“Fishing for a Contract,” part II, Fiction Contest, Scholarship for Mystery Writing

Here are more ways to cast a hook to catch an editor’s attention:

Start with action. Action doesn’t have to be a wild car chase or a boxing match. Action means beginning a story at a point where the main character will forever be changed. M. T. Anderson gets straight to the point at the beginning of Feed, "We went to the moon to have fun…” The beginning is no place for backstory or the history of the character.

Create an active, believable character. In Millicent Min, Girl Genius, author Lisa Yee depicts a young girl who does not understand how to make friends. Strong, active characters are involved in solving their own problems, and that involvement keeps the tension high and the story interesting. Introduce problems early and make life difficult for the character. Give the character flaws and allow the character to make mistakes as in Alexi Sherman’s The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian. Mistakes offer learning experiences in which the character grows.

Curiosity. Kids are naturally curious so writing a dramatic statement peaks their interests. If you add something gross the interest factor soars. In Chasing Redbird, Sharon Creech does both with, "Worms dangled in Aunt Jessie's kitchen." Laura Numeroff poses a curious situation in If You Give a Pig a Pancake.

Next week, I’ll post part III of this three-part series.

Kenyon Review Short Fiction Contesthttp://www.kenyonreview.org/contests-sf.php
Submissions: February 1-February 28, 2011
NO ENTRY FEE

Helen McCloy/Mystery Writers of America Scholarship for Mystery Writinghttp://mysterywriters.org/?q=AwardsPrograms-McCloy
Deadline: February 28, 2011
NO APPLICATION FEE

"The Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship for Mystery Writing seeks to nurture talent in
mystery writing - in fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting." Open
to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Two scholarships up to $500 each will
be presented. "The scholarship may be used to offset tuition and fees for U.S.
writing workshops, writing seminars, or university/ college-level writing
programs. Applicants must select a specific writing class/workshop/seminar to
which scholarship funds would be applied." Check the site for details and the
application form.

Open to writers who are 30 years of age or younger at the time of submission.
Stories must be no more than 1200 words in length. No simultaneous submissions.
The journal will publish the winning story in its Winter 2012 issue, and the
author will win a scholarship to attend the 2011 Writers Workshop (June) in
Gambier, Ohio.

Fishing for a Contract

Want to catch an editor’s attention? Cast a hook.

A hook is a literary device used to grab a reader’s interest. Readers don’t want the story to build to an exciting tale; they want a moving story from the beginning, one that grabs them emotionally with a hold that won’t let go until the last page is read.

Editors spend a few seconds deciding if they want to read a manuscript. The decision is often based on the first paragraph. I once heard an editor state that if she liked the first paragraph, she turned to the last paragraph. If she liked the last paragraph, she began reading the manuscript, once again, from the beginning. Since the first and last paragraphs are so important, try dangling literary bait with a few hooks.

Question. Nonfiction books and articles sometimes begin with a question such as, What is the fastest land animal? The interest is immediate and kids keep reading to find the answer: cheetah. Fiction can also use this angle. The protagonist could question anything and everything. For added interest, make asking questions a quirky part of the character’s personality.

Similes and metaphors. Compare two things that are not alike, such as My day began like a car chase and ended with a crash. Similes add entertainment value by forming a comparison and expressing emotion. A metaphor makes a comparison without the words “like” or “as.” The metaphor—My day was a car crash—creates a mental picture. These sensory details paint vivid pictures.

Next week, I’ll post part II of this three-part series.

Calls for Submissions:

The Blue Pencil Online publishes the work of writers ages 12 to 18
from around the world, with the intention of showcasing the best
and full scope of teen writing.
Details at http://www.thebluepencil.net/bp-submissions/tbpo-writers-guidelines/

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2011 Short Story CompetitionDetails at http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition-2011
Deadline: February 14, 2011