Little Bird the Third!

three birds

This is the third year of the Little Bird Writing Contest, and I couldn’t be more proud of it. Why do I love it so much?

  1. The prompts (and the deadline) help motivate writers to stay in their chairs, commit to their work, and write.

  2. I get to introduce the truest, least pretentious and most talented emerging writers I know to an author I respect.

  3. It’s a place for short fiction to flourish and find readers; the perfect way to share my excitement about new writing.

  4. I give all proceeds from the sales of the anthology to the Pelee Island Bird Observatory, a small and hard-working organization that looks out for a significant part of this continent’s migratory bird population.

This contest is rare because I do it for fun. It’s not associated with an institution or a publication. It supports itself. And it exists purely for the love of writing and short fiction (okay, and birds).

What makes it truly special: you.

Little Bird is cultivated by a community of writers who actively care about having a healthy writing practice and a mind-blowing dedication to craft and innovation. That makes this a pretty special place.

Thank you for being here, and making this with me.

Are you considering submitting a story for the Little Bird Writing Contest this year? 

I think you should. It’s only 2,500 words (max). You have more than a month to get it in there.

I know it can be intimidating. Writing with daily prompts is hard enough; constructing a real story requires another level of commitment. A deadline is like a promise – and this can feel like a test.

Here’s the thing: when you show up and actually keep that promise, you confirm that your loyalty is to your writing. This is, in fact, what makes a writer. Being a writer will not happen to you unless you do this repeatedly: make a promise, and follow through with it.

What to do now: 

  1. Write. Choose a writing prompt and begin, or revise, your story. (New here? Sign up for daily writing prompts right here, and check out the Little Bird Contest submission details here.) 

  2. RSVP for the Little Bird Salon to chat about writing with me and this year's judge, Alix Ohlin.

  3. Spread the Little Bird love! Use the share buttons below, or send your people directly to the contest page.

Finally, if you’re still trying to decide if you are ready to submit a story, write this down somewhere so you remember it:

Writing begets writing.

You cannot fail if you write a story: you can only fail if you don’t write it.

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2 comments

Steph
 

Thanks for the sign. ;)
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Stephen D. Forman
 

I surrender. After reading this, I will finally sign up for the Daily Prompts. A writer writes: I know this. I need these. Pre-thanks.
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