Current No-Cost Contests

Two no-cost contests to report--both with deadlines early in the new year.

First, if you've read Bruce Holland Rogers's article on fixed forms for prose writers in the January 2006 Writer magazine you may already know about the Fixed-form challenge, a 69-word story contest. Rogers will judge the top 20 stories. The winner received $50 and a free subcription to The Writer; two runners-up will receive subscriptions; winning stories will be posted on the magazine's website. Deadline: January 2.

Then, the current Maisonneuve Literary Contest is up and running, with a January 3 deadline. The editors are apparently looking ahead to springtime: "It's time to defrost! Along with pollen and the smell of wet grass, that little thing called love is in the air. We want to celebrate spring, so we're calling for stories of young love--ironic, unrequited, dejected or entirely genuine." You should send "8-800 brilliant words of poetry or prose." Submit one prose piece OR two poems. First prize includes $100 and publication in the print magazine. Second- and third-prize winners will receive a year's subscription and their work will appear on maisonneuve.org. Note that "all other entries may be published online."

Good luck!