Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, June 1922 · page 67 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #34 — page 67: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a **contest advertisement** for *True Confessions*, a new Fawcett Monthly magazine (1922). The publication sought short stories of 1,000-10,000 words based on real events, offering $10,000 in total prizes across two submission periods. The suggested topics reveal the magazine's sensational focus: "Confessions of a Magdalene" (fallen woman), "Dope-Fiend," "Faithless Love," and "Hate." These reflect *True Confessions*' actual editorial mission—publishing lurid, emotionally intense personal narratives, often about moral transgressions or urban vice. The anonymous publication clause ("writers' names will not be published") suggests readers valued confession's perceived authenticity while protecting contributors' reputations. This magazine pioneered the "confession" genre that became enormously popular throughout the 1920s-40s, blending voyeuristic appeal with moral instruction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
$10,000 Short Story Contest! True Confessions, a new Fawcett Monthly magazine, is in the field for distinctively interesting based-on-fact stories of 1,000 to 10,000 words, and offers contributors— Two grand prizes of $1,000 each. Two second prizes of $300 each. Two third prizes of $200 each. Twenty prizes of $100 each. Fifty prizes of $50 each. One Hundred prizes of $25 each. The contest is divided into two sections. The first section closes June 30, 1922 and manuscripts which fall to win prizes in the first section will be entered in the second section automatically, and thus early contestants will have a second chance. The second section closes October 1, 1922. FIRST SECTION (Contest closes June 30, 1922) $1,000 Grand prize $300 Second prize $200 Third prize Ten prizes of $100 each Twenty-five prizes of $50 each Fifty prizes of $25 each. SECOND SECTION (Contest closes Oct. 1, 1922) $1,000 Grand prize $300 Second prize $200 Third prize Ten prizes of $100 each Twenty-five prizes of $50 each Fifty prizes of $25 each Suggestions: Confessions of a Magdalene, Confessions of a Jimmy Valentine, Confessions of a Maniac, Confessions of a Dope-Fiend, Confessions of Faithless Love, Confessions of Hate. All stories must be unusual. True Confessions will not consider out and dried fiction. We will take our readers into the inner chambers of real life. Unless otherwise requested, writers' names will not be published. All manuscripts not prize win- ners will be purchased at space rates upon acceptance. Further information will be supplied on request. Manuscripts should be addressed to— W. H. FAWCETT, Editor, True Confessions ROBBINSDALE MINNESOTA.