Submit your short story by FEB 28th!

[VydorScope]

This is the 3rd and final Charity Anthology. The second one has already released and features my short "The Faceless Ones." This one when it comes out will feature some famous authors (I have been asked not release who they are yet) so not only will you be helping a great cause, but you could gain exposure by rubbing shoulders with some bigger names.

Here are the rules of submission for Book 3

1 We're looking for fictional stories and we're open to all genres.
No extreme violence or erotica.
(There ARE one or two sample stories from Books 1 & 2 you can read in the Look Inside feature on amazon for a feel of the material.)

2 All stories are to be considered donated works. We deeply appreciate your contribution.

3 We'd appreciate it if you let us use the story for at least six months for the book. Then, if you wish, you can re-submit it elsewhere. If you do you have to let future publishers know it has been previously published.

4 All submitting writers agree that Stella Wilkinson is the editor has final word about stories as well as story order.

5 We'd appreciate it if you have the story edited and polished and ready to go when you submit it to Stella. The stories will be proof read for grammar tweaking purposes only.

6 You are allowed to post a very brief bio, your email and blog and webpage at the end of the story if you wish.

7 1,000 word limit. (It CAN go over by 100 words or so if you need that)

8 It can be an original unsold piece you have sitting in the hard drive or you can write a brand new piece. But it cannot be something you posted for free anywhere in a critique group or on your blog. Amazon has drones that seek these out and they may flag the book.

9 The stories will be featured in an e book and paperback version and possibly an omnibus in 2015.

10 All writers who participated in the first two books are free to submit to Book 3 if they like.

11 All new writers are invited to participate in a Q & A interview that will be featured on my blog www.whatbrickwall.blogspot.com/ . Interviews from books 1 & 2 are already there. You don't HAVE to do the interview but if you do I will send these out in February and they will be placed on the blog a week or three before the book is released to get curiosity going. Maybe even March 1st since all stories should be in by then.

12 All writers are encouraged to promote the books on social media ( tweet/face book/webpage/ blog etc) but be careful when mentioning the charity. We'd appreciate a very brief mention like, The book is a Charity Anthology to raise funds for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, A Children's Hospital Charity.But thats it. Best to focus on letting your followers know that you have a story in the book.

13 We're accepting stories Jan 1 thru to Feb 28.
send stories to Stella at her email swilkinsonauthor@gmail.com We expect the book to go live mid March 2014.

I think that's all for now.

[cromag]

So, I assume the short story is to be submitted as a Word attachment to an email again?

Is there any preferred format for the story? I tend to write all my stories in block paragraphs, no indents, with paragraphs separated by a blank line. From there I can convert to indented paragraphs with no blank lines, for those who prefer that style.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by cromag

So, I assume the short story is to be submitted as a Word attachment to an email again?

Is there any preferred format for the story? I tend to write all my stories in block paragraphs, no indents, with paragraphs separated by a blank line. From there I can convert to indented paragraphs with no blank lines, for those who prefer that style.

Yes on Word attachment. The current anthology is formated like a traditional book - with paragraph indents. So that is what I would submit in.

[VydorScope]

Slight modification to the rules :

I updated the rules a bit
Here are the rules of submission for Book 3

1 We're looking for fictional stories and we're open to all genres.
No extreme violence or erotica allowed.
(There ARE one or two sample stories from Books 1 & 2 you can read in the Look Inside feature on amazon for a feel of the material.)

2 All stories are to be considered donated works. We deeply appreciate your contribution.

3 We'd appreciate it if you let us use the story for at least six months for the book. Then, if you wish, you can re-submit it elsewhere. If you do you have to let future publishers know it has been previously published.

4 Also once published its best not to even post a brief excerpt of yours or any other story in these books on a blog/webpage or face book. We don't want to flags from amazon.
I hate to lean toward anal-ness with this long list but I want these books to be something we can all be proud of as well as have them be issue free while they are online.

5 All submitting writers agree that Stella Wilkinson is the editor has final word about stories as well as story order.

6 We'd appreciate it if you have the story edited and polished and ready to go when you submit it to Stella. The stories will be proof read for grammar tweaking purposes only.

7 You are allowed to post a very, very brief bio, your email and blog or webpage at the end of the story if you wish. Do NOT include a direct link to your books. These books are on Smashwords as well as amazon and poor Stella has to go through deleting all that stuff so Smashwords will accept it. Thanks.


8 1,000 word limit. (It CAN go over by 100 words or so if you need that)

9 It can be an original unsold piece you have sitting in the hard drive.
Or, you can write a brand new piece. But it cannot be something you posted for free anywhere online like in a critique group or on your blog. Amazon has drones that seek these out and they may flag the book.

10 The stories will be featured in an e book and paperback version and possibly an omnibus in 2015.

11 All writers who participated in the first two books are free to submit to Book 3 if they like.

12 All new writers are invited to participate in a Q & A interview that will be featured on my blog www.whatbrickwall.blogspot.com/ . Interviews from books 1 & 2 are already there. You don't HAVE to do the interview but if you do I will send these out in February and they will be placed on the blog a week or three before the book is released to get curiosity going. Maybe even March 1st since all stories should be in by then.

13 All writers are encouraged to promote the books on social media ( tweet/face book/webpage/ blog etc) but be careful when mentioning the charity. We'd appreciate a very brief mention like, The book is a Charity Anthology to raise funds for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, A Children's Hospital Charity.But thats it. Best to focus on letting your followers know that you have a story in the book.

13 We're accepting stories Jan 1 thru to Feb 28.
send stories to Stella at her email swilkinsonauthor@gmail.com We expect the book to go live mid March 2014.

Yes, we do have celeb writers of note that will add some weight to it for sales purposes but don't mention that yet. Let's wait til early March as the release date approaches.

Especially number 7. Please adhere to this one.

I think that's all for now. Thank you all so much for the donation.

Get writing! One of the more famous names has already submitted their story....

[VydorScope]

Just Bumping this as a reminder to all!

[KarenT]

Just a couple of quick questions:

1. Which charity or charities will this support?

2. What are the previous volumes called, so I can look up and see what sort of story you're looking for?

I may have something of interest.

Thank you.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by KarenT

Just a couple of quick questions:

1. Which charity or charities will this support?

2. What are the previous volumes called, so I can look up and see what sort of story you're looking for?

I may have something of interest.

Thank you.

Hey KarenT! Thanks for your interest, I am only helping to spreading the word and not organizing it. You can email Stella (swilkinsonauthor@gmail.com) for any details, but here is what I know:

The charity is Wallace and Gromits Grand Appeal, which is a children's hospital charity. They do so many different things to help sick children, you can check it out here if you wanted http://www.grandappeal.org.uk/

I am not sure the mods will allow me to link to the prior books, but the one that contains my short story is "Something for the Journey - A Charity Anthology" and the one before that (which I was not in) was called "Something to Read on the Ride : A Charity Anthology"

I have two stories that will go in this one. Each story should be less than 1,000 words (both of mine go over slightly though... ops ) - as they are intended to be read between stops on a train, or while waiting some place.

Since it is a CHILDREN's hospital they want the stories to be "family friendly" so no XXX stuff and etc but the stories are aimed at adults.

That is my understanding at least. Stella is the authority on it, so you can always verify directly with her.

Feel free to post any other questions and I will post what I know.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by James_Wilde

1300 words too much?

So I am not the judge, but maybe I would say send it in and see what they say. But if you can trim some off, then do it.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

So I am not the judge, but maybe I would say send it in and see what they say. But if you can trim some off, then do it.

One of the skills of writing is writing to a word limit. If someone says they want 1000 words, 1000 words it should be.

[Dr. Drib]

I agree with Harry, and I will add this:

If someone can't write to the specifications, then that piece goes in the trash. Immediately.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by HarryT

One of the skills of writing is writing to a word limit. If someone says they want 1000 words, 1000 words it should be.

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I agree with Harry, and I will add this:

If someone can't write to the specifications, then that piece goes in the trash. Immediately.

I do think there is a lot of merit in that, but I am not running this project so I am trying my best to help them advertise with out putting words in their mouth. I suspect that if it was 1,050 words they let it slide, but at 1,300 that is 30% over and won't fly - BUT I am a HUGE proponent of "when in doubt, ask!" so that's my suggestion here.

[HarryT]

Not suggesting that you were responsible, Vincent, and I hope the competition goes well - it's a very worthy cause.

[Dr. Drib]

If someone [a 'writer'] wishes to rise above the rank of amateur, there is nothing more blatantly obvious - something that SCREAMS to the editor that she is dealing with the uninformed - if that 'author' submits wrting that fails to meet the specifications required.

Nothing is more easily and quickly discarded from the slush pile than a piece of writing that does not follow the guidelines.

ADDED: If a piece of writing goes a few words over the limit, then a courteous inquiry may be all that is needed for the 'go ahead.'

[James_Wilde]

Then I think I'll pass on this one. As I have said in another context, 1000 is just too short for me. I've got it down to 1127, but only by trimming out more than I want to.

[VydorScope]

Reminder: 28 days to deadline!