and, The Complete Guide to Literary Contests...
Compiled by the national contest experts at The Literary Foundation, this reference guide is the most comprehensive volume available, offering valuable information on nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and play contests in the United States for published and unpublished authors. From such major contests as the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award to smaller scale competitions such as Japanophile and Pig Iron Series, this guide contains nearly ever open contest in the American market.

In today's literary market, this guide could be the competitive edge you need to achieve your dream!

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Today, the Contest is in its 18th year and has become the largest and most successful merit competition of its kind in the world -- with a Hall of Fame judges panel led by Coordinating Judge Algis Budrys and a star roster of bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors that ranges from Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Frederick Pohl, Jack Williamson, Orson Scott Card, and Gregory Benford to Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Kevin J. Anderson, Andre Norton, Doug Beason and Tim Powers.

Budrys -- who also edits the contest's prize-winning annual anthology of winning stories -- says that a high percentage of today's major new science fiction writers have gotten their start as Writers of the Future winners or contestants. Among the careers springboarded by the contest is that of Dean Wesley Smith. Since winning the Writers of the Future Contest, and being published in the very first volume of the anthology, Dean Wesley Smith has gone on to sell almost 60 novels and hundreds of short stories. Along the way he was also the editor for three different magazines, and the publisher of Pulphouse Publishing. He has been nominated for every major award in science fiction, fantasy and horror, and has won many, including the World Fantasy Award and Locus Award. His most recent Nebula Award-nominated story In the Shade of the Slowboat Man was just made into an audio drama. Winning the contest also affected another part of his life -- he met his wife, Kristine Katherine Rusch, at the very first Writers of the Future workshop. They both now write full time while living on the Oregon coast.

In addition to recognition, the contest provides several key benefits to help new writers jump-start their careers: winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood where they participate in a week-long writers workshop with top names in science fiction and cash prizes in the contest totaling over $30,000 a year -- with a $4,000 check going to the Gold Prize winner. Additionally the newest harvest of the best new writers of speculative fiction is spotlighted, meanwhile, in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume XVII (Bridge Publications). Now in local bookstores, hailed by Locus, the authoritative news magazine of speculative fiction, as "the bestselling science fiction anthology of all time," the current volume showcases 18 prize- winning stories, along with illustrations by winners of the companion Illustrators of the Future Contest.

The history of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest as a premier gateway to publishing success is commanding -- and unrivaled: winners have collectively gone on to publish more than 250 novels -- including numerous New York Times bestsellers -- and over 2,500 short stories in the field of science fiction and fantasy as well as in other major genres.

During his own international bestselling, 55-year career as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard published over 250 works of fiction in genres ranging from adventure, western and mystery to science fiction and fantasy. His 15 New York Times and world-wide fiction bestsellers include his science fiction epic Battlefield Earth, voted the #1 science fiction novel of the 20th Century by the American Book Readers Association and one of the top three English language novels of the 20th Century by the Modern Library Readers Poll.