Wild Waterways
The first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers.
JULY PRIZES
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Total Submission Count:
186
Meet The Previous Winners
About the Contest
Write a story involving waterways, and a buckle.
$3,000 grand prize.
Stand under the waterfall. Hear it roar. Feel the water rushing downriver from the mountain. Feel it flow past you on the long journey out to sea. Rest assured, it will be gathered and returned, to begin the wild ride again.
Shipping lanes, heating pipes, and the blood in our bodies. Waterways are everywhere. Whales diving to the ocean depths or rats hitching a ride on garbage, it’s all the same. Rivers have always been used for transport—and war. You might take a peaceful canoe trip on the lake, or drift in the dark with your brick-weighted bag. Take a hike down the canyon and remember the raging torrent that carved it. Walk the ice, but be wary of splintering cracks and the cold death below. How fortunate we are water doesn’t have a mind of its own, because it’s all around us…
This contest invites you to explore waterways, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close July 31st at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on:
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Meet the Judge
Creag Munroe
Creag is the founder and editor-in-chief of Elegant Literature. He is dedicated to helping new writers achieve success.
Creag is a writing coach and an avid reader who inhales novels at an alarming rate, preferring SF/F as the main staple of his diet. He resides in Toronto, Canada, but swims with sharks and drives motorcycles in monsoons whenever duty allows.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prize: 1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on July 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on July 31st.
Winners will be announced on September 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “buckle”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Creag Munroe
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.
Wild Waterways
The first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers.
The first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers.
JULY PRIZES
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Total Submission Count:
186
Meet The Previous Winners
About the Contest
Write a story involving waterways, and a buckle.
$3,000 grand prize.
Stand under the waterfall. Hear it roar. Feel the water rushing downriver from the mountain. Feel it flow past you on the long journey out to sea. Rest assured, it will be gathered and returned, to begin the wild ride again.
Shipping lanes, heating pipes, and the blood in our bodies. Waterways are everywhere. Whales diving to the ocean depths or rats hitching a ride on garbage, it’s all the same. Rivers have always been used for transport—and war. You might take a peaceful canoe trip on the lake, or drift in the dark with your brick-weighted bag. Take a hike down the canyon and remember the raging torrent that carved it. Walk the ice, but be wary of splintering cracks and the cold death below. How fortunate we are water doesn’t have a mind of its own, because it’s all around us…
This contest invites you to explore waterways, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close July 31st at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prize: 1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on July 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on July 31st.
Winners will be announced on September 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “buckle”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Creag Munroe
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.