What with all that’s been going on lately, I have totally lost track of this month!
This is probably the Monday I should be posting a Short & Sweet or an Oh, Susanna! or something. . .
. . .but instead. . .
EVEN BETTER!. . .
. . .I’m announcing. . .
. . .get ready for it. . . !
The 7th Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words candy corn, monster, and shadow. (Candy corn will be counted as 1 word.) Your story can be scary, funny, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got nearly 150 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. monsters, monstrous, shadowy, shadowed, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between 12:00 AM EDT Friday October 27th and Tuesday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany my special October 27th post. There will be no Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section of my October 27th post once it’s up (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like AwesomeWriter92 so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries before the start of the contest!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with only 3, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 6th (sooner if possible, although I’m warning you ahead of time I have a deadline for something else and if time gets dicey the finalists may get posted later.) The winner will be announced on Thursday November 9th, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 🙂 If we get more than 25 entries, I will post 6 finalists and give prizes for 1st – 3rd. If by some chance we get the kind of turnout we’ve had the past couple years, I may post as many as 10-12 finalists and I’ll probably end up giving everyone a prize 🙂 But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!
Judging criteria will be as follows:
- 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
- 2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
- 3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
- 4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
- 5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes: yeah… I’m still working on the prizes 🙂 Feel free to chime in in the comments if there’s something you’d particularly like to win! 🙂 Or if you have something awesome to offer! But for starters, prizes will include:
– a read and Skype critique of a picture book manuscript by the fabulous editor Callie Metler-Smith of Clear Fork/Spork Publishing!!!
– a webinar of your choice from among the selection offered by Julie Hedlund on her Teachable site (details of selection choice to follow)
– picture book manuscript critiques (several amazing and highly qualified people are stepping up for this – details to come)
– an e-pub or PDF copy (winner’s choice) of Linda Ashman‘s Nuts And Bolts Guide To Writing Picture Books.
– a whole bunch of fantastic books, some signed, some offered in packages of 3 or more (details to come)
Plus stay tuned because other great stuff is coming! 🙂
I hope those fantabulous prizes will at least whet your appetite for the contest!
Many, many thanks to Callie, Julie, and the PB MS critiquers for their very generous prize offerings!
So sharpen your pencils!
Get your butt in that chair!
See what amazing, knock-your-socks-off story you can dream up!
It’s a chance to hone your writing skills, practice your craft, write to specifications and a deadline, win amazing prizes, AND get to read and enjoy the wonderful stories written by all your fellows 🙂
I am SO looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!!!
Have a Marvelous Monday everyone! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Reblogged this on M J Mallon Author and commented:
Susanna Hill Halloweensie writing competition.
Thanks for sharing, Marje!
Welcome Susanna. I might join in! 🙂
I hope you do!!!
Pam here. I’m posting for my dear friend Mona, who is without power. Storms in Maine.
Monster Surprise
CROUCHING. CREEPING. CRAWLING.
Toward a pot of gold.
But when the floor creaked and eerie lights glowed,
I froze right there on the spot.
Shivering while I watched …
Shadows dancing on the wall
A creature flailing arms and legs
And then … it disappeared.
I edged closer, closer and found the treasured loot.
Arrrgh … Boo!
Candy corn flew.
I flew too.
Chasing the monster out the door …
Oh brother dear of mine.
Susanna, I would be happy to offer my INTENSIVE RHYME AND METER
SELF-STUDY COURSE as a prize. Details are here if you’re interested: http://www.reneelatulippe.com/writing-courses/
Oh my goodness, Renee! That would be AWESOME! Thank you so much!!!!!!!
My pleasure!
❤
Holy cannoli what an incredible prize! The generosity of the kidlit community never ceases to amaze me.
I know! Everyone is so awesome!
Wow, awesome!
Woo Hoo!
OK. I’m in.
But, oh, do I hate that 100-word limit!
You can do it, Mike!!! 🙂 Can’t wait to read your entry!!! 🙂
Candy corn, monsters and shadows, oh my!! :O I think I’m going to give this a try. 🙂 Happy Monday, Susanna!!
Yay! I hope you do, Rene! Looking forward to reading your entry! 🙂
I did, now I just have to figure out how to post my link on your site! 🙂
Hoping you got it sorted out! I haven’t gotten through everything yet to see if your story is linked!
I”m forwarding this onto my critique group to enter. i’d love to win Renee LaTulippe’s self-Study course!
Me too! 🙂 Thanks Sue!
Woo hoo! I’ve been waiting for this. Thanks for continuing the tradition Susanna.
So glad you’re excited for it, Greg! Can’t wait to see what you come up with this year! 🙂
The gears are grinding away in my brain. I will oil them with chocolate shortly. 😉
Fantastic, Susanna! The Holloweesie contest is always such a delightful tradition. So much more exciting than the over-priced plastic yard decorations. I can’t wait to read all the amazing 100-word stories that are just waiting to be born!
I’m so glad you like it, Doris! And I have to agree 🙂 I can’t wait to read the stories either – they always blow me away with talent and creativity!
SO EXCITED! Thank you Susanna!
SO GLAD! Looking forward to your entry, Susan 🙂
It’s ridiculous how excited I get about this! Thanks for making the magic! 😃 And oh my goodness, Renee LaTulippe’s offer too? 😍
I know!!!! Isn’t she the BEST?! Time to get the old writing brain in gear! 🙂
Yay! Clearly, I need to get to work. Will see what I can come up with. I still need to make my Halloween costume. But between now and then, I’m headed to the Rutgers One-on-One this weekend and then taking a little retreat at Highlights afterward. Perhaps the countryside surrounding Honesdale will inspire me. Cheers!
Oh, wow! You’ll be in writing heaven, Jilanne! Enjoy!!! I’m sure you’ll be all kinds of inspired! Good luck with the costume. I’m going as a writer who loves chocolate. Oh, wait… 🙂
I’m pretty sure mine will be something like, “I love candy corn! I looooooovvvee candy corn. I have candy corn socks. I make candy corn brownies. I don’t dream about monsters, I dream about candy corn! When I dream of candy corn, I sleep in so late I don’t have time to brush me teeth. I really should brush my teeth, because I loooooove candy corn!!! I saw my shadow the other day, and it looked like a piece of candy corn. So I’m going on a candy corn diet…right after Halloween.” That was nonfiction, if anyone is wondering. Can’t wait to write Susanna!
There’s your first entry Lauri. =)
LOL This is so funny, Lauri!!! It’s a hard thing to do with nonfiction, too 😀
Hahaha! You made me laugh out loud, Lauri! I think Greg is right – that’s your first entry – and probably the first nonfiction Halloweensie entry ever 🙂
Thanks Susannah. It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of this. Perfect timing as in-between other story efforts. I’m excited to give this a try!
Yay! So excited that you’re thinking of entering, Darshana! Can’t wait to see what you come up with! 🙂
How exciting! Can’t wait to read the stories 🙂
Me either! I hope there will be one from you, Rosie! 🙂
Awesome! I will try to have something put together in time. 🙂
Oh, I hope you can manage, Erik! And hi! Long time no talk to – my fault! SO BUSY!
Sounds fantastic. All the way from Tasmania, one very keen entrant here! 🙂
My husband found your contest and told me I really needed to enter. Since my writing brain has been frozen lately, I wasn’t sure I could come up with anything…but I sat myself down this morning and had SUCH fun writing a tiny story. Thank you for the jump start I needed to get going again!
That makes me SO happy, Jessica! You made my day 🙂 Can’t wait to read your story 🙂
And the pressure is on! I have a question Susanna, can the name of the girl be Candy Corn? I don’t know if I will go there, but it seemed like a possibility.
Thanks!
Susanna this is the one thing that will pull me out of the books (grad school books that is). I love this contest and can’t wait to do some creative writing. Love the word choice, and looking forward to reading all the creative entries. Thanks Susanna!
Please note, I’m changing my email and don’t want to lose contact. Dropping rochester.rr.com for gmail below
Many thanks for all you do. . . . v-
Valerie McPherson vmcphers1@gmail.com
http://www.ValerieMcPherson.com
PLEASE UPDATE: my roadrunner email will disappear soon. Gmail only.
I am excited to be part of the Halloweensie Writing Contest again! Thanks for organising 🙂
Almost missed this, Susanna…and then I would have really been sad! I’m so excited…is it really 7 years? WOWOWOWOWOWOW!
I’m hoping to find a story for the contest 🙂 Thank you for this opportunity, Susanna!