From Idea to Story, Part VII /Calls for Submissions

This article is the last of the series.


The protagonist must have an important goal, so important that if s/he fails, disaster strikes. Review your story. What happens if the main character fails? What are the consequences? Are they great enough to create a motivation so strong the character will pursue his/her goal at all costs?

The resolution must tie all loose ends or questions. Don’t leave the reader wondering what happened. Readers expect to see the main character reach his goal or attain a more favorable one. The ending should be logically drawn from the characterization and story details.

A happy ending is not necessary but a satisfying ending is. Make the reader glad s/he read your story all the way to the end.

Call for submissions for adult writers:

THE BINNACLE Annual Ultra-Short Competition. "THE BINNACLE will sponsor its Tenth International Ultra-Short Competition in the 2012-2013 academic year. We are looking for prose works of 150 words or fewer and poetry of sixteen lines or fewer and fewer than 150 words. All works should have a narrative element to them

Submissions: December 1, 2012-March 15, 2013

Guidelines at http://www.umm.maine.edu/ultra-short-competition.html

Call for submissions for young writers:

Bucknell Seminar for Younger Poets

Deadline: January 31, 2013

Guidelines at http://www.bucknell.edu/x3724.xml

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/