2010, or lodged online before
midnight, March 31, 2010, Pacific Time.
Online submission using your credit card or PayPal will be available at Winning Writers. Please use this link from July 15, 2009: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/tomstory/ts_guidelines.php
Postal submissions may be sent to Winning Writers, Attention Tom Howard Short Story Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3961, USA.
Chief judge: John Howard Reid. Associate judge: Dee C. Konrad.
We very much regret we cannot return entries. Please make sure you keep a copy. Also we cannot retrieve an entry to make alterations. However, you can always submit a revised version of your entry by paying another entry fee.
The Tom Howard Poetry Contest
for Poetry and Verse
in all styles
& genres
1. Here is the fourth and latest Anthology of Prize-winning Poems from both the Tom Howard Poetry Contest and the Margaret Reid Prize for Traditional Verse. Over 100 fascinating, award-winning poems (showcasing over 50 major prize-winners, including 19 of the 21 major winners from the 2007 Margaret Reid Prize and 29 of the 30 major winners from the 2006 Tom Howard Poetry Contest). 60 superb photographs. 194 large-format pages. Only 16.50 for a beautiful print edition. Currently, however, this book is "on special" at Amazon and other bookstores for only $9.95. This promotion may end soon, so order now from the link below before the price reverts to $16.50 (and that itself is a bargain price for a book of this superlative quality). Also again available is our acclaimed second anthology of winning poems, TRAVELING.
If you wish to Preview this anthology, please use this link: Lulu Books
The 7th annual Tom Howard Poetry Contest is now open. A total of $5,350 will be awarded in prize-money for all styles and genres of poetry and verse as follows:
First Prize: $2,000. Second: $1,000. Third: $500. Fourth: $250. Plus five High Distinction Awards of $200 each. Plus six Highly Commended Awards of $100 each. Fifteen cash awards in all, including a First Prize of $2,000.
Grand total: $5,350.
In short, this Contest is a Premier Literary Competition for Original Creative Writing in Poetry or Verse in any Style and on any Theme.
US$5,350 in Cash Prizes, plus online publication for the top fifteen winners. Poets will also be offered the opportunity to have their prize-winning entries published in traditional print form, at no cost to them whatever, in an anthology similar to SAILING IN THE MIST OF TIME, as featured above. Poets will all be completely free to either accept or decline this offer of traditional print publication.
Closing date: September 30, 2009
Entries may be submitted online at http://winningwriters.com/contests/tompoetry/tp_guidelines.php
Visit the above site for email, PayPal and snail mail options.
Entry forms are not required for this Contest, however, by entering you agree to abide by the judge's decisions, and that those decisions are final. If you win a cash prize you agree to allow John H. Reid and Winning Writers to publish your poem online.
Entry fees are US$7 for every 25 lines (or part thereof).
There is no maximum limit on the number of lines (or number of entries) you may submit. There are no restrictions on subject matter and, unlike many other contests, humorous poems and comic verses are most welcome. In fact, you will find some excellent, winning examples of comic poems in our printed anthologies such as SAILING IN THE MIST OF TIME and TRAVELING.
TO REPEAT, ALL TYPES AND GENRES OF POETRY ARE ACCEPTED
NO RESTRICTIONS ON PREVIOUS PUBLICATION
PRIZE-WINNERS FROM OTHER CONTESTS WELCOME
(SO LONG AS YOU HAVE RETAINED ONLINE PUBLISHING RIGHTS)
Please note that the entry fee of US$7 per 25 lines is calculated on the total number of lines. (Headings and spaces are not counted). If you submit two short poems, one of ten lines and one of 14 lines, the total fee is US$7. If, however, you submit two sonnets (14 lines each), the fee is US$14. If you submit a long poem of 199 lines, the fee is US$56.
If you have any questions, please email johnreid at mail.qango.com
The prizes are pegged in U.S. dollars. Prizes will be paid in other currencies (if required) at equivalent rates of exchange.
The chief judge of all entries in the Contest is John H. Reid. Associate judge is Professor D.C. Konrad.
Free publication in a traditional print format in a paperback book anthology similar to SAILING IN THE MIST OF TIME, will be offered to prize-winning entries. Authors are completely free to accept or decline this offer.
This beautiful collection of poetry by John Howard Reid (including a number of prize-winning poems) is now on sale at Amazon. Please use the button at the bottom of this page. ANYONE FOR LOVE? is also available at Lulu. Please use this link: http://www.lulu.com/filmindex