Hey everyone. If you've read any of my entries in the journal forum, you know that I write for Liberating Porn, a humor-themed site that focuses on politics, philosophy, and sexual freedom (we're not a smut site!). We're currently holding our first short fiction contest. There seems to be a lot of writers and creative-types on Hip Forums, so I figured I'd tell you guys about the contest. Eventually we'd like to make this a quarterly affair. We're open to all genres except erotica. Also, we won't consider any entries with intolerant/bigoted themes or glorify sexual abuse or similarly brutal behavior. There's a 5000 word limit. Aside from that, there are no restrictions on content. The winner receives $100 dollars and a profile on the Liberating Porn site with links (assuming the winner provides them) to the winning author's website. Honorable mentions will also be profiled. The deadline is February 1st, 2010. There is a $5 entry fee. For details, check here. Side note for the forum moderators: I'm not trying to spam this forum. Although I have a low post count, I've been posting in the journal section of Hip Forums for almost a year now. I attempted to ask the Writer's Forum mod if it was acceptable to post links to this contest and received no response. I asked another moderator who told me to give it a shot.
Your Liberating Porn site is accepting short fiction, all genres except erotica? Also I agree with Zorba's note below with regard to fees.
I would have considered doing this, but I'm not submitting to any publication that charges a fee. There are plenty of literary magazines that know which way the money flows.
Regarding the entry fee-- We decided on that fee after looking at the majority of writing contests and the fees they charge for submissions in the 2009 edition of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market book (kind of a sub-division of the usual Writer's Market book). I felt the need to clear that up. @ Zorba Oh I definitely feel you. It's just that fiction markets (especially lit mags) are dying out pretty fast. There are still quality small lit mags, but you're not going to see much money from them. Most established lit mags pay okay in regards to the market. But the majority of literature magazines are small, independent mags. They usually pay in contributors copies. (I'm not saying this in defense of the Lib Porn contest fee. I'm just saying that short fiction markets generally don't pay the author very much.)
Your winner receives $100. You know how long most of us can live on $100? You ought to know that no one on this site, that I am aware of (except maybe Geckopelli), expects to make a living by writing. When you say "short fiction markets generally don't pay the author very much", you're telling us what we already know. So far as I'm concerned, I write for my own satisfaction, no money in or out.
Damn dude, you're taking this a little oddly lol If, for whatever reason, you're so offended by this contest (which is legit, and I also asked several mods how they felt about me posting it, so it's not like I'm spamming) My dude, I can live on $100 as long as I have to as well. The award, no matter how much or how little, isn't the point. I've been a writer for some time; I broke my balls to get my short stories and novels published. I know it's tough to get some writing credits under your belt. If you don't care about stuff like that and only write for yourself, that's what's up. This is for writers who want to get a few accomplishments that they can jot down on their cover letters. I can personally say that, unfair as it is, having a few accomplishments on your cover letter really helps your chances of being published. Winning contests, selling shorts, and maybe even selling a novel to a small market publisher goes a long way in the eyes of many editors. Again, if you aren't shooting for that with your writing, then that's fine. Honestly, I don't care. I just don't understand why you're taking this stance on this contest. If it doesn't interest you, then ignore it.
