Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Recipe Writing Contests - Why Not?

Let's get lighthearted here. This time of year many people are in the kitchen, whipping up masterpieces or inherited home cooking, ethnic and exotic, delectable and scrumptious food for the holidays. While you're testing new concoctions or improvising on an old reliable formula, consider it for a recipe contest.

Country Woman pays big time for your recipe and brief story. Is there a story behind that almond extract? Lemon rind? Whipped butter and pinch of sugar? Earn a few dollars with that ingenuity in one of these competitions in 2011.

"Nuts About Nuts" asks for . . . duh, nut recipes. Deadline February 1, 2011. Do you toast yours? Do you shell out your own from trees in your yard? Walnuts, almonds, pecans, or peanuts? Ooh, macadamia nuts. The grand prize is $500 cash. The second-prize winner will receive $300, and third prize is $200. The runners-up will win a free year of Country Woman for themselves or a friend.


"Delicious Holiday Desserts" asks specifically for yuletide desserts for a holiday meal. I'd have thought this one had an earlier deadline, but they give you until April 1, 2011 to get it together. Same prizes as above.

"Beat the Clock Entrees" wants simple, on-the-run main courses fixable in under 30 minutes. Deadline June 1, 2011. Same prizes as above.

They have detailed guidelines on how they wish these submitted, so take your time reading them as you would any other freelance entry.

NOTE: I like dabbling in the kitchen some days. Experimentation can make or break you, but when you peg it right, it's heaven. I have a collard green recipe that would teach the pickiest eater to enjoy greens. And my crock pot pork loin? To die for.

DOUBLE NOTE: Christmas, newsletters and novel edits. Like when am I supposed to breathe? Had the edits mostly done in the editor's Track Edits format then found out I was supposed to just update the manuscript and resubmit in a separate document. Hey, I'm new at this. Took me three hours to master Track Edits, but hey again, I now know how to do it. Can't get frustrated (she says still in the honeymoon phase of this novel publishing business).

7 comments:

BECKY said...

As always, thanks for the wonderful contest news! If I don't get back to you before the end of the year....I truly wish you a beautiful, blissful Christmas!

Susan said...

Thanks, Hope. That's a good list. Hope you have a merry holiday! Susan

ShelbyandJosh said...

I just want to point out that entering Country Woman's contests gives the magazine the right to publish your recipe without notification or pay. "Entries become the property of Reiman Media Group, LLC"

I entered a contest and months later received a copy of Country Woman with my recipe in it--edited.

Hope Clark said...

Shelby

And that's fine as long as you don't mind that going in. After all, it's a recipe. Thanks.

Hope

Hope Clark said...

Oh, Shelby, I hope you are using that in your resume - that publishing credit in Country Woman. Very cool.

Susan M. Bell said...

I had a recipe published in Light N Tasty (a branch off of Taste of Home that has since changed its name but heaven help me, I can't remember what it is now) and my "pay" was a copy of the magazine plus a copy of the year-end compilation book they always put out. Didn't mind a bit. And it actually wasn't for a contest, just a recipe submission in general. I was just glad to see it in print. What a thrill.

ShelbyandJosh said...

Yes, it's still nice to have the publishing credit. I just wanted to remind people to read that fine print!