Markets & Contests
Finding Legitimate Writing Markets & Contests
Avoid Scams - Writing Markets - Writing Contests
Avoid Scams and Suspect Contests
Not all writing contests and markets are what they seem. Some are designed to take advantage of the hopes of beginning writers, promising instant publication and huge awards.
Research the Market or Contest Before You Enter
You should first do some research on the contest or market you are contemplating and see what other writers have experienced. If you do enter, you can do so with your eyes open.
Check the Web
Research to see if there is a problem with the contest or market. Watch for similarities so that you can learn to identify the warning signs.
- Wind Publications Literary Contest Caution
- SFWA Contests and Vanity Anthologies
- Check your local Better Business Bureau for complaints.
Ask Local Writers
- Check with your local CAA Branch to see if they have experienced problems with a particular contest or market and if they can recommend some to you for the genre you are writing in.
- CAA members have access to the CAA-members-only listserv to submit this question to a much larger audience. More about the listserv (user name and password needed).
- Check other writing associations for hints and recommendations.
Support Those That Help You
Most writing organizations are run by volunteers or minimal staff and may not have the resources to help you. Please consider supporting them by paying their membership dues if you would like their assistance and have determined that organization or set of organizations can provide for your requirements. Your writing career will benefit.
Learn Lessons and Teach Others
Remember, it is better to enter a legitimate contest and have your piece properly evaluated than to "win" in a scam and suffer a huge let-down later.
Writing Markets
Canadian Writer's Journal—Canada's independent writer's quarterly—includes markets, contests, and new writing ideas.
http://www.cwj.ca
Call for Submissions is an on-line markets listings service from Canadian Writer's Journal.
http://www.cwj.ca/10-markets.htm
PRISM international.
http://prism.arts.ubc.ca
The Write Market has hundreds of listings for print magazines, book projects, contests, Webzines, and publishers in one place.
http://www.writemarket.com
Writers Write: Writer's Guidelines Directory.
http://www.writerswrite.com/guidelines
The Gila Queen's Guide to Markets is a printed guide with a subscription fee.
http://www.gilaqueen.us
The AA Independent Press Guide is an excellent listing of Canadian, UK, US and other magazine markets and publishers from the perspective of submissions.
http://www.rimbaud.org.uk/aaipg.html
Writing Contests Sites
Contest Listings Sites - Annual Contests
Contests and Listings Sites
CAA Contests includes current and annual contests sponsored by the Canadian Authors Association and annual contests sponsored by our various CAA branches.
http://www.canauthors.org/contests.html
This Magazine's Great Canadian Literary Hunt.
http://this.org/contribute/great-canadian-literary-hunt
The Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar is a printed calendar with detailed information on Canadian writing contests, awards and prizes, organized month by month according to their deadline dates. Cost: $14.95.
http://www.wmpub.ca/cwcc.htm
WCDR Writing Contests Listing (formerly Smith's List of CanLit Contests).
http://www.wcdr.org/wcdr25/index.php?cat=5
West End Writers' Club Contest Listing includes details about their own annual contest and links to other contests and awards.
http://www.wewriters.org/contest.html
Writing Competitions is part of a general listing of competitions of all sorts.
http://www.competearoundtheworld.com/writing_competition.php
The Art Deadlines List includes writing contests, grants, festivals, and funding for writers and other artists. There is a free email version or a paid paper or email version.
http://artdeadlineslist.com
FundsforWriters has an excellent contest listing.
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/contests.htm
Annual Contests
In order for a contest to be listed here, the contest page must be maintained throughout the year and directly linkable (i.e. not requiring someone to click on another link to reach the page in a frames-based site).
The Fiddlehead, Atlantic Canada's International Literary Magazine, holds two annual contests in short fiction and poetry. Deadline: December 1 of each year.
http://www.thefiddlehead.ca/contest.html
PRISM international's Annual Short Fiction Contest. Entry deadline: January 31st; 1st prize $2000.
http://prism.arts.ubc.ca/contests.php
The Writers' Union holds three annual contests.
http://www.writersunion.ca/cn_main.asp
The Camargo Foundation sponsors creative projects by writers and other artistic disciplines with specific projects to complete.
http://www.camargofoundation.org
www.canauthors.org/links/markets.html
Updated: November 26, 2009
