The theme for The Baltimore Review’s winter contest is “Work.” 

Why?

Whether you wake up each morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and eager to begin your day’s work—your profession, your raison d’etre. 

Or whether you live for the weekend. 

Whether you’re desperately seeking a new one. 

Or counting the hours until your retirement. 

Work consumes much of our lives.

It’s how many of us define ourselves.

It’s what many of us do to survive.

The theme is also one more great excuse to do some research and learn how others live.

Writers like to do that. Right?

As long as you incorporate the idea of work in your poem, short story, or creative nonfiction, you’re good.

Three winners will be selected from among all entries. So winners could be one story and two poems; or two stories and one work of creative nonfiction; or one story, one poem, one work of creative nonfiction—you get the picture. 

3,000-word limit for fiction and creative nonfiction. One to three poems in an entry. All entries considered for publication.

Prizes are $500, $200, and $100. Entry fee is $10. All contest entries, regardless of genre, should be submitted through this Contest link.

Deadline is November 30, 2014

Final judge:  Jen Michalski