Early Bird Announcement: Broken Pencil Presents Indie Writers Deathmatch IV

By Nathaniel G. Moore

This is definitely not a contest for sensitive writer types. If you can't handle the thought of your short story being smacked down by online voters, then you'll want to stay well clear of this one. Think Literary Survivor. On an island. Surrounded by a sea of sharks.
          - Jennifer Moss, The Vancouver Sun

Reminding you all that the deadliest fiction contest on the planet is coming back bigger and better than ever! While the deadline is not until December 31, 2010, there's no reason you can start training now!

Not For The Faint or Meek, this annual contest attracts over 40,000 online visitors during the seven-week competition, which sees the most brutal display of literary criticism the internet can handle live and raw.

Hundreds of deathmatch fiction entries get narrowed down to eight finalists who face off, story versus story, until there is one grand prize winner, standing proud amongst their fallen comrades: the deathmatch champion!

And this year's grand prize is already shaping up to be better than last year, with a cash prize, ($300 CDN) a book package (including Rasskazy: New Fiction from a New Russia, Edited by Mikhail Iossel and Jeff Parker, Tin House Books) Broken Pencil merchandise, publication and profile in the Spring 2011 issue and more TBA!

But we're not there yet. We want you to start penning your masterpieces and planning your victory speech, but for those who want additional ways to be a part of the mid-winter classic that is Indie Writers Deathmatch, the most unique multimedia fiction contest around! And here's how you can take advantage of our early bird special. Get involved in any of the following ways:

1. Volunteer to be a special guest enforcer. Are you an indie author with gusto, guts, bravado and an ability to keep things in order? You might be just what we're looking for. Get your people/publisher to talk to our people (see email below).




2. Are you a video artist or know someone who is? Create hype training videos or motivational video blogs to help encourage the competitors or rile up the would-be competitors. We'll post a link to your work online, it's a great way to show our readers what you can do in the digital age. Remember, this is a battle!




3. Are you in an indie band? Why not write a short Indie Deathmatch anthem? If we choose your song we'll profile your band on our website and have links to download your tune during the competition.




4. Deathmatch Doodles. Remember that scene in American Psycho when Patrick Bateman's secretary discovers his creepy sketches in his day planner? Send us some deathmatch-inspired doodles and we might use them in our Spring 2011 issue. We'll definitely post them online during the competition to help keep things fresh and bloody

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the aforementioned ways, or have an idea of your own, please contact Nathaniel G. Moore at assisteditor@brokenpencil.com or call the deathmatch hotline at 416 204 1700. If we like you idea your name will be entered in a draw to win a special early bird prize.

To take a look at the carnage from last year, please visit
http://www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch

To watch a few YouTube videos from past competitions, please visit
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=indie+writers+deathmatch&aq=f

And most importantly, if you are eager to send us your story and entry fee ($20 CDN) which includes a year's subscription to Broken Pencil, please stay tuned, we'll be making some official announcement very soon.

This is an early bird announcement after all! Keep checking our website and follow us on twitter. http://twitter.com/brokenpencilmag