Is everybody here? Is everybody ready? Hit it!

SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED!

A Chicago reference to headline the main submission event?  Why the hell not?

Two hundred and forty two (242) original stories.

Seventy three (73) distinct authors.

90,000 Downloads.

One amazing podcast.

It’s time, dear sinners, for the Fiftieth episode of the #wordcountpodcast! And I want YOU to celebrate with us!

The Show will be available to download on 12 September 2015—five years to the date that I released Episode 1.  Toward this end, I’ll be looking to receive all submissions by 4 September to allow time for editing, recording and post production work.

The theme is simple:  “50.”

That could be fifty friends, fifty bottles of beer, fifty ways to leave your lover, or fifty shades of grey (as long as it’s better than the book).  Just include 50 somewhere in the story.  The detailed guidelines are at the bottom of this post—PLEASE read them carefully as they are a little different from the standard guidelines.

Along with the show itself, I’d like to ask for volunteers to participate in a “Word Count Podcast” blog hop that will take place beginning in September and running for the month.  Participation in the blog hop is NOT required if you plan on submitting a story—but as the show is just over 90,000 downloads I have a goal of pushing us over the 100,000 mark.  And–as the podcast is free of any advertising–I rely on participants and social media to get the word out…

The blog hop has no specific theme—but a mention of the show with links would be awesome.  After that, write what you like!  E-mail me at me@rbwood.com if interested.

To make this post a little longer, here are the guidelines for episode 50:

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 50

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 4 September 2015 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the number: 50.

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

• Your pen name (if you have one)
• Your latest bio
• Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook, Fanpage etc.
• Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
• A photo of you I can use for the show notes—I ask that in the photo, you hold up a sign with the number “50” or incorporate 50 in some other clever way.
• At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to the 50^th episode of the Word Count Podcast”
• Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 4 September 2015. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

I also ask that you help out via Twitter using the hashtag #wordcountpodcast.

I’m excited for this show…and I’m excited to receive as many stories as possible. I hope you will join me in the celebration!

Peace