Showing posts with label IWSG Anthology Contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IWSG Anthology Contest. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Insecure Writer’s Support Group - Dark Matter: Artificial


It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


The awesome co-hosts for the January 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise - Fundy Blue!


Want to know more about the IWSG? Operation Awesome recommends it and has a post up about it this week. Check it out!


January 6 question - Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?


IWSG Anthology winners!!!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Dark Matter IWSG Anthology Contest:
Stephanie Espinoza Villamor - a librarian writer mom who lives with her husband and young son just outside Las Vegas.
CD Gallant-King - a loving husband and proud father of two wonderful little kids, C.D. was born and raised in Newfoundland and currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
Kim Mannix - a fiction writer, poet and journalist currently residing on Treaty 6 territory in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
Steph Wolmarans - an educator, mother, wife, beekeeper, and speculative fiction author.
Tara Tyler - Tara Tyler is a math teacher who writes to share her passion for reading with others.
Deniz Bevan - a firm believer in burning the candle at both ends, she is generally writing a new novel while editing another, and blogging about her reading and research adventures—and sharing travel photos—weekly on her blog
Charles Kowalski - his thrillers for adults have won the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' Colorado Gold Award and been nominated for the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and the Adventure Writers Grandmaster Award.
Olga Godim - a writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada.
Elizabeth Mueller - an award-winning author, Elizabeth lives in Texas with her husband, five lively children, five indoor kitties, a few outdoor kitties, seventeen chickens, and a horse named Hazel.
Mark Alpert - a contributing editor at Scientific American and the internationally bestselling author of ten novels.


As Stephanie’s story was the official judge’s top pick, her story is now in the title.



Dark Matter: Artificial
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Discover dark matter’s secrets…

What is an AI’s true role? Will bumbling siblings find their way home from deep space? Dark matter is judging us—are we worthy of existence? Would you step through a portal into another reality? Can the discoverer of dark matter uncover its secrets?

Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Godim, Steph Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz Bevan.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for ignition!

Release date: May 4, 2021
Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95
EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99
Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies (FIC028040) / Space Exploration (FIC028130) / Genetic Engineering (FIC028110)


Big thanks to the official judges:
Dan Koboldt
Julie Gwinn
Damien Larkin
Ion Newcombe
Colleen Oefelein
Lynda R. Young
David Powers King



And don’t forget, the IWSG Twitter pitch event, #IWSGPit, happens January 20!


Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Insecure Writer's Support Group Contest, #IWSGPit, and More!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.



The awesome co-hosts today are PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!


September 2 question - If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?


The IWSG Anthology Contest deadline is today, September 2!

Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 4500-6000
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme: Dark Matter
Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. (Must be a member to participate.)
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Our judges: Dan Koboldt, Lynda R. Young, Colleen Oefelein, Damien Larkin, Ion Newcombe, Julie Gwinn, and David Powers King


Did you know the IWSG is more than a website?

Find us here:
Facebook, Twitter - hashtag #IWSG, Instagram, and on Goodreads

And you can sign up for our monthly newsletter loaded with tips and more here - IWSG Newsletter

The newsletter also lists new books by members, so contact us if you have a new book out.


Writers and authors, join us for #IWSGPit on January 20, 2021. 


It will be here sooner than you think! 


Polish those pitches and check the #IWSGPit rules.

 
Multiple authors have signed with publishers and agents as a result – it could be you!


What author would be your beta reader? Have you entered the contest? Going to participate in #IWSGPit?

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

The IWSG Annual Anthology Contest is Now Open!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 5 posting of the IWSG are Toi Thomas, T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler!


Are you following us on Instagram?
Here are the prompts for September:


The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest is now open for submissions!

Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Theme:
Masquerade
A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren't. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 - November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges. This year, we are honored to have seven incredible judges:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, Memphis Barbeque mysteries, and Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently.

Elana Johnson, author
USA Today bestseller Elana Johnson writes young adult and adult contemporary romance. She is an inspirational adult romance author under the pen name of Liz Isaacson, and her work includes the young adult dystopian romance series Possession, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster). Learn more at Elana Johnson.

S.A. Larsen, author
S.A. Larsen is the international award-winning author of the middle grade fantasy-adventure MOTLEY EDUCATION and the young adult contemporary-fantasy romance MARKED BEAUTY. When she’s not chasing her characters around a graveyard or antagonizing them with young love, she can be found in Maine with her husband and four children. Visit her cyber home at S.A. Larsen Books.

DL Hammons, Write Club founder
When DL isn’t running the online writing contest WRiTE CLUB on his blog, he splits his time crafting YA and adult Mysteries, with a little bit of Paranormal/Sci-Fi on the side.

Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner
Gwen Gardner writes lighthearted, cozy mysteries with a few ghosties thrown in to “liven” things up. Since ghosts feature prominently in her stories, she has a secret desire to meet one face to face—but will run screaming for the hills if she ever does.

Kelly Van Sant
Kelly Van Sant has nearly a decade of experience in the publishing industry and is a literary agent with the Red Sofa Literary Agency. She is a teaching artist at the Loft Literary Center and blogs about writing and the publishing industry at Pub(lishing) Crawl and co-hosts the their weekly podcast.

Kristin Smith, author
Kristin Smith is the best-selling young adult author of the Deception Game series and a former Pitch Wars mentor. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). She currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and sons.






Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.


Our previous IWSG anthologies:
Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime
Hero Lost: The Mysteries of Death and Life
Parallels: Felix Was Here

Gwen Gardner, Jen Chandler, and LG Keltner know what it’s like to have the winning story.

Yours could be next!



Any questions regarding the contest? Are you going to enter? Can’t win if you don’t enter!

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest and A IWSG/WEP Collaboration


It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!
Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month and encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts today are: Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 



Remember, the question is optional!
August 01 Question: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest



Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Theme:
Masquerade
A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren't. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 - November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges who will be announced September 5.

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.



 The IWSG/WEP COLLABORATION

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group has entered into a new partnership with the Write...Edit...Publish Challenge (aka WEP) which is the brainchild of Denise Covey, a long-standing IWSG member, who runs this challenge with her wonderful team.
WEP is a free online writing/creative community.

 Choose from the following formats: FLASH FICTION, POETRY, NON-FICTION, ARTWORK, PHOTO ESSAYS


  1. SUBMIT your name to the Inlinkz list that will be provided on the WEP blog. The list opens 01 August which is TODAY!
    2. CREATE your entry for the August challenge - CHANGE OF HEART
    3. EDIT your entry
    4. POST your entry on your blog/face book page on August 15 - state feedback preferences
    5. READ other entries, giving feed back
    ALL GENRES WELCOME except erotica - 1,000 words maximum.
    Visit the WEP site for more information.


The IWSG Goodreads Book Club

We're almost at 300 book club members!
Our book selection for August/September is:

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr


This one is for our memoir writers and anyone who has ever thought of writing a memoir. The discussion will start September 19th and will go to the end of the month, but it will be up indefinitely, so you can hop in whenever you're able. Join Us On Goodreads.




 

Facebook Shake Up
The Facebook  members can look forward to some new activities. Starting in August, the line-up will be as follows:
Sunday – New Member Shout Out
First Monday – Member Services Offered
The remaining Mondays – Informational Monday
First Wednesday – IWSG Day
Second Wednesday – Ask For Help
Third Wednesday will be shared with WEP
The WEP challenge is on the third Wednesday of August, October and
December, which is every alternate month
On the non-WEP third Wednesdays – Wordsmith Tales
Fourth Wednesday – Hot Topic/Industry News
Fifth Wednesday – WOW It’s Wednesday
Friday – News & Promo

We look forward to engaging in stimulating conversation and exciting discussions/debates on a variety of topics. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK.


Which one of the above activities are you interested in? Will you be preparing a YA story based on Masquerade? Or do you prefer the theme Change Of Heart? Would a memoir discussion over at the Goodreads Book Club suit you? Or one of our Hot Topics coming up as part of the new Facebook line-up? 
There is plenty to choose from! Happy IWSG Day!