Category: Contests/Competitions

BBC Radio 4 Opening Lines

BBC Radio 4 Opening Lines ContestThe BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit welcomes submissions from writers new to radio for their annual series, Opening Lines which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4. They are looking for original short stories which work being read out loud i.e. with a strong emphasis on narrative and avoiding too much dialogue, character description and digression. Pay particular attention to how the story opens and closes, the ending needs to link back to the beginning.

Prizes: Three successful writers will have their stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and be invited to the BBC in London to see their stories being recorded. As well as broadcasting the three strongest stories they will publish transcripts of the best stories on the Opening Lines website.

Entry fee: FREE

Deadline: 13th February 2015

For more information, please visit their website.

Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.

2nd Annual Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest

Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story ContestLittle Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories for it second annual “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The story must be original, fictional, written in either Japanese or English by the submitting author and never been published (even online). The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo – either past, present or future. Submitted manuscript should be 2,500 words or less for English or 5,000 ji or less for Japanese.

Prizes: The first place winners of the English- and Japanese-language competitions will each receive a cash award of $600; the winner of the youth division (18 and younger) will get $400.

Entry fee: FREE

Deadline: Submissions need to be e-mailed by January 31, 2015, 12 midnight PST.

For more information, please visit their website.

Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.

Highlights Fiction Contest

Highlights Childrens Fiction ContestHighlights Magazine is looking for work from both published and unpublished authors. All submissions must be previously unpublished and not found online. Stories may be any length up to 750 words. No crime, violence, or derogatory humor.

Prizes: Three prizes of $1,000.

Entry fee: FREE

Deadline: All entries must be postmarked between January 1 and January 31, 2015.

For more information, please visit their website.

Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.

Last Book Standing – January 2015 Edition

last book standing logoHappy New Year, everyone. Today we’re giving you a chance to win a free IU Featured Book Basic ad, and get some input on your book at the same time.

LAST BOOK STANDING is like a cross between Last Comic Standing and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Not really. Just kidding. Mostly.

Here’s how it works: Authors will post an Amazon link to ONE of their books in the comments section below. (One book per author, please! Multiple entries will be deleted.) We will turn that link into a pretty book cover. Then, books will fight to the death. Kidding.

Next, the books will begin elimination rounds. They will be distributed to the IU Vetting Committee and judged per our vetting process as follows:

  • Round 1 – covers.
  • Round 2 – amazon author pages.
  • Round 3 – categories.
  • Round 4 – book descriptions.
  • Round 5 – look inside – formatting/too much front matter.
  • Round 6 – look inside WRITING.

Authors whose books do not make it to the Final Round (Round 7) will receive a private email telling them at which point their book was eliminated, why, and because we are so swell, we will include a link to an IU post that will help them fix the problem.

Final Round – throw down steel cage match – audience voting. Books that make it through all six rounds will be featured in a post where the Indies Unlimited audience will vote for which book they think should win a free Featured Book Basic ad on Indies Unlimited. Don’t worry, each book that makes it to the Final Round will be invited to participate in our standard free features. But only one can win the ad.

Entries will be accepted for one week. After that, commenting will be closed. Please, entries only in the comment section. No discourse or critiquing. Thank you.

Fine print: Minions and their families, offspring, spawn, or other relations are not eligible. Books that have already been advertised or featured on Indies Unlimited during 2014 are not eligible and will be removed if they are posted. Don’t forget, Indies Unlimited does not feature books that are primarily religious, political, or erotic in nature. Books of those themes will be removed from the competition if they are entered. We will attempt to respond to all entries as quickly as possible. Please do not get butthurt if your book doesn’t go as far as you were hoping it would. We are just trying to help. The old adage goes, “Don’t ask a question if you don’t want the answer,” so if you don’t think you can handle constructive input, do not enter this contest.