Memoirs Ink Annual Contest Winners

The winners have been announced!


The winners of the 2012 Annual Contest are:

First Place: Genealogy In A Watercolor, by Joan Kresich

Second Place: The Wilderness Vow by Suzanne Adams

Third Place: Riley Day Chanel Brenner

Please click the links to read their stories and bios. And feel free to post your congratulations or comments here.

We sincerely thank all who submitted their stories and invite you to submit again in February. Guidelines for the Half-Yearly contest are here.

2012 Half Yearly Contest Winners

The winners have been announced!

Drumroll here....

The winners of the 2012 Half-Yearly Contest are:

First Place: Last Kiss, by Karen Ross Samford

Second Place: Metamorphosis, by Cara Achterberg

Third Place: Talking with Chloe, by Annie Murray

We sincerely thank all who submitted their stories and invite you to submit again in August. Guidelines for the Annual contest are here.

The Winners are...

Memoirs Ink is happy to announce the winners of the 2011 Annual Writing Contest:

First Place: The Narrative Voice, by Emily Gambone

Second Place: A Great Love, by Sue Granzella

Third Place: The Circus Inside Me, by Re McBride

Honorable Mention: To the Edge, by Patricia Schultheis

Please read and enjoy them and pass on or comment on any stories you enjoy. If you would like to enter our next contest, you can view the guidelines here.

6 Simple Editor Tips on How to Win the Writing Contest

As Memoirs Ink's Senior Editor, I have seen the writing contests (half-yearly and annual) from start to finish for nearly 3 years. As a result, I have compiled a list of friendly tips to help you make sure that your essay lands in the coveted "yes" pile.

I hope these tips will also help you to stand out as a writer, not just for our contest, but beyond.

#1 Stay Focused
As these are short essays, stay focused. Avoid rambling. Your essay should read like a mini-memoir, not a journal. The reader should know what your essay is about after the first two paragraphs. If you start to stray away from the topic you initially introduced, go back and remind yourself that you need to stay focused. Also, you must proofread your work thoroughly. The piece you submit should be your final draft—do not submit a piece that you have not proofread. This may seem trivial, but spelling errors/typos will land your essay in the "no" pile. Proofread until you are certain there are no mistakes—and then have someone else read your work: Enter tip #2.

#2 Two Pairs of Eyes Are Better Than One
Have a friend, fellow writer, trusted companion, teacher, professor, neighbor, or other willing person(s) to review your work. Something that makes sense to you, especially in memoir, may need a sentence or two of clarification for an outside party (your reader(s)). Have someone read your work before you submit your piece to the contest. Don't have someone to help you edit your piece? Don't worry. Memoirs Ink offers feedback for writers after the contest; submit your piece along with a check for feedback and one of our judges will provide you with feedback on how to strengthen your writing skills and make your piece stand out amongst the pile. This may not help you win the contest you initially enter, but you can revise and re-enter your essay for another contest. I strongly recommend doing so.

#3 Review the Guidelines
This is a note on format: Your essay must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font. Single-spaced essays strain your readers' eyes, and after reading hundreds of entries, judges are less likely to read your essay all the way through—do yourself a favor and play by the rules for all the writing contests you enter. Also, you must start your essay halfway down the first page—do not start your text at the top of the page. Your essay must be previously unpublished. Follow the rest of the guidelines here: http://www.memoirsink.com/writingcontestguidelines/

#4 Read, Read, Read
In order to publish the next great memoir, novel, etc. you must read the greatest memoirs, novels, essays, etc. Before you write, read a vast array of literature and familiarize yourself with all the greatest writers. And then read the not-so-great works and learn from their mistakes.

#5 Use Your Senses
Fill your work with imagery by using your senses. Make sure your reader can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste everything that you are describing. By using your senses, you will show, not tell, which is important in all writing.

#6 Have Fun with Your Work
If you don't want to write your essay, chances are people will be less likely to enjoy reading your work. Nothing is greater than a writer who is itching to share his/her story with the world. Be that writer. Find the joy in your work and others will too.

I have been honored to read the essays for our contests, and look forward to sharing in your writing journey. I hope these tips will encourage and inspire the writer in you. Best of Luck writers!

Cheers,
Christina

*For more tips from the editor, notes from the president, and inspirational quotes to keep you writing, follow us on Twitter: @memoirsink and friend us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Memoirs-Ink/25070364520

Get Feedback on Your Contest Entry Before You Enter

Want to win the Memoirs Ink Writing Contest?

For the first time ever, get feedback from contest judges on your entry BEFORE you submit it.

Two of our previous writing contest judges thought this might be a good idea. Based on the overwhelming response to our post-contest feedback (we had to turn people away because of limited space) we thought they might be on to something. After all, part of our mission is to help writers grow and prosper and win. So if you think this might be helpful to you, here is all of the information.

Two of our previous judges (Jaela Austen and Christina Tanios) have agreed to give feedback on intended entries for the upcoming Half-Yearly Contest (guidelines here: www.memoirsink.com/contest).

Feedback will include a detailed critique of your story including:
1. Strengths - what makes the judges smile, laugh, cry, etc.
2. Weaknesses - what makes judges roll their eyes
3. Suggestions for tightening
4. Other suggestions for improvement and keeping it out of the "NO" pile.

* Feedback is for personal essays, memoirs, and creative nonfiction. less than 1500 words (per half-yearly contest guidelines).

* Essays can be emailed, and responses will also be emailed. (No postage and handling this time. Yay!)

* Price $50. Pay Online Now. Or mail a check to: Memoirs Ink, 10866 Washington Blvd., Suite #518, Culver City, CA 90232. (If you are mailing a check, Please indicate in your email.) Did I mention that if you pay for feedback, you receive $10 off the contest entry fee when you submit your revised story?

* Email your story or questions about this offer to: jill@memoirsink.com

Send your story now and receive feedback by January 1, 2011. You then have 6 weeks to revise and submit your story by the contest deadline of February 15, 2011. Start the New Year right--writing and submitting.

This the first time we have done pre-contest feedback and we may or may not do it again depending on the response, so take advantage now. Each judge has agreed to review only 20 stories, so space is limited. If you'd like to participate, please pay and submit your story as soon as possible.

Winners of 2010 Annual Contest Announced

The winners for the 2010 Annual contest are:


Grief by Tara Cowie (New York, NY)

Frankenvag by Erin Hart (Vancouver, Canada)

Surviving Black Holes by Kaitlin Legg (Fairport, NY)



To read the winners please visit www.memoirsink.com/archives

The winners are....

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2010 Memoirs Ink Half-Yearly Writing Contest. Here they are:

First Place:
Hellhound
Melissa Febos

Second Place:
Dreamer
Nora Claypool

Third Place:
Do You Make Gravy?
Jennifer Blomgren

Honorable Mention:
Summer Waters
Julian Bentley- Edelman

You can read these and previous years winners and bios in our archives: here.

Please keep up the good writing and enter our next contest--the deadline for that contest, is August 14, and August 31, 2010. You can read the full guidelines and enter here.

Contest Update

We are supposed to announce the winners today. Maybe some of you out there entered our contest and are wondering why we haven't call you yet. It is because we haven't called anyone. The judges have narrowed it down to 6 or 7 and are at a total impasse. They asked me to read them. I read them. I laughed, I sighed, I nodded my head. But I refuse to have any part in judging this year. It is too hard. On one level, judging is easy, you ask yourself, "Is this a winner? or do I just wish it was?" But when you come down to top ten, they are all winners. But you have to chose 3. So then you have to start going through and analyzing each one based on a set of criteria that is partially established, but still all subjective. And you can't listen to those voices in your head, that are really the voices of disgruntled non-winners, that say things like: "I guess only women can win your contest" or "I guess only funny stories can win your contest," or "how many of your winners have been Canadian?"

The truth is, I don't know and I don't care. I want to pick the best, and most well-written stories. But judges tastes and methods vary wildly. When I have been a judge in the past, this is what I remember doing. I read the top stories probably 10 times each. I read them aloud to people I knew. I dreamt about them. I agonized. Eventually, I would give up and in a moment of existentialism I would decide to throw them up in the air, or down the stairs, and note which one landed first. When I did this, I would look at the "winner" and then argue myself out of it. Then one day, I would just know, and never look back.

It will be interesting to see what the judges decide this year. I hope they don't take much longer or I'm sure my email will blow up. So be patient, writers. That call may be coming.

Writing Anywhere

I picked up our mail a few days ago and was happy to note that we are already be getting entries to our August Contest. What was more surprising, though was that one of the entries came from the California State Prison. Now, we have received entries from all over the world, but this is our first entry from prison. And why not? It would seem that one has a lot of time to read and write in there. Rilke once told a young poet this:

"If your everyday life seems poor, don't blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the poet there is not poor, indifferent place. And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in none of the world's sounds--wouldn't you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories? Turn your attention to it...."

I haven't opened this piece of mail. That is Jill's job, because if I happen to be a judge of the upcoming contest, I can't know who any of the authors are.

Oh, but the curiosity is killing me.

Memoirs Ink's Half-Yearly Writing Contest

It is time again to announce our half-yearly writing contest. It is called the half-yearly because it is half a year away from our Annual August contest and it is half the word count of the August contest. The things we do to help you remember. Well, since it is harder to write a 1500-word piece than a 3000-word piece, I thought I'd announce it right away to give you as much time as possible. We have lowered our entry fee this year because the economy is really crappy and we know writers are feeling it keenly.

Here's the skinny: (Contest Guidelines)

Memoirs Ink is looking for original, well-written personal essays, memoirs, creative non-fiction or personal narratives (does that cover everything?) that are based on autobiographical experiences. The narrative must be in first person, other than that, the contest is open to any type, genre or style of story. It is open to any writer, any age, writing in English--that means Canadians, Brits, Australians, Ugandans and anyone else anywhere can enter.

Contest submission form.


1. Entry must be previously unpublished (this includes websites and blogs).

2. Entry fee: $15 -We lowered it! (Make check or money order to Memoirs, Ink. International entrants please contact us for payment info.) Previous entrants get at $2 discount on entry fee.

3. Prizes: First Prize: $1000. Second Prize: $500. Third Prize: $250.

4. Word Limit: less than 1500 words;

5. Half-Yearly Contest Deadline: February 15, 2010 (postmark) Late Deadline: February 28, 2010 (Postmark - Late entries require additional $5 entry fee per entry).

6. Winners will be announced April 30. We will announce them by e-mail and on our website.

7. Send entries to:
Memoirs Ink Writing Contest
10866 Washington Blvd, Suite 518,
Culver City, CA 90232

8. Please submit entries as follows: Typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font.

9. Your name should appear only on the contest submission form. Contest submission form.

10. The title of the manuscript should appear on every page. The pages should be numbered.

11. Pages should be stapled.

12. Multiple submissions are accepted, however, an additional $10 entry fee is required for each additional story.

13. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however, if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere, you need to let us know immediately that you are withdrawing your submission.

14. E-mail questions to Jill at memoirsink.com

15. To read previous winners, click here.


OTHER INFO

1. Manuscripts will not be returned. Memoirs Ink, is not responsible for manuscripts lost in the mail, etc. Memoirs, Ink cannot confirm receipt of your entry unless you provide a self-addressed stamped postcard.

2. Winners must sign a contest winner agreement form that certifies your writing is original and assigns us temporary rights and electronic archiving rights.

3. If you win, we will publish your story. If you do not want your story published please do not submit it.

4. We reserve the right to mention or not mention anyone honorably.


JUDGES

This contest will be judged by a panel of Memoirs Ink judges and the final judge will be:

TBD

ENTER NOW

Contest Joys and Woes

We just published the winners of our Annual Contest yesterday and I read some of them for the first time. But you will notice we did not publish second place. This is because I got tired of waiting for Kendall Pope to get back to me. He seemed really excited to win second place, but hasn't sent me his contest winner agreement form yet or returned my emails or calls. I hope he's okay. It's totally bizarre. His story was good. I read it and there was one part in it involving cruelty to a turtle that made me cringe and want to look away, but I couldn't. You know. Like roller derby, or speedracing. You may say you don't really want to see girls get clobbered or some hayseed fried alive, but secretly you do. Hopefully Kendall will turn up. If not, I'll have to split his money among the other winners. I'm sure they won't complain.

I have gotten out of judging myself because it is darn too hard. And then there's the problem of what to do with all these stories after it's all over. I feel sort of awful just recycling them because I know these are people's lives. Some of them opened a vein to write these stories.

Also, I know that even though our judges are professionals, personal tastes vary widely. One year I asked for the top ten from 4 different people and none of us had the same ten. Ultimately, when it comes down to selecting the winners from the top 25 or so, it's personal taste. That's why we try to change up the judging every year.

If you are wondering what process your pieces are put through when you submit them to a writing contest I'll tell you how it works here. We do a first read of all the stories. Who makes is past the first read? If your first page is well written and makes us want to turn the page, it makes it into the reread pile. Usually about 50-75 stories make it to the reread pile. So if you know that you tend to have false starts in your writing, this might be what's keeping you back. We'd love to read every word of each story, but we can't. The second read is much more selective. We're looking for good writing and a good story. I can't tell you how many times I find one and not the other--a great story poorly executed or an impressive writer with no story that I can find. After this read we usually have about 12-15 and then is the hardest part. I usually go for what moves me the most, whether it is to laugh out loud or cry or think about it for days after. But again, this is really subjective.

I usually let the finalists know that they were finalists, because I'm nice, and because I know it can be frustrating to submit to contests with no response at all. But everyone who submitted to our contest should know that just by submitting, you have become more of a writer. This genre is, in my opinion, has the bravest souls and has the greatest capacity for healing ourselves and inspiring and influencing others. So keep writing.