Happy Friday creatives! I’m always one for honing your writing & learning skills while following your passions. I love to write and I have no problem writing in several genres. Some genres where my work yielded recognizance and monies over the years included:

Poetry: Winning 2nd & 3rd cash prize and publication in The Illinois Vanderpool Poetry competition. (defunct)

Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize: Placed as Quarter Finalist for 2015 and on their Quarter-Finalist and Semi-Finalist lists for 2016

Placed in a first Short Story finals list in The McDonald’s Short Story Literary Competition judged by actor Terry Crews. I went in search of this competition recently to find that sadly its defunct.

Short Story selected and published in The Independent Authors Index. My story is titled Technicolor Love. Look closely, you’ll see the purple cover:)

One of my first personal short stories was accepted and published in the book, When One Door Closes; Reflection for women on life’s turning points. Y’all can check that out on my blog sidebar.

I’ve also entered and won a cash prize in a best article competition, and in a name that website competition for a women’s organization. I’ve placed in the Women’s Advantage (15 women’s wisdom) Calendar three times where my business quotes were chosen from among 5000 submissions.

My songs entered in the Song of The Year Competition won suggested artist in 2005 and Runner Up in 2012. Over the years, there have been numerous blog guest posts, paid freelance-writing.com articles and feature columns in newspapers and magazines under personal development, health, relationship and celebrity news.

I’m not saying you have to get down like I have in testing the waters of different genres, but my personal advice to writers would be; do not allow your creativity to become staid and boring. Don’t be that creative in Langston Hughes poem who laments about ” a dream deferred”.

My purpose book for women, Unleash Your Pearls, is finally at the publishers and due for launch sometime in 2016. I’m anxiously waiting to see the cover and to share it with you guys! In the meantime, here’s what I’m working on for submission in my final 2015 competition:

http://thewritepractice.com/members/bw1wc/

And

2016 Drinking Gourd Poetry Prize Guidelines

5th Annual Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize

DRINKING GOURD CHAPBOOK PRIZE GUIDELINES:
Award
Winner receives $350 prize money, publication by Northwestern University Press in Fall 2016, 15 copies of the book, and a featured reading. Results announced in March 2016.

Judging
Judging will be conducted by a panel of senior minority poets and scholars assembled by the Northwestern University Poetry and Poetics Colloquium.

Eligibility
Poets of color who have not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. Simultaneous submissions to other contests should be noted. Immediate notification upon winning another award is required. Winner must be available for a reading in Chicago in January of 2017.

Deadline
Reading period begins January 15, 2016. Manuscripts must be postmarked by December 31, 2015. To be notified that your manuscript has been received, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard. The winner will be announced on March 15, 2016.

Submission
•    Complete submission form to be included with manuscript packet.
•    Send two copies of a single manuscript. One manuscript per poet allowed.
•    Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive notification of results.
•    Author’s name should not appear on any pages within the manuscript.
•    Manuscript must be typed single-sided with a minimum font size of 11, paginated and 25-35 pages in length.
•    Manuscript must include a table of contents and list of acknowledgments of previously published poems.
•    Manuscript must be unbound. Use a binder clip—do not staple or fold. Do not include illustrations or images of any kind.
•    Manuscripts not adhering to submission guidelines will be discarded without notice to sender.
•    Due to the volume of submissions, manuscripts will not be returned.
•    Post-submission revisions or corrections are not permitted.

Reading Fee
$15. Enclose check with submission, made payable to Northwestern University.

Direct packet to:
Northwestern University Poetry and Poetics Colloquium
Drinking Gourd Prize Chapbook Series
University Hall, Room 215
1897 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
Attn: Susannah Young-ah Gottlieb

Great contests right? It’s all gravy 🙂 What’s your final creative contribution for 2015? Now, don’t keep us in suspense.