Upcoming Writers Contests for Fall 2014!

2014 Hot Prospects Contest

Sponsor: Valley of the Sun Romance Writers

Looking to sign your first book contract, switch from a small press to a large publisher or simply explore another genre of romantic fiction? Turn up the heat on your writing career with the Hot Prospects Contest.

PRIZES

Grand Prize Winner

The grand prize winner of the contest will have their entire manuscript (400 pages, Courier, 12pt, Double spaced) reviewed by two professional editors at Novel Needs http://novelneeds.com

ENTRY FEE

Valley of the Sun RW Members

$25

Non-Chapter Members

$30

DEADLINE INFORMATION

Postmark Deadline: September 1st, 2014

E-Submit Deadline: September 1st, 2014

ELIGIBILITY

The Hot Prospects Contest is open to any work uncontracted and unpublished at the time of entry.

CATEGORIES / JUDGES

Trained judges for preliminary round, Editors for final round.

Single Title Contemporary-

Romantic novels released as individual titles, not usually part of a series. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

Editor – Sue Grimshaw, Random House
Assistant Editor – Cat Clyne, Sourcebooks, Inc

Romantic Suspense-

a suspense/mystery/thriller plot is integrated within a romantic novel. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

Editor – Associate Editor- Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing
Editor -Tera Cuskaden, Samhain

Historical/Regency-

Romantic novels set in a time period prior to 1945. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

Senior Editor – Esi Sogah, Kensington

Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal-

Futuristic, fantasy, or paranormal elements are integrated within the love story. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

Editor – Editorial Assistant –Kristine Swartz, The Berkley Publishing Group
Editor – Amy Stapp, Tor /Forge

Those entries that do not final will be returned approximately October 30th, 2014 to help those who plan to enter RWA’s Golden Heart.

ENTRY CONTENTS

Synopsis

Your synopsis should be between 3-5 pages.

Manuscript

Up to 25 pages of your manuscript.

Total Submission

Entry should be 30 pages max. Entry or synopsis may be shorter, but neither may be longer than specified.

Category Information

The same entry cannot be placed in more than one category. Contestants may submit more than one entry in a category or enter multiple categories, but each entry must be accompanied by a separate Entry Form and Fee.

JUDGING

Each entry will be judged by two trained judges in the preliminary round. Judges are published and unpublished authors who have been through the chapter training for contest judging. The preliminary judges are encouraged make comments directly on the manuscripts or in the electronic files and each will provide a score sheet to be attached to the manuscript for return to the contestant.

The total number of points possible is 65. If the preliminary scores for any entry vary as much as a 26 point spread, the entry will be judged a third time and the lowest score (of the three) will be thrown out.

For more information on how to enter and submit your manuscript to the 2014 Hot Prospects Contest click here.

WRITER’S DIGEST SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

We’re looking for short stories! Think you can write a winning story in less than 1,500 words? Enter the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! The winning entries will be on display in the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection.

Wondering what’s in it for you?

A chance to win $3,000 in cash
Get national exposure for your work
A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference

Early-Bird Entry Deadline: November 17, 2014

Entry Deadline: December 15, 2014

One First Place Winner will receive:

$3,000 in cash
Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2015 issue
A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference!
A copy of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2015 Guide to Literary Agents

The Second Place Winner will receive:

$1,500 in cash
Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2015 issue
A copy of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2015 Guide to Literary Agents

The Third Place Winner will receive:

$500 in cash
Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2015 issue
A copy of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2015 Guide to Literary Agents

Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:

$100 in cash
Their short story titles published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August 2015 issue
A copy of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
A copy of the 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
A copy of the 2015Guide to Literary Agents

Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:

A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
A copy of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection

Early-Bird Entry Deadline: November 17, 2014

Entry Deadline: December 15, 2014

For more information on how to enter the Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition click here.

CONTESTS FOR NON-FICTION

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL LIFE LESSONS ESSAY CONTEST

Have you ever had a eureka moment? Tell us about it.

Think back on the instant when everything became clear. The split second when you realized that you had chosen the right career. Or the moment when you knew that your dearest friendship would last forever. Whether your epiphany changed your life or just made your day, write it down and share it with us.

Enter Real Simple’s seventh annual Life Lessons Essay Contest and you could have your essay published in Real Simple and receive a prize of $3,000.

Send your typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 words maximum, preferably in a Microsoft Word document) to lifelessons@realsimple.com.

Contest begins at 12:01 A.M. EST on May 9, 2014, and runs through 11:50 P.M. EST on September 18, 2014.

All submitted essays must be nonfiction. Open to legal residents of the United States age 19 or older at time of entry.

Void where prohibited by law. (Entries will not be returned.)

Essays should be submitted in English at a maximum of 1,500 words and typed and double-spaced on 8½-by-11-inch paper. Essays exceeding this length or handwritten may not be considered. If submitted by e-mail, we prefer that you send the essay in a Microsoft Word document; however, we will also consider essays that are pasted into the body of the e-mail itself.

Also be sure to include your name, address, and phone numbers (home, work, cell) in the body of the e-mail and on any copies or attachments of the essay itself.

Here are a few pointers from the Real Simple editors who judge the contest.

Stick to the theme of the contest. Sounds obvious, right? But every year we get many entries that diverge—sometimes wildly—from the stated topic. You may have an amazing essay in the bottom drawer of your desk, but if it doesn’t cover the contest theme, it’s not going to win.

 
But don’t feel the need to parrot back the exact wording of the contest theme in your essay. For example, if the theme is “What was the most important day in your life?” try not to begin the piece with “The most important day of my life was…”

 
Check your spelling. Double-duh, or so you’d think. But as many as one in five entries has multiple misspellings.

 
Avoid clichés. (And please don’t try to work the phrase ‘real simple’ into your essay. It almost never works.)

 
Try writing on a less-expected subject. Many submissions cover similar ground: pregnancies, weddings, divorces, illnesses. Many of these essays are superb. But you automatically stand out if you explore a more unconventional event. In one year’s batch of submissions, memorable writers described the following: a son leaving for his tour of duty; getting one’s braces off; and learning that an ex-wife was getting remarried.

 

For more information about Real Simple’s Seventh Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest, fees and how to enter click here.

 

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