SWELL Fiction Contest

SWELL is pleased to sponsor a fiction contest. The electronic publishing arm of NewTown Writers, a Chicago-based writer's salon, SWELL aims to reach beyond the traditional boundaries of the printed word, exploring the limits of form, structure, and content, while giving a voice to emerging writers.



Prizes Awarded:
First Prize: $250
Second Prize: $100
Third Prize: $50

Submission Guidelines:
The contest is open to LGBT writers and their allies.
Submit only unpublished, well-crafted stories that relate to SWELL's mission of fostering the evolution of LGBT literature.
In addition to first through third prizes, three finalists will also be named. Winners and finalists will be published in SWELL.
All pieces entered will also be considered for SWELL's sister print publication, OFF THE ROCKS.
Entries will be accepted electronically between May 15, 2008 and January 1, 2009.
Submissions will only be accepted via email.
Winners will be announced in March 2009.
An $8 reading fee is charged for each submission. Fees are payable through PayPal. See the entry page for more information.
Members of NewTown Writers are not eligible to win.
The contest will be judged by SWELL's editors.


Formatting Guidelines:
Only Microsoft Word documents will be accepted.
Entries must be typed in a standard 12-point font.
Side margins must be one inch.
Paragraphs must be double-spaced.
All pages must be numbered.
Include author contact information on a cover page: name, address, telephone number and email address.

*Please Note: Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be read*

To Enter:
Visit http://www.newtownwriters.org/Fiction.html to submit the reading fee.