What does LOVE mean to you? Don’t Talk to Me About Love literary journal wants your ‘fiction, non-fiction and poetry and artwork, exploring love in any of its myriad expressions: romantic, platonic, parental, and much, much more. We know there is a whole world of love out there, and we want to read about it. Write it. Draw it. Paint it. Then send it in.’
Fiction (maximum 2,000 words)
Non-fiction (maximum 2,000 words)
Poetry (1-3 poems per single submission) (maximum total 75 lines)
Single Image (including illustration, photograph or painting)
All submitted works must be original and unpublished works. All works that have published in print or on the Internet, including self-published works, as well as works that have been broadcast or delivered in front of a public audience, are considered previously published and are therefore not eligible for submission. Texts must be written in English. All works must fall within one of the following categories and be within the specified word/line count.*
Participants may submit as many texts as they wish in one or all categories. A writer can win only one prize per category. Each text may be submitted to only one category.
FIRST PRIZE: $1000.00 CDN (per category) plus a full manuscript review** by the literary agency The Rights Factory.
THREE HONOURABLE MENTIONS PER CATEGORY: Guaranteed publication in donttalktomeaboutlove.com.
$20 entry fee per submission; deadline: February 14, 2016. Also accepts regular, ongoing submissions on themes of love, $3 US/CD entry fee.
Worldwide: Submit to GEIST magazine’s 12th Annual Literal Literary Postcard Story Contest
Send a story and a postcard—the relationship can be as strong or as tangential as you like, so long as there is a clear connection between the story and the image. Postcard story can be fiction or non-fiction; maximum length is 500 words.
For a classic example of a postcard story, read “Grizzly Bill” or “Nettie, Rose, Daphne and Ginger.”
First Prize: $500 | 2nd Prize: $250 | 3rd Prize: $150 | Short list: Swell Geist gifts + publication on geist.com. All winning entries will be published in Geist and on geist.com.
Fees: $20 for first entry; $5 each subsequent. Entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Geist, Canada’s favorite literary magazine. International entrants will receive digital edition.
Deadline to submit: February 15, 2016.
BY MAIL: Send your postcard story, attached to the image with a paper clip (no staples, please), with a cover letter (including name, mailing address, phone number, email, title of entry and a note about how you found out about the contest) and a $20 entry fee to:
Geist Literal Literary Postcard Story Contest
210-111 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Note: Judging is blind, so ensure your name doesn’t appear on the story or the postcard! Postcards will be returned only if requested.
Winning entries: Geist takes first serial rights for print and non-exclusive electronic rights to post the text and image at geist.com. All other rights remain with the author. All publication rights for non-winning entries are retained by the entrants.
Thailand: Win a 6-night culinary journey in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai with airfare from Los Angeles or New York from Williams-Sonoma. Trip includes lodging, cooking classes and more. Free to enter by February 18, 2016. (US, 18+)
United States: Stash Hotels wants to hear how you ‘travel less ordinary’ by submitting US-based travel stories up to 500 words to win publication on official site + 20,000 Stash points for first place, 15,000 Stash points for runner-ups to be used for future stays at independent Stash Hotels. Free to enter by February 15, 2016. (US, 18+)
United States: Sweethearts, the classic Valentine’s candy, wants you to share a ‘sweet story,’ to win a $5,000 cash prize. Five runner-up winners will also receive $500 each. Free to enter by 1:59:59 p.m. EST on February 14, 2015. (US, 18+)
Ontario: Take Ticket to Love’s ‘What Type of Partner Are You?’ quiz via the Orleans Star newspaper to win a $10,000 getaway + $250 gift cards to local merchants.
Free to enter by February 14, 2016. (Ontario residents, 18+)
Halaelujlh! I needed this-you’re my savior.