Short Story Contest

Amazing Story Fiction Contest

What do we mean by "Amazing Story," you ask? A story which grabs us by the throat, demanding we pay attention. A story that tugs at our heart strings. Beautiful words with a lyrical quality. A well-written tale, showing the author is a master storyteller. These are some of the elements we're looking for in an Amazing Story.

Guidelines

For a free critique, simply write "free critique" on your entry. (See note below.)

(Optional: To receive a thorough line edit, enclose an additional $5 per story, plus 9 X 12 SASE with enough postage for returning your story. If entering online, click on one of the options at the bottom of the page.)

DEADLINE: Postmarked by July 31, 2009.

ENTRY FEE: $5 per entry, maximum of three entries. Checks payable to: The Write Helper. Submissions without entry fee or inadequate fee will be returned to contestant if SASE is provided.

PRIZES: 1^st Place $100

2^nd Place $50

3^rd Place $25

RULES:

Open subject, open genre. (No erotica or gratuitous violence.)
Unpublished at time of submission, original work of contestant.
Standard manuscript form: 81/2 x 11 paper, typed and double-spaced, pages numbered, 12 point Times New Roman.
No more than 2,000 words, excluding title.
Paper clip your story, no staples.
Cover sheet for each story, with contestant’s name, address, phone number, email (if you have one), and title of entry. (Name may only appear on cover sheet, not manuscript.)
Postmarked no later than July 31, 2009. DO NOT SEND BY CERTIFIED MAIL!
Mail in 9X12 or large envelope with sufficient postage to:

Amazing Story Contest

c/o Amy Harke-Moore

104 Harke Lane

Old Monroe, MO 63369

      9.   Checks payable to: The Write Helper.

     10. For electronic submission, paste work into the body of an email along with the title, your
         name and address, and send to: amy@thewritehelper.com. Click on the PAY NOW button
         at the bottom of this page to send payment. (For processing electronic submissions, each
         entry is an additional $1.) After we receive your payment, you will be notified that we
         received your entry.

     11. For free critique, enclose either a business-sized SASE or email address so we can get
         your critique to you. For optional $5 line edit, enclose 9 X 12 SASE with enough postage to
         return your story.

For a list of winners, check our website: thewritehelper.com the first week of September.

Decision of the judges is final. Not responsible for lost or misdirected entries. Winning entry has the opportunity to be published on our website. Manuscripts will not be returned (unless additional line edit was purchased).

NOTE: As the website has taken off, it’s been a challenge to get all of the free critiques back to the entrants of our contests. Yet we don’t want to give up offering the free critiques to those who truly want them. So please write “free critique” on your entry to request this service.