Having trouble writing a query or a pitch for that YA novel you’ve written? I know. I hear you screaming, “my brain rips in two trying to condense my story into a few sentences!” I feel your pain and send you a virtual hug! I understand an unfinished pitch keeps you from entering contests. You avoid them like dog poop on your sidewalk, curse them even. But I’ve discovered the perfect contest for you!

Here’s the scoop. I follow the wonderful @ChuckSambuchino (Editor of GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and author of HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK) on Twitter, who often contributes articles to WRITER’S DIGEST. Yesterday, he tweeted a link to Tell It Slant regarding a contest for your YA manuscript AND no pitch required! That’s worth repeating…NO PITCH REQUIRED!

Woo-Hoo!

You do need to have the first 250 words polished to submit and a $15 entry fee. But look who they say will be reading:

“YA literary agent Regina Brooks and her team will read all of the entries and determine the top 20 submissions. These submissions will then be read by Deidre Jones Little Brown, Nicole Raymond Candlewick, Annie Nybo Simon and Schuster, Mercedes Fernandez Kensington, Erica Finkel Abrams Books, Monica Jean Random House/Penguin , Stacey Friedberg Penguin Group, Catherine Laudone Simon and Schuster, Laura Whitaker Bloomsbury, Kendra Levin Viking, Anna Roberto Feiwel and Friends.

These judges will whittle the top 20 down to five, and each of the five winners will be provided commentary on their submissions.”

Go to Tell It Slant to read more about the contest guidelines and the benefits of winning. Good luck!

P.D. Pabst

Blogger and Writer of MG/YA Fiction