Category Archives: Contests

Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

March 13, 2020Contests, Literary$1000, $8000, Authors, Award, Book, Categories, Commentary, Feature Article, Fiction, Guidelines, Judges, Middle Grade, Monetary Prize, Non-Fiction, Paid, Pitch Slam, Promotion, Published, Self-Published, Stories, Submission, Subrscription, Trip, Tutorials, Writer's Digest, Writer's Digest Annual Conference, Writers, Young Adultpdpabst

Self-published writers are often left out in the cold, struggling to market and promote there books. But every so often, there is an event to help them get noticed. The Published Book Awards via Writer’s Digest is such an event. Here is what is up for grabs:

GRAND PRIZE:

$8,000 in cash
A feature article about you and your book for the March 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest
A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot

FIRST PRIZE:

$1,000 in cash
Promotion in the March 2021 issue of Writer’s Digest

BOTH WILL RECEIVE:

Be featured on the Writer’s Digest website
One year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
A digital award seal for use in promoting your win.

All entrants will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges. Be sure to check out the categories, guidelines, and submission details. Deadline is April 1, 2020.

As always, good luck.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Picture Book Party

March 5, 2020Contests, LiteraryAgents, Apokedak Literary Agency, Art, Authors, コンテスト, ประกวด, Betsy Amster Literary, Blue Whale Press, BookEnds Literary, Children's Stories, Clear Fork Publishing, Concorso, Concours, Concurs, Concurso, Critique, Cuộc thi, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, Dunham Literary, конкурс, Editing, Editors, 경연 대회, Fiction, Guidelines, Gystadleuaeth, Hannigan Getzler Literary, Hashtag, Illustrators, Διαγωνισμό, kampf, Keppni, Kidlit, Kids, Kilpailu, Konkurrence, Konkurs, Kontes, Manuscripts, Martin Literary Management, Michelle Hauck, Mindy Alyse Weiss, Natjecanje, Ninja Editor Dragonfly, Olswanger Literary, Page Street Publishing, paligsahan, Picture Boos, Rising Bear Literary, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Soutěž, Stories, Storm Literary Management, Stringer Literary, Submissions, Tävling, The Bent Agency, The CAT Agency, The Innovative Press, The Seymour Agency, Twitter, مسابقه, Verseny, Wedstrijd, Wedstryd, Writers, Writers House Literary, Yarışması, 比賽, 比赛, المسابقهpdpabst

Holy-moly! It’s another picture book contest. Things are looking up for the PB writers and illustrators, indeed. On March 9, 2020 Michelle Hauck, along with Mindy Alyse Weiss, will host a Picture Book Party. Submissions will open at 3:30pm EST and will remain open for two hours. You need to have a completed and polished PB manuscript and illustrations are encouraged to be submitted (if you’re an illustrator).

Past Participating Agents and Editors

Alexandra Levick of Writers House Literary
Leslie Zampetti of Dunham Literary
Clelia Gore of Martin Literary Management
Adria Goetz of Martin Literary Management
James McGowen of Bookends Literary
Mary Cummings of Betsy Amster Literary
Asia Citro of The Innovative Press
Alayne Kay Christian of Blue Whale Press
Charlotte Wenger of Page Street Publishing
Callie Metler-Smith of Clear Fork Publishing
Victoria Selvaggio of Storm Literary Management
Kaitlyn Sanchez of Olswanger Literary
Christy Ewers– The CAT Agency
Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary Agency
Victoria Wells Arms of Hannigan Getzler Literary
Laurel Symonds of The Bent Agency
Rick Morgolas of Rising Bear Literary
Abigail Frank of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates
Lynnette Novak of The Seymour Agency
Melissa Richeson of Apokedak Literary Agency
Samantha Wekstein of Thompson Literary Agency
Andrea Morrison of Writers House Literary
Shari Maurer of Stringer Literary
Lindsay Davis Auld ofWriters House Literary
Francis Gilbert of Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Ninja Editor Dragonfly (This editor wishes to remain anonymous)

Be sure to checkout the complete guidelines on the website. You can also follow helpful hints for all writers on the twitter hashtag #PBParty.

As always, good luck.

P.D. Pabst

Pass or Pages Contest

March 4, 2020Contests, Literaryagent, Authors, コンテスト, ประกวด, Concorso, Concours, Concurs, Concurso, Critique, Cuộc thi, конкурс, Entry, 경연 대회, Feedback, Fiction, Guidelines, Gystadleuaeth, Διαγωνισμό, kampf, Keppni, Kilpailu, Konkurrence, Konkurs, Kontes, Manuscript, Middle Grade, Natjecanje, Operation Awesome, Opportunity, paligsahan, Pass or Pages, Query, Requests, Rules, Scary, Soutěž, Stories, Submissions, Tävling, مسابقه, Verseny, Wedstrijd, Wedstryd, Writers, Writing, Yarışması, 比賽, 比赛, المسابقهpdpabst

PASSORPAGES

Operation Awesome is hosting a Pass or Pages this month. For this round, the category is for Adult Suspense/Thiller genre. Submissions open between March 9 (6am EST) to March 13 (6pm EST), 2020. This is an opportunity to get feedback from an agent on your query and first 250 words of your manuscript. Peeps, this is priceless! And as a possible bonus, the agent reserves the right to request your FULL.

The participating agents:

Stephanie Winter from P.S. Literary
Amy Bishop from Dystel, Goderich & Bourret
Samantha Fabien from Laura Dail Literary Agency

There will be a form for submissions on Operation Awesome when the entry window opens. For complete rules and previous feedback reveals, go here. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

#PitMad is March 5, 2020

March 3, 2020Contests, LiteraryAdult, Age Category, Agents, Authors, Brenda Drake, Community, Editors, Event, Fiction, Genre, Guidelines, Hashtags, Manuscripts, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Opportunity, Picture Book, Pitch, Pitching, Publishing, research, Rules, Submit, Twitter, Writers, Young Adult Editpdpabst

Nothing soothes the writerly soul than a good twitter pitch party! This Thursday, March 5, 2020 is the infamous #PitMad founded by Brenda Drake, now ran by a full committee (yeah, it’s grown that much!). This event will run between the hours of 8am-8pm (EDT). Common age category and genre hashtags are below.

Age Categories:
#PB = Picture Book
#C = Children’s
#CB = Chapter Book
#CL = Children’s Lit
#MG = Middle Grade
#YA = Young Adult
#NA = New Adult
#A = Adult

Genres/Sub-genres:
#AA = African American
#AD = Adventure
#CF = Christian Fiction
#CON = Contemporary
#CR = Contemporary Romance
#DIS = Disabilities
#DV = Diversity
#E = Erotica
#ER = Erotic Romance
#ES = Erotica Suspense
#F = Fantasy
#H = Horror
#HA = Humor
#HF = Historical Fiction
#HR = Historical Romance
#INSP = Inspirational
#IRMC = Interracial/Multicultural
#MR = Magical Realism
#M = Mystery
#Mem = Memoir
#LGBT
#LF = Literary Fiction
#NF = Non-fiction
#R = Romance
#P = Paranormal
#PR = Paranormal Romance
#RS = Romantic Suspense
#S = Suspense
#SF = SciFi
#SPF = Speculative Fiction
#T = Thriller
#UF = Urban Fantasy
#W = Westerns
#WF = Woman’s Fiction

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA Fiction.

2020 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award

February 28, 2020Contests, LiteraryAdventure, April, Author, Award, Baen Books, Baen Fantasy Adventure Award, books, Contest Junkies, Deadline, Fantasy, Gen Con, Grand Prize, Industry-Standard, Manuscripts, Monetary Prize, Opportunity, publisher, Publishing, Short Fiction, Short Story, Stories, Storytelling, Writer, Writingpdpabst

For all lurking contest junkies, Baen Books has a contest that was brought to my attention a few years back. You only need to create 8000 words. That’s right, a mere eight-thousand! Most thrilling? You have until April 30th, 2020 to create a wonderful story.

GRAND PRIZE winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at industry-standard rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive a handsome engraved award and a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books.
SECOND place winner will receive a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books,
THIRD will receive a prize package containing $300 of free Baen Books.

Baen Books will announce the winner of the inaugural Baen Fantasy Adventure Award at this year’s Gen Con to the best of original short fiction capturing the spirit and tradition of great storytellers as Larry Correia, Robert E. Howard, Mercedes Lackey, Elizabeth Moon, Andre Norton, J.R.R. Tolkien, David Weber and Marion Zimmer Bradley.
All the details can be found here.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

February 26, 2020Contests, LiteraryAuthors, Book-length Short Stories, books, Candidates, Deadline, Digital Editions, English Submissions, Fiction, First-generation Immigrant, Guidelines, Immigration, Manuscripts, Monetary Prize, New Immigrant Writing Contest, Non-Published, Opportunity, Print, Publication, publisher, research, Restless Books, Stories, Tales, Writers, Writingpdpabst

Restless Books

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing searches for stories written by a first-generation immigrant. The publisher alternates years between fiction and non-fiction. This year they are searching to publish a tale of fiction. A few of the guidelines are:

Completed fiction manuscript, or book-length collection of short stories.
Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country.
All submissions must be in English.
Fiction candidates must not have previously published a book of fiction in English.
Only one submission per candidate per submission period.

The Prize:

$10,000 advance and publication by Restless Books in print and digital editions.

For complete guidelines and information on how to enter, go here. But hurry, the deadline is March 31, 2020. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst

Writer and blogger MG/YA fiction.

#FaithPitch Twitter Event for Faith-Based Fiction and Non-fiction

February 24, 2020Contests, Literary#FaithPitch, Adult, Agents, Author, Biblical Worldview, Board Books, books, Category, Christian, CST, Denomination, Editors, Encouragement, Ethnicities, Event, Faith Based, February, Fiction, Guidelines, Hashtag, Inspirational, Little Lamb Books, Manuscripts, Middle Grade, Opportunity, Picture Books, Pitch, Pitching, Polished, Positive, research, Stories, Twitter, Writer, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

A Twitter pitch event exclusively for faith-based fiction is being hosted by Little Lamb Books on February 27, 2020 between 8am – 8pm CST. This is for board books, picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction that fall under the categories of inspirational, faith-based, biblical worldview, or Christian. Different denominations, ethnicities, a POV in this niche are encouraged. Be sure to use the hashtag #FaithPitch and only pitch 4 times per manuscript during the pitch window. (Maximum of 4 manuscripts are permitted.)

As with all pitch events, any agent or editor can troll the feed. Be sure to do you research before sending off your book baby to them! For complete guidelines, go here. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest

February 20, 2020Contests, Literary, Writing Conferences & GetawaysAdult Short Topics, Agents, Authors, books, Chpater Book, Critiques, Editors, Feedback, Fiction, Finalists, First Place, Guidelines, Historical, Literary contest, Mainstream, Manuscripts, Memoir, Middle Grade, Monetary Prize, Mystery, Non-Fiction, novels, Opportunity, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Paranormal, Picture Book, PNWA, Poetry, Romance, Sci-Fi, Second Place, Short Story, Storytelling, Third Place, Thriller, Unpublished, Winners, Women's Fiction, Workshops, Writers, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

pnwa

The deadline for Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest is approaching. All unpublished entries must be received by March 1, 2020 (online entries) or March 27, 2020 (paper entries by 6pm). This is also a chance to get feedback on your work. There are twelve categories:

Mainstream
Historical
Romance/Women’s fiction
Mystery/Thriller
Sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal
Young adult
Middle grade
Nonfiction/Memoir
Short story
Children’s picture/Chapter book
Adult short topics (articles/essays/memoir)
Screenwriting/TV pilots

There are three monetary prizes:

FIRST PLACE: $600
SECOND PLACE: $250
THIRD PLACE: $150

Eight finalist will receive two critiques on their submissions. The agents and editors participating in the PNWA‘s summer conference will pick winners out of the finalists. Go here for contest details. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Author Mentor Match #AMM Round 7

February 15, 2020Contests, Literary, Mentor ProgramAge Category, Agent Ready, Alexa Donne, Author Mentor Match, Authors, Critique Partners, Feedback, Fiction, Genre, Heather Kaczynski, Manuscript, Mentoring, Middle Grade, Opportunity, Publishing, Query, Stories, Submissions, Synopsis, Writers, Young Adultpdpabst

Author Mentor Match was created by Heather Kaczynski and Alexa Donne. The object is to match new writers with authors further along in the publishing process and gain invaluable mentoring! That’s right, this is an opportunity to get your manuscript critiqued (for free) before submitting to agents!

Authors can select up to four mentors during the submission window which is already opened! Submissions close tomorrow February 16, 2020. Watch for the mentor BIOS to be posted to learn what age groups and genres they wish to see in their inbox!

Please note there is a two-step process for entering:

Fill out the submission form. (I believe the form will appear during the sub window period.)
Email the proper information to authormentormatch@gmail.com:

A query (pasted in the body of the email!)
The first 50 pages/3 chapters of your novel (whichever is longer & can be attached)
A synopsis

Be sure to include in the subject line the manuscripts Age Category +Genre + Title. (ie: YA Sci-Fi – Mars Plants are the Bomb) on the email submission. And check out the site in order to know how to select the mentors you wish to submit because it isn’t clear quite yet. (I’m guessing this might be part of the submission form.) As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

L. Ron Hubbard Writers & Illustrators of the Future Contest

December 26, 2019Contests, LiteraryArt, Artists, Artwork, Authors, Award, Entrants, Entries, Fantasy, Guidelines, Illustrators, Illustrators of the Future, Judges, L. Ron Hubbard, Manuscripts, Monetary Prize, Nevelettes, Pictures, Prizes, Publication Rights, Science Fiction, Stories, Submissions, Writers, Writers of the Futurepdpabst

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest entries end at 5pm on December 31, 2019. So, hurry and get your submissions in.

Writers

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new and amateur writers of new short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All awards are adjudicated by professional writers only. Prizes every three months: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000 additional! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

Illustrators

L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrators of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new science fiction and fantasy artists worldwide. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All judging by professional artists only. $1,500 in prizes each quarter. Quarterly winners compete for $5,000 additional annual prize! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

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