Non-Fiction Contests – How to make the Truth Dance

by Grace Tierney

‘I find the contest, you write the entry.’

Non-fiction writing is one of those topics that I reluctantly raise with other writers. Some fiction-writers see it as the poor cousin of fiction. Others enjoy writing it, but mainly for the greater financial rewards and publication chances it can bring.  Meanwhile there’s a quiet body of non-fiction writers scribbling away in the shadows, who simply love finding and presenting facts to readers in a creative, informative, and entertaining manner.

As for me, where do I stand? Well, this column is non-fiction and so are many other pieces that I’ve written and published. I enjoy writing them as much as I enjoy writing fictional works; so I’m happy to wear both hats. I’d like to believe that I write what is known as creative non-fiction because I always strive to combine facts with elegant prose and humor.

Creative non-fiction is defined by Lee Gutkind (editor of www.creativenonfiction.org) as “Dramatic, true stories using scenes, dialogue, close, detailed descriptions and other techniques usually employed by poets and fiction writers about important subject — from politics, to economics, to sports, to the arts and sciences, to racial relations, and family relations. Creative non-fiction heightens the whole concept and idea of essay writing. It allows a writer to employ the diligence of a reporter, the shifting voices and viewpoints of a novelist, the refined wordplay of a poet and the analytical modes of the essayist.”

That sounds kind of fun, doesn’t it? Well creative non-fiction writing should be. It also isn’t the easiest genre in the world to master, but it’s worth the effort. While searching for non-fiction venues, something crystallized for me as I waded through lakes of non-fiction contests to fish out the mere 27 challenges. These you will find below. Many top-shelf literary magazines run non-fiction contests alongside their short fiction contests, so don’t automatically ignore those publications if you’re a non-fiction-only writer.

Mr. Gutkind has also written several books on the topic including “The Art of Creative Nonfiction: Writing and Selling the Literature of Reality” (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0471113565/002-1732383-9380013?v=glance), which will be particularly useful for those writers venturing into this genre for the first time. You can even study for a degree in creative non-fiction if you’re totally dedicated to this field of writing.

A cheaper way to improve your skills is to take a copy of your favorite non-fiction publication (newspaper, Web site, newsletter, theater program, glossy magazine, or even breakfast cereal packet) and analyze how the writer made you enjoy its information. Did they give examples and sidebars, unusual anecdotes, quirky comparisons to other fields of interest, or simply arresting prose? Did they use short or long sentences? How often did they quote statistics and experts? Was it written in the passive or active voice? What kind of verbs lurk between the facts? How did they generate the newsman’s beloved “human interest angle?” All these things can be extracted from any good article and should teach you a thing or two about your own work.

Other tips which I’ve gathered from editors over the years include; avoid the words “nice” and “interesting” when describing something, because those words mean little; use the active voice; eschew verbs like “to be” and “to have” as they are boring; and if possible, use short sentences. Getting your spelling, grammar, and facts right should all go without saying. But hey, so should the avoidance of clichés, and I just fell into that trap myself!

The sources of topics for your non-fiction are equally abundant. You can write about what you already know or choose to research a new topic. Many of the contests listed here provide the topic for you. Write about food, travel, personal lives, politics, career, hobbies, etc. Anything goes from a reference-heavy academic essay on the mating habits of the greater-spotted-toad, to a review of a good movie, an interview with a local celebrity, or even a humorous essay about your child learning to walk.

Please beware that the scam-artists lurk in the shadows of the non-fiction world just as much as they do for fiction. They tend to play on writers’ natural love of telling their own life story so check contests for personal essays or memoirs particularly carefully. But of course with your non-fiction research hat on; that should be no problem for you.

Now get out there, stand up and be counted as a non-fiction writer; write creatively, and go win some contests! Don’t forget to scroll down for my regular contest round-up for the coming month.

Happy Writing!

Late-Breaking Contest Details

Kore Press First Book Award

June 2

poetry collection - book-length poetry manuscript by a woman

www.korepress.org

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Unless otherwise noted, contests are annual and open to all writers.

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TooWrite non-fiction writing competition

non-fiction/personal essay

www.toowrite.com

run regularly

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Byline Contests

Various categories, often non-fiction

http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp

run regularly

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New Millenium Awards

http://www.mach2.com/books/NewMillenniumWritings/awards.html

fiction, poetry, and non-fiction

June 17

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Pilgrimage Writing Award

creative non-fiction on the theme of hope

http://pilgrimagepress.org/award.html

July 1

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Cat Writers' Association Contest

40 fiction, non-fiction, and graphics categories for feline-oriented articles and columns, short stories, poetry, books, photography and video/audio tapes published in magazines, newspapers, newsletters and online

www.catwriters.org

July 1

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Richard J. Margolis Award

non-fiction essay which combines warmth, humor, wisdom, and concern with social justice

http://www.margolis.com/award/index.html

July 1

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Writers Notes Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing Contest

Fiction and non-fiction

http://www.WritersNotes.com

July 31

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Bellevue Literary Review Prizes

writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction forms.

http://www.blreview.org/

August 1

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Surrey International Writers' Conference Contests

short fiction, non-fiction, poetry

http://www.siwc.ca/contest/

September 9

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Preservation Foundation Competition for unpublished writers

non-fiction stories – categories are general and travel

http://www.storyhouse.org/contest.html

September 30

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Rogers Communication Literary Non-fiction Contest

literary non-fiction

http://prism.arts.ubc.ca/contests/index.htm

September 30

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FundsForWriters Annual Essay Contest

essay / non-fiction about writing life

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm

October 31

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Random House Contest - Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/20by20contest/index.html

Non-fiction essays about, but not limited to, the following subjects; family, career, sex, society, and self.

November 24

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Write a Gripe Contest

http://www.writeagripe.com/

short non-fiction of the complaining variety

November 30

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True Life Story Contest

http://www.truelifestorycontest.com/

creative non-fiction

November 30

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Rosalie Fleming Memorial Essay and/or Creative Non-fiction Prize

http://www.soulmakingcontest.us/

creative non-fiction

November 30

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Praire Fire Writing Competitions

http://www.prairiefire.mb.ca/contests.html

creative non-fiction

November 30

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The Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards

Self-published book in various following categories, many of them non-fiction

http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/

December 15

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Heyward Broun Award

non-fiction published or broadcast during 2004 in print media, web sites, magazines,  radio, TV

http://www.newsguild.org/awards/display.php?storyID=906

January 28

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Grain Magazine Contests

Dramatic Monologue, Postcard Story, Prose Poem, and Long Grain of Truth (creative non-fiction)

http://www.grainmagazine.ca/contest.htm

January 31

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Lamar York Prize for Non-Fiction

Essay, non-fiction

http://www.chattahoochee-review.org/

January 31

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Columbia Contests

fiction, non-fiction, poetry

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/arts/journal/

February 1

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Caketrain Non-Fiction Competition

creative non-fiction essay or memoir

http://www.caketrain.org/

February 22

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CNW/FFWA Florida State Writing Competition

fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, and poetry

http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/Contest_Guidelines/contest_guidelines.htm

March 15

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Flint Hills Review Non-Fiction Contest

non-fiction

http://www.emporia.edu/fhr/nonfict.htm

March 16

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GCWA's "Let's Write" Literary Contest

Fiction, poetry, and non-fiction

http://gcwriters.org/contest.html

April 15

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Event Creative Non-Fiction Contest

creative non-fiction - writers are invited to submit manuscripts exploring the creative non-fiction form

http://event.douglas.bc.ca/contest.html

April 15

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Coming Soon to the Writing Contest Department

Forthcoming features will focus on no-fee contests, humor writing, short story contests, travel writing, writing for children, speculative fiction, contests with unusual prizes, mystery writing contests, and romantic writing contests.

I’m always looking for new contest types to research so if you’re looking for a particular type of contest for your writing, just drop me a line. I’d also love to hear from you if you win a contest you read about here or if you have a contest to suggest for inclusion. Please note that I will only include contests that are open to writers anywhere in the world as our readers are geographically dispersed.

Contest Deadlines from July 1 to 31

July 1

Pilgrimage Writing Award

creative non-fiction on the theme of hope

http://www.pilgrimagepress.org

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July 1

Cat Writers' Association Contest

40 fiction, non-fiction, and graphics categories for feline-oriented articles and columns, short stories, poetry, books, photography and video/audio tapes published in magazines, newspapers, newsletters and online, plus awards for fiction and for new writers.

www.catwriters.org

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July 1

Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest

various categories including unpublished novel

http://www.azauthors.com/contest.html

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July 1

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Prize

short fiction

http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=fictioncontest.html

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July 1

Richard J. Margolis Award

non-fiction essay

http://www.margolis.com/award/index.html

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July 1

Santa Barbara Summer Poetry Workshop Poetry Contest

Poetry

http://www.communityofvoices.com/poetry_contest.html

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July 1

The Sara Henderson Hay Prize

Poetry

http://www.city-net.com/~tpq/

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July 1

Sex with Style Contest

erotic flash fiction

http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/contest.html

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July 4

The Dabbling Mum Free Essay Writing Contest

Essay

http://thedabblingmum.com/contests/essay.htm

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July 10

Tall Tales Press Contest

short fiction from an existing starting point

http://www.telltalepress.net/contest.html

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July 12

West Virginia Poetry Society Poetry Contest

poetry of various types

http://www.wvpoetrysociety.homestead.com/Contestpage.html

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July 15

Quercus Review Poetry Prize

Poetry

http://www.quercusreview.com/QR%20POETRY%20BOOK%20AWARD.htm

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July 21

Inkspotter's Finding the Right Words Flash Fiction Conte

flash fiction

http://inkspotter.com/contest.htm  or http://inkspotter.com/contests.htm

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July 23

WritersWeekly Summer 24-Hour Short Story Contest

short fiction

http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.html

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July 30

Barestage Theater Contest

theater play

www.barestage.com

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July 30

Ozarks Writers League Contests

short fiction and essay / non-fiction contests

http://www.ozarkswritersleague.org/contests.htm

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July 30

The James Still Short Fiction Award

short fiction

http://www.wind.wind.org/

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July 30

Screenwriter Showcase Screenwriting Contest

Screenplay

http://www.screenwritershowcase.com

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July 30

Leaf Press Prize

love / romantic poetry

http://www.leafpress.ca

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July 31

The Gerald Brady Memorial Awards

haiku style poetry

http://www.hsa-haiku.org/res-hsa-contests.htm

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July 31

Wells Festival of Literature Competition

short fiction/poetry

www.somersite.co.uk/storyrules.htm

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July 31

A Woman's Write

short fiction, essay, memoir, or book chapter

http://www.awomanswrite.com/

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July 31

Reading Writers Query Letter Contest

query letter

http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm

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July 31

The Writers Bureau Poetry and Short Story Writing Competition

poetry and short fiction

http://www.writersbureau.com/competition/index.htm

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July 31

Spire Short Story Contest

short fiction

http://www.spirepress.org/spire.html

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Grace Tierney is a freelance writer who lives in Ireland. When she’s not researching writing contests, she enjoys gluttony, reading, gardening, and travel. Her short stories have been published internationally in magazines, books, and online media. Her non-fiction has been published in Ireland, the UK, America, and Australia. She is a staff writer with Writer Online, Netsurfer Digest, and The Good Book Guide. Contact Grace via www.gracetierney.com