Women’s Writing Contest

Stories of Transformation and Healing

Contest Opens January 20, 2024 and Closes June 01, 2024

Have you ever felt like there’s a story within you that’s ready to come out? But maybe the thought of writing an entire book is daunting. Maybe you’ve thought you could share it in just a few pages. Now is your time.

 CONTEST GUIDELINES:

1. Each submitted short story must be an original, non-fiction story.
2. Inspire, motivate, uplift the reader’s spirits or give them an ‘aha’ moment of awareness.
   • Although no rule is absolute, and stories certainly can contain elements of sadness, try to focus your story so that overall the positive shines through. In sharing your story of transformation and healing, others can heal as well. Write to inspire, excite, or warm the heart of your readers. Tell your story so that it has an emotional impact on the reader. Make them laugh, cry, connect, shout YES.
3. Invite the reader in so they can experience and feel the power of your story.
   • Start with the action and draw your reader in. Avoid using an introductory paragraph that tells what your story is about or a concluding paragraph that tells the reader what to think or feel. Avoid preaching. Don’t tell the reader how to feel, how to live, how to think, etc. Let them feel it for themselves and draw their own conclusions.
4. Spiritual stories must have universal appeal.
   • Avoid proselytizing. Stories must be written so that people of all beliefs can relate to the message. Do not promote any given religion, religious beliefs, ritual or deity. Although your story most likely has a spiritual element, try to stay away from making a particular religious belief the center of the story.
5. Stick to one central theme and develop it fully.
   • First try completing this one sentence: “My story is about . . .” Once you have established your central theme and understand the central message you want to convey, let all your paragraphs flow from that one sentence.
6. Polish to perfection.
   • After you have written your story, give it to at several writer friends or an internet critique group for their unbiased input. Tell them you are asking for their help to make your story as strong as possible. Then listen, listen, listen.
7. Edit and proofread VERY thoroughly. 
8. Use only one single space at the end of each sentence.
   • Please avoid double spaces after end punctuation marks as they do not format properly in print layout.

How to Submit Your Story

EMAIL THE FOLLOWING TO: enchantedmoonpress@gmail.com

• Attachment 1: Your story, a maximum of 1200 words, saved as a Word Document 
• Attachment 2: Your 150 word maximum bio paragraph. List your name exactly as you want it to appear in print and an optional URL link of your choice
• Attachment 3: A 150 word or more teaser about your story. (Tell just enough to tease readers into wanting to read more.)
• Attachment 4: One or more author owned photos relevant to your inspiring story, scanned at high resolution (i.e. 200 DPI) – maximum of three photos
• Attachment 5: A few words you would like to appear as a caption under each photo
• Attachment 6: An author headshot, scanned at high resolution (i.e. 200 DPI)
• Attachment 7: A signed and dated copy of the Release Form (see below)

Release Form

Kindly print, scan and return a signed copy to: enchantedmoonpress@gmail.com.

Writing Contest Release Form

Winner Rewards

• You receive the distinction of being named an award winning author, a coveted credential you carry for a lifetime
• Your story published, with your name listed as its author, in a respected book collection
• Your photo and mini-biography published inside the book along with your story
• Your name listed on Amazon.com as a contributing author (currently Amazon only allows 10 names to be listed, but that might change.)
• Your story featured on a rotating basis in the monthly Enchanted Moon Press LLC newsletter
• You and your story featured on a rotating basis on social media outlets