Writing About Diversity
By Rebecca Victoria Ramirez
In February HBO announced they were looking for emerging writers of diverse backgrounds for its writing fellowship. The call for submissions asked for samples of screenwriting, a resume, and an answer to the question “How has your background influenced the stories you want to tell?” HBO is looking for writers of diverse backgrounds to create new content for their shows and films. But why the need for such diversity?
Perhaps it is because nowadays the headlines are filled with stories of injustices against people because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or all of the above. I don’t believe, and many would agree with me, that these injustices are becoming more frequent. But in our age of advancing technology, of the cell phone and social media, we are merely becoming more aware of them. And with this awareness comes the need to understand.
To understand why.
To understand each other.
As writers we search for this understanding of the world through our art. So I thought for today’s “Show Me The Money” it would be fitting to spotlight contests in search of diverse writing.
WNDB Short Story Contest
WNDB (We Need Diverse Books) has launched this contest in the effort to “support diversity and improve exposure for diverse books and writers, with the intention of inspiring a vast array of readers at the same time.” There is no entry fee and the grand prize is $1,000 and publication in an anthology. The deadline is May 8, 2015. For more information visit: http://weneeddiversebooks.org/short-story-contest/
Insanity Prize
Knut House Magazine is sponsoring a contest for short stories that “dramatize the experience of insanity authentically.” There is a $10.00 entry fee and the grand prize is $1,000 and publication in the magazine. The deadline is April 30, 2015. For more information visit: https://knuthousepress.submittable.com/submit/37201
Wildbilly Fiction Contest
Trajectory Journal 2015 is looking for “realistic stories set in the South or West.”There is a $15.00 entry fee and the grand prize is $100 and publication in the journal. The deadline is September 1, 2015.