Awkward Author Photo: The Contest

Chuck Wendig is a novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. This is his blog. He talks a lot about writing. And food. And the madness of toddlers. He uses lots of naughty language. NSFW. Probably NSFL. Be advised.

I’m running a contest.

I want you to take an author photo of yourself. You know — an author photo, the photo that is meant to go in the back of the book? Or the one that exists on the author’s website, Twitter, and other marketing materials?

Author photos can be classy, great, compelling, curious, funny.
But some of them can be a little bit awkward.

(The hand under the chin, for instance: a classic awkward author look.)

So! I thought, HA HA HA let’s do that.

I’ll run a contest whereupon you take a truly awkward author photo, and then we all applaud and have a good time and further, I give out some prizes. Because, mmmm, sweet sweet prizes.

The best, most awkward(ly hilarious) photo, will be decided by all of you with a vote.

And the winner there will get:

One terribleminds t-shirt (either Certified Penmonkey or Art Harder).
And one terribleminds mug (either Certified Penmonkey or Art Harder).
(Merch visible here.)

Then, I’ll pick two other random winners to get a brand new set of terribleminds Post-It notes, which at the top say: #amwritingmotherfuckers (no image yet — still tinkering with the font and design — but I’m sure it’ll be cool and even if it’s not WHATEVER IT’S FREE).

Send your awkward author photos to me at: terribleminds@gmail.com.
Make sure the subject says: [Awkward Author Photo Submission]

You have one week for the contest — due Wednesday, September 24th, noon EST. You can take them with whatever camera you so choose — and the photos can be awkward, weird, horrible, twisted. (Please don’t send me anything super-gross.) You can’t use someone else’s photo; gotta be your own. Have fun with it.
All your shots will go into one Flickr album and I’ll link to it here next week.

I will open this to international folks, but: international winners pay their own shipping.

One entry per person. Multiple entries disqualifies you.
Snap your shots.

Send ‘em in.

Any questions? Shoot ‘em in the comments.

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  terribleminds

  September 17, 2014 at 9:31 AM // Reply

  Sidenote: you do not have to BE an author. Just mimic the hilarious sadness and grudging discomfort that is THE AUTHORIAL CONDITION.
  
• 

  terribleminds

  September 17, 2014 at 9:44 AM // Reply

  EDIT: scrapping requirement for it to be brand new photos. Feels like that limits the POTENTIAL HILARITY.
  Carry on!