Telling Stories Nonfiction Writing Contest

I decided recently there aren’t enough short nonfiction writing contests. Take a look. A quick google search will turn up oodles of “short story contests,” but by “short story” they mean fiction. I mean nonfiction.

In response to this realization, we at Telling Stories have decided to host a short nonfiction story contest to encourage those of us compelled to tell true stories.

Beyond those two rules—true and short—anything else goes.

Submissions could take the form of a compact narrative, a mini essay, or simply the description of a person, a moment or a memory. Submissions can blend genres, be experimental, be creative, be humorous. It could be the type of story you tell your mom when she calls. Or the type your inappropriate uncle tells on Thanksgiving when he thinks only the guys are listening.

Really, anything goes. We at Telling Stories just love a good story and aren’t persnickety about the form.

Need more motivation? How about this—winners will receive their very own copy of the recently published The Best Creative Nonfiction, vol. 2 (autographed if you like).

Now I know you’re excited. Okay, go to it. Ready, set, write!

Rules
1. It must be true.
2. Keep it short. (As my editor Dave Schwartz used to tell me, Write it as long as it needs to be and not a syllable more. You decide what that means.)

Prizes
1. The top five will receive a copy of The Best Creative Nonfiction, vol. 2 (W.W. Norton), 2008.
2. The top five stories will be published here on Telling Stories with the author’s bio.
3. The winners can add the following title to their resumes: “Winner of the 2008 Telling Stories Nonfiction Writing Contest”

Deadline
Email your story to katie.ann.campbell [at] gmail.com by Dec. 1, 2008.

Judging
Submissions will be judged by myself and narrative nonfiction writer Michael Werner, who is a visiting professor of journalism at the University of Oregon.