Multi-Genre Writing Contest Now On

[Jen]

Hi, everybody. I'm pleased to announce the first Angstlust writing contest of 2006.

To enter, you may submit one or more pieces of fiction writing, any length, any type, any genre, to me. You may do this via PM, via Myspace, or via email. The only email I am currently using is jinnifer at gmail.com. Replace the "at" with an @ and you've got me. If you send via Myspace, you might want to warn me here or via PM that you have done so because I don't check there regularly.

You may enter poetry or prose. You may enter as many times as you want. If you're interested in writing nonfiction, you might want to check out Articulate (http://articulate.angstlust.com), which gives yearly prizes, but this contest is for fiction only.

Submissions must be made by Saturday, May 13th if you live in a North American country or Sunday, May 14th if you live in Australia or New Zealand. If you live anywhere else, you'll have to figure it out for yourself.

Anticipated categories are:

1) Best overall submission
2) Best short story or novel exerpt
3) Best poem or song lyric
4) Best piece by a new writer

To win the "best piece by a new writer," you may never have submitted to an Angstlust writing contest before. Angstlust reserves the right to eliminate any of these categories if fewer than four submissions fit the category.

This will be fun, so start submitting now if you have something to enter. Otherwise, get writing!

I can answer questions via PM, email, or through Myspace, but once again, if you're going to ask through Myspace, you might want to warn me to check there.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Good luck!

[wildmandrake]

I'm not sure about competitions for writing. I guess they act as a focal point especially for competitive types and to give something for people to talk about. I'll have think about whether I want to enter.

[Jen]

I like them because I get to read a wide variety of people's writing, decide what I like, what I don't, and then share my reasoning at the end. I try to make them informal. I'm not going to make fun of the people who were "worst," though I've occasionally told people whose writing I know well that their stories weren't up to par.

You don't have to enter unless you want to, it's just here for those who do. But I assure you, I don't like a lot of cattiness about voting and winning, so if you do submit, it may not be as bad as you think it might.

[wildmandrake]

oh I'm not worried about submitting... or how people might respond... n I know plenty of people who love slams n other competitions n I do join them... i just question them I guess because I want the arts to be out of the ordinary. Competition is in everything we do from childhood onwards. I want it to be an expression of the love that we experience so rarely when we are accepted, embraced, felt and listened to for existing, for being, who are we not what we do orthe value we contribute. And if nothing else it is good to have the conversation...

[jimmy]

I've participated in writing contests here before, and they are not competitive in a traditional sense. The entries tend to be diverse and I don't recall anyone getting particularly upset about the results, either.

[Jen]

In spirit, I feel the same way Wildmandrake does. But I've had little interest when I've asked if people would submit if I held a writing exhibition. I held a photo exhibition once that was fairly successful, but everyone wanted to vote on it after they'd looked, so I gave in and let them vote.

And I guess if "voting" is the form in which people want to express their opinion on literature, I'm not against that. At least they're reading my stuff. It's not unlike people "voting" for a book by purchasing it, and the motives for voting can be similar. We will buy our best friend's novel even if it's a piece of crap. We are drawn toward the controversial, the vulgar at times and at times it works the other way.

[wildmandrake]

This is a very good point jen... an observation of human nature or at least of our culture that I guess I romantically wish was otherwise. In general I'm a bit against that kind of romance but I also still like it. Is that complex? I guess voting is a democractic an' it's certainly better than having experts telling us what's good. But i am gonna go on wishfully thinking...:)

[jimmy]

How many submissions have you had so far? I'm considering doing something but I don't want to do it if no one else is participating... :-p

[wildmandrake]

hey jen i just sent submissions to your myspace addy... For all my whining i still think they are worthwhile... I just think we need to think about them

[JC]

I don't really have time to create something for a contest. Right now i'm trying to finish my senior paper, and that's a job in itself. It's over Texas and it's history, so it's kinda a handful.

Perhaps I'll come up with something in my passtime jen, i'll see what I can do :).

[Jen]

Originally posted by wildmandrake
hey jen i just sent submissions to your myspace addy... For all my whining i still think they are worthwhile... I just think we need to think about them

Got 'em.

[geminihemi]

Hello Jen I've sent a piece called Al Basra's courtyard through to your gmail, I hope you get it. I've never submitted to an angstlustboards writing comp as you know. Due to recent events I think it's moving so here's hoping I pick up a prize. It also uses my real name and sent by hotmail I hope you can apply it. I've got a copy so if it needs to be readressed let me know.

Cheers David

[Aphrodite]

Signed, sealed and delivered to your gmail.

[Jen]

I got both yours, Julie and David.

[Jen]

Well, the entries are in. I'll get them up either tomorrow or later tonight and send out an email letting you guys know that it's time to vote.

[Jen]

Okay, looks like it's gonna be tomorrow due ot some connectivity issues. But I will get it done tomorrow, ok?

[Jen]

And they're up!