Contests Deadline EXTENDED!

The SWA Board of Directors has extended the deadline for submitting work to our contests. 

The new deadline is May 28 by 11:59pm.

The 9 Contests are:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award

Don't miss out on all the CASH PRIZES!  See the submission guidelines here!

Register today!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

WIN SOME CASH! FINAL DAYS!

The Countdown Is On!

The deadline for submitting to SWA's 9 Workshop Contests is May 15 (@11:59pm)!

The 2016 Contests

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award 

★  NO Entry Fees* ★  Cash Prizes  ★

See the complete guidelines here.  Look at some of our happy 2015 winners!  That could be you!

Register today!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

*Contests are open to workshop attendees only.

Bonus Blog — 7 Days Remaining!

★☆★ WRITERS ★☆★

Would you like to attend the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop

TUITION FREE?

The 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop is June 17-21 at Epworth by the Sea on the gorgeous St. Simons Island, GA!  SWA is offering two scholarships!  One for Student Writers (high school and college) and one for Adult Writers!

Win one of two scholarships to the SWA Writers Workshop!

Here’s how to enter:

• Student Writer: ages 15-25 and enrolled in high school or college.  If the student writer is under 18, a parent or guardian must accompany him/her.
• Adult Writer: age 18 or older
• Submit a 500-word essay describing your journey as a writer and how attending the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop will change your writing life.  Include why you are the most deserving of the scholarship.  Student Writers must include the name of their school or college.
• The entry deadline is midnight on April 18th. Please email your entry to purple@southeasternwriters.org with a subject line of SWA Student Scholarship or SWA Adult Scholarship.
• The scholarship pays for tuition only.
• Winners will be announced May 1st

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Southeastern Writers Workshop

The staff and faculty of the Southeastern Writers Workshop strive every year to make the Workshop the BEST tour days of your writing life. Here are a few things you can do to make your time even better.

Enter to win a  scholarship!  

TWO are available - Student and Adult! Deadline is April 18.  Read the details.

Enter as many of the contests you can!  

Nine contests offered and each has at least one cash prize!  Deadline is May 15.  Full guidelines are here.

Submit up to three manuscripts for evaluation for FREE! 

Each evaluation comes with a 15-minute one-on-one consultation. Deadline is May 28. Submission guidelines are here.

Go to ALL the classes!

We have gathered some of the best writers and industry professionals in the country.  You can learn something from everyone that may lead you to literary success from all of them. Find faculty bios and the class schedule is here.

Network!  

Over meals, between classes, in the bookstore, at the evening socials. There is plenty of time built in to network with fellow attendees and faculty members. If you don't have a writing family, you can build one at our workshop.

Check out our website - southeasternwriters.org - for all you need to know about the Southeastern Writers Workshop, June 17-21 at Epworth-by-the-Sea, St Simons Island, GA!

Register Today!

Pitch Your Book Ends Sunday, June 1 at 11:59 pm!

You have 6 DAYS to Pitch Your Book to our Agent-in-Residence Carlie Webber.  Carlie wants a 1-page query from SWA Writers Workshop attendees, submitted anonymously, but put your contact info and proof of registration in the body of your email. Write Query Evaluation in the subject line, attach the query to your email in a Word file and send to evaluation@southeasternwriters.org 

It is an incredible opportunity for writers looking to publish their first book!  Carlie's agency, CK Webber Associates, seeks commercial fiction and high-interest nonfiction.

Pitch Your Book until Sunday, June 1 at 11:59 pm!

Time is Running Out!

The Submission Deadline is May 15! 

15 Contests with CASH prizes!

THREE FREE Manuscript Evaluations!

Due in One Week -7 Days!

Open to Registered Workshop Attendees Only!

More Info and Registration on Our Website!

Time is Running Out!

We are giving away CASH at the 2014 SWA Writers Workshop

Do You Write Fiction?

We have 6 strictly fiction contests!  You can enter them ALL!

The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
- The first 10 pages (double-spaced)
- 1-page synopsis
- 1-paragraph "elevator pitch."
- Any genre, literary or mainstream

The Past Presidents’ Romance Award
- The first chapter and a five-page synopsis
- Romance novels only

The GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award
- Complete manuscript not over 3000 words
- Any genre, literary or mainstream

 The Microcosm Award
- Fiction of at least 100 and not more than 500 words

Romantic Flash Fiction Award 
- Romance Fiction - any subgenre except erotic permissible.
- Must be a complete story complete story in 1000 words or less.

The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
- Complete manuscript not over 3000 words
- For the best short story with a subject matter of an event occurring during the writer's childhood that shaped his/her life.

What About Nonfiction?

We have 4 contests seeking true stories!

The Very Merrie Bosom Buddy Award

- Nonfiction up to 750 words about your best friend. 

- This poignant true story must make the reader laugh and cry.

The Dr. George L. Sheppard Memorial Award  

- Nonfiction up to 750 words about a supportive sibling. 

- This poignant true story must make the reader laugh and cry.

The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing

- The piece may be religious or secular. 

- It should be wholesome and leave the reader with a “take away” message of encouragement, hope, comfort, fresh motivation, or renewed spiritual strength. 

- Complete manuscript not over 1500 words

The Cappy Award for Humor 

- Complete manuscript not over 1000 HILARIOUS words

Do You Write on Both Sides of the Aisle?

Yep.  We have 4 contests open to both kinds of writing!  And Poetry too!

The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing

- Short fiction, poetry or essays of 1200 words maximum about the holiday season.

The ThomasMax “You are Published” Contest

- Prize is publication and 25 copies of the book with no obligation to author.

- Manuscript may be submitted in full or only first three chapters.

- A complete synopsis (3 to 10 pages) should accompany all entries.  Approximate word count should be included with synopsis, preferably 40,00 to 90,000 words, fiction, non-fiction, or a collection of short stories.

- Other details are available at http://www.thomasmax.com/contest.htm or send SASE to “You are Published,” P O Box 250054, Atlanta GA 30325

The Julie L. Cannon Award

- Writing which exemplifies the southern spirit preferably in a subtle, nuanced, and non-stereotypical manner

- 1,000 words or less

- Fiction or nonfiction, NO poetry

Lines of Worth Award 

- Each entry should be a collection of three poems, each up to thirty lines, not including the title. 

- Awards will be made to collections.

Check out all the Workshop news, 

submission guidelines & register on our website!

Want a FREE Ride?

Capture the essence of Erma's writings and you could WIN $500 and a FREE registration to the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop! The competition opened Jan 6 and closes Feb 17 at 8:00 am.

"Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter.

Exit with a quip they won't forget."

~~ Erma Bombeck

Personal essays of 450 words, previously unpublished, may be submitted in either the humor or human interest categories until the Feb. 17 deadline. The entry fee is $15.  The Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop is April 10-12, 2014 at the University of Dayton in Dayton, OH.

Click here for Eligibility & Rules.

Call for Submissions!

Creative Loafing 2014 Fiction Contest

Submit a manuscript of no more than 3,000 words either as a hard copy to our offices or online. All works of fiction must in some way incorporate “Race” — as a theme, a metaphor, a literal car race, whatever. “Race” is word whose many meanings suggest everything from urgent competition to fraught, complex human relationships and divisions. Our favorite stories feel both urgent and thoughtfully human. Be creative, take risks, and send us your best work. The word count is strictly enforced.

Submit online

Deadline: Friday, Nov. 1, 5:00 pm

Prizes

• 1st place, $500
• 2nd place, $250
• 3rd place, $100

Winners will also be published in Creative Loafing and honored at an awards ceremony.

Do You Know What Sets the SWA Writers Workshop Apart from Other Writers Conferences?

2012 Poetry Instructor Ron Houchin

We offer free manuscript critiques – FREE! And we always have!  Every person attending at least 2 days of the Workshop can submit up to 3 manuscripts for critique. (One manuscript per category) Then you get a face-to-face meeting(s) during the Workshop to discuss your manuscript(s).

Most conferences charge $25, $50 or more for a single evaluation. SWA offers THREE....FREE!

Here is our category list and evaluators confirmed to date:  

• Novel: TBA
• Short Fiction: C.D. Mitchell
• Juvenile: Peggy Mercer
• Poetry: Peggy Mercer
• Nonfiction: Dahlynn McKowen

Full guidelines will be on the SWA website when we finalize our list.

But wait - There's MORE!

Everybody attending the Workshop can sign up to meet with our Agent-in-Residence, Carlie Webber. Now guess how much agent appointments costs.  Come on, guess!

Nothing! 

You can meet with our agent absolutely free!

We have other free stuff, but we'll share that later.  For now - Ready? Set. Write!