You only have a few more hours to submit the first 500 words of your suspense manuscript to the Friedrich Literary Agency’s Vivid Voices Contest.

The three prizes include: a full manuscript evaluation by agent Lucy Carson, a query evaluation and free book, or a query evaluation. To submit, email your materials to vividvoicescontest (at) gmail (dot) com before 5 p.m. EST today (August 12). Here’s more about the contest:

an entry consists of the first 500 words of your novel (yes, we are asking for fiction only) OR short story (if and only if that story is part of a suspense-themed collection which is complete), along with your full name, working title of the submission, and confirmation that the project is not under consideration at another agency at this time … After your first 500 words, please include 2-3 paragraphs describing the complete project.

So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library is looking for submissions for its second annual issue. The theme this year is “Humor.”

The first issue (“Veterans Reclaim Armistice Day: Healing through the Humanities”) was released on Kurt Vonnegut’s birthday November 11th birthday, focused on the theme of “War and Peace.” Check it out:

We want your whimsy, levity, dark satire, political parody, topical tomfoolery, sarcastic spoofs, and wit.  Keep in mind that we are looking for your unique voice and not just an imitation of Vonnegut’s trademark, humorous humanism. Please submit your poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, original artwork, and/or photography related to the theme of humor.  We will accept new and previously published work (simultaneous submissions are allowed with notification) and will credit the original publisher for previously published works.  Submissions are limited to one work of prose (maximum 1500 words) or up to five poems, photographs, and/or works of art.  Please format with double space, use 12 point Times New Roman font, and include a cover letter with a brief biography.

Quirk Books has opened the “Looking for Love” fiction contest, seeking full-length novel manuscripts.

The grand prize winner will receive $10,000 and a contract for publication. The deadline is October 1, 2013. Follow this link for more details. Here’s more:

[We want] love stories that are fresh, fun, and strikingly unconventional. Boy Meets Girl. Girl Meets Girl. Girl Meets Shark. Shark Meets Pirate. Anything goes! Except vampires. Sorry.

Did you love The Dark Crystal movie as a kid? You could win a contract to write the first book in a new YA series based on the late Jim Henson‘s beloved fantasy film. “All professional and aspiring professional writers” are eligible to participate.

The Jim Henson Company and Penguin Young Readers Group’s Grosset & Dunlap imprint have teamed up for the online Dark Crystal Author Quest contest. You can submit your entry between October 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2013. Check it out:

This new Dark Crystal novel will be a prequel story set at the time of the Gelfling Gathering, between the Second Great Conjunction and the creation of the Wall of Destiny. We will be placing all known lore from this era on DarkCrystal.com, the definitive home of The Dark Crystal. There you will find all the knowledge available for you to shape and build your story—and all we ask is that you share your stories with us … Your submission should be an original story set in the era outlined above. The final novel will be upwards of 50,000 words, but please send in 7,500-10,000 words that represent the story you would tell in a full-length Dark Crystal novel. It can either be the first chapters, final chapters, a collection of middle chapters, or a short piece that would form the inspiration for a novel-length story.

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Are you inspired by Suzanne Collins‘ Hunger Games trilogy?

The series’ official Facebook page features a contest encouraging fans to illustrate the first chapter of Catching Fire.

You can use movie photos, screenshots from the trailer and GIFs to create “eye-popping multimedia experience inspired by the words on the page.” Winning submissions  will be showcased on Facebook. The contest ends on June 14th.

“Summer is coming!” Foursquare and HBO have partnered up to host a Game of Thrones-themed contest for ice cream shops called the “Battle for the Iron Cone.”

To vote for your favorite frozen treat purveyor, check-in on Foursquare during your visits and include the hashtag “#GameOfCones.” Voting ends on June 21st.

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If you share a 300-word monologue on Reddit, you could win a chance to have the great actor and audiobook narrator Samuel L. Jackson read your work.

Jackson posted about the online event yesterday, so you only have until the end of the day (Thursday night PST) to write your passage. The whole writing contest will help raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. Check it out:

It’s simple, write 300 words and the most upvoted post I’ll read out loud in monologue form. I’m doing this for one of my favorite non-profits, Alzheimer’s Society, as my family have been unfortunate enough to have been affected by the disease. As a BONUS, I’m offering you all the chance to be flown to the UK for lunch with ME in return for just a tiny donation to this amazing cause. I’ll also sign a beloved Kangol hat and mail it to anyone that donates $200 or more! Check it out at Prizeo.

Flavorwire has launched a short fiction contest and one winner will receive a $500 prize.

Writers are invited to send in original stories that contain 5,000 words or less. Only previously unpublished work can be submitted, and the deadline is Friday, May 17th. Here’s more about how to submit:

Flavorwire Literary Editor Emily Temple will judge all entries and announce the results on the 24th. We’ll publish the winning story, along with a handful of honorable mentions, on Flavorwire throughout the final week of May. While all styles of short fiction are fair game, we can’t consider nonfiction or poetry submissions. Due to time constraints, Flavorwire can only accept entries via email and will be unable to provide feedback on individual stories.

The Saturday Evening Post has launched the 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. One winner will receive $500 in prize money and publication in both the January/February 2014 edition of the magazine as well as the website.

Five other writers will be selected as runners-up; they will also be published on the website and collect $100 each.

Only previously unpublished writers are eligible to enter. Each written piece must contain 1,500-5,000 words. Those who enter will have to pay a $10 entry fee. A deadline has been set for 11:59 p.m. EST on July 1, 2013. Follow this link to read all the rules and learn all the details about this contest.

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Warner Brothers TV Writing Workshop will accept applications from today until June 1, 2013.

You must pay $30 to apply, but accepted screewriters spend the intensive workshop in weekly lectures with “a mix of showrunners, directors, actors and agents.” This learning period is followed by an intensive writing program. Check it out:

In the winter, the Workshop participants are divided into smaller groups for an intensive writing experience. Each participant will be required to complete a new spec script under the same deadlines found on a show currently in production. How participants perform during this exercise will determine whether they will be chosen for a possible staffing position on a Warner Bros. show … Upon completion of the program, Studio executives will help participants, who pass the Writers’ Room, obtain a staff position on a Warner Bros. television show currently in production. We can’t guarantee you will get staffed, but we will get your material in front of the people who make the ultimate decisions – the showrunners.