Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thursday Helpful Links: Writer's Grants, Contest, Fun Stuff & #atozchallenge

Before jumping into this week's links (which I think are pretty awesome), I'd just like to say that IT'S ALMOST THE WEEKEND!!! Despite the short week, thanks to President's Day, I've thought it was a day ahead all week. That makes today Friday...if only!

Also, see my new banner?! Jeremy over at Retro-Zombie rocks! I sent him one sentence and he completely nailed my inspiration for The Warrior Muse! Maybe you recognize his digital signature in the corner of the banner; Jeremy is also the person responsible for many of the A-to-Z banners and badges you're seeing around the blog-o-verse. Like this one:


Speaking of the A-to-Z and my co-hosts, we are hoping to get to 1000 signups for the A-to-Z Challenge by March 1. If you're waffling, now's the time to sign up! If you've already signed up, would you help us meet our goal by posting about it/sharing? This year's A-to-Z is going to be amazing!


Image courtesy of OCAL at CLKER.com


First, we have FundsforWriters. This site lists contests, grants and publications. You can sign up for a newsletter that will automatically bring you updates on these things. Very cool! I'm kicking myself because I know one of our fellow bloggers was asking for help due to medical reasons. If anyone knows who that was, can you send her the link? There are grants to pay medical bills for writers in need.


Image courtesy of OCAL at CLKER.com


There is a writing contest open, no entry fee. They also have an art contest associated with it, so this isn't just for writers! This is the Tarcher Top Artist Competition. It is associated with Penguin and the winners receive $5000 cash and, for the writers, a critique of their entire book by a Tarcher Books editor. Not too shabby, eh?


Image courtesy of OCAL at CLKER.com


This binder from the Novelists, Inc. was recommended by someone on LinkedIn. You will find tons of helpful information in it, and it is FREE! I scanned through it before I downloaded it and it is chock full of information helpful to writers.

Now, just for fun, here's some art carved out of old books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, etc., all out of date, I believe).

Weekly Reminders:

Are you devious at heart? That's the theme for the PPB NLAPW Flash Fiction Contest. More information can be found on the Flash Fiction Contest tab at the top of my blog.


The A-to-Z Challenge is filling up fast! No worries, though, there is no limit to how many people can sign up to participate. The sooner you sign up, the sooner you can start getting to know your fellow A-to-Z participants. Click on the A-to-Z tab at the top of my blog or go to the official A-to-Z website for sign-up, information, helpful posts from our team and past participants, and video challenge pieces.


The Pikes Peak Writers Conference is filling up fast! The sooner you get registered, the better your chance at getting a Read & Critique appointment or Pitch appointment.

The Flash Fiction Contest I'm chairing for the Pikes Peak Branch of the National League of American Pen Women is open through May 1. I received the first official entry this week! Now if only someone would submit the first official online entry, I'd be all sorts of pumped!

Anything to share? Anything you'd like me to be keeping an eye out for that I'm not? Let me know!

May you find your Muse.

16 comments:

Lydia Kang said...

Great stuff here! I didn't know about Funds For Writers. Thanks for the info!

Murees Dupè said...

Thank you so much for sharing all this great info. You rock!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jeremy did several awesome banners for me as well! He is just too cool.

Christine Rains said...

Wow. Awesome banner. I'm excited for the A to Z Challenge! I'm making pretty good progress with my headstart, so I can visit other participants through April.

Andrew Leon said...

The new banner is great!
I wish I could figure out how to insert custom work into mine.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the links. I love the new banner. Jeremy is talented!

Anonymous said...

Shannon, I have tagged you on my blog.
Great banner!

A Beer for the Shower said...

That's a killer banner. I really like it.

And thanks for sharing about funds for writers. Needless to say, we sure put the 'starving' in starving artist.

Anyhow, we're both signed up for PPWC and ready to go. I may check out the flash fiction contest. I like how it says 'open to male writers, too.' I'm assuming you don't get a lot of submissions from the fellas.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Lydia, I hadn't heard of them before, either, and was so glad to have happened by.

Murees, thank you! I'm glad to!

Alex, he really is! He has a great feel for it.

Christine, that's great! And thank you.

Andrew, thanks! I went into "Design," clicked on "Edit" next to the header, and just had to upload a .jpg image. Easy peasy. I have no idea how to do the rest of the background, though.

Medeia, thanks, and he certainly is!

Jeremy, thanks, will be by shortly!

B/B, none so far, except a couple little boys last year (which was cute). I'm signed up for PPWC, too; hope to say hello!

Arlee Bird said...

The Blogscape is becoming Retro-Zombieized. What an artist! Your new header is very nice.


Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge

Anonymous said...

Such great info.... thanks for sharing.

Andrew Leon said...

Yeah, I've tried that, but I can't get it to work.
Like, I was trying to change the settings on my labels, and the new settings wouldn't take, so I took it off in the hopes that I setting it up from scratch would allow the new settings to take, and I can't get that to go back up, either.
I don't know if it's me or if it's blogger.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Lee, he is, indeed! And thank you.

Tania, I'm glad to!

Andrew, I wouldn't doubt it's Blogger.

Nikki said...

Thank you for your comment :) I'm actually really terrified of wolves, so am glad they keep their distance! You're right actually, it's nice that we haven't taken over their habitat so badly here. In England we're basically living on top of them.

Such a lot of great information :) Tomorrow I will be printing some flyers so hopefully some people from my university will get involved with A-Z :D

John Teal said...

Hello from a fellow A-Z 2012 challenge member :)

RJRdaydreamer

Shannon Lawrence said...

Inspire, it's the same here as in England. Makes me sad. How great that you're doing the flyers; thank you!

RJR, hello, and great to meet you!