Pikes Peak Fiction Contest

Pikes Peak, seen from the Garden of the Gods (Double-click on photo for super enlargement.)

This is a contest for writers working on novels – including Historical Fiction, Mystery/Suspense/Intrigue, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, and mainstream – middle grade or young adult books, and short stories. The contest is restricted to writers who have never been paid for their fiction.

Short stories may be up to 5,000 words. Both short story entries should also include a one paragraph Target Market. Entrants must explain what market this short story would appeal to and give examples of magazines or anthologies which might publish the story. The explanation should be one paragraph on its own page at the beginning of your short story. It does not count toward the 5,000-word limit.

Novel entries should consist of the opening chapters, up to a maximum of 4,000 words, plus a synopsis of the entire novel that is not more than 1,250 words.

Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on November 15, 2011. A maximum of 400 entries will be accepted. The contest opened September 15 – so don’t delay!

The fee is $30 per entry. Entrants can also receive up to two one-page critiques per entry for $20 each.

Winners will be recognized at the Paul Gillette Awards banquet on the Saturday night of the Pike’s Peak Writers Conference, held April 20 – 22, 2011, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. More on the conference here.

The first place winner in each category will be refunded his/her Conference registration fee if attending that year’s PPWC or will be awarded a cash prize of $100 if not attending.

Second place will be awarded $50, and third place will be awarded $30. In addition, winners attending the Conference that year will be given top priority with respect to their editor/agent pitch appointment selections.

Further information and submission instructions here.

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Oakville, Burlington, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Orangeville, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Sudbury, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.