| Stephie Smith's | |
| Contest Chart for Writers | |
Disclaimer: This website owner
is not responsible for misinformation, and the listing of these contests is not an edorsement on the part of this website owner!! Please do your own homework. Categories abbreviations used: Contemp (Contemporary), ER (Erotic Romance), FFTP (Futuristic / Time-Travel, Fantasy or Paranormal), HR (Historical Romance), MS (Mainstream), Para (Paranormal), RC (Romantic Comedy), RE (Romantic Elements), RS (Romantic Suspense), ST (Single Title), YA (Young Adult). Contests for published works, such as a romance novel, show "Type" in pink font. To add a contest, please send an email with complete information per the column headings to  |
| Organization | Contest | Type | Eligibility | Dates | Entry | Fee | Submission | Categories / Judges | Awards / Other Info |
| Kiss of Death Romance Writers of America | Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence: Published | Mystery / Suspense Book | Book w/ 2009 copyright or with both a 2008 original copyright date and a 2009 NA print date or 2009 first print date). E-books, POD, subsidy, self-published are eligible. | Received by Mar 15, 2010; finalists notified ~Mat 25; winners announced at RWA National. | 4 copies of book. e-books accepted in hard copy, printed in a 12-point font, both sides of 8-1/2 x 11 white paper, bound. | $25 | All categories must be Romantic Mystery / Suspense except MS category, where romance is optional. Category (Series) romance; HR: Inspirational romance; MS; TT / F / P; ST romance. | 1st Place winners receive engraved bookmark and gift certificate for one COFFIN online class. A certificate of recognition will be awarded to the editor of the winning entry. All other finalists will be awarded a certificate. The top overall scoring entry will receive the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellencein Mystery / Suspense. Results published in the RWR®. | |
| Kiss of Death Romance Writers of America | Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence: Unpublished | Romantic Mystery / Suspense (except MS category, where romance is optional). | Never contracted in book-length fiction from any publisher | Received by midnight MT Mar 15, 2010; winners announced at RWA National. Note: MS and ST entries capped at 100, rest capped at 50. | 1st 5,000 wds + 1 p (675 wds max) single-spaced, synopsis which will not be judged. Rules for finalists vary slightly from the above.. | $15, $30 | Electronic | Four 1st round judges, lowest score dropped but all scoresheets returned. Top 5 qualifying finalists must receive score totaling at least 92 points. Categories and final judges: Series Romance (Patience Smith, Silhouette & Michelle Grajkowski, Three Seas Literary Agency); HR (Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing & Kevin Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency); Inspirational (Caleb Sjogren, Tyndale House Publishers & Steve Laube Agency); Para / TT / F (Heather Osborn, Tor / Forge & Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management); ST Romance (Margaret Marbury, MIRA / HQN & Stephanie Maclean, Trident Media Group); MS (Toni Plummer, St. Martin's / Thomas Dunne & Stacia Decker, Donald Maass Literary Agency) | 1st Place winners receive engraved bookmark, $25 and a certificate for one COFFIN online class. 2nd Place winners receive certificate, $15 and a certificate for one COFFIN online class. 3rd Place winners receive certificate, $10 and certificate for one COFFIN online class. HMs receive certificates. The top overall scoring entry receives the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Results will be published in the RWR®. |
| Cassell Network of Writers | International Writers Competition | Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry | Unpublished or self-published entries (except for category (A) | Postmark by March 15, 2010; winners announced May 31. | See rules for category entry info | $3, $5 per poem. Else: $5, $10 for entries under 3,000 wds; $10, $20 for entries 3,000-5,000 wds. | Mail. Can pay via Paypal. | Nonfiction Division: (A) Previously Pubbed Article / Essay / Column / Nonfiction Book Chapter; Unpublished or self-published for rest of categories: (B) Article / Essay / Column / Nonfiction Book Chapter. Fiction Division: (C) Short Story (D) Novel Chapter. Children's Lit Division: (E) Short Story / Nonfiction Article / Book Chapter / Poem. Poetry Division: (F) Free Verse / Traditional | In each category: 1st Place - $100 plus certificate; 2nd Place - $75 plus certificate 3rd Place - $50 plus certificate; Honorable Mention certificates will be awarded in each category as warranted. |
| Romance Writers of America San Diego | Spring into Romance | Romance | Unpublished / not contracted in book length fiction in last 3 yrs | Postmark by March 19, 2010; can also turn in at RWA-SD Meeting on March 20; finalists notified end of May; winners notified ~June 20. | 1st 25 pp. | $20, $25, $35 | 1st round judges: published authors or trained. Discrepancy judge for point spreads of 30 or more if the top score is at least 100, to determine top 4 entries advancing to final round. Contemp Series ( TBA); Contemp ST (Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing Group); Suspense / Adventure Romance (Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency); RE / MS (Adam Wilson, MIRA Books); HR (TBA); Para (Megan Records, Kensington); YA (Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) | Winners listed in RWR | |
| Futuristic, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Writers of America | Prism Contest | Novels, novellas with both paranormal and romanctic elements | Books with publication date of 2009 | March 20, 2010 | 1 electronic copy + 3 printed copies of book | $30, $35 | Mail and electronic | Time Travel / Steampunk, Fantasy, Futuristic, Light Paranormal, Dark Paranormal, Erotica / Romantica, YA, Novella, Best First Book. | Top Prize: Prism Award, certificate, pin. |
| Central Florida Romance Writers of America | Touch Of Magic | Romance | RWA members not published in book-length fiction in past 5 yrs. | Received by March 20, 2010 | 1st 25 pp plus unjudged synopsis (3 pp max) | $25, $30 | Electronic | All below categories include RE entries. Para (Meredith Giordan, Berkley); YA (Danielle Poiesz, Simon and Schuster / Pocket Books); HR (Helen Rosburg, Medallion); RS (Katherine Pelz, Berkley); NSRE (Esi Sogah, Harper Collins / Avon); Series/Short Contemp (Gail Chasan, Silhouette); ST/Long Contemporary (Kate Dresser, Simon and Schuster); ER (Theresa Stevens, Red Sage). (Note: novels with other elements, such as paranormal, YA, romantic suspense, etc., should be entered in those categories. NSRE, e.g., novel w/romantic elements, is limited to women's fiction, chick lit, etc.) | Top Prize: Certificate, Frog Prince charm. Announced in RWR. |
| River City Romance Writers of America | Duel on the Delta | Romance | not published in book-length fiction in the last 5 years or contracted for book-length fiction within past three years | Received by midnight CST March 28, 2010 (extended from March 15); finalists notified April 20. Winner notified !May 31. | First 15 pp plus optional one-page, single-spaced synopsis | $25 | email (can pay via PayPal) | At least 3 judges (published authors, PRO members, or RCRW-trained) with two highest scores added together. 3 finalists in each category (score must be at least 200 to final). Final judges: RS (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Contemp (J.L. Stermer, Donald Maass Literary Agency); Para (Laurie Rauch, Samhain Publishing); HR (Deborah Nemeth, Carina Press); YA (Danielle Rose Poisez, Gallery / Pocket Books); Inspirational (Ami McConnell, Thomas Nelson); MS (Angela James, Carina Press) | Finalists will have approx 1 wk to review judges' critiques and revise ms before the final round. If a finalist does not return revised ms by deadline, the entry will be disqualified from final round judging. Top prize: Duel on the Delta pin and $25. All finalists receive certificates. Winners announced in RWR. |
| American Christian Fiction Writers | Book of the Year | Christian Fiction | Published ACFW members in good standing (can join at time of contest enrollment). Publisher must be on ACFW Recognized Publishers List. Books must have original copyright date in 2009. | Entries and contest fees must be received by March 31, 2010; finalists announced July 19; winners announced at ACFW Conference in Sept. | 3 copies of the book, unless also entering Debut Author category, then 6 copies. E-Book entries accepted as 3 copies of a standard bound book with cover art. No electronic copies, spiral bound, stapled or 8 1/2 x 11 manuscripts will be accepted. | $35 per title per category via Paypal, check, credit card, or MO. | One round of judging. 5 finalists in each category. No scoresheets. Categories: Contemp Novella; Debut Author; General Fiction; Historical Novella; Lits (includes chick-lit, mom-lit, lady-lit, lad-lit, etc.); Long Contemp; Long Contemp Romance; Long Historical; Long HR; Mystery; Short Contemp; Short Contemp Suspense; Short Historical; Speculative (includes Sci-Fi, fantasy, allegory, etc.); Suspense/ Thriller; RS; Women's Fiction; YA | Winner in each category receives a plaque. Editors of all winning entries receive a certificate. Finalists receive certificate. | |
| American Christian Fiction Writers | Genesis | Christian Fiction | ACFW members unpublished in adult or YA fiction in past 7 yrs. Entries are ineligible if they become contracted during contest. | Entries and contest fees must be received by 11:59 Pacific Time on Mar 31, 2010; finalists notified between May 1 and May 15. Finalists have 2 days to polish & resubmit entry. | 1st 15 pp (max) double-spaced of ms plus one page, single-spaced optional symopsis | $35 | Online entry form. Upload entry in rtf or doc format when filling out entry form. | 1st round has 3 judges, with scores averaged. 5 finalists in each category. Final judges do not use scoresheet but give a numerical score up to 100. Categories and final judges: Contemp Fiction (Beth Adams, Guideposts; Stephanie Broene, Tyndale; Barbara Scott, Abingdon Press); Contemp Romance (Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill; Ami McConnell, Thomas Nelson; JoAnne Simmons, Barbour); Historical Fiction (Janet Grant, Books and Such Literary; Sarah Long, Bethany House; Tamela Hancock Murray, Hartline Literary); HR (Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson; Charlene Patterson, Bethany House; Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill); Mystery / Suspense / Thriller (Sandra Bishop, MacGregor Literary; Susan Brower, Zondervan; Jan Stob, Tyndale); RS (Susan Downs Summerside Press; Tina James, Steeple Hill; David Long, Bethany House); Speculative Fiction (Jeff Gerke, Marcher Lord Press; Julie Gwinn, B&H; Annie Tipton, Barbour); Women's Fiction (Rachelle Gardner, Wordserve Literary; Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary; Raela Schoenherr, Bethany House); YA (Jacque Alberta, Zonderkidz; Terry Burns, Hartline Literary; Rachel Zurakowski, Books and Such Literary) | First Place entry in each category, will receive a winner's plaque and first choice for editor / agent appointments at the 2011 ACFW National Conference. The runner up in each category will receive a certificate. Winners and runner ups announced at 2010 ACFW Conference. |
| Lo City Enterprises, Inc. | Erotic Short Story Contest and Erotic Poetry Contest | Erotic short story or poetry. Theme varies monthly. | Anyone 18 years of age or older. | March 31, 2010 (this contest recurs monthly with deadline the last day of the month and differing themes) | Short story (10,000 words max) or poetry (1,000 words max) in English in Microsoft Word format. | $20, $25 for short story; $10, $15 for poetry. | upload file through website | Categories / Judges - Varies by month - see guidelines or website | Short Story:
1st Place: $500 cash prize and entry into annual Grand Prize Erotic Story Contest where you will create a new story for a chance to win a larger cash prize; 2nd Place: $250 cash prize; 3rd Place $125 cash prize. 1st thru 3rd Place winning stories will be published in Erotic Stories Contests’ monthly DVD Magazine "Fallen Angel."
1st thru 5th Place winners also receive an Award Link to your website stating your contest placement, a framed certificate suitable for wall display, and copy (or copies, depending on placement) of the DVD in which your winning story appears. Poetry: Cash prizes of $100 for 1st Place, $75 for 2nd Place and $50 for 3rd Place--and more. See website for details. |
| Women On Writing (WOW) | Flash Fiction Contest | Fiction, see website for theme | Anyone, any age. Entry must be in English. | Midnight PST March 31, 2010. Capped at 300 entries. | 250 words min to 750 words max (title not included in count) | $10 (extra $10 if you want a critique) | Online submission. Pay via PayPal | (Assume) judges are Women On Writing editorial staff | |
| Charter Oak Romance Writers of America | Golden Acorn | Romance | Unpublished / uncontracted by RWA publisher at time of deadline | Submitted by midnight EST March 31, 2010; finalists announced ~May 31; winners announced ~July 15. | 1st 20 pp plus synopsis (5 pp max, double spaced). | $25 | electronic only, pay via check or PayPal | Limited to 95 entries. Contemp Series (Lucy Gilmour, Harlequin), Contemp ST (Shauna Summers, Random House); Para (Megan Records, Kensington); HR (Sally Williamson, Harlequin) | Five finalists in each round will receive certificates. The first place winner will receive $25.00 and their certificate. Results will be publicized. |
| Writers of the Future | Writers of the Future | Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy | Open to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than 3 short stories in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies or 5,000 hits. | Postmark by midnight March 31, 2010 | Works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. | Free and writer retains all rights. | All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy. No poetry or works for children. No excessive violence or sex. | Cash prizes of $500, $750, $1,000 every quarter. Annual cash prize of $5,000. | |
| First Coast Romance Writers of America | Published Beacon Award | Romance Book, Novella | RWA members with 1st print romance novels published in 2009. Any publishing venue (Traditional, POD, self-pubbed, ebook, etc.) | Postmark by Apr 1, 2010; finalists notified July 1; winners notified Aug 1. | 3 copies of book per category (book may be entered in multiple categories; no add'l books required for 1st book category); ebooks accepted in hard copy. | $25 (no add'l fee for 1st book category) | Mail. Pay by mail or Paypal. | Final Judges: Booksellers. Categories: Contemp Series (all except Suspense / Adventure); Contemp ST; HR / Regency; Inspirational; F / F / Para; RS / Contemp Series; RS / Adventure Novel with Strong RE; YA; Novella; ER; Best First Book (No fee or extra books required for entries that qualify. See entry form.) | First place per category - Beacon Lapel Pin, and .gif for website. All finalists will receive a certificate. Winners announced in RWR. |
| Faith, Hope & Love Romance Writers of America | Touched By Love | Inspirational Romance | Unpublished / not published in last 3 yrs | Received by midnight Apr 1, 2010; finalists notified by May 16; winners announced at RWA National. | Up to first 30 pp plus synopsis (2 pp max, double-spaced) of inspirational romance (see rules). 12 pt font, exactly 25 lines per page. | $20, $25 | Email. Pay by check or PayPal | 3 judges (one will be published or PRO) with lowest score dropped. 3 finalists per category (must be in top 25% of scores to final). All finalists receive opportunity to have their entries judged by 5 published inspirational authors (scores averaged to determine winners). Categories: Short contemp, Long contemp, Historical | Overall winner chosen from the category winners receives critique of entry by an editor and $100 toward any writing related expense paid within on year of the end of TBL contest. Remaining two 1st Place category winners receive $75, 2nd Place winners receive $50, and 3rd Place winners receive $25 toward any writing related expense (as above). |
| Orange County Romance Writers of America | Orange Rose | Romance | RWA member unpublished / not contracted in last 5 yrs. Entry must have projected min. length of 50,000 wds | Received by Apr 10, 2010; finalists announced July 10; winners notified Oct 9. | 5 copies of synopsis plus beginning of ms (55 pp max) | $25, $35 | Mail (non-US residents by email). Can pay via PayPal. | 3 in-depth critiques by published authors; scores averaged. Top 10 finalists across all categories (must receive min. of 82% of points) go to 2 editors for final judging; scores averaged. Short Contemp; HR; Inspirational; MS / RE; Para / TT / Fantasy; RS; ST; ER | Four top-scoring entries receive Orange Rose Certificate and check: 1st = $100; 2nd = $75, 3rd = $50, 4th = $25. |
| The Beau Monde Romance Writers of America | Royal Ascot | Regency Romance | RWA members who are unpublished or have not been published in book-length romance by RWA Pan standards in last 5 yrs. Entry must be uncontracted at time of entry. | Received by midnight PDT Apr 20, 2010. | Beginning of ms plus synopsis (8,500 words max). If time travel, begin where Regency setting begins, with a 1-page summary to that point. Story must follow guidelines: Regency Definition: Broadly set at 1780 to 1830. Setting must be at least partially in the British Empire or any setting which includes British citizens in any other part of the world during this period. Includes military settings. | $25, $30 | Email entry. Pay by check, MO or PayPal. | 3 judges in 1st round, at least one published in Regency romance. Discrepancy judging only if 30 point spread between two lowest scores and the entry would have possibility of finaling with higher total score. 3 finalists per category. Regency - longer Regency or MS Regency-set (Leis Pederson, Editor, Berkley); Hot Regency - very sensual to erotic (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Wild Regency - Para / TT / other similar Regency (Tessa Woodward, Avon); Sweet & Mild Regency - Traditional, Inspirational, YA other w/o explicit sex (TBA); Short Regency (5,000 to 40,000 words, open to all authors, published and un-published (Nicole D'Arienzo, The Wild Rose Press) Note: Entries w/ strong paranormal or erotic elements are best placed in the Hot and Wild Category. Entries without explicit sex in the story lines would be best placed in the Sweet and Mild category. | 1st Place winner in each category: $75; 2nd Place winners: $50; 3rd Place winners: $25. Note: If the sub-genre of any finaling entry is not one acquired by the final round judge, an attempt will be made to obtain a read from an editor who acquires that sub-genre. This editor will not participate in judging. All final round judges place priority on story quality, not acquirability. |
| Inland Valley Romance Writers of America and Fire Opal Romances | Bad Kitty II Contest | Fiction with specific theme of tantalizing tabbies or sexy Weres | All writers, published or unpublished | Postmark / e-deadline ; May 1, 2010; Top 10 finalists notified Aug 1; full ms required by Sept 1; winner announced Dec 1 | 1st 15 pp of completed (15k-16k) ms about tantalizing tabbies or sexy weres. Heroine must be African-American. Sensuality level Hot. Specific rules apply. | $15 | email or mail, pay via PayPal | 1st round judged by a panel of authors and editors; finalists will be chosen by the editorial staff of Parker Publishing. | The winning manuscript will be published in the Fire Opal Romances 2011 Anthology Bad Kitty II: Bigger and Badder. |
| Alaska Romance Writers of America | Breakup | Romance | Unpublished as of deadline | Received by May 1, 2010; winners announced July 1 | Best breakup, big fight, darkest moment or makup scene (10 pp max), unjudged setup / synopsis (3 pp max) | $25 | mail or electronic. Paypal OK. | All judges are trained, PRO members or published authors. Each entry receives at least 3 scoresheets. Finalists judged by Laurie M. Rauch, Executive Editor of Samhain Publishing. Winning entry will receive a reading by Elizabeth Pomada of Larsen- Pomada Literary Agency. Categories: Contemp, Fantasy / Para, HR, Erotica, Inspirational, YA, RS, Chick Lit. Heat Levels: Sweet, Sensual, Ultra Sensual, Erotic, Highly Erotic | All entrants receive a certificate of participation. Winning entry will receive a reading by Elizabeth Pomada of Larsen- Pomada Literary Agency |
| Georgia Romance Writers of America | Maggie | Romance Book | RWA authors who meet RITA guidelines for eligibility. Books must have 2009 copyright date. | Received by May 1, 2010. Finalists notified by July 14, winners announced Oct 2 at M&M conference. | 3 copies of book as published by publisher (electronic and audio accepted in print-book format produced by publisher w/ copyright page) | $20 | Mail. Pay by check. | Series Contemp, HR (includes Regencies), ST Contemp, Para / TT / F / F, Inspirational. 2 judges from bookseller / librarian pool will score each entry from 1 to 10. | 1st Place winner per category receives Maggie Medallion. |
| Heart and Scroll Romance Writers of America | Magic Moments | Romance | Unpublished in last 5 yrs | Postmark by May 1, 2010 | 1st 10 pp | $25, $30 | Mail, pay by check. | 4 detailed critiques of each entry. Top 3 entriest to to Final Judge: Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Agency | 1st Place Winner receives $100 and certificate; 2nd and 3rd Place winners receive certificates. |
| Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences | Nicholl Fellowship | Script | Screenwriters who have not earned more than $5,000 writing for film or television (see rules). Up to 2 authors per script. | Uploaded by 11:59 pm May 1, 2010 | Original feature film screenplay, approx 90-120 pp, in PDF format, written in English. | $30 | electronic | First, quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds of judging. Semi-final round judged by Academy members of the motion picture industry. Final round judged by the Nicholl committee. Finalists must write a letter to Nicholl Committee, giving the Committee some idea of the writer’s personal and professional interests should he or she receive a Fellowship. | Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded to authors who have previously earned less than $5,000 writing for film or television. |
| Scriptscene Romance Writers of America | Romancing the Script | Story with Romantic Elements | RWA members in good standing | Received by May 1, 2010. | 1st Act, not to exceed the first 30 pp | $20, $25 | mail or electronic in pdf or rtf. Pay with check or PayPal | Top 3 winners must submit the full completed screenplay for critique. Final Judge: Robert Gosnell | |
| Tampa Area Romance Writers of America | TARA Website not updated as of 3/1/10 |
Romance | unpublished or not published during past 3 yrs; uncontracted for novel-length (40,000+ words) fiction in any format | Postmarked by May 1, 2010. | prologue / first chapter (4,000 words max); optional synopsis (1,500 words max; will not be judged) Synopsis is required if you final. | $20, $25 Can pay via PayPal | Judging is based on the Diederich scale in the first round for a possible max score of 50. At least 2 judges (published authors or TARA-trained and certified). Top 3 finalists in each category are determined by averaging scores. To final, entry must have min overall score of at lest 40. Finalists have a week to make changes before final round. Series Contemp (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin); HR (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Para (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester); ST (Jhanteigh Kupihea, NAL); Women's Fiction (Amy Pierpont, Grand Central); RS (Peter Senftleben, Kensington); Inspirational (JoAnne Simmons, Barbour Books) | Top prize Sterling Silver TARA pendant, certificate. Winners announced in RWR. | |
| Ozarks Romance Authors | Weta Nichols Writing Contest | Fiction | Manuscript must not be accepted for publication at time of entry. | e-deadline May 1, 2010; winners announced at Ozarks conference July 10 | 1st 10 ppof ms. in .doc format TNR 12 | $10 | Email entry. PayPal preferred as payment | Any genre...romance, sci-fi, mystery, etc. All judges published authors. If 25 point or more spread between scores, discrepancy judge will be used and lowest score dropped. Top 5 scoring entries will be judged by a separate judge. | 1st Place: $100.00 2nd Place: $50.00 3rd Place: $25.00 4th and 5th Places are honorable mention. |
| Writers Digest | International Self Published Book Awards | Various (see categories) | English-language self-published books for which the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize | Postmark by May 3, 2010. Winners notified by Oct 15, 2010. Capped at 70 entries per category. | printed, bound book published OR revised and reprinted between 2005 and 2010 | $125 for 1st entry; $75 each addl | online registration but send entry by mail | MS / Literary Fiction; Genre Fiction; Nonfiction; Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age); Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs); Children's Picture books; Middle-Grade / Young Adult books; Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books); Poetry; Humor | Grand Prize is $3,000 cash plus promotion in Writer's Digest and Publishers Weekly. The editors of Writer'sDigest will endorse and submit 10 copies of the Grand Prize-Winning book to major review houses (see site for more info). 10 First Place Winners receive $1000 cash and promotion in Writer's Digest (plus more, see site). Honorable Mention Winners receive promotion at www.writersdigest.com, $50 worth of Writer's Digest Books and Certificate. All other entrants receive Certificates (plus more, see site) |
| Central Ohio Fiction Writers | Ignite the Flame | Romance | Unpublished in book length fiction, including e-books and POD | Postmark / e-deadline May 8, 2010. Mailed entries must be received by May 15. Winners notifed ~Aug 15, 2010. | hero and heroine's first meeting, 15 pp max; optional one page set-up for necessary background (will not be judged) | $22, $27 | mail or email; pay by check or PayPal. | Two judges per entry, at least one a published author. All unpublished judges are RWA PRO. 3 finalists in each category: Series Contemp (Elizabeth Mazer, Steeple Hill / Silhouette); HR (Susannah Taylor, Richard Henshaw Group); ER (Deb Werksmen, Sourcebooks); Para (Michelle Grajkowski, Three Seas Literary Agency); ST Contemp (Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing Group); RS (Esi Sogah, Avon Books / Harper Collins) | First place winner in each category receives $25. |
| Writers Digest | Writers Digest Annual Writing Competition | Various (see categories) | Original, in English, unpublished (except Magazine Feature Article category) and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission. | Postmark by May 14, 2010 (Late entry is May 15 - June 1; addl fees apply) | Memoirs / Personal Essay, Magazine Feature Article and Children's / YA Fiction: 2,000 words max; MS / Literary Short Story and Genre Short Story: 4,000 words max; Inspirational: 2,500 words max; Poems: 32 lines max; Scripts: 1st 15 pp in standard script format, plus one-page synopsis. | Poems $15 for first entry, addl $10 ea. All others $20 for first entry, $15 each addl. (Add'l $5 for late entry between May 15 and Jun 1) | mail or online if paying with credit card | Inspirational (Spiritual / Religious); Memoirs / Personal Essay; Magazine Feature Article; Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.); MS / Literary Short Story; Rhyming Poetry; Non-rhyming Poetry; Stage Play (*submission by mail only); Television / Movie Script (*submission by mail only); Children's / Young Adult Fiction | Grand Prize: $3,000 cash and a 3 day / 2 night trip to New York City to meet with editors or agents. 1st thru 3rd place in each category receive $100 worth of Writer's Digest books plus 1st Place receives $1,000 cash, a ms critique and marketing advice from a Writer's Digest editor or advisory board member; 2nd Place: $500 cash; 3rd Place: $250 cash. 4th Place: $100 cash. 5th Place: $50 cash. 6th thru 10th Place: $25 cash. 1st thru 10th Place also receive a copy of the 2011 Writer’s Market Deluxe Edition and a 1-yr subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest Magazine. 11th through 100th Place: All other winners receive distinctive certificates. |
| Heart of Denver Romance Writers of America | Aspen Gold Website not updated as of 3/1/10 | Romance Book | book length romantic fiction with ISBN published in 2009. Bound e-books eligible. | Received by May 15, 2010 | book; if e-book, must mail galley copies and a CD | $20, $25, $30 | by mail | YA, Contemp, ST, HR, Para / TT / F, RS, Erotica; Final judges: Booksellers, book club members, librarians, editors, agents. | 1st Place winner receives plaque, certificates for other finalists. |
| Heart of Denver Romance Writers of America | The MollyWebsite not updated as of 3/1/10 | Romance | unpublished or not published in past 3 yrs | Received by May 15, 2010; | 1st 30 pp plus synopsis, 5 pp max | $25, $30, $35; -$5 early bird discount; check or Paypal | by mail or email. | 1st Round has 2 qualified judges. Top 30% in each category moves to 2nd round. Re-judging will occur in the 1st round only, and only with a difference of at least 20 points between the two judges, AND the higher judge gave a score of 85 or more. When re-judging occurs, lowest score is discarded. 2nd Round judged by 2 published authors. After the four scores from 1st and 2nd round are received, the lowest of the 4 scores is dropped. The 3 entries with highest total of the 3 remaining scores advances to finals. All entries are judged for the Unsinkable Heroine award. Categories: Contemp, HR, RS, Para / TT / Fantasy, YA, ST | The 1st Place winner in each category will receive the "Molly Award Plaque." All other finalists will receive certificates. Results will be publicized on loops and in the RWR. |
| Land of Enchantment Romance Writers of America | The Rebecca Website not updated as of 3/1/10 | Romance | Published or unpublished authors with unpublished, uncontracted entry. | e-deadline May 15, 2010; | First 5,000 words | $25 | electronic, pay via PayPal | Only 30 entries accepted per category, top 3 entries final. Series contemp ST contemp; HR; Para; Erotica | 1st Place winners in each category: $50, certificate, silver pendant. 2nd Place winners: $30 and certificate. 3rd Place winners: $20 and certificate. |
| Short Story Radio Broadcasts | First Chapter Competition | Fiction, novel first chapter | Anyone. Entry can be unpublished or published by an independent or mainstream publisher or self-published between Dec 1, 2009 and June 1, 2010. | Received by 9 a.m. June 7, 2010. Winner notified approx 4 wks later. | 1st chapter (5,000 word max) of completed novel. | £7 | Email or post. Can pay by PayPal or check. | Winner will have story recorded by a professional actor and broadcast via Short Story Radio and Talking Bookshelf websites and podcast. The winner will also receive a cash prize of £50 (approx. $78 USD or 57 EURO) and a dedicated webpage for their novel on our sister website www.talkingbookshelf.com All entrants, including the winner, will retain the copyright. | |
| Dream Quest One | Poetry & Writing Contest | Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry | Unpublished or published. All entries must be original to entrants. | Postmark by July 31, 2010; winners announced Aug 31, 2010 | Poem (30 lines or fewer) on any subject and / or short story (5 pp max, single or double spacing) on any theme | $5 per poem; $10 per short story | mail, can pay via PayPal | All categories welcome. Judges: Dare to Dream Master Selection Committee | Prizes: Writing First Prize: $500, Second: $250, Third: $100; Poetry First Prize: $250, Second: $125, Third: $50. All winning entries will be published online in the Dare to Dream pages |
| Women On Writing (WOW) | Flash Fiction Contest | Fiction, see website for theme | Anyone, any age. Entry must be in English. | Midnight PST Aug 31, 2010. Capped at 300 entries. | 250 words min to 750 words max (title not included in count) | $10 (extra $10 if you want a critique) | Online submission. Pay via PayPal | (Assume) judges are Women On Writing editorial staff | |
| NANO Fiction | Nano Prize | Fiction | Anyone except friends and family of the editors. Piece must be unpublished. | Received by Aug 31, 2010. | flash fiction piece, prose poem, or micro essay of 300 words or less. | $15 for first 3 pieces, $2 each add'l piece. (You also receive a 1-yr subscription to NANO Fiction). | 1) by mail with check or money order or 2) by email with payment thru PayPal | Judges are editors at NANO Fiction. | One winner receives $500 and publication. All entries considered for publication. All entrants receive a 1-yr subscription to NANO Fiction. |
| New York City Romance Writers of America | Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter | Romance with humor | not contracted / published in novella or novel-length fiction as of deadline. RWA membership NOT required. | Postmark or e-deadline midnight Sept 13, 2010 | Any scene in your novel between the hero and heroine which illustrates humor and love / romance (15 pages max.); story / background summary (two pages max., will not be judged). | $25, $30 can pay by PayPal | mail, email | Judges = published authors. No categories, open to any romance genre in category or ST length. Final Judge TBA | Grand Prize: $75 |
| Clark Library Friends | Scare the Dickens Out of Us and Junior Scare the Dickens Out of Us for ages 12-18 | Short story, ghost theme, any genre, any tone, any subject | Published and unpublished writers. Story must be original, unpublished and in English. | Postmark by Oct 1, 2010 | short story, 5,000 wds max | $20 | mail, pay be check or MO. | 1st prize, $1000 and a trophy. 2nd prize, $500 and a ribbon. 3rd prize, $250 and a ribbon. Junior contest prize $250 and a trophy. | |
| Short Story Radio | Short Story Radio Romance Award | Romance short story in English similar to the type found in women's magazines. None overly religious, political, sexual or violent in nature; no expletives. | Anyone. Story must be original, unpublished and unbroadcast. | Received by Nov 15, 2010. Winner notified approx 4 wks later. Winning story will be broadcast from Feb 14, 2011 | Romance short story must be between 3,500 and 4,000 words. | £7 | mail or email. Pay by check drawn on a British bank or by PayPal. | Final judge: Pat Richardson, founder of Perfectly Worded Writing and Editing Consultancy and former Fiction Editor at Best magazine (UK). | The winner receives a cash prize of £50 (approx. $78 USD or 57 EURO) and the title of winner of the Short Story Radio Romance Award 2011. Winning story will be recorded and broadcast by a professional actor and will be a high quality production, complete with incidental music. The story will be available for broadcast for a period of 12 months. All entrants, including the winner, will retain the copyright to their story. |
| Contests below this row have deadlines which have passed. When new info is available, contest will be moved back up. |
| Organization | Contest | Type | Eligibility | Dates | Entry | Fee | Submission | Categories / Judges | Awards / Other Info |
| Inland Empire Romance Writers of America | Picture This | Romance | unpublished or not published / contracted in last 3 yrs (before Mar 1, 2006) | Received by midnight Mar 1, 2009 | best scene (10 pp max) using the 5 senses which highlights your setting, characters and the central conflict plus double-spaced set-up page (will not be judged) | $20, $30 | Email. Can pay via PayPal or check. | All entrants will receive at least 3 score sheets. Three top scoring entries go to final judge, Harlequin editor Tina Colombo. | Prize info not on website. |
| Windy City Romance Writers of America | Four Seasons Award | Romance | Unpublished or not published in past 5 yrs in novel-length fiction in any format. Windy City members not eligible. | Receipt deadline 5:00 PM Central Time, Mar 1, 2009. | 1st 25 pp of ms. | $25, $30 | Mail, electronic | Judges are experinced critiquers and published authors of Windy City RWA. 4 highest scores in each category final. Lowest score dropped to determine final ranking. Final judges: editors and agents, scores averaged. ST Contemp (Editor, TBA; Melissa Jeglinski, Knight Agency); Short / Long Contemp (Diana Ventimiglia, Harlequin; Cori Deyoe, Three Seas Literary Agency); HR (Rebecca Vinter, Penguin / NAL; Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Author Mgmt); FF&P (Leah Hultenshmidt, Dorchester Publishing; Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Agency); ER (Hilary Sares, Kensington; Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency ) | Winners in each category receive an engraved plaque. All finalists receive certificates and will be in RWR. |
| Kentucky, Ohio & West Virginia Romance Writers of America | Bold As Brass | Romance | Not contracted or published in book-length fiction in past 5 years. | Postmark by Mar 15, 2009. | Scene (10 pp max) showing your heroine at her boldest or feistiest (plus optional 1 pp set-up, not judged). | $15 | 1st round judges trained, PRO. All categories welcome. Final judges: Editors, Agents. | ||
| Heartland Romance Writers of America | Show Me The Spark! | Romance | Unpublished, not published in last 3 yrs. | Postmark / e-deadline Mar 15, 2009 (extended from Mar 1). Finalists notified by May 1. Winners announced June 30. | 1st chapter of completed ms (25 pp max); synopsis (5 pp max, will not be judged) | $25, $35 | Mail, or email. PayPal OK. | Categories: HR, Contemp, F&P, Erotica, RS, Inspirational. Top 5 of all entries move to final round to be ranked by final judges: Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency; Deborah Nemeth, Samhain Publishing; and Cindy Davis, Wild Rose Press | Top Prize: $25. All finalists receive a certificate. |
| Magnolia State Romance Writers of America | Dixie First Chapter | Romance | Unpublished / not contracted in last 5 yrs | Postmark by Mar 16, 2009. Finalists announced ~May 15. Winners announced ~Jun 20. | 1st 25 pp | $20, $25 | Mail, electronic | 2 judges. 3rd judge in case of 2 scores with 30 or more point difference with lowest score dropped (that score sheet will not be returned unless you have specifically requested it on the entry form). Para / F / TT (Chris Keeslar, Dorchester Publishing); Super-sexy (Kelli Kwiatkowski, Ellora's Cave); HR (Hilary Sares, Kensington); RS (Patience Smith, Harequin); Inspirational (Emily Rodmell, Harlequin); Contemp (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin) | You WILL receive comments on your entry. |
| Heart and Scroll Romance Writers of America | Madcap Award | Romantic comedy | Novels w/ 1st printing or copyright date of 2007 or 2008 | Received by Apr 1, 2009; finalists announced by May 15; winners announced July. | 3 copies of book. E-books OK if submitted in hard-copy or printed on paper | $25 per book entered | mail. Pay by check or MO. | HR, ST Contemp, Series Contemp. Three finalists per category. No score sheets or critiques will be returned to entrants. | 1st Place winners: Madcap Award trophy, all receive "Mad Hats." Heart & Scroll will donate the entered books to a women's shelter, library, or medical facility. |
| Virginia Romance Writers of America | Fool for Love | Romance | Not published in book length | Postmark by / e-deadline Apr 1, 2009. Note: Deadline extended to midnight, Apr 6 for Women's Fiction and Long Contemp categories ONLY. | Prologue, 1st chapter ( 20 pp max) plus optional symopsis (5 pp max) | $20, $25 | electronic | Para (Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency); Short Contemp (Renee Lynn, Wild Rose Press); Long Contemp (Patience Smith, Silhouette); HR (Nicole D'Arienzo, Wild Rose Press); Women's Fiction / Chick Lit (Christy Phillippe, Medallion Press); RS (Keyren Gerlach, Silhouette); Inspirational (Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill) | Top price $50, 2nd and 3rd Place receive certificates. Website not updated as of 1/27/09. |
| Smoky Mountain Romance Writers of America | The Laurie | Romance | Unpublished / not published in last 5 yrs; uncontracted at deadline | Cancelled. Received by midnight EDT, Apr 17, 2009 | Query Letter and 1st 5 pp of ms (up to 1st 20 pp of ms if you make it to 4th round). Font restriction: Courier or Courier New 12 pt or TNR 14 pt | $11, $16, $21 | Email only. | 4 rounds. Each round requires query letter + for 1st round first 5 pp; for 2nd round first 10 pp; 3rd round first 15 pp; final round first 20 pp. Scoring varies by round. See Guidelines for details. 3rd Round Judges: Contemp (Jessica Foust, BookEnds Literary Agency); HR (Diana Fox, Fox Literary Agency); ST (Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Author Management); Speculative Romantic Fiction (Jenny Rappaport, L. Perkins Agency); Novella (Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Literary Agency). Final Round judges: Contemp (TBA); HR (Nicole D'Arienzo, The Wild Rose Press); ST (TBA); Speculative Romantic Fiction (TBA); Novella (Kathy Cottrell, The Wild Rose Press) | 1st Round Bonus: Three entries from the first round that did not progress to the second round will be drawn at random for an in-depth critique of the first chapter of the manuscript. The critiques will be from either Pro or published authors. Winners receive a certificate and a Laurie Pendant. Unfortunately, due to the problems with overseas shipping, any winner who lives outside the continental US will receive a monetary prize or an online gift certificate. |
| Ohio Valley Romance Writers of America | Summer Sizzle | Romance | RWA member, unpublished or not published or contracted in last 3 yrs by RWA recognized publisher | e-deadline May 8, 2009 (extended from May 1) Finalists notifed mid-July; winners announced by Sept 1. | best sexual tension scene (love scene or not) 12 pp max; optional 1 pp set-up (won't be judged). Courier 12 font, 25 lines per page. | $20 | Electronic entry. Pay by check, MO, or PayPal. | Categories are: Sweet (Inspirational type scenes; Chelsea Gilmore, Avalon Books); Sensual (Desire / Temptation type scenes; Amanda Bergeron, Avon); Spicy (Blaze / Brava type mss; Kathryn Lye, Harlequin / Silhouette) and Sexy (Erotica type scenes; Tera Kleinfelter, Samhain Publishing). | Winners receive $20. Finalists published in RWR. |
| Northeast Ohio Romance Writers of America | Cleveland Rocks Romance | Romance | Unpublished or not published in last 5 yrs. | e-deadline June 1, 2009 | First 6,000-7,000 words, optional, unjudged synopsis (750 wds max). Also has a "First Declaration of Love" category (500 wds max). | $15, $25 | electronic, pay via check or PayPal | 3 finalists per category. Contemp Series (Brenda Chin, Harlequin); ST (Susan Yates, The Wild Rose Press); ER (Kelli Kwiatkowski, Ellora’s Cave); First Declaration of Love (Raelene Gorlinsky, Ellora’s Cave / Cerridwen Press); HR (Rose Hilliard, St. Martin’s Press); MS / RE (Diane Parkinson, The Wild Rose Press); Para (Ethan Ellenberg, Ellenberg Literary Agency); RS (Christine Witthohn, Book Cents Literary Agency); YA (Danielle Poisz, Pocket Books) | All entrants receive 1st round judges’ scores and comments. Finalists receive a 1-p critique from final judge and certificate of merit. Winners of each category receive a refund of their entry fee, a winner certificate, and a contest winner logo graphic. |
| Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers | Colorado Gold | Fiction | Unpublished, uncontracted in book length fiction at time of entry | Postmarked or emailed no later than June 1, 2009; finalists notified mid-August; winners announced Sept 11-13. | first 20 pp of ms; synopsis, 8 pp max; courier 12 pt font and either 24 or 25 lines per page (must be consistent). First pp of chapter and synopsis must start 1/3 down page. | $30, or with in-depth critique $55 | by mail or electronic (finalists must send electronic if entered via mail) | 2 judges evaluate each entry. 5 highest-scoring entries in each category will final. MS, Action / Thriller, Mystery, Romance, Speculative Fiction (SF / Fantasy / Horror). Final judge will be an acquiring literary agent or editor who works in that genre. | 1st Place winner: $100 and certificate. Remaining finalists receive $25 and certificate. Winners will be announced at Colorado Gold Conference September 11-13 at Renaissance Denver Hotel. |
| Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America | Emerald City Opener | Romance | Uunpublished writers (RWA and non-RWA) who have not accepted a publishing offer from a non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher for a novel or novella by contest entry deadline. Previous finalists of this contest may not re-enter finalist entries, even in an edited format. | Postmark by midnight PDT, June 1, 2009; finalists notified Sept 1; winners announced Oct 10; scoresheets and entries returned Oct 16 | first scene (7 pp max) | 12, $20 | Electronic entry. Pay by check, MO, or PayPal | Categories: ST Contemp, Series Contemp, HR, Para, RS, Strong RE (includes YA). 1st round: 3 judges (at least one published author plus Golden Heart finalists and winners). Final judges: Steven Axelrod, Axelrod Agency; Vivian Chum, Prospect Agency; Alexandra Machinist, Linda Chester Literary Agency; Peter Senftleben, Kensington Books; Megan McKeever, Pocket Books, and Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin | 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners in each category will receive an award certificate and an individual editor or agent appointment at the Emerald City Writers' Conference (Oct. 9-11, 2009). In addition, the 1st Place winner in each category receives a $25 gift card. |
| Celtic Hearts Romance Writers of America | Golden Claddagh | Romance | unpublished / not published in last 5 yrs, no accepted offer | e-deadline June 1, 2009 (extended from May 1) | beginning of ms, 30 pp max; synopsis, 5 pp max | $20, $25 check or Paypal; | First round scored by 2 trained judges and one published author . If 2 entries score in the 85% range and there's at least a 50 point difference in 3rd score, a 4th judge is used and lowest score dropped. Three highest scoring entries go to final round. Final judges: FF&P (Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency); RS (Leis Pederson, Berkley / Jove); HR (Esi Sogah - Avon / Harper Collins); Celtic (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Contemp (Lois Winston, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency); Erotic (Diana Carlisle, The Wild Rose Press) | 1st Place winner in each category receives a golden claddagh pin. 2nd Place winner in each category receives a silver claddagh pin. 3rd Place winner in each category receives a bronze claddagh pin. All winners receive certificates and icons to place on their websites. | |
| Georgia Romance Writers of America | Maggie (unpubbed) | Romance | Unpublished RWA member not receiving full-time writing income in fiction writing, Golden Heart eligibility rules | Received by June 1, 2009 (finalists notified by Aug 15, winners on Oct 3 at M&M conference) | synopsis, prologue and first chapter, 35 pp max plus SASE. | $25, $30 | mail, pay by check. | 2 published authors judge each entry, giving score of 1 to 10. No scoresheets, scores not released to entrants. Judges write on ms. HR (Chelsea Gilmore, Avalon); ST (Monique Patterson, St. Martins); Para / Fantasy (Chris Keeslar, Dorchester); Inspirational (Emily Rodmell, Harlequin); Contemp Series (Susan Litman, Silhouette) | 1st Place winner in each category receives Maggie Medallion. All finalists receive certificates. |
| Toronto Romance Writers of America | Original Golden Opportunity | Romance | Open to all unpublished writers (whether or not a member of RWA) and any member of RWA who is not eligible to join RWA-PAN. Entry must be uncontracted, unpublished as of entry date. | Postmark by June 1, 2009; e-deadline 11:59 PM EST. | synopsis, prologue/ first chapter, 30 pp max. | $25, $30 by check or Paypal | by mail or email | Contemp Series (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin); Contemp ST (Margo Lipschultz, HQN); RS (Megan McKeever, Pocket); HR (Leis Pederson, Berkley); YA (Lexa Hillyer, Razorbill / Penguin); Para / Fantasy / Futuristic (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester); RE / Chick Lit (Kathleen Gilligan, Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martins); Gold Ticket Grand Prize (Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency) | Category winners are entered into the Gold Ticket competition judged by Kristin Nelson, of Nelson Literary Agency. The Gold Ticket prize package includes a flash drive and a three-chapter critique by NYT bestselling author Kelley Armstrong. |
| Northwest Houston Romance Writers of America | Lone Star | Romance | unpublished or not published in last 5 yrs (if published in last 5 yrs, must be in different category than entered) | e-deadline midnight June 5. Postmark by June 5, 2009; arrive by June 12; fnalists announced Aug 20; winners announced Oct 24 | first 25 pp | $20, $25 | by mail and email. Pay by check or PayPal | 3 first round judges: two published authors and one unpublished. Lowest score dropped. Top 3 high scores in each category final. Final judges: Inspirational (Jessica Barnes, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing; Tamela Hancock Murray , Hartline Literary); YA (Kat O'She, The Wild Rose Press; Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management); RS (Becky Vinter, NAL; Lois Winston, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency); Contemp Series (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin; Sha-Shana Crichton, Crichton Literary Agency); ST (Leis Pederson, Penguin / Berkley; Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management); HR (Alicia Condon, Dorchester; Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency); FFP (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks; Tina Wexler, International Creative Management) | |
| New Jersey Romance Writers of America | Golden Leaf | Romance Book, Novella | All NJRW members and RWA members in Region One published in novel-length fiction who are eligible for RWA PAN or NJRW PAN | Register by June 10, 2009 via email or regular mail. Entries: postmark by July 10; must be received by July 15; finalists notified early Sept; winners announced Oct 23 at the PYHIAB conference. | Romance novel with 1st copyright date or 1st North American printing date of August 2008 - July 2009. Includes E-books in print book format, with copyright page produced by publisher, with perfect or case binding and print on both sides of the page. See rule about erotic or sexually explicit scenes. | $15, $25 | by mail | Best First Book; HR; Long Contemp; Novella; Paranormal; Traditional Regency; Short Contemp; ST | |
| Final Draft | Big Break | Screenplay | no more than 2 authors per screenplay; optioned screenplays ineligible | Postmark by June 15, 2009; (extended from June 1). | full-length screenplay, 90-120 (max) pp; screenplays over 135 pp will be disqualified. Must submit in Final Draft or pdf format. | $50 for standard entries; $65 for extended deadline entries. | online entry system | Final judges: industry experts. | 1st Place: $15,000 cash plus finalist prizes, airfare to Los Angeles, and 3-night hotel stay (unless winner resides in or around Los Angeles). 2nd Place: $4,000 cash plus finalist prizes, airfare to Los Angeles, and 3-night hotel stay (unless winner resides in or around Los Angeles). 3rd Place: $2,000 cash plus finalist prizes, airfare to Los Angeles, and 3-night hotel stay (unless winner resides in or around Los Angeles). Top 10 Finalist Prizes - Final Draft software - Script read by top industry companies - Gotham Writers’ Workshop 10-week class - Pitch Perfect video pitching from StoryLink.com - One-year Script magazine subscription - $150 gift certificate from The Writers Store and more... |
| Fox Broadcasting Company, Procter & Gamble Productions, and the New York Television Festival | Fox-NYTVF Comedy Script Contest | Script, comedy (TV sitcom) | Any legal resident of the U.S., 18 yrs and older | June 15, 2009 or at 1,500 entries, whichever comes first; 25 finalists will be notifed Aug 7; winner announced at the NYTVF Sept 26. | script for original half-hour comedy TV pilot, in pdf format, 25 to 35 pp. Script must be copyrighted or registered, and can not have been entered into any other contest or competition. | Free | upload to NYTVF web site | The judging panel, selected by the NYTVF in its sole discretion, will determine 25 finalists, based on the following criteria, weighted equally: originality; creativity; humor; overall impression. In event of tie, entries will be re-judged based solely on the criteria of overall impression. | Grand Prize: $25,000 and consideration to be produced by Procter & Gamble Productions as a pilot with a first-look at the Fox network. |
| Maryland Romance Writers of America | Reveal Your Inner Vixen | Romance | unpublished or published but entry must be uncontracted as of June 1, 2009 | Postmark / e-deadline June 15, 2009 (extended from June 2) | scene showcasing chemistry between hero and heroine, 20 pp max; 1 pp set-up | $20, $25 | by mail or email | Three 1st round judges, trained and / or published. 3 finalists per category. Final judges: Series Contemp (Gail Chasan, Harlequin / Silhouette; Rhonda Penders, The Wild Rose Press); ST (Allison Brandau, Penguin / Berkley; Bethany Morgan, Samhain Publishing); HR (Mary Altman, Ellora's Cave; Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Alternative (Chris Keeslar, Dorchester; Amanda Barnett, The Wild Rose Press) ER (Raelene Gorlinsky, Ellora's Cave; Angela James, Samhaim Publishing); YA (Krista Marino, Delacorte; Lindsey McGurk, Samahain Publishing) | All finalists receive a brief critique by the final round judge, a certificate, and mention in a paid advertisement in the next issue of the RWA® Romance Writers Report. 1st Place winners receive a $50 prize. |
| Chick Lit Writers of the World | Get Your Stiletto in the Door | Chick Lit | Any writer unpublished / uncontracted by RWA approved publisher in novel-length fiction. Entry must have a projected minimum of 75,ooo word (35,000 for YA) | e-deadline June 20, 2009 (extended from June 15 due to low entries in all but Classic category); finalists notified by Aug 25; winners notified by Nov 5 | first 35 pp, synopsis (5 pp max) | $20, $25 | electronic | Preliminary round judged by 2 qualified judges. "Large" score discrepancies will go to 3rd judge. Top 4 entries in each category final. Final judges: Classic Chick Lit / Lady Lit (Claire Baldwin, Little Black Dress / Headline Publishing; Kate Schafer Testerman, KT Literary); Chick Thrill (Jessica Sebor, Random House; Holly Root, Waxman Agency); Para Chick Lit (Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing; Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary Agency); Inspirational Chick Lit (Beth Adams, Guideposts; Kelly Mortimer, Mortimer Literary Agency); YA Chick Lit (Regina Griffin, Egmont USA; Tamar Rydzinski, Laura Dail Literary Agency); Best of the Best (Lois Winston, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency) | 1st place winner in each category will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. |
| Write On! Online & The Write Environment | Query Contest | Screenplay, Teleplay, Fiction and Non-Fiction | Anyone | Received by June 22, 2009; winners announced July 7 | 1 page query | Free | Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Detective, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Musical, Mystery, Myth, Political, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, War, Western | The winner in each category - Screenplay, Teleplay, Fiction, and Non-Fiction - will have their query read by a literary agent. For specific agents and prizes, click here. | |
| Coeur de Louisiane Romance Writers of America | Romancing the Tome | Romance | RWA members unpublished / uncontracted by RWA standards | Cancelled for 2009 Postmark by Sept 28, 2009; finalists announced Nov 26; winners announced Feb 14, 2010. | First 5 pp of ms. Finalists MUST submit a 2 pp synopsis for final round. | $20 | email or mail. Pay by check or money order | Lowest score from first round dropped. Finalists get to polish before submitting to final judges. Series Contemp, ST, HR, Para, Inspirational, RS, Erotic | Grand Prize: To one winner, a paid conference fee to RWA National 2010 in the form of a check. Winner to be determined by scores from first and final round judges. (Lowest score from first round judges will not be considered unless there is a tie.) |
| New Jersey Romance Writers of America | Put Your Heart In A Book | Romance | RWA member, unpublished / not contracted in book-length romantic fiction at the contest deadline by any publisher and in any format within the last five years. | Received by 11:59 EST June 23, 2009 (extended from June 1); final rankings annoucned Oct 24, 2009. | synopsis, prologue, first chapter, 30 pp max. | $20, $35 | electronic only | Short Contemp (Susan Litman, Silhouette SE; Wendy Sherman, Wendy Sherman Associates); Author Heidi Betts); ST (Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin; Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Agency; Author Nancy Herkness); HR (Amanda Bergeron, Avon; Deidre Knight, Knight Agency; Author Madeline Hunter); Para (Jhanteigh Kupihea, Penguin Group; Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency; Author Judi McCoy); RE (Chris Keesler, Dorchester; Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency; Author Jan Coffey) | 1st Place: $50 + plaque; 2nd Place: $35 + certificate; 3rd Place: $25 + certificate |
| Colorado Romance Writers of America | Heart of the Rockies | Romance | Unpublished / uncontracted as of deadline | e-deadline June 24, 2009 (extended from June 15); winners announced Oct 10. | 1st two chapters plus 1-5 pp synopsis (35 pp max) | $25, $30 | Email. Can pay via PayPal or check. | Each entry has 2 judges, one is published author. • Short Contemp (Diana Ventimiglia, Silhouette); Long Contemp (Kathryn Lye, Harlequin); ST (Elaine Spencer, The Knight Agency); Para / TT / F / F (Chris Keeslar, Dorchester Publishing); HR (Alexandra Machinist, Linda Chester Literary Agency); RS (Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books); Inspirational (Jessica Barnes, Waterbrook Press); Spicy (Lindsey McGurk, Samhain Publishing); MS w/ RE (Valerie Gray, MIRA Books) | 1st Place winners receive $25; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place in each category receive a plaque; honorable mentions receive certificates. Winners announced in the RWR. |
| Hollywood Book Festival | Hollywood Book Festival | All | Published, self-published, independently published works | Postmark by COB on June 25, 2009 | one copy of book | $75 | Mail. Payment by check, money order or online with credit card or thru PayPal | Categories: General Non-fiction, General Fiction, Children’s book, E-book, Comics, Zines, How-To, Fan Fiction, Wild Card, Unpublished Story, Teenage, Biography / Autobiography, Audio / spoken word, Genre-based | Grand prize for the 2009 Hollywood Book Festival Author of the Year is $1,500 and a flight to Los Angeles for our gala awards ceremony in July |
| Review Fuse | Short Story Contest | Short story, open theme (must adhere to clean content policy) | Anyone. Author retains rights. | Midnight June 27, 2009 for submission of short story and reviews; winner notified July 4. | Original short story (10,000 words max). Must submit your poem for peer critique and must complete assigned reviews of other short stories (4 for free members; 3 for premium). | Free but you must register for free Review Fuse account | Electronic. | 2 rounds of judging. 1. Authors from the Review Fuse staff will select the 3 best works for Round 2. 2. Of these 3 works selected, Review Fuse management will select the winning authors based on who gave the most detailed and well thought out critiques to their peers. | Prize: $50. Winner will be announced on their blog. All participants will receive 3 peer critiques of their short story. Review Fuse will ask permission to publish the winning entry on their blog. |
| Random House | Delacorte Yearling Contest | A First Middle-Grade Novel | U.S. and Canadian writers who have not previously published a novel for middle grade readers. | Postmark by June 30, 2009; winners notified between July and Oct; final contest results announced Oct 31. | Book length ms (between 96 and 160 double spaced typewritten pp, 12 pt font) with contemp or historical North American setting suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. Include cover letter and brief plot summary. | Free | Judges are the editors of Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers. | Book contract (on the Publisher’s standard form) for a hardcover and a paperback edition. The award consists of $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties. | |
| From The Heart Romance Writers of America | Golden Gateway | Romance | unpublished or not published in book or e-book in last 5 yrs (An author is considered published regardless if their publisher is RWA recognized.) | June 30, 2009 (extended from June 26); finalists notified Aug 14; finalists must have latest copy to coordinator by Aug 20; winners announced Oct 9. | beginning of ms and 10 pp max synopsis, max total 55 pp | $20, $25, $30 | electronic; pay by check, MO or PayPal | 3 first round judges, experienced or published. Discrepancy judge if scores vary by 20 points or more. Top 5 entries with score of 225 or above will final. Final judges: Short / Long Contemp Series (Susan Litman, Harlequin /Silhouette); ST (Talia Platz, NAL); MS (Leis Pederson, Berkley Books); HR (Tessa Woodward, Avon); RS (Cassandra Dozet, HQN & LUNA); TT / FF&P (Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing); Novella (Martin Biro, Kensington Publishing Corp) | |
| Writers of the Future | Writers of the Future | Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy | Open to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than 3 short stories in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies or 5,000 hits. | Postmark by midnight June 30, 2009 | Works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. | Free and writer retains all rights. | All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy. No poetry or works for children. No excessive violence or sex. | Cash prizes of $500, $750, $1,000 every quarter. Annual cash prize of $5,000. | |
| Indiana Romance Writers of America | Golden Opportunity | Romance (YA entry does not have to be romance) | Anyone unpublished according to Romance Writers of America guidelines. Need not be a member of RWA. Members of the Indiana RWA chapter are not eligible. | Received by July 1, 2009; finalists notified ~Sept 12; winners announced ~Oct 15. | first 35 pp, including synopsis (10 pp max) | $25 | electronic entry. Pay by check, MO or PayPal. | 1st round: 2 experienced judges who MUST provide constructive critiques. If the 2 scores are 75 or more points apart, a 3rd judge is used and the 2 scores closest to each other prevail. 3 finalists per category. Final judges: HR (Becky Vinter, NAL); MS with RE (Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management); Para (Kerry Donovan, NAL); RS (Megan McKeever, Pocket Books); ST (Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing); YA (Holly Root, Agent, Waxman Literary Agency); Best of the Best (Allison Brandau, Berkley) | 1st Place: $35.00 and certificate; 2nd Place: $30.00 and certificate; 3rd Place: $25.00 and certificate; Best of the Best Award: a Neo by AlphaSmart. |
| Utah / Salt Lake Romance Writers of America | Heart of the West | Romance | published or unpublished with uncontracted entry | July 1, 2009 | prologue, first chapter, up to 20 pp (max of 25 lines per page) | $25 | electronic only, can pay by PayPal, check or MO | 1st round: 3 scores, lowest dropped. Final judges: Contemp (Amanda Bergeron, Avon Books); HR (Megan Records, Kensington); Para (Heather Osborn, Tor / Forge); Mystery / Suspense (Lara Hyde, MIRA); Inspirational (Jewelann Cone, Atlantis Literary Agency); Golden Pen (Carolyn Grayson, The Ashley Grayson Agency). Published (Miriam Kriss, The Irene Goodman Agency) will be judged collectively. | 1st Place Winners receive $40 and a certificate. 2nd thru 4th Place receive certificates. All finalists will be recognized in the Romance Writers Report. |
| Music City Romance Writers of America | Melody of Love | Romance | unpublished or not contracted / published in last 5 yrs | Received by July 2, 2009; finalists announced end of Aug; winners announced end of Nov. | first 25 pp (contest is limited to first 75 entries received) | $22, $27, $32 | by mail or email, can pay by check or PayPal | Discrepancy judge employed if needed. Finalists can revise before submitting to final judge and may submit a one page synopsis at final judge's request. Contemp (Johanna Raisanen, Harlequin / Silhouette); Para (Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency); HR (Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency) | Winners in each category receive: 1st place, $50, certificate, and special prize; 2nd and 3rd place, certificate and special prize. |
| Florida Writers Association | Royal Palm Literary Award Contest | Fiction, Non-fiction, poetry | FWA member at time of submission, published (2007-2009) or unpublished (judged separately) | Postmark by July 13, 2009 | Depends on your category. Download the rules and categories from their contest page. | $30 , $40, $50, depending on entry date | by mail | Poetry; Fiction: Mainstream, Romance, Women's Fiction, Humor / Satire, Children's / YA, Horror; Romance / ER, Humor / Satire, Mystery, Thriller, Children's Book / Young Adult, Horror / Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Short Story; Non-Fiction: Educational / Informational, Biography, Memoir, History, Humor / Satire, Travel, Essays | |
| Southern Louisiana Romance Writers of America | Dixie Kane Memorial Contest | Romance | unpublished or not published in book length fiction by RWA approved published in last 5 yrs | Postmark by July 15, 2009 (extended from July 1); winners announced Sept 30. | first 5 pp of ms, 1 pp synopsis (not judged) | $15 | Mail. Pay by check or MO. | All entries will be reviewed by 4 published or non-published trained members of RWA. The lowest score will be dropped. In the event of a tie, both entries will be winners. Final Round Judges: Kate Duffy of Kensington Books, and Pamela Ahearn of Ahearn Agency will read the first place entry winners of each category with the hope of requesting a full or partial manuscript. Categories: Short contemp; Long contemp; RS; ST contemp; HR; Para; Inspirational; RE | The top prize for the highest overall score among all entries receives $50 cash and special certificate. Certificates for 1st through 3rd Places and honorable mentions. Names published in RWR, the New Orleans Times Picayune, and on SOLA's website. |
| Review Fuse | Flash Fiction Contest | Fiction | Anyone | Midnight July 31, 2009 for submission of story and reviews. | Original story (1,000 words max). Must submit your poem for peer critique and must complete assigned reviews of other poems (4 for free members; 2 for premium). | Free but you must register for free Review Fuse account | Electronic | Judges: panel comprised of the founders of Review Fuse | Prize: $100. Winner will be announced on their blog. All participants will receive 3 peer critiques of their story. |
| Gothic Romance Writers of America | Haunted Hearts | Romance with Gothic Elements | RWA member unpublished in novel length romantic fiction by a royalty-paying publisher within the last 5 yrs nor contracted at contest deadline. | Postmark by Aug 1, 2009; e-deadline Aug 1, 2009. Cancelled due to low turnout. | 1st chapter (25 pp), Synopsis (one page max) | $15, $25 | mail, email | 1st round: 3 judges, at least one of which will be published author. Lowest score dropped. All 3 score sheets along w/ annotated entries will be returned to the entrant. 3 finalists per category. Historical Gothic (Julia Thornhill, The Wild Rose Press); Contemporary Gothic (Alicia Condon, Dorchester) | Certificate |
| Pocono / Lehigh Romance Writers of America | Write Hook Query Contest | Romance | unpublished or not published in novel-length romance in last 3 yrs | Postmark by Aug 1, 2009 | query letter for completed ms. | $15 | email the letter, mail the check with SASE | Judges: RWA-trained or published. | Grand Prize Winner wins opportunity to send full manuscript to Allison Brandau of Berkley Publishing. |
| Rose City Romance Writers of America | Golden Rose | Romance | Anyone unpublished or not published by RWA recognized publisher in novel length fiction in last 3 yrs and uncontracted at deadline | e-deadline 11:59 PM Aug 8, 2009 (extended from Aug 1 due to low entries in Long Series Contemp, RS and YA); finalists notified by Oct 10; winners notified Dec 11. | beginning of ms (50 pp max). Finalists must supply a 1-2 pp synopsis which will not be judged. | $30, $35, $50 (+$2 if paying by payPal) | electronic only; pay by PayPal or check | Preliminary round: 3 trained judges, at least one will be published author. Discrepancy judging if there is at least a 30 point spread between the two lowest scores, and the entry would have a possibility of finaling with a higher total score. Entries must have a minimum average score of 80% of the total available points to final. The top 10% in each category final. Finalists have 1 week to edit entry, before it goes to final judges. Long Contemp Series (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin); Short Contemp Series (Melissa Jeglinski, The Knight Agency); ST Contemp (Megan McKeever, Pocket Books); HR (Esi Sogah, Avon); RE (Amberly Finarelli, Andrea Hurst Literary Management); Para / Futuristic (Alissa Davis, Dorchester); RS (Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing); YA (Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger, Inc.) | The GRAND PRIZE winner is the entrant with the highest total score overall. This winner will win an American Beauty Rose dipped in gold. First Place Winners in each category will be offered a free chapter membership. All 1st through 3rd place winners will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment and a web banner they can proudly display on their websites. The names of all winners will be publicized. Recognition will include announcements on the RCRW website and in the Romance Writers Report (RWR). |
| EPIC | EPIC Awards | EBook competition | e-book with publication date between Oct 12, 2008 and May 31, 2009. | e-deadline for entries (forms and files) is 11:59 PM CST Aug 15, 2009. Fees must be received and processed by Aug 16th. | ebook submitted in an "as it is sold" non-DRM PDF format | $25, $35, $45 by PayPal, check, MO | email file conforming to strict naming convention (see rules) | Poetry; Children (non-fiction, fiction); YA (non-fiction, fiction); Non-Fiction; Anthologies (non-fiction, fiction, romance, erotic romance or erotica); Fiction (adventure, erotica, fantasy / para, historical, horror, mystery / suspense, sci-fi, spiritual / metaphysical, western, MS); Romance (contemp, fantasy, historical, horror, mystery / suspense / adventure, para, sci-fi, spiritual / metaphysical, western); Erotic Romance (contemp, fantasy, historical, horror, mystery / suspense / adventure, para, sci-fi, western) | |
| The Golden Network Romance Writers of America | Golden Pen | Romance | RWA member unpublished and uncontracted by Aug 15, 2009 (or not published in last 5 yrs) by a non-vanity, non-subsidy publisher | e-deadline Aug 15, 2009; finalists notified Oct 1; winners Dec 1 | beginning of ms, synopsis (55 pp max, including the synopsis, which can't exceed 10 pp) | $30 by PayPal, check, MO | electronic entry | Preliminary round: 3 judges, incl. at least one published author, one Golden Heart finalist, and one PRO. Lowest score is dropped. The 3 top-scoring entries in each category proceed to final round. Final judges: Short Contemp (Susan Litman, Harlequin); HR (Allison Brandau, Berkley); ST (Jennifer Enderlin, St. Martin's Press); Para (Kerry Donovan, NAL); RS (Megan McKeever, Pocket Books); Inspirational (Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill); YA (Regina Griffin, Egmont); MS / RE (Valerie Gray, Mira) | 1st Place in each category: Engraved gold pen, a certificate and a check for $30. 2nd Place: Certificate and a check for $20. 3rd Place: Certificate. Final placements will be announced in the RWR. |
| San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America | Heart to Heart | Romance | unpublished by RWA recognized publisher as of deadline | e-deadline Aug 15, 2009; finalists notified Sept 30, winners announced Oct 31 | hero and heroine's first meeting, 15 pp max (numbered as it appears in the ms) plus optional unjudged, double-spaced, one-page set-up. | $15 | electronic only. Can pay by PayPal or mail. | Four 1st round judges, one of whom is a published author. The lowest score is dropped. Top 3 entries in each category final. Final judges: Paranormal (Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency; Esi Sogah, Avon Books; Raelene Gorlinsky, Cerridwen Press); Contemp (Elaine English, Elaine P. English, PLLC; Shauna Summers, Bantam-Dell; Bethany Morgan, Samhain Publishing); HR (Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency; Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks; Patricia Tanner, Wild Rose Press); Erotica (Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency; Susan Swinwood, Harlequin Spice; Theresa Stevens, Red Sage) | |
| Memoir Journal, Inc. | Memoir (and) | Traditional and experimental prose, poetry, graphic memoir, narrative photography, lies, and more | Anyone | Aug 15, 2009 | prefer Microsoft Word format. See guidelines for details | Free | prefer electronic but also take mail | 4 prizes: Memoir in Poetry or Prose: Grand Prize: $500, 2nd Prize: $250, 3rd Prize: $100; and Graphic Memoir Grand Prize: $100. Winning entries published in print and online plus receive free copies of the journal. | |
| FF&P Special Interest Romance Writers of America | On the Far Side | Romance (Every category must contain a futuristic, fantasy, or paranormal element.) | not contracted / published by RWA recognized publisher in genre entered in book-length fiction in last 5 yers | e-deadline Aug 29, 2009 | first 20 pp of ms, optional synopsis (5 pp, not scored) | $20, $30 | electronic | Erotic (Kelli Kwiatkowski, Ellora’s Cave); RE (Lucy Carson, Friedrich Agency); Futuristic (Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency); General Para (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester); TT (Colleen Lindsay, Fineprint Literary); Fantasy (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); YA (Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary) | All finalists receive certificate and OTFS finalist website banner. Winners receive check for $20, pin, an OTFS winner website banner, and a certificate. 2nd Place receives a check for $15 and a certificate 3rd place receives a check for $10 and a certificate |
| Memoirs, Ink | Annual writing contest | Essay, memoir or auto-biographical stories | previously unpublished entry, includes websites and blogs | Late deadline is Aug 31 (extra $5 applies after regular Aug 15 deadline); winners announced Oct 7 | 3,000 words max, must be written in first person in English | $17 1st entry; $10 each add'l (+$5 if "late") check or MO | by mail | Panel of Memoirs Ink judges. Final judge: Shawna Kenney, author of Imposters (Mark Batty Publisher) and I Was a Teenage Dominatrix (Last Gasp), which won a Firecracker Alternative Book award, has been translated abroad and was optioned for television. | First Prize: $1000; Second Prize: $500; Third Prize: $250; plus publication. |
| Volusia County Romance Writers of America | Laurel Wreath Award | Romance Book | published RWA member, copyright of 2008 | Received by Aug 31, 2009 (winners notified by mid-Nov 2008) | 3 copies of book, e-books accepted in a printed / book form, bound and covered. | $20 | Short Contemp; Long Contemp; RS; HR / Regency; RE; FF&P / TT. Judges: booksellers. Judges give each entry a score of 3-10 (10 being the highest). Judges also rank entries, if needed, for tie-breaking. | ||
| East Valley Authors | EVA Query Contest | Fiction | anyone | Postmark, e-deadline Sept 1, 2009 | 1-2 pp query letter | $5 | mail or electronic | All genres of fiction. Final Judges: Kevan Anne Lyon and Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency LLC. | |
| Valley of the Sun Romance Writers of America | Hot Prospects | Romance | Published or unpublished RWA member in good standing | e-deadline / postmark by Sept 1, 2009; finalists notified by Oct 31. Finalists will have one week to revise before submitting to final judges. Winners announced Dec 15. | synopsis (5 pp max), beginning of ms (25 pp max) | $25, 30 | mail or electronic. Pay by check or PayPal. | 1st round - 2 judges. If scores vary by 26 or more points, there will be a 3rd judge with lowest score dropped. 3 finalists per category. Final round judges: HR (Talia Platz, NAL; Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management); FF&P (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester; Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency); RS (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks; JL Stermer, Donald Maass Literary Agency); Long Contemp / ST (Katherine Pelz, Berkley; Sharene Martin-Brown, Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency); Series Contemp (Johanna Raisanen, Harlequin; Leanne Morgena, The Wild Rose Press); Erotica (Theresa Stevens, Red Sage Publishing; Kelli Collins, Ellora's Cave) | All finalists in each category receive a certificate, a graphic for their website and mention in the RWR Grand Prize Winner can choose between a book trailer, static banner and active banner from Bella Entertainment for the book of their choice (a $300.00 value) or $100.00 USD. |
| East Texas Romance Writers of America | Southern Heat | Romance | unpublished authors who are not contracted to an agent or publisher at deadline; published authors not published in entry category within last 5 yrs | e-deadline Sept 1, 2009; finalists notified Oct 30; winners announced Dec 20 | 1st 10 pp plus 5 pp max synopsis | $20, $25, $30 | electronic; check or PayPal | 1st Round judged by 2 (usually published) authors. Discrepancy judge used for entry whose 2 scores differ by at least 25 point with one of those scores at least 85% of total points possible. YA (Sarah Shumway, HarperCollins; Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates); Para (Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester; Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Agency); HR (Amanda Bergeron, Avon / HarperCollins; Susannah Taylor, Richard Henshaw Group); Contemp ST (Margo Lipschultz, HQN; Tina Wexler, ICM); Contemp Series (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin SuperRomance; Melissa Jeglinski, The Knight Agency); RS (Editor Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks; Firebrand Literary Agency); Inspirational (Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill; Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency) | |
| Short Story Radio Broadcasts | A Slice of Life short story competition | Fiction short story | Anyone | Received by midnight GMT Sept 4, 2009 | 2,500 word max short story. Must fit into theme of "A Slice of Life" (a look into the life of a female protagonist; read submission guidelines for full details.) | £5 | Email or post. Can pay by PayPal or check. | Winner will have story recorded by a professional actor and broadcast via Short Story Radio website and will also receive a free critique from best-selling writer Sophie King of the first 4,000 words of a short story or novel. | |
| Oklahoma Romance Writers of America | Finally A Bride | Romance | unpublished, uncontracted authors whose ms have finaled (but not won) in a RWA sponsored contest or whose ms placed in the top 25% of the Golden Heart. Do not have to be member of RWA. | e-deadline midnight Sept 4, 2009 | first 30 pp. For final round entries, an optional synopsis (5 pp max) is strongly recommended | $25, $30 | emailed with rtf or Word doc format. See rules. | 1st round: 3 judges, lowest score dropped. Final judges: Inspirational / Traditional (Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill & Nicola Martinez, White Rose Publishing); Series Contemp (Patience Smith, Silhouette & Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin); TT / F&P (Margo Lipschultz, HQN &Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester); RS (Charles Griemsman, Silhouette & Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing); HR / Regency (Deb Werksman, Casablanca Sourcebooks & Chris Keeslar, Dorchester); MS (Keyren Gerlach, HQN & Megan McKeever, Pocket Books); YA (Anne Bensson, St. Martin's & Leah Wilson, BenBella Books) | The Bride (First Place Winner) in each category will receive a lovely engraved knife and cake server, suitable for cutting the cake in celebration of THE CALL. In addition, any book that is published as a result of this contest will receive a free entry into the National Readers' Choice Award the first year of eligibility. All other finalists will receive suitable recognition. |
| SpacecoasT Authors of Romance Romance Writers of America | Launching A Star | Romance | unpublished writers who are not PAN eligible | Postmark by Sept 5, received by Sept 12, 2009; finalists notified Nov 2; winners notifed Dec 14. | 1st chapter, max 25 pp | $25, $30 | mail (intl can enter electronically) | HR (Talia Platz, New American Library (NAL); Elizabeth Pomada, Larsen-Pomada Agency); General Para (Heather Osborn TOR Publications; Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Agency) ST (Selina McLenmore, Grand Central Publishing; Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency); Series Contemp (Susan Litman, Harlequin / Silhouette Special Edition; Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency); YA (Kristen Daly, HarperCollins Childrens' Books; Elaine Spencer, The Knight Agency); Novellas (Angela James, Samhain Publishing; Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency); Fantasy / Futuristics (Allison Brandau, Berkley / Jove Publishing; Deidre Knight, The Knight Agency); RS ST (Sara Goodman, St. Martin's Press; Kimberly Whalen, Trident Media Group); Inspirational (Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson; Rachel Gardner, WordServe Literary) | All finalists will receive a certificate. 1st Place winner of each category receives engraved STAR paperweight. Overall contest winner will have a star named for them through the International Star Registry. |
| Real Simple | Life Lessons Essay Contest | Essay | U.S. legal residents age 19 or older | Postmarked by 11:59 P.M. ET Sept 7, 2009 and received by Sept 14, 2009. | Typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 wds max) essay theme-based, answering the question When did you realize you had become a grown-up? | Free | Mail or email | Judged by Real Simple editors, based on originality, creativity, language and appropriateness to contest theme (25% each) | One winner receives $3,000, round trip economy plae tickets for two to NYC plus hotel accommodations for 2 nights, tickets to a Broadway play, lunch with Real Simple editors, and publication in Real Simple magazine. |
| Hunger Mountain | Creative Nonfiction Prize | Creative Nonfiction | Anyone | September 10, 2009 | Submit an orginial, unpublished work of creative nonfiction in English of up to 10,000 words | $20 | 2009 Judge is Robin Hemley, author of DO-OVER | A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Hunger Mountain website. Two honorable mentions receive $100 each. | |
| Missouri Romance Writers of America | Gateway to the Best | Romance | not contracted / not published with RWA approved publisher within last 3 yrs | e-deadline 11:59 p.m. CDT Sept 11, 2009; finalists announced ~Oct 31; winners announced ~Dec 10. | up to 1st 25 pp | $20, $30; half price for add'l entries | electronic | 3 judges for 1st round, lowest score dropped. HR (Esi Sogah, Avon); Contemp Series (Laura Barth, Harlequin); Para (LaToya Smith, Grand Central); ST (Katherine Pelz, Berkley); RS (Margo Lipschultz, Harlequin) | Overall Grand Prize: $100 + full reading and critique of ms by a major pubbed author. 1st Place: Gateway charm, electronic banner for website, + 1 yr newsletter membership. 2nd Place: newsletter membership. 3rd Place: certificate (all receive certificates). |
| Southwest Florida Romance Writers of America | Hold Me, Thrill Me | Romance | RWA member not published in book-length fiction, limited to 100 entries. | Postmark by Sept 12, 2009 (extended from Sept 1); winners announced ~Dec 15, 2009 | 1st 20 pp , optional synopsis (1 page, not judged) | $25, check or money order | Entries must contain a romantic element and may be long / short contemp, suspense, mystery, historical, western, Regency, medieval, para, fantasy, YA. Final judge: Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency | 1st Place: $100, 2nd Place: $50, 3rd Place: $25. | |
| Romance Writers Ink | Where the Magic Begins | Romance | Unpublished or not published in the category entered in the past three years. Includes non-RWA recognized publishers and published novellas of 15,000 words or more. | Sept 15, 2009 (extended from Sept 1 due to low entries in Dark Para, RS, Sensual Contemp, Sweet Contemp and especially ER); finalists notified at Nov 14 meeting and by email shortly thereafter | 1st 25 pp, synopsis (1 pp, may be single spaced, will not be judged) | $25, $27 | electronic | 1st rd judges are trained and instructed to provide constructive written feedback BOTH on the manuscript pages and the score sheets. Each entry receives 3 first round scores; lowest score dropped. 2nd round of judging held in the case of a tie. The 3 top-scoring entries in each category will be sent to the appropriate editor for final judging.Dark Para (LaToya Smith, Hachette Books); Erotic Romance (Kathryn Lye, Harlequin); HR (Leis Pedersen, Berkley); Light Para (Kate Seaver, Berkley); RS (Diana Ventimiglia, Silhouette); Sensual Contemp (Krista Stroever, Silhouette); ST (Heather Osborn, Tor); Sweet Contemp, including Inspirational and Traditional (Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill) | We have improved our contest for 2009! NEW Score Sheet NEW Rules regarding scoring NEW Feedback requirement for first round judges ALL-EDITOR line up of final round judges NEW Entry opportunities for published authors! |
| Mid-America Romance Writers of America | Fiction from the Heartland | Romance | unpublished, excluding MARA members | Postmark by Sept 23, 2009 (extended from Sept 11) | prologue, 1st chapter, synopsis (35 pp max) | $20, $30 for 1st entry, add'l entries half price. Check or PayPal | Contemp (Susan Litman, Harlequin); HR (Keyren Gerlach, HQN); Inspirational (Melelissa Endlich, Steeple Hill); RS (Allison Lyons, Harlequin Intrique); ER (Audry LaFehr, Kensington Publishing); Para (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks ); YA (Meredithf Giordan, Berkley Publishing). Agent Judges: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency; Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency; Lois Winston, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency | Prize: $50.00 / Plaque / Certificate. | |
| Heartland Romance Writers of America | Ahh! Romance | Romance | Published authors (need not be RWA member) defined as having fully-executed a contract with any non-vanity, non-subsidy publishing house where author did not contribute financially to the publication of the manuscript. | Midnight PST Sept 25, 2009; finalists announced Oct 15; final placements announced Nov 30. | 1st 25 pp of ms or work in progress. The submitted work may not presently by under contract for publication. | $10, $15 via check, MO or online payment | electronic | Initial Round Judging -- Three trained / certified judges. Top three entrants in each category will go on to the final round. Second Round Judging: Contem (Krista Stroever, Harlequin Silhouette Desire); Erotica (Kelli Collins, Ellora's Cave); HR (Nicole D'Arienzo, The Wild Rose Press); Inspirational (Lori Graham, The Wild Rose Press); Para (Chris Keeslar, Dorchester Publishing); RS (Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin) Sci-Fi / Fantasy (TBA) | First Place: $50.00 and Certificate All Other Finalists: Certificate |
| Stella Cameron | Scarlet Boa | Paranormal | Published or non-published. | Received by Sept 25, 2009; submissions posted online Oct 1; 1st rd voting Oct 1-15, Finalists announced Oct 18; 2nd rd voting Oct 18-31; Winner announced Nov 1 | An opening scene that introduces your paranormal world, (500 - 1,000 words) | Free | electronic | Readers vote. One winner and three honorable mentions will be chosen from 10 finalists. | Winner announced in a LIVE chat at Writerspace at 10p EST! |
| Nominated (the Movie) | The Nominated Executive Producer Essay Contest | Essay | Anyone | e-deadline Sept 29, 2009; finalists posted Sept 30; winner posted Oct 31. | Essay explaining why you should be the Executive Producer (50 words max). Must use these 5 words: vindictive, superficial, validation, sleazeball, gravy | $25 | email or mail. Pay via check or PayPal. | 10 finalists will be posted on the movie's blog; winner will be announced in a press release | Winner recieves Opening / Closing Movie Credit, IMDB Listing, Director's Cut DVD. Finalists receive autographed script and movie tee shirt |
| Leisure Books | Fresh Blood | Finished Horror Novel of 80-90,000 words | Unpublished in (paper) book form. One entry per person. | Received by Sept 30, 2009; finalists announced in Nov 2009; winner announced Aug 2010 | Complete ms and synopsis that tells story from beginning to end | Free | From Dec 2009 thru July 2010, monthly competitions in categories such as “Best Summary,” “Best First Line,” “Best Title,” and “Most Frightening Scene” will run on ChiZine.com. A panel of experts, including Leisure Executive Editor Don D’Auria and editors at ChiZine, will judge entries. | ||
| White Rose Publishing | Hearts Crossing | Inpsirational contemporary story of 20-25,000 words which follows contest synopsis | Published and unpublished | Received by Sept 30, 2009; winner announced Dec 31 | Fill in the blanks on their synopsis + 20K-25K manuscript in Times 12 pt | Free | Winner will receive a standard “Miniature Rose” publishing contract, with story released in 2010. | ||
| Writers of the Future | Writers of the Future | Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy | Open to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than 3 short stories in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies or 5,000 hits. | Postmark by midnight Sept 30, 2009 | Works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. | Free and writer retains all rights. | All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy. No poetry or works for children. No excessive violence or sex. | Cash prizes of $500, $750, $1,000 every quarter. Annual cash prize of $5,000. | |
| First Coast Romance Writers of America | Beacon Award, Unpublished | Romance | unpublished / not contracted in book-length (50K min) in last 3 yrs | 11:59 pm EST Oct 1, 2009. Finalists notified Dec 15; winners announced at 2010 conference) | 1st 30 pp , optional synopsis (3 pp max, will not be judged) | $25 | electronic; cn pay by check or PayPal | 1st round = 2 judges, 3 finalists per catgory. HR / Regency (Jesse Feldman, New American Library); Long Contemp / ST (Alicia Condon, Dorchester Publishing, Love Spell); Series Contemp (Gail Chasan, Silhouette Special Edition); RS / Series RS (Emily Ohanjanians, Mira); FF&P (Meghan Conrad, Cerridwen Press / Ellora's Cave); ER (Susan Swinwood, SPICE); Chick Lit / Women's Fiction / MS (Danielle Poiesz, Simon and Schuster); Inspirational (Amanda Bostic, Thomas Nelson, Inc.); YA (Kathy Dawson, Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Group) | 1st place per category - Beacon Lapel Pin, and .gif for website (if applicable). All finalists will receive a certificate for their achievement. Winners will be posted in the RWR |
| New England Romance Writers of America | First Kiss | Romance | unpublished in book-length fiction | Postmark by Oct 1, 2009; 1st round, judged entries returned ~Dec 15 | scene of first kiss (10 pp max) plus 1 p set-up | $15, $20, $23 by check or PayPal | 1st round scored by 1 pubbed author and 1 qualified, unpubbed judge. Discrepancy judge if scores differ by 30 or more and the point spread keeps entrant from finaling. Patience Smith (Harlequin / Silhouette) will choose winners from 6 finalists | 1st Prize: $50 or Free registration to the New England Chapter Conference ($179 value). 2nd Prize: $35, 3rd Prize: $25. | |
| Maine Romance Writers of America | MERWA - Synopsis is Not a Four-Letter Word | Romance | Unpublished | Postmark / e-deadline Oct 1, 2009 | synopsis (10 pp max) | $20 (by check, money order, PayPal) | electronic preferred, mail | Contemp; HR; Para; RS; RE. Preliminary round = 3 judges, published and / or trained. 3 highst averaged scores are finalists. Top entry in each category goes to final judge. Final Judge: Chris Kesslar, Dorchester Publishing. | The finalists in each category and grand prize winner will receive certificates and be announced in the RWR. |
| North Louisiana StoryTellers and Authors of Romance | The Suzannah | Romance | Published or unpublished. Entry must be unpublished and uncontracted as of Nov 30, 2009. Contest closes after 120 entries are received. | e-deadline midnight CST Oct 1, 2009; finalists announced Dec 1, 2009; grand prize winner announced at NOLA STARs conference in March 2010 | Beginning of ms, synopsis (25 pp max, 7,200 words max) | $30, $35, check. money order or PayPal | electronic | No categories (6 finalists). Three 1st round judges are published authors, RWA PRO members, industry professionals (i.e. librarians and booksellers) with lowest score dropped. Finalists are ranked 1 to 6 by: Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Ehrlich Literary; Amanda Bergeron, Avon; Angela James, Quartet Press; Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada; Holly Root, Waxman Agency; Adam Wilson, MIRA; Dr. Julie Nelson, sponsor of The Suzannah. Lowest score wins, no other rankings announced. | Grand Prize Winner will receive three hundred dollars in cash, donated in memory of romance author Suzannah Nelson Davis, and a trophy. |
| West Houston Romance Writers of America | The Emily | Romance | Not contracted by Oct. 7, 2009; not published in category entered in past 5 yrs. | Received by / e-Deadline Oct.7, 2009; finalists notified Dec 31; winners announced Feb 14, 2009. Finalists receive score sheets in Feb, then resubmit for the Best of the Best judging announced Apr 2009. | 1st 35 pp of ms in Courier New or Times New Roman (approx 8,750 words), doubled-spaced or similar | $20-$30 | mail, email | Series contemp (Patience Smith, Silhouette / Harlequin & Sha-Shana Crichton, Crichton & Associates, Inc.); HR (Esi Sogah, Avon & Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency); Para (Chris Keesler, Dorchester & Maura Kye-Casella, Don Congdon Associates, Inc); ST (Frances Jalet-Miller, Grand Central & Carolyn Grayson, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency); Best of the Best (Leis Pederson, Berkley Publishing) | 1st Place: EMILY brooch, all other finalists: certificate. Best of the Best winner will receive detailed critique of 1st 3 chapters and synopsis |
| Southern Magic Romance Writers of America | Linda Howard Award of Excellence | Romance | RWA members unpublished or not contracted in past 5 years | e-deadline 10 PM CST Oct 11, 2009; finalists announced by Jan 1, 2010; revised final entry (w/ synopsis) must be emailed by Jan 14, 2010; winners announced by Mar 20, 2010 at the Gulf Coast's Silken Sands Conference | 1st 25 pp of ms | $20, $25 via check or money order | 1st round: 3 judges. Lowest score will be dropped.. Short & Long Contemp (Susan Litman, Harlequin); ST (Latoya Smith, Grand Central Publishing); RS-series or ST (Megan McKeever, Pocket); HR (Alicia Condon, Dorchester); YA (Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen); Inspirational (Tina James, Steeple Hill); Erotica (Raelene Gorlinsky, Ellora's Cave); F / F / TT / Para (Heather Osborn, TOR) | 1st place will receive $25, a metal bookmark with name, contest and year printed on it. 2nd to 5th place will receive a certificate. 1st to 4th place will have their names printed in the RWR | |
| Rosebud Magazine | Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award | Short story of fantasy, science-fiction, mystery and horror | Original, unpublished work. Author need not be US citizen. | Postmark by Oct 15, 2009 (extended from earlier date) | one typed copy of short story, prefereably 1000 to 3500 words (up to 4500 words will be considered). | $10 (or $15 to include a copy of the awards issue). | Screening judge: Rosebud Editor Roderick Clark. Final judge: Nina Kiriki Hoffman, fantasy and science fiction author whose many distinctions include a number of World Fantasy and Nebula Award nominations. | Awards: $1,000 and publication in Rosebud. Four runners-up will receive $100 each and publication. All submissions considered for regular publication in Rosebud. | |
| Earth Vision | The Earth Vision Nature Writing Contest | Fiction, non-fiction or poetic prose with nature theme | anyone (English entries only) | Oct 15, 2009 (winners notified by Nov 15, 2009) | 500-2500 words of original fiction, creative non-fiction or poetic prose. Theme must be nature, deep ecology or spiritual ecology | $12 | no categories | First prize: $500. Second and third prizes: $100 each. Two (or more) honorable mentions. | |
| Western Pennsylvania Romance Writers of America | Bump In The Night | Flash Fiction Paranormal Romance | anyone | Email and mail entries must be received by noon, Oct 17, 2009; can also deliver in person at the Pittsburgh Mills Borders between noon and 2:00 PM Oct 24. Judging takes place at 2:00 pm, winners announced at 3:00 PM unless number of entries requires longer judging period (then by Oct 31) | Complete entry of 1,000 words or less. | Free | mail or emai or deliver in personl | Judges: published authors and industry professionals from the Western PA area. | Top prize: $10.00 gift certificate for Borders and one year free membership to WPRW (for RWA members) |
| Christian Writers of the West (Arizona branch of American Christian Fiction Writers) | The Phoenix Rattler | Christian Fiction | Unpublished or not published within past 5 yrs | Midnight PST, Oct 31, 2009; finalists announced mid-Dec; winners announced mid-Feb 2010 | First ten pp of ms in 12 pt Courier New or TNR | $20 | Contemp Fiction (Melissa Endlich, Love Inspired, Harlequin); Historical Fiction (Barbara Scott, Abingdon Press); Suspense / Thriller / Mystery (Elizabeth Mazur, Love Inspired Suspense); Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Allegory (Diedre Knight, Knight Agency); YA (Janet Grant, Books and Such); Literary Women’s Fiction (Rachelle Gardner, Wordserve Literary) | Finalists receive certificate. The winner in each category receives designer championship pin and mention on ACFW loop, on our CWOW website, and Michelle Sutton’s highly trafficked blog. | |
| Hudson Valley Romance Writers of America | Hook, Line and Sinker | Romance | all RWA members, published or unpublished | Postmark by Nov 1, 2009; winners announced January 2010 | 1st 3 pp of ms. | $10 | Top 5 entries will be ranked by Brenda Chin, Harlequin | 1st Place-$50.00, 2nd Place-$25.00, 3rd Place-$10.00. 4th and 5th Place will receive certificates. | |
| Dorchester Publishing | Next Best Cellar | Setial (A serial is defined as an ongoing story issued in successive parts that is intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials may be issued in print or electronic format.) | U.S. residents 18 years or older. | Nov 1, 2009. Contest begins June 1, 2009. Must publish at least 20 chapters / 6,000 words (in increments of ~500 words ea) by Nov 1to be eligible. Top 20 semi-finalists announced Nov 1; top 10 announced Nov 15; All finalizing materials due Dec 31 | Contest will run on Textnovel from June 1, 2009 to November 1, 2009. | Free | email to Textnovel | Categories: HR, Contemp, Para, Urban fantasy, High fantasy or Futuristic romance. Semi-finalistws and finalists determined by reviews by reviewers, readers' votes and Dorchester's editorial team. | Winning serial ms will receive a $2,000 advance and will be published by Dorchester Publishing in November or December 2010. |
| Harlequin | Harlequin Presents Writing Competition | Romance | Must be 18 yrs or older. Story concept must be original and must not have won a previous prize / award nor have been previously submitted, reproduced or published. | e-deadlineNov 2, 2009. Winners announced Dec 2009 on I Heart Presents.. | Entry must consist of the first chapter and synopsis of ms suitable for a Harlequin Presents or Modern Heat novel | free | Judged by a panel of members of the Harlequin Mills & Boon editorial staff, based on the following criteria: Voice, Content, & Writing Skills in equal measure. | 1st Place: awarded the services for 1 yr of a Harlequin Mills & Boon editor. 2nd Place: critique of 1st chapter and consultatios for 2 runners-up | |
| Writer's Digest | Pop Fiction Awards | Fiction | anyone not affiliated with Writer's Digest | Postmark by Nov 2, 2009 | 4000 words or less | $15.00 | mail or electronic | Romance; Mystery / Crime Fiction; Sci-Fi / Fantasy; Thriller / Suspense; Horror | Grand Prize: $2,500 cash + $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books + 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. 1st Prize each category $500 cash + other prizes. |
| Silicon Valley Romance Writers of America | GOTCHA! | Romance | unpublished in category entered | Received by Nov 4, 2009 | 1st 15 pp of ms | $25 | electronic | 1st round judges: 1 published author and 3 experienced, trained writers. Lowest score is dropped and 3 highest determine final score. All score sheets will be returned. Top 4 winners in each category will be sent to an final judge. Categories: Harlequin / Silhouette Series (Susan Litman, Silhouette); ST / MS Contemp (Meredith Giordan, Berkeley / Jove); HR Before 1945 (Megan Records, Kensington); Harlequin / Silhouette Series Mystery / RS (Allison Lyons, Harlequin Intrigue); Para - Specialty / TT / Fantasy (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Inspirational (Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill) | Each category will be capped at a maximum of 40 entries. Entries received after the first 40 will be moved to the entrant’s alternate category if that category is not closed, or the entry fee will be refunded. Please indicate your preference on your Contestant’s Agreement. |
| Ohio Valley Romance Writers of America | Enchanted Words | Romance | RWA member not contracted / published by RWA-eligible publisher in book-length romantic fiction in last 3 yrs. | Received by Nov 8, 2009 (extended from Nov 1), finalists notifed in Feb 2010, winners in Apr 2010. | Query letter, synopsis (7 pp max), beginning of ms (5 pp max). | $20 by check or PayPal | email, online entry form | 3 judges for first round. 4th judge assigned (with lowest score dropped) if difference of 15 points or more between the highest and lowest scores, and entry had chance to final with higher score. 3 finalists per category. Contemp, incl category romance (Tracy Bernstein, NAL; Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency); HR (Leis Pedersen, Berkley; Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Erlich Literary Agency); Paranormal (Margo Lipschultz, HQN / Luna; Alexandra Machinist, Linda Chester & Assoc. Literary Agency). 1st round=3 experienced RWA member judges. 3 entries with highest combined scores go to editor. | All finalists receive Certificates. Winners receive $20 + Enchanted Words Award. Names and titles published in RWR. |
| Pikes Peak Writers | The Paul Gillette Awards | Fiction | unpublished in short story and book-length fiction with uncontracted entry | Received by 11:59 MST Nov 15, 2009 (winners notified early April 2010) | Entire Short Story, or 1st 15 pp of novel plus synopsis (2-5 pp max) | $30, $40 | electronic only | Final round judges are editors and agents. Short stories, all included in same category; Book Length: Children’s (for ages 8-12); Historical Fiction; MS; Mystery / Suspense / Intrigue; Romance; Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Horror; YA (for ages 12-18) | 1st Place winner in each category will be refunded his / her conference registration fee if attending the 2009 PPWC or will be awarded a cash prize of $100 if not attending. 2nd Place = $50, and 3rd Place = $30. In addition, winners attending the conference will be given top priority with respect to their editor / agent pitch appointment selections. |
| United Press International and uwemp | UPIU National Student Journalism Writing Contest | Op-ed article | Must be a current university student | Nov 15, 2009; winners announced Dec 11. | 400 to 800 word article on one of the following topics: A key racial, gender or sexual issue either on your own campus or at another college across town or across the country; a controversial national political topic about which you have strongly held beliefs and possible solutions; an influential role model in a passionate field of interest - anything from sports to music, business to politics and beyond | Free | online through website | Judging Criteria We actively seek op-ed submissions that include current facts relevant to your chosen topic; ask yourself: Does it convey vital facts within an imaginatively told story? Is it engaging, with clarity of purpose clearly conveyed? Does it insightfully contribute to our understanding of your chosen issue or person? | The grand-prize winner takes home: $500 cash; an all-expense-paid trip to UPI’s national headquarters in Washington, DC to work with key UPI personnel and to have lunch at the National Press Club; an opportunity for international exposure and local press through a byline seen by millions of readers at upi.com |
| Romance Writers of America (RWA) | Golden Heart | Romance | Unpublished / uncontracted (from non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher) writer by contest entry deadline | Register by 5 PM CST Nov 16, 2009; entry must be received by RWA office by Dec 2, 2009; Finalists announced by Mar 25, 2010 | 6 printed copies of partial (beginning of manuscript and 15 pp max synopsis, total entry 55 pp max.) and one printed copy of full ms or one .rtf / .doc file on CD. Limited to first 1,200 entries. | $50 for RWA members; $150 for non-members | RWA members register by mail or online; non-members by mail. Entry sent via mail. | Contemp Series; Contemp Series RS / Adventure; Contemp ST; HR; Inspirational; Novel w/ strong RE; Para; Regency HR; RS; YA. Judges are PRO members of RWA for first round. 5 judges, each give a single score of 1-9 (9 being best), and those scores are totaled. Approximately 10% of each category become finalists. Editors judge finalists. | Finalists are announced in Romance Writers Report, online at RWA website and at RWA National conference. Winner receives a golden heart necklace. |
| Review Fuse | Book 1st Chapter Contest | Fiction, open theme | Anyone. Author retains rights. | Midnight Nov 30, 2009 for submission of short story and reviews; winner notified Dec 12. | First chapter (10,000 words max). Must submit your poem for peer critique and must complete assigned reviews of other short stories (4 for free members; 3 for premium). | Free but you must register for free Review Fuse account | Electronic. | 2 rounds of judging. First round: authors from the Review Fuse staff will select the 3 best works. Second round: Review Fuse management will select the winning authors based on who gave the most detailed and well thought out critiques to their peers. | Prize: $50. Winner will be announced on their blog. All participants will receive 3 peer critiques of their short story. Review Fuse will ask permission to publish the winning entry on their blog. |
| Women On Writing (WOW) | Flash Fiction Contest | Fiction, open theme | Anyone, any age. Entry must be in English. | Midnight PST Nov 30, 2009. Capped at 300 entries. | 250 words min to 750 words max (title not included in count) | $10 (extra $10 if you want a critique) | Online submission. Pay via PayPal | (Assume) judges are Women On Writing editorial staff | 1st Place: $250.00 cash, $25 Amazon Gift Certificate, entry published on WOW! Women On Writing, 1 yr ubscription to the Premium-Green Markets Community ($48 value), How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent by Noah Lukeman ($19.95 value), Interview on the WOW! Women On Writing Blog. 2nd Place: $150.00 cash, rest same as above. 3rd Place: $100.00 cash prize, rest same as above. 7 Runners Up: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate, rest same as above. 15 Honorable Mentions: $20 Amazon Gift Certificate, How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent by Noah Lukeman, name, state, and title entry published on WOW! Women On Writing |
| Wag's Revue | Wag's Revue Biannual Contest | Fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction | all submissions must be previously unpublished | Nov 30, 2009; winners announced Dec 21, 2009. | Poetry submissions may include multiple poems (10 pp max); fiction and nonfiction submissions (8,000 words max) | $20 by credit or debit card or PayPal | email only | Judged by the editors of Wag's Revue. | First prize in each category receives $500 and publication in Wag’s Revue, and all submissions are considered for publication. Wag’s Revue asks for first serial rights to all published work; all other rights revert to the author upon publication. |
| Oklahoma Romance Writers of America | National Readers' Choice Awards | Romance Book, Novella | Published romance novel with copyright date of 2009 or “First US Printing” date of 2009. e-book OK if submitted in either perfect bound or spiral bound, galley-printed book form with an ISBN and evidence of copyright date of 2009 is provided. | Register by Dec 1, 2009; books received by Jan 15, 2010 | 5 copies of Book (see Eligibility column for e-book info) | $25 (+ $5 if entering Best 1st Book category also) | Online form entry, pay via PayPal, check or MO. Books sent via mail. | Traditional; Short Contemp Series; Long Contemp Series; ST Contemp; YA; HR; F / F / TT / Para; RS; Inspirational; MS / RE; Erotica, Novella. Best First book category also. Judges are readers from across the U.S. | Entries accepted from authors, editors, publishers, agents, readers, etc. - from whomever wishes to fill out the entry form, pay the entry fee, and supply the required number of copies of the title being entered. |
| Romance Writers of America (RWA) | Rita | Romance Book, Novella | Book published in English by non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher. During the 2010 transitional contest year, those books with BOTH a 2008 original copyright date and a 2009 North American printing date or 2009 first printing date may be entered. Entrant must be 18 yrs of age by registration deadline. | Register by 5 pm CST Dec 1, 2009. Books must be received by 5 pm. CST Jan 4, 2010. Finalists announced by Mar 25, 2010 | 5 copies of the book submitted in print book format, complete with copyright page, produced by the publisher, with perfect or case binding and printing on both sides of the page. Text and formatting must be identical to published version. Limited to first 1,200 entries. | $40 for RWA members; $140 for non-members | RWA members register by mail or online; non-members by mail. Entries sent by mail. | Contemp Series; Contemp Series RS / Adventure; Contemp ST; HR; Inspirational; Novel w/ strong RE; Para; Regency HR; RS; YA; Novella; Best First Book | Finalists are announced in Romance Writers Report, online at RWA website and at RWA National conference. Winner receives a Rita statue. |
| International Thriller Writers | Thriller Awards | Thriller fiction novel or short story | Novels and short stories first published in 2009 by an ITW recognized publisher in the English language. | Received by Dec 1, 2009 for 1st round; received by Jan 27, 2010 for final round; finalists announced Apr 1, 2010; winners announced at ThrillerFest in NY, July 10, 2010. | 4 hard copies for 1st round judging. 3 add'l copies for 2nd round. | No fee. | Mail. | Categories: Best Hard Cover Novel; Best Paperback Original Novel; Best First Novel; Best Short Story (includes novellas under 35,000 wds) . The top scoring entries (a total of 20 or 10% of entries) advance to 2nd round. Top 10 novels in each category are ranked 1-10. The top 5 ranked novels in each award category are named Finalists, with the number 1 position being the Winner. | |
| Connecticut Romance Writers of America | The Write Stuff | Romance | RWA member, unpublished and non-PAN (those who have not earned more than $1000 in royalties or advances). | Received by Dec 1, 2009; winners announced in April | 1st 20 pp of ms in 12 pt TNR, double-spaced; optional 1 pp single-spaced synopsis (will be not judged). | $20, $30 via PayPal, check or money order | Email entry | Final Judges: Para (Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates); Series Contemp (Victoria Curran, Harlequin / Silhouette); ST (Leis Pedersen, Berkley); RS (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); HR (Megan Records, Kensington Books); YA (Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates) | Top Prize: $100 in each category. Entries limited to the first 85 submissions. Winners announced at 2010 Connecticut Fiction Fest Conference in April. |
| Writer's Digest | Short Short Story Competition | Fiction | Anyone not affiliated with Writer's Digest. Entries must be in English, original, unpublished and not submitted or accepted elsewhere at time of submission. | Postmark / e-deadline Dec 10, 2009 (extended from Dec 1). Winners notified Feb 15, 2010. | 1,500 words or fewer; word count includes title of entry | $15 | mail or electronic | Writer's Digest | 1st Place: $3,000, 2nd Place: $1,500, 3rd Place: $500, 4th thru 10th Place: $100, 11th thru 25th Place: $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest books. 1st Place winner has option of a free Best Seller Publishing Package from Trafford Publishing. Winners' names will appear in the May / June 2010 issue of Writer's Digest magazine. |
| Writer's Digest | Poetry Awards | Poetry | anyone not affiliated with Writer's Digest | Postmark / e-deadline Dec 15, 2009, winners notifed Mar 15, 2010. | 32 lines or fewer of rhyming poetry, free verse or haikuas | $12 | mail or electronic (if paying by credit card) | Writer's Digest | 1st Place: $500, 2nd Place: $250, 3rd Place: $100, 4th thru 10th Place: $25, 11th thru 25th Place: $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books. 1st Place winner has the option of a FREE package from Lulu.com. Names and poem titles of 1st thru 10th place winners will be in August 2009 Writer's Digest, and winners will receive the 2009 Poet's Market. |
| North Texas Romance Writers of America | Great Expectations | Romance | Must be unpublished and uncontracted in book-length romantic fiction, or published authors who have not published or contracted in the entered category within the past 5 yrs. | Received by midnight CST Dec 30, 2009 | 1st 25 pp plus query letter | $25, $30 | electronic | Contemp Series (Victoria Curran, Harlequin Books), ER (Katherine Pelz, Berkley Heat), FFTP / Specialized (Talia Platz, New American Library), HR (Danielle Poiesz, Gallery / Pocket), Inspirational, MS with RE (Abby Zidle, Gallery / Pocket Books), RS (Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing), ST (Holly Blanck, St. Martin’s Press), YA (David Linker, HarperFestival, HarperCollins) | All finalists will have opportunity to update their entry for the final round of judging. Cash prices for first, second and third places: $50, $30 & $15. All finalists receive certificates. Winners will have their names printed in the RWR. |
| Random House Delacorte Press | Delacorte Press Contest | First Young Adult Novel | U.S. and Canadian writers who have not previously published a young adult novel. | Postmark by Dec 31, 2009, writers notified between Jan and Apr as submissions are evaluated, winner announced ~Apr 30, 2010. | Book length ms (between 100 and 224 double spaced typewritten pp, 10 pt or larger font) with contemp setting suitable for readers ages 12 to 18. Include cover letter and brief plot summary. | Free | Judges are editors of Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers. The prize will be awarded on the basis of originality, style, and creativity. | The prize of a book contract (on the publisher’s standard form) covering world rights for a hardcover and a paperback edition. The award consists of $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties. | |
| Dream Quest One | Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest | Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry | Unpublished, published, All entries must be original to entrants. | Postmark by December 31, 2009; winners announced January 31, 2010 | Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject and / or write a short story, 5 pages maximum on any theme, single or double line spacing. | $5 per poem; $10 per short story | Mail. Can pay via PayPal. | All categories welcome. Judges: Dare to Dream Master Selection Committee | Prizes: Writing First Prize: $500.00, Second: $250.00, Third: $100.00; Poetry First Prize: $250.00, Second: $125.00, Third: $50.00. All winning entries will be published online in the Dare to Dream pages. |
| Writers of the Future | Writers of the Future | Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy | Open to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than 3 short stories in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies or 5,000 hits. | Postmark by midnight Dec 31, 2009 | Works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. | Free and writer retains all rights. | All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy. No poetry or works for children. No excessive violence or sex. | Cash prizes of $500, $750, $1,000 every quarter. Annual cash prize of $5,000. | |
| Colorado Romance Writers of America | Award of Excellence | Romance Book | Novels with original copyright in 2009; e-books accepted. | Received by Jan 8, 2010; finalists notified Apr 15; winners announced at May conference. | 3 copies of book; e-books must be submitted in book or bound galley format. | $20 | mail but can pay thru Paypal | Judges: Readers, booksellers or authors. Categories: Short Contemp; Long Contemp; ST Contemp; RS; HR; F / F / TT&P; Inspirational; MS with RE; ER / Spicy Romance | Winners will receive a trophy. All finalists will receive a certificate. |
| Orange County Romance Writers of America | Book Buyer's Best Award | Romance Book | Published RWA members with novel with 2009 copyright date, first printing date, and / or first North American release date. | Received by Jan 9, 2010, finalists announced Apr 10; winners announced June 12. | 5 auto-graphed Books. e- book OK if author has signed standard royalties agreement and the ms is submitted in ARC or galley form w/ spiral or perfect bound. | $30, $40 | Pay by mail or Paypal. | Preliminary round judged by booksellers and librarians. Final judge: Sue Grimshaw, romance book buyer for Borders Group, Inc.. Categories: Series Short Contemp; Series Long Contemp; ST with RE; RS / Mystery with RE; HR / Regency (both series and ST); Para / TT / Fantasy (both series and ST) | Winners announced at OCRWA general meeting. Sue Grimshaw will present the "Top Pick." |
| New England Romance Writers of America | Readers' Choice Bean Pot Award | Romance Book (no anthologies or novellas) | Limited to members of RWA. Novels with original copyright of 2009. e-books accepted. | Received by Jan 11, 2010; finalists notified Feb 26, winners announced March 27. | 3 autographed copies of book; e-books accepted in printed form-loose. | $25 by check or PayPal | Mail books | Judges: Readers, librarians, booksellers. Judges give each entry a score of 3-10 (10 is highest). Different judges rank entries in the event of a tie. Categories: Short Contemp (50,000 to 70,000 words); Long Contemp (over 70,000 words); RS; HR; ER; F / F / TT / P | 1st Place in each category: $50.00, Bean Pot engraved trophy, and a certificate. 2nd & 3rd Place: certificate. Winners announced on website, in newsletter, in RWR and at Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference, March 27, 2010. |
| Wisconsin Romance Writers of America | Write Touch Reader's Award | Romance Book | RWA members with full-length romance novels copyright date or 1st North American printing of 2009 | Received by midnight Jan 12, 2010 | 3 autographed copies of each book; e-books must be submitted in book or bound landscape galley format | $25 (WisRWA members are entitled to one free entry) | mail; can pay via PayPal | Judges: romance readers not associated in any way with writing organizations or the publishing industry. Categories: Short & Long Series Contemp; MS w/ RE; ST Contemp; RS; HR (Short & Long, includes Regency); Erotica/ Romantica; Inspirational/ Traditional Contemp; F / F / TT&P | 1st thru 3rd Place winners will be recognized at WisRWA's Write Touch Conference in June 2009 and invited to participate in booksigning reception. A plaque or similar award will go to 1st Place winners. Certificates will be awarded to 2nd and 3rd Place winners. Contest results will be published in the RWR. |
| Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America | Bookseller's Best Award | Romance Book | Published authors with books of 50,000 word minimum with 2009 copyright or 1st US printing; includes e-books. | Postmark by or online entry and fee received by Jan 15, 2010; books postmark by Feb 20; finalists notified by Jun 10; winners announced at awards ceremony at RWA National Conference | 5 autographed copies of book | $22, $27, add'l $6 to enter book in Best 1st Book | Online or mail for entry form, fee. Mail books. Pay by check, credit card or Paypal. | Judges: Booksellers, librarians. They try to match book with judges from another region. Categories: Traditional / Sweet, Short Contemp, Long Contemp, ST / MS, RS, ER, Short HR (up to 95,000 words), Long HR, Para / TT / F, Inspirational (contemp or historical), Best First Book | Roster of winners’ names and covers printed and mailed to booksellers nationwide; uniquely designed pendant / pin to each winner; reception for all finalists at National RWA conference where winners are announced; winners’ names listed in the RWR; finalists’ names, and winners’ names and book covers posted on GDRWA site; certificates to all finalists and winners |
| Southern Magic Romance Writers of America | Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence | Romance Book, Novella | Published authors of novel length romance fiction published by RWA-eligible publisher | Received by Jan 15, 2010, finalists notified Mar 2010 | 3 copies of your book with 2008 copyright or 1st print date, e-books eligible if printed and bound with copyright page produced by publisher. | $20 1st book, $15 add'l books. | Mail entry. Pay via check or PayPal ($1 add'l) | Judged by romance readers and booksellers.3 judges, lowest score dropped. Lowest score used in case of tie. to form the final score. Categories: Short Contemp; Long Contemp; HR; RS ST; Series RS; F / F / TT&P; Contemp ST; YA; Inspirational ST; Novella | All finalists receive a certificate. Winners receive an engraved bookmark and inclusion in a full-page RWR ad. |
| Desert Rose Romance Writers of America | Golden Quill | Romance Book, Novella | Published RWA members. Copyright dates or 1st North American printing / release date between Jan and Dec 2009 | Received by Jan 15, 2010; finalists announced ~Apr 30, winners announced in July RWR | 5 autographed copies of each book; e-books must be submitted in book or bound galley format | $25 per book and / or each category | mail; pay by check, money order or Paypal | Judges: romance readers. Categories: HR, HR / Regency, MS / ST, Long Contemp, Short Contemp, Traditional, Para / TT, Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Futuristic, Inspirational, RS, Hot Sexy & Sensuous, ER, Best 1st Book, Romantic Novella (40,000 words max). Category winner will be highest scoring book in its category, providing the score is in the upper 25% of scores of all contest entries received. If none of the entries in a given category scores in the overall top 25%, there will be no finalist in that category. | Winners and finalists will receive plaques or certificates, lapel pins and Golden Quill logo graphics for authors' websites, as shown on their site. Announced in July RWR |
| Houston Bay Area Romance Writers of America | Judge A Book By Its Cover | Romance Book | Books published in 2009 by traditional publishers, ePublishers, POD publishers or self. | Front cover image must be uploaded by midnight Jan 15, 2010; winners announced Feb 10. | Front cover of book in jpg or gif format | $15 by PayPal or check | electronic | Judges: Booksellers from U.S, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Categories: ST / MS; Contemp Series; HR; RS; Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Para; Sexiest | Winners may be asked to send high resolution image files for inclusion in April 2010 RWR ad |
| Washington Romance Writers of America | Marlene Award | Romance | RWA members unpublished or not contracted for novel-length romance in past 3 yrs, or if book is with a small press, it cannot have earned $1,000 or more in royalties | Postmark by, edeadline 11:59 pm EST Jan 15, 2010; finalists notified week of Apr 1; winners Apr 18 at WRW Retreat. | synopsis up to 5 pp and beginning of ms (35 pp max for entry). 12 pt courier, courier new, or TNR fonts only, 25 lines per page. | $25, $30 paid thru PayPal only | email with .rtf or .doc file | Each entry will be read by 3 judges and scored using a 50 point scale. The lowest score will be dropped. The top 3 entries in each category will be ranked by an editor or agent. Final Judges: ST Contemp (Alicia Condon, Dorchester; Author Elise Chidley); Series Contemp, long and short (Patience Smith, Harlequin / Silhouette; Author Dana Marton); HR (Jen Enderlin, St. Martin’s; Critique Author: Diane Gaston); Para / F / F (Katherine Pelz, Berkley; Author Gwyn Cready,); Women’s Fiction with RE / Chick Lit (Latoya Smith, Grand Central; Critique Author: Lani Diane Rich); YA (Emilia Rhodes, Simon Pulse; Critique Author: Carrie Jones) | The winner of each category will receive a Marlene Medallion and a detailed critique of her or his submission by a published author. All other finalists will receive certificates. |
| Yellow Rose Romance Writers of America | Winter Rose Award for Excellence- Published | Romance Book | RWA PAN or PAN-eligible authors. Novels published in 2009. Limited to first 75 entries received in each category. | Postmark by Jan 23, 2010; winners announced May 15 at conference | 4 print copies of book | $20 ($15 for YR members) | Books are judged by 3 different judges consisting of booksellers, reviewers, readers' group, librarians. Categories: Para / TT / F; RS / ST Contemp; HR; Series Contemp; Insiprational. | Highest scoring entrant from ALL category winners receives Sterling Silver Rose pendant, Yellow Rose badge pin and certificate of achievement. Highest scoring entrant from each category receives a certificate denoting 1st place in their category, a Yellow Rose badge pin. | |
| Yellow Rose Romance Writers of America | Winter Rose Award for Excellence- Unpublished | Romance | RWA members not published in book-length fiction in past 5 yrs. Limited to first 75 entries in each category. | Postmark / e-deadline Jan 23, 2010; finalists notified by Apr 8; winners announced May 15 at Winter Rose Luncheon | 1st 25 pp of 50,000+ projected-length ms | $30 ($15 for YR members) Can pay by check, MO or PayPal. | Entry form must be mailed. . Entry can be via mail or email but everyone must email a copy to the coordinator. | 4 first round judges. Lowest score dropped. Three highest scoring entries advance to final round. Final Judges: Contemp ST (Theresa Stevens, Red Sage); HR, includes Regency (Alicia Condon, Dorchester); MS w/ RE (Danielle Poisez, Pocket Books); Para (Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Ehrlich Literary); RS (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Series Contemp (Victoria Curran, Harlequin); YA (Melissa Frain, TOR) | Top scoring ms from all 7 categories receives partial read by Scott Eagan of Grayhaus Literary Agency. 1st thru 3rd place winners receive Yellow Rose badge pin and certificate. Also, 1st place winners receive $50.00 and Sterling Silver Rose pendant, 2nd place receive $25.00, and 3rd place receive $15.00. Finalists and Winners will be recognized in Romance Writers of America’s RWR. |
| Lo City Enterprises, Inc. | Erotic Short Story Contest and Erotic Poetry Contest | Erotic short story or poetry. Theme varies monthly. | Anyone 18 years of age or older. | January 31, 2010 (this contest recurs monthly with deadline the last day of the month and differing themes) | Short story (10,000 words max) or poetry (1,000 words max) in English in Microsoft Word format. | $20, $25 for short story; $10, $15 for poetry. | upload file through website | Categories / Judges - Varies by month - see guidelines or website | Short Story:
1st Place: $500 cash prize and entry into annual Grand Prize Erotic Story Contest where you will create a new story for a chance to win a larger cash prize; 2nd Place: $250 cash prize; 3rd Place $125 cash prize. 1st thru 3rd Place winning stories will be published in Erotic Stories Contests’ monthly DVD Magazine "Fallen Angel."
1st thru 5th Place winners also receive an Award Link to your website stating your contest placement, a framed certificate suitable for wall display, and copy (or copies, depending on placement) of the DVD in which your winning story appears. Poetry: Cash prizes of $100 for 1st Place, $75 for 2nd Place and $50 for 3rd Place--and more. See website for details. |
| Chicago-North Romance Writers of America | Fire and Ice | Romance | Unpublished / not published in book-length fiction in last 5 years | Feb 1, 2010; winners announced at conference April 23-24. | Prologue / 1st chapter (25 pp max) | $25, $30 | electronic | Two experienced critiquers and published authors score first round. Point spread of 20+ points where highest score is at least 80% of total possible points will receive a 3rd judge and lowest score will be dropped. Judges are encouraged to give comments. 3 finalists in each category. Final judges: HR (Amanda Bergeron, Avon); Series Contemp (Scott Eagan, Greyhaus Literary Agency); Para (Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency); YA (Katherine Pelz, Berkley); ST (Emily Ohanjanians, Harlequin); Women's Fiction (Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing) | 1st Place Winner: $30. All finalists receive certificates. Announced in RWR. |
| Women Writing the West | WILLA Award | Romance Book about girl or woman set in the American West | Novels with original copyright of 2009 (in any form--hardcover, softcover, e-books, CD, Internet downloads, POD, etc.) | Postmark by Feb 1, 2010, winners announced at conference in Oct 2010.. | 3 books, if paper books. If e-books or electronic, such as CD, etc., one copy of the actual product plus 3 bound, hard copies. | $50 | Judges: Panel of 21 professional librarians. Categories: Contemp Fiction; Creative Nonfiction; Scholarly Nonfiction; Historical Fiction; Poetry; Original Soft Cover Fiction; Children's / YA Fiction & Nonfiction | ||
| Writers League of Texas | Book Awards (previously known as the Violet Crown Book Awards) | Fiction, Nonfiction, poetry & literary prose, children's books | American authors of books published in 2009 | Received by 6 pm Feb 3, 2010. | 3 copies of the published book | $25, $35 | Mail. Pay by cash, check, credit card or money order. | Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry & Literary Prose, Children's books (short works), Children's books (long works) | Winners in each category receive a $1000 cash prize, a commemorative award and an appearance at the 2010 Texas Book Festival. |
| Passionate Ink | Passionate Plume | Erotic Romance Book, Novella | 1st copyright date or 1st NA printing in 2009 | Received by Feb 5, 2010. Winners announced at Passionate Ink gathering at RWA National convention. | e-book (pdf format only) or 4 copies of print book | $15, $25 | Mail / email. Pay by mail or Paypal. | Contemp; HR; F / F / Sci-Fi; Para / TT; Novella (25,000 wds or less). 1st round judges: Readers, writers, reviewers, booksellers, librarians. Final Round Judges: Multi-published authors and reviewers. 5 finalists in each category. | 1st Place winners receive a Passionate Ink pendant and award graphic for their website. All others will receive certificates and a finalist graphic for their website. Names published in the RWR. |
| Lilac City-Rochester Writers | 1st & 10 | Fiction | Published or unpublished. Entry must be uncontracted and unpublished at time of deadline. | Midnight EST Feb 7, 2010 (extended from Jan 31); finalists notified by March 31. | First 10 pp of uncontracted, unpublished ms. | $10 ($8 for LCRW members) | electronic | 1st round judges, including published and unpublished authors, are trained on the RWA model. Judges are strongly encouraged to provide feedback on submissions. All entries will be returned electronically after the finalists have been announced. Final judges are an agent and multi-published Harlequin and Berkley author. | First Place $50, Second Place $30, Third Place $20; plus certificate. |
| Amazon, Penguin Group (USA) & CreateSpace | Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award | Novel | Open to unpublished and previously self-published novels. See rules and content guidelines. | 11:59 p.m. EST Feb 7, 2010 (or when 5,000 entries have been received in each category, whichever is earlier. | See Categories / Judges column. | Free | electronic in doc, docx or rtf format | 2 categories: General fiction and YA fiction. 4 phases of judging: 1st: Amazon editors review 300-wd Pitch. Top 1000 entries in each category move to next round. 2nd: Amazon customers rate a 5,000 wd excerpt. Top 250 entries in each category move to next round. Quarterfinals: Publishers Weekly reviewers read and rate full ms of each quarterfinalist. Top 50 in each category move on to the Semifinals. Semifinals: Penguin USA editors read full ms and review all accompanying data for each semifinalist. Top 3 finalists in each category go to finals. Finals: Amazon customers will vote on the three finalists in each category resulting in two grand prize winners. | Each winner will receive apublishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. |
| Valley Forge Romance Writers of America | The Sheila | Romance | All RWA members not published in category entered within past five yrs or contracted at time of deadline. | Received by 11:59 P.M. EST Feb 13, 2010; finalists notified April 17, can submit revised entry by Apr 26. | Synopsis, beginning of ms (35 pp max), no more than 25 lines per page. Finalists can submit revised entry for final round. | $25-$30. PayPal unless you email the coordinator by Feb 1 for Money Order payment.. | electronic | Entrants will receive a detailed score sheet from 4 qualified judges. The lowest score will be dropped. Five finalists in each category, but must receive minimum score of 240 (out of 300) to final. ST (Emily Ohanjanians, Harlequin / MIRA); HR, incl. short, long, Regencies (Leis Pederson, Berkeley / Penguin); F / F / P (Alicia Condon, Kensington); Women’s Fiction w/ RE / Chick Lit (Alex Logan, Grand Central); RS (Holly Blanck, St. Martin’s Press) | All finalists receive certificates. First through fourth place winners will have their names printed in RWR Magazine. All decisions of the judges are final. |
| Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America | Between the Sheets | Romance | RWA members unpublished / uncontracted in book-length fiction by Feb 14. | Received by Feb 14, 2010; finalists notified Mar 28; final placements announced on or by May 4. | love scene, 10 pp max, 1 pp set-up, unjudged | $25 | Electronic only. Can pay by PayPal or check. | All categories, Sweet to Erotic. Each entry will have three 1st round judges with lowest score dropped. Top 4 entries ranked by: Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester; Patience Smith, Harlequin; Melissa Jeglinski, The Knight Agency | All 4 winners receive certificates. In addition, 1st Place receives $100, 2nd Place $50, 3rd Place $25. |
| San Antonio Romance Writers of America | Merritt Contest | Romance | Unpublished or uncontracted in last 4 yrs | Received by midnight Feb 14, 2010; winners announced May 3. | 25 pp incl 5 pp max synopsis | $25, $30, $35 | Electronic | Final Judges: Contemp Series (Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin;); HR (Meredith Giordan, Berkley); RS (Katherine Pelz, Berkley); Para (Selena James, Kensington); MS w/ RE (Latoya Smith, Grand Central); Inspirational (Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill) | Top Prize: All finalists will receive a certificate. Winners for each category will receive a Texas charm and a year’s electronic subscription to SARA’s The Love Letter. |
| Maryland Writers' Association | MWA Novel Contest | Fiction | Entry must be completed book-length (50,000 words+), work of fiction, unpublished / uncontracted by an agent or publisher. | Postmark by Feb 15, 2010; prizes awarded at MWA Awards Dinner Apr 24. | 1st 25 pp plus 1 pp synopsis and title page, all in TNR 12 font. Must also include a 3x5 index card with author info and a 40 word max summary of novel, which will be used in publicizing the winning entries. | $35, $45 | Mail. Pay by check or money order. | Each entry receives 2 judges' critiques. Judges' names will be posted after contest is over. Categories: Action / Adventure / Horror; MS / Literary; Mystery / Suspense / Thriller; Romance / Historical; Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Speculative; YA | Grand prize winner receives $150. 1st Place in each category receives $100. 2nd Place in each category receives $50. 1st and 2nd place also receive complimentary annual conference attendance. All receive complimentary Awards Dinner reservations for winner and one guest, Award Certificate and a quotable letter from the MWA. |
| Maryland Writers' Association | MWA Short Works Contest | Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction | Entry must be original, unpublished and in English. | Postmark by Feb 15, 2010; prizes awarded at MWA Awards Dinner Apr 24. | Fiction or creative nonfiction up to 3,000 wds max, poetry 50 lines max; plus cover page | $10, $15 | Mail. Pay by check or money order. | Each entry receives 2 judges' critiques. Judges' names will be posted after contest is over. Categories: Poetry; Short Fiction; Creative Nonfiction | 1st Place receives $150 and complimentary Annual conference attendance. 2nd Place receives $100. 3rd Place receives $75. All receive certificate to be awarded at Apr 24 Awards Dinner and complimentary Awards Dinner reservations for winner and one guest. |
| Crested Butte Friends of the Library | The Sandy | Fiction | Unpublished, uncontracted by deadline in novel length fiction. Ms length 90,000 - 110,000 wds; children's 40,000 - 60,000) | Received by midnight Feb 15, 2010; finalists notified April 13; winners announced Jun 19. | first 20 pp of novel plus synopsis (2 pp max) | $25, $30 | Email only | 1st round evaluated by 2 judges. A 40+ discrepancy will result in 3rd judge with lowest score dropped. 3 highest scoring entries in each category advance to final round. All finalist entries must have at least a combined score of 300 / 334. Finalists will have one week to edit their entries before they are submitted to final judges: Romance (Megan McKeever, Pocket Books); MS Adult (Christine Pride, Broadway / Random House); Suspense / Thriller / Mystery (Mark Tavani, Ballantine); Fantasy / Science Fiction (Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown Literary Agency); Children's & YA (Julie Scheina, Little, Brown Books) | 1st Place winners receive $50 and a certificate, 2nd Place receive $25 and a certificate, and 3rd Place will receive a certificate. |
| Pacific Northwest Writer's Association | PNWA Literary Contest (Zola Awards) | Fiction, Screenplay, Poetry, Non-Fiction | Entries must be original and not previously accepted for publication or production at time of submission. | Postmark by Feb 19, 2010; finalists notifed ~Jun; winners announced at July 22-25 conference | Categories 1-7: beginning of ms and synopsis (28 pp max); category 8: complete ms (90-130 pp); category 9: 3 poems; category 10: complete short story; category 11: complete ms (text); category 12: complete ms | $35, $50 | Final judges are agents or editors. Categories: Book-length: 1-MS; 2-Inspirational; 3-Romance; 4-Mystery / Thriller / Horror; 5-Sci-Fi / Fantasy; 6-YA; 7-Non-Fiction Book / Memoir, Non-books: 8-Screen Writing / Play-writing; 9-Poetry; 10-Adult Short Story; 11-Children's Picture Book, Short Story or Chapter Book; 12-Adult Short Topics (Article / Essay / Short Memoir) | Every entry receives two critiques. 1st Place: $600 and the Zola Award. 2nd Place $300. 3rd Place $150. Finalists who attend PNWA Conf. receive finalist ribbon for name badge. Finalists’ mss made available to agents and editors during conf. Winners have opportunity to attend Agents and Editors Reception at PNWA Summer Conference. | |
| Golden Heart Finalists of 1999 | Jeannie Gray Golden Friendship Award | Romance | 2010 Golden Heart Entrants who are unpublished | Received by midnight EST on Feb 20, 2010, winner notified ~Feb 28. | 250-300 wd essay on: What novel inspired you to become a writer and why? along with proof of entry in the Golden Heart® 2010 Contest: | No fee (I think) | Submit essay in body of email. GH entry proof may be sent in a separate email. No attachments. | Judges are members of the Golden Heart 1999 Loop | $100 and a beautiful certificate for the winner |
| Passionate Ink | Stroke of Midnight | Erotic Romance | Unpublished, uncontrtacted in the category entered | Received by Feb 20, 2010 (extended from Feb 5) | Beginning of ms (35 pp total entry x for full-length, 20 pp for novella). A 5 pp max single-spaced synopsis must be included (it will not be judged). | $15, $25 | Email entry. Pay by mail or paypal. | Contemp (Susan Swinwood, Harlequin Spice); HR (Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency); F / F / Sci-Fi (Kelli Collins – Ellora’s Cave); Para / TT (Chris Keesler – Dorchester Publishing); Novella (Theresa Stevens – Red Sage Publishing). 5 finalists in each category. | 1st Place winners will receive a free one-year membership in Passionate Ink ($25 value), a certificate, and an award graphic for their website. All other finalists will receive certificates and and a finalist graphic for their website. |
| Writers League of Texas | Novel Manuscript Contest | Fiction, Non-Fiction | Unpublished / not accepted for publication at time of entry. | Postmark by Feb 24, 2010, or delivered by 6 PM; finalists notified May 29; winners notified Jun 25. | 1st 10 pp of ms plus 1 pp, double-spaced synopsis | $50 | Mail. Pay by check or money order. | Fiction: MS, Thriller / Action-adventure, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Historical; Children: Children / Middle Grade, YA; Nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction. Memoir / History / Biography | Prize: Winner in each category meets individually with agent or editor at annual Writers' League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference held June 25-27.. |
| From the Heart Romance Writers of America | The Lories Best Published | Romance Book, Novella | Authors published in romantic fiction--print or electronic. Does not have to be RWA recognized. Book, novella published in 2009. | Postmarked by Feb 26, 2010; received by March 5, 2010. Placements announced ~Apr 24. Winner notified ~Jun 18. | Book in pdf, html or 4 copies in print format | $20, $25, $30 (subsequent books: $15, $20, $25) | electronic or mail. Pay with check, money order or PayPal. | First round judged by a panel or readers using a simple scoring system. Top 3 entries for each category will place as they score. 1st place entry in each category goes to final judge. Final Judge: Bookseller. Categories: Contemp Category, MS / RE, ST, HR, incl. Regencies, RS, Para, Erotica, Inspirational, Novella | Grand prize: plaque, e-certificate, and registration fee paid for RWA, RT or the writing conference of your choice, up to $400 value; or cash prize of $200.autographed paperbacks and e-certificates to 2nd through 8th placement from final ranking. |
| Virginia Romance Writers of America | Holt Medallion | Romance Book | Copyright date of 2009. Need not be RWA approved publisher. | Received by Feb 27, 2010 | 4 autographed copies of print book or e-book printed and bound with copyright info. | $30. VRW members may enter one book free of charge. | Pay by check, MO, or Paypal. | Judged by readers. Single round judging will establish top 5 entries in each category. Entry with highest score wins; other 4 (in no particular order; scores are not disclosed) receive Award of Merit. Categories: HR, MS / ST Contemp, Long Contemp, Short Contemp, Long Inspirational, Short Inspirational, F / F / TT&P, RC, RS, Extra Spicy / Erotic, Best First Book, and Southern Theme | Each category winner receives certificate and pewter HOLT Medallion. Merit winners receive certificate. Contest results (all or in part) will be published in RT and RWR. |
| Lo City Enterprises, Inc. | Erotic Short Story Contest and Erotic Poetry Contest | Erotic short story or poetry. Theme varies monthly. | Anyone 18 years of age or older. | Feb 28, 2010 (this contest recurs monthly with deadline the last day of the month and differing themes) | Short story (10,000 words max) or poetry (1,000 words max) in English in Microsoft Word format. | $20, $25 for short story; $10, $15 for poetry. | upload file through website | Categories / Judges - Varies by month - see guidelines or website | Short Story:
1st Place: $500 cash prize and entry into annual Grand Prize Erotic Story Contest where you will create a new story for a chance to win a larger cash prize; 2nd Place: $250 cash prize; 3rd Place $125 cash prize. 1st thru 3rd Place winning stories will be published in Erotic Stories Contests’ monthly DVD Magazine "Fallen Angel."
1st thru 5th Place winners also receive an Award Link to your website stating your contest placement, a framed certificate suitable for wall display, and copy (or copies, depending on placement) of the DVD in which your winning story appears. Poetry: Cash prizes of $100 for 1st Place, $75 for 2nd Place and $50 for 3rd Place--and more. See website for details. |
| Women On Writing (WOW) | Flash Fiction Contest | Fiction, see website for theme | Anyone, any age. Entry must be in English. | Midnight PST Feb 28, 2010. Capped at 300 entries. | 250 words min to 750 words max (title not included in count) | $10 (extra $10 if you want a critique) | Online submission. Pay via PayPal | (Assume) judges are Women On Writing editorial staff | |
| Memoirs, Ink | Half-Yearly writing contest | Essay, memoir or auto-biographical stories | previously unpublished entry, includes websites and blogs | Feb 15, 2010. Late deadline is Feb 28 (extra $5 applies); winners announced Apr 30 | 1,500 words max, must be written in first person in English | $17 1st entry; $10 each add'l (+$5 if "late") check or MO | by mail | Panel of Memoirs Ink judges. Final judge: Shawna Kenney, author of Imposters and I Was a Teenage Dominatrix. | First Prize: $1000; Second Prize: $500; Third Prize: $250; plus publication. |
| Review Fuse | Poetry Contest | Poetry | Anyone | Midnight Feb 28, 2010 for submission of poem and reviews. Winner notified March 13, announced March 15. | Original poem (50 lines or fewer) with open theme. Must submit your poem for peer critique and must complete assigned reviews of other poems (4 for free members; 2 for premium). | Free but you must register for free Review Fuse account | Electronic | Authors from Review Fuse staff select the 10 best poems for Round 2; of these 10, Review Fuse management will select 5 authors who gave the most detailed and well thought out critiques of their peer’s poetry for Round 3. Winner is selected by 3 creative writing and poetry professors. | Prize: $100. Winner will be announced on their blog. All participants will receive 3 peer critiques of their poem. |
| RomCon | Readers Crown (AKA RomContest) | Romance book or novella | Books with original copyright of 2009 | Feb 28, 2010; winners announced at RomCon Convention July 9-11. | 5 copies of each book per category being entered. Ebooks must be submitted as printed, bound copies with publisher's copyright page. | $75 | 5 finalists per category. Short contemp; Short contemp RS / adventure; Long contemp; Long contemp RS / adventure; Short HR; Long HR; Novella; Para; Urban Fantasy with RE; Sci-Fi / F / F / TT; ER; Best first book | NOTE: Harlequin has agreed to REPRINT any series romance title that wins its category in The Readers' Crown! Winners receive: lapel pin; trophy; full page display on RomCon site; admission to following year’s RomCon™; incl. airfare within the continental U.S. (or mileage for those who are within driving distance of RomCon) and 2 nights' hotel stay; end-cap placement for limited time at all Borders stores (provided the winning work is available through Baker &Taylor or Sony's ecatalog); listing on Borders' True Romance site for a limited time; invitations to be interviewed by Borders' True Romance team at RomCon™; invitations to be a guest at Borders' True Romance blog |
|
| Wisconsin Romance Writers of America | Fabulous Five | Romance | Authors unpublished in RWA approved full-length fiction for last 5 yrs | Received by 11:59 PM CST Mar 1, 2010; finalists announced ~Apr 10; winners announced at WisRWA conference May 14-16. | 1st 10 pp of ms in TNR 12 font (2,500 wds max) | $18, $20 | Email entry, payment by mail or PayPal | 3 judges, lowest score dropped. Top 5 entries (out of 25 max entries) in each category final. HR Amanda Bergeron, Harper Collins); Para (Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency); RS (Katherine Pelz, Berkley Publishing Group); Series Contemporary Long / Short ( Kathleen Scheibling, Harlequin Enterprises) ST (Mercedes Fernandez, Kensington Publishing); Women’s Fiction (Danielle Egan-Miller, Browne & Miller Literary Associates); YA (Rachel Vater, Folio Literary Management) | 1st Place winner in each category receives Silver Quill Award. 2nd, 3rd and HM receive certificates. Final placements published in RWR Sept 2010 issue. |
| Wilkes University, James Jones Literary Society | First Novel Fellowship | Fiction novel, novella, or collection of closely linked stories | U.S. writers who have not published a novel. | Postmark by March 1, 2010; winner notified ~Sept 1. | 1st 50 pp of a book-length fiction ms and a 1-2 pp outline (may be single-spaced) of the book. If selected for final round, you must send pp 51-100. | $25 | Mail. Pay by check or money order. | Judges: Bonnie Culver, Kaylie Jones, and J. Michael Lennon | Winner receives a $10,000 fellowship. A selection from the winning work is published in Provincetown Arts July 2011. Winner must accept the award at the James Jones Literary Society Conference held each fall, usually in early November. Transportation funding will be provided. Two runner up awards of $750 each. |
| Utah Romance Writers of America | Great Beginnings | Romance | Published or unpublished authors submitting unpublished, uncontracted ms (published not limited to RWA-recognized publishers) | March 1, 2010 ; finalists notified Apr 1; winners announced May 8. | 1st 5 pp of ms, 25 lines max per page (projected length min 50,000 wds) | $10 | Mail or electronic. Can pay via PayPal. | Contemp includ. ST, MS / RE, series, YA, inspirational; HR includ. ST, Regencies, Suspense, YA, Inspirational (Pam Ahearn, The Ahearn Agency); Para (Christine Witthohn, Book Cents Literary Agency); Mystery / Suspense includ. ST, category, YA, MS (Faith Black, Berkley Books). Unpubbed authors ranked collectively and separately from pubbed. 3 scores, lowest score dropped. There will be 2 finalists from each unpublished category, and they will be ranked 1 to 8. Top 3 entries from published authors will also be ranked by final Amanda Bergeron, Avon-HarperCollins. | The 1st Place winners receive $10 Barnes and Noble gift card, a bookmark and a certificate. Others receive certificates. All 11 finalists will be recognized in the Romance Writers Report. |
| Faith, Hope & Love Romance Writers of America | Inspirational Readers Choice | Romance Book, Novella | Inspirational romance copyrighted or with 1st print date in 2009. No POD, self-published or e-book entries. Need not be RWA member but publisher must be RWA approved. | Entry received by Mar 1, 2010. Books received by Mar 15, 2010; winners announced at RWA National. | 4 autographed copies of book. If there is a tie, 3 more copies must be submitted. | $20, $25 | Mail books, entry form by mail or electronic, payment by check or PayPal. | Judges: Inspirational Readers nationwide. Categories: Short Contemp, Long Contemp, Short HR, Long HR, RS, Women's Fiction, Novella | Finalists in all categories receive certificates. Winner in each category receives engraved box. |
| Romance Writers Ink | More Than Magic | Romance Book, Novella | Books w/ 2009 copyright | Entry deadline is Mar 1, 2010, books must be received by March 8; finalists notified in June, winners announced in July. | 3 copies of book; ebooks may be entered electronically (author must provide 3 downloads or rtfs, including copyright page) | $25, $27 if by PayPal | Mail, electronic. Pay by mail or Paypal. | Judges: Readers. Categories: Sensual Contemp; Sweet Contemp; RC, HR, ST, Para, RS, ER, Novella, First Book. | Grand Prize: Cash prize equivalent to RWA member's national conference registration fee, certificate and pin. 1st, 2nd, 3rd places: certifcate and pin. Finalists and winners posted on RWI's contest website. |
| From the Heart Romance Writers of America | The Lories Best Proposal | Fiction | Authors published in works of 25,000 words or more; entry must be unpublished / uncontracted | Received by March 5, 2010; finalists notified ~Apr 23; winner notified ~Jun 20. | proposal (up to 55 pp comprised of the beginning of ms and synopsis) | $15, $20, $25 (subsequent entries $10, $15, $20) | electronic entry pay w/ check, money order or PayPal | No categories. Final Judges: Panel consisting of TBA Literary Agency; TBA, Literary Agency; TBA, Editor, Single Title House; TBA, Editor, Category House; TBA, Reviewer | The first place winner will receive a 1/3 page ad in the RWR issue of their choice to promote the book of their choice. Alternate cash prize of $100. |
| Hearts Through History Romance Writers of America | Romance Through The Ages | Historical Romance or Romantic Historical Fiction | Published or unpublished authors with entry uncontracted as of Mar 1, 2010. Do not need to be an RWA member. Previous 1st place entries not eligible but previous finalists are | e-deadline Mar 8, 2010 (extended from Mar 1); finalists notified ~Apr 18-20; a hard copy of finalist's revised entry must be received back by May 16; winners announced at RWA National. | First 30 pp + 1-2 pp synopsis (single or double spaced, will not be unjudged,) | $20, $25 | Email, PayPal, U.S. check or MO. Finalists must mail hard copy and SASE for receipt back. | Three 1st round judges, lowest score dropped. Scores less than 3 must have comment. Finalists can revise entry. Ancient / Medieval / Renaissance (Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency); Georgian Regency / Victorian (Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Agency); Colonial / Western / Civil War (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks); Post-Victorian / World War 2 (Laurie M. Rausch, Samhain Publishing); TT / Para (Alicia Condon, Dorchester); ER (Audrey LaFehr, Kensington Books). Legend Award (Esi Sogah, Morrow / Avon Books); Best of the Best | Best of the Best Award is $100. Legend Award is $50. Each 1st Place winner receives gift certificate for one HHRW Campus workshop. |
| Copyright ©2000-2010 STEPHIE SMITH. All rights reserved. |