Writers always feel the love at Alison Kent’s blog, but this is pretty darn special, if I do say so myself:
I hereby challenge any of you who are interested to sign up for our Seventy Days of Sweat. The challenge begins on Sunday, July 8 and runs through Thursday, September 20. (Yes, that�s 75 days, but we�re giving you off July 11 – 15 if you need it for conference. That said, ask yourself, “What Would Nora Do?” Yes, Nora writes at conference. I�ve witnessed it with my own eyes.)
The rules are simple. You agree to write 4 – 6 pages a day (depending on the length of your book) every day between the dates listed above. If you need to take off a day, you make up the pages another. If you don�t like to write 7 days a week, too bad. This challenge lasts for only 10 weeks, and if you have to get up early on the weekends to get the pages done, you do it. (Hey, we all do it! You can, too!)
There will be prizes. There will be sweat and tears. But at the end of it (hopefully) you’ll have a book written! Not so shabby, if you ask me.
Alison also points out Sharon Culler’s blog, where she has recast the Black Dagger Brotherhood as actual brothas. Hot, hot, hot.
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Via Funds for Writers:
CHEERIOS SPOONFULS OF STORIES CHILDREN’S BOOK CONTEST
http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/
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NO ENTRY FEE
What�s better than sharing a great story with a child? Maybe when that great story is one that YOU wrote! For the past five years, through our Spoonfuls of Stories program, Cheerios has been helping to get great books to children and encouraging parents and children to read together. This summer, we�d like to encourage aspiring children�s book authors to write and share their best story � through our new Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Children�s Book Contest. The contest is open to unpublished authors ages 18 years and older, to submit their children�s story. The story should be suitable for children ages 4 to 8 years old. One Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash prize from Cheerios and have an opportunity to have their book reviewed for a potential book deal with a publisher. In addition, two First Prize winners will receive cash prizes. All three Prize winners will have their stories featured online at spoonfulsofstories.com. The contest opens June 19, and all entries must be received by 11:59 P.M. on September 7, 2007.
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THE BAD SEAFOOD WRITING CONTEST
http://www.funnydisasterstories.com/contests/
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NO ENTRY FEE
The Bad Seafood Story Contest is hosted by funnydisasterstories.com, a place to share all those disaster stories you can laugh about later in life. The winner receives $400 and is decided by a two round community vote.
In the first round, the most popular and entertaining stories (decided by me and based partially on the number of unique readers, so be sure to forward your entry to all your friends) qualify for the category poll, where all registered members get to vote on which 3 entries in each category is the best. All category winners are then entered into the final round, and again, all registered winners can vote. The entry with the most votes wins, and the author gets $400.
This contest is open to all, and there is no fee to enter. You must register as a user with the website to enter. You can enter as many times as you want in as many categories as you want. Categories range from vacation
disasters to drinking disasters. There is no cost to enter or to join the forum. Your entry can be based either on fact, or it can be creative. Winner is based on humor, uniqueness, and disaster scale of your funny disaster story. You must be over 13 years of age to enter.
Entries must be at least 250 words.
Entries must be in the system by July 31, 2007.
Each voting round will take one week.
Winner will be declared August 18, 2007
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THE GABEHART PRIZE FOR IMAGINATIVE WRITING
28th Kentucky Women Writers Conference
http://www.uky.edu/WWK/prize.php
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ENTRY FEE – $5 POETRY; $10 FICTION AND NONFICTION
Three prizes are awarded in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Each winner receives $100, two 2-day passes to the conference and the opportunity to read her winning manuscript at the conference. Deadline August 15, 2007.
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SOUTH CAROLINA WRITER’S CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.myscww.org
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You are thinking to yourself, “There is just no way I can afford even the Conference Basic Package,” PLEASE email Sandra Johnson at sjohnson10079@sc.rr.com . Sandra is our Scholarship and Volunteer coordinator this year. If you do not have email, please call at (864) 370-9262. We have for years had a scholarship program that few take advantage of. Scholarships are not just for kids right out of high school–although recent graduates are welcome. Scholarships are also for single parents, senior citizens on fixed incomes and anyone else who for whatever reason would not otherwise be able to afford to come. The only requirement is that you are an established SCWW member, and that you keep your membership current through the conference. The application process is simple–just type a letter or email of application stating briefly your writing efforts and financial need. Send mailed applications to P.O. Box 7104, Columbia, SC 29202. Email applications can be sent to Sandra at the above email address. ALL applications are held in strict confidence. It is our heartfelt wish that NO ONE who wants to come be left out for financial reasons. Please apply now–we have a limited number of scholarships available. We want to use every one, but once they are awarded, we won’t be able to add more.
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KAVANAGH TRUST FELLOWSHIPS
http://www.tcd.ie/English/patrickkavanagh/thetrust.html
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To mark the fortieth anniversary of the death of Patrick Kavanagh, the trustees of the estate of Katherine Kavanagh offer one or two fellowships of �8,000 each to an Irish poet or poets, in their middle years. Deadline July 31, 2007.
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IRVINE FOUNDATION GRANTS (CALIFORNIA)
http://www.cciarts.org/funding.htm#
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Deadline August 3, 2007. The James Irvine Foundation�s “Investing in Artists” grant program is currently in Round I of the grant process. The program provides grants in two categories: “Artistic Equipment and Tools”, and “Presenting and Marketing Work.” After three rounds of funding, planning grants of up to $5,000 and implementation grants up to $15,000 will be awarded to California artists over a two-year period in 2007 and 2008. Question Emily Sevier, Programs Manager, at (415) 904-8671 or at Emily@cciarts.org . Application at Web site.