The WestSide Story Contest
2009
Call for Entries and News
New Submission Deadline:
September 15, 2009
Please read the following announcement:
Dear Writers,
I'm writing to you today with a number of exciting news!
We're in our fifth year and what better time than now to thank all of you who have participated and supported us so far. It's amazing what can happen with time, patience, and perseverance - in writing as in life - and it's on that note that I'm happy to announce our recent partnering with the Berkelely Branch of the California Writers Club (www.cwc-berkeley.com). From now on, the CWC, the third oldest such organization in the country (founded in the early 1900s by Jack London) will be hosting The WestSide Story Contest. I will remain editor-in-chief.
While much has stayed the same, our merger brought about some exciting changes. Please read the below carefully. Here are the new guidelines and additional perks:
Entry fee per story: $11
Submission window is between now and September 15, 2009. Winners will be notified by November 15.
Prizes:
Grand Prize: $250
2nd Prize: $100
3rd Prize: $50
Prize-winning stories will be read at the December luncheon meeting of the Berkeley Branch of the California Writers Club. Local writers will be invited to read their own work. As always, the winning stories and, if any, semifinalists and honorary mentions will be published on this website. (See below for winners of past years).
All entries receive a chapbook in December 2009 featuring the winning stories and, if any, semifinalists and honorary mentions.
This year's judge is Lucille Bellucci, winner of last year's contest and writer of five published novels, numerous first-place award-winning stories and essays, and the literary collection, Pastiche: Stories and Such. More on Ms. Bellucci at: www.lucillebellucci.com
The WestSide Story Contest is an annual short story contest open to all genres of literary fiction.
All submissions must be in English, previously unpublished, 2200 words or less, professional format: double-space, 1 1/4" margins, 12 pt serif type (Times or similar). Put your name, address, e-mail address, story title and word count on the cover page. In the manuscript, please put story title and page numbers only.
Electronic and paper submissions are welcome. Multiple entries and entries from outside the U.S. are welcome. Entrants retain rights to their stories and are responsible for all copyright issues related to their work.
Checks are payable to: CWC Berkeley
Or pay via PayPal using this e-mail address:CWCBerkeley@peoplepc.com
Mail checks and paper submissions to:
The WestSide Story Contest 2009
PO Box 15939
San Francisco, CA 94115
Address questions and send electronic submissions to:
wordshop@mac.com
Put WestSide Story Contest in the subject line.
Please send entry fee in U.S. Dollars only. If you want your manuscript to be returned to you, include an SASE with the necessary amount of postage. Manuscripts without SASE or enough postage will not be returned!
Please visit the California Writers Club, Berkeley at: www.cwc-berkeley.com for more information.
Other than that, Happy Writing, as always! Get your stories polished and in the mail.
We look forward to reading your work.
Best,
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
The WestSide Story Contest
2008
Thank you to everyone who entered The WestSide Story Contest 2008. We appreciate the opportunity to read your work. Judge Michael Walsh honored the following stories:
First Prize
Signora Petronio, by Lucille Bellucci, Oakland, CA
Second Prize
The Official, by Eric M. Sandler, Cameron Park, CA
Third Prize
The Rattling of the Chains, by Niceole R. Levy, Pasadena, CA
Honorary Mention:
Under, by Jim Celer, Omaha, NE
The WestSide Story Contest
2007
Thank you to everyone who entered The WestSide Story Contest 2007. We appreciate the opportunity to read your work. Judge David Scott Milton honored the following stories:
First Prize:
Elaborate show in shadow and dream, by Suzanne Cheavens, Telluride, CO
Second Prize:
Gladrags, by D.M. Thomas Jr., Sanford, NC
Third Prize:
My Complexion, by Hillsman Heath, San Anselmo, CA
Honorary Mentions:
Destined to Die, by Juan Bautista, Redondo Beach, CA
Summer Vacation, by Marie Shield, Alhambra, CA
The Wallet, by Porter Smith, Trumansburg, NY
The WestSide Story Contest
2006
Thank you to everyone who entered The WestSide Story Contest 2006. We appreciate the opportunity to read your work. Judge James Engelhardt honored the following stories (click here to read a letter from James Engelhardt):
First Prize
Implosion, by Louise Kantro, Modesto, CA
Second Prize
That Box You Keep Hidden, by Kurt McGinnis Brown, Madison, WI
Third Prize
Making Time for Castles and Kings, by Maureen Landress, Old Town, FL
Semi-Finalists
Earmuffs, by Libby Bideau, Los Angeles, CA
Honorary Mentions
The Beauty of Love, by Elise Marenson, New York, NY
Cake Takers, by Denny Thomas, Sanford, NC
Invisible, by Anne O'Dea, Dublin, Ireland
'Til Dogs Do Us Part, by Phoebe Frank, Calabasas, CA (didn't submit a word document for us to post the story)
March 07: From now on we will also post the stories that came in as semi-finalists and honorary mentions on this site. We hope that you enjoy reading this great collection of diverse pieces of writing.
The WestSide Story Contest
2005
Thank you to everyone who entered The WestSide Story Contest 2005. We appreciate the opportunity to read your work. Thanks to the many strong submissions we've received, it ended up being a close call. Judge Dennis Safren honored the following stories:
First Prize
What Solomon Saw by Mary Dean Cason, Chicago, IL
Second Prize
Stranger In Town by Brad Briggs, Los Angeles, CA
Third Prize
Backup by PB Rippey, North Hollywood, CA
Semi-Finalists
The Taxi Gal Blues, by Toni Plummer, Brooklyn, NY
To Save the World--In Santa Monica, by Curtis Miller, Torrance, CA
Honorary Mentions
The Boy, by Jim Krestalude, Los Angeles, CA
Primal Teens, by Joe Woo