Writing Contests, Part 1

If you write poetry, short stories, novels, essays, nonfiction, or memoir of the best literary quality you can produce, the best source for finding honest contests is Poets & Writers Magazine. This magazine (which used to be called Coda) roots out scams and sinks them into the deepest hole in the Atlantic Ocean. The magazine comes out every two months, and you can find it in any decent library. Or you can buy it at newsstands or bookstores. I subscribe because it doesn't cost all that much and it's more convenient.

The first part of P&W contains articles, many of which are useful. But everyone knows that the really good stuff comes after the articles. That's where the contests are listed. Most of the contests are sponsored by literary journals, usually those published by colleges or universities. These contests often charge reading fees, which are used to provide the prize money and keep the journal alive for another year, given that most journals could not survive from subscription fees and the few ads they sell. These reading fees are the only exceptions I know of that do not ring the warning bells for the many scams out there.