The Manuscript Academy Scholarship Giveaway

Contests, Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The Pitch Wars community, founded by Brenda Drake, has joined forces with The Manuscript Academy to give away scholarships for upcoming conferences:

Writing Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult, begins November 5, 2016

How to Get Your Adult Fiction (or Memoir) Published, begins November 26, 2016

THREE writers will be selected based on a brief description of why they want/need this opportunity. Authors should check out The Manuscript Academy and then fill out the form on Brenda’s blog to let the community know why they would like to win. The scholarship giveaway will be open until October 18th!

As always, good luck!

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

#PitDark Is Coming!

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Another twitter pitch party is around the corner and I’m excited! Author Jason Huebinger is the host of #PitDark. This is one of my favorite contests because it’s strictly for manuscripts with darker elements, which is soooo appropriate for the month of Halloween. The event begins on October 20, 2016 from 8am-8pm EST. Authors may pitch once an hour per manuscript. Please do not clog the feed by over pitching so agents don’t get frustrated and quit reading.

For complete rules and appropriate hashtags to use, go here. (Note: If your curious, there is a link on this page to see what agents participated in the last #PitDark.)

As always, good luck!

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

Dear Lucky Agent Contest

Contests, Critiques, Literary, , , , , , , , , , ,

DearLuckyAgent24

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 24nd “Dear Lucky Agent Contest”. The agent judge is Annie Hwang from Folio Literary Management.

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Originally from Los Angeles, Annie first worked in journalism before moving to New York to pursue her love of book publishing. Since joining Folio Literary Management she has had the pleasure of working with both debut and seasoned authors alike. Find her on Twitter: @AnnieAHwang. She specializes in all categories of literary and upmarket fiction. In addition, she loves working with debut authors who have a gift for storytelling and are able immerse her deep within a well-built world in the space of a few sentences. Braided narratives, layered plots, and characters with deep emotional resonance all occupy a strong place in her heart . Annie is also open to nonfiction in the categories of pop science, diet/health/fitness, food, lifestyle, humor, pop culture, and select narrative nonfiction.

The contest is now live and runs through the end of October 10, 2016 (PST). There will be three winners! First place wins a critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge (and she reserves the right to request the full manuscript). Second place gets a free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)! And third place gets their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books coming out in September 2017 (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

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

Nightmare On Query Street 2016

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , ,

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It’s getting close to Halloween, which means Nightmare On Query Street is soon! But don’t let the title fool you into thinking you’re manuscript won’t qualify. The title is more about when the contest takes place. You can enter any age category or genre, excluding picture books and erotica.

The submission window opens at 4:00 pm (EST) on October 14th. All entries sent before this time will be deleted. For this years contest, there are 25 agents lined up! TWENTY FIVE! How awesome is that? But you’d better be on your toes if you want to submit. They will close submissions when they reach 250 entries or in two hours, whichever is first.

Michelle, Mike, and Laura will make 13 picks each. Then a few mentors they’ve selected will help the authors hone their entries before the agent round. On October 29 through October 30, the entries will go live for the agents to select.

Some rules to take note of:

  • You are not eligible if you’ve been in an agent round in the last six months. (This does not include open twitter pitches.)
  • You can enter if you have a different manuscript to enter than previous agent round you were in.
  •  Only ONE entry per person. (No using multiple emails or pen names!)

You’ll need to send you query and first 250 words, along with a short paragraph (no more than 100 words) answering this question: What is your main character’s most stressful relationship? Who really makes them sweat?

For complete details and submission formatting, go here. Also, be on the look out on each of their blogs for FREE PASSES!

As always, good luck!

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

#DVpit Twitter Pitch Party Is Soon

Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The search for diversity within books has increased, not just with secondary characters but main characters. The world wants to see a fabulous palette of colors and cultures among the stories they read and the publishing industry is responding! This prompted literary agent Beth Phelan of The Bent Agency to create #DVpit.

According to the site, #DVpit is a twitter event created to showcase pitches about and by marginalized voices. This includes (but is not limited to): Native peoples and people of color; people living and/or born/raised in underrepresented cultures and countries; disabled persons; people with illness; people on marginalized ends of the socioeconomic, cultural and/or religious spectrum; people identifying as LGBTQIA+; and more.

The next event will spread over two days. October 5th will be for Children’s & Teen Fiction/Nonfiction (picture books, chapter books, graphic novel, middle grade, young adult). October 6th will be for Adult Fiction/Nonfiction (all genres, commercial and literary). Each day the event will run from 8am-8pm ET using the hashtag #DVpit. Be sure and pitch your manuscript on the correct day because agents/editors will search the feed on the specific day of the categories they represent/acquire.

As always, good luck!

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

Donaghy Literary Group Seeking Agent

Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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If you’ve experience in publishing and want to transition to being an agent, this is the post for you! Donaghy Literary Group is looking for an agent. It is a commission based position and can be done from your home. I suppose this means you could work in your pajamas most days if you want. Can I get a woot-woot?

Job Requirements:

  • A College or University degree preferred but will consider equivalent experience
  • 2+ years in an agenting role or editorial experience working with a Publisher
  • Strong editing skills
  • Established relationships with editors and other publishing professionals
  • A solid understanding of market trends
  • Passionate about commercial fiction
  • Excellent communication skills
  • A high level of professionalism
  • A clear understanding of what an agent’s job entails
  • The desire to have fun and work with an awesome team

They are seeking an agent based out of NY at this time, however, will consider other locations for the right applicant. If interested, contact Stacey Donaghy by sending your resume and cover letter to info@donaghyliterary.com by October 14th  use email subject line: Agent Application.

As always, good luck!

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

Children’s Books Turned Into Movies

Film, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Every writer has a dream of seeing their manuscript published. To hold the bound pages and sniff the fresh ink would bring a euphoric state of mind. Those who’ve never slaved over writing a manuscript may not be able to relate.

Then there is the ultimate dream the dream of having your book optioned for a movie! I’m talking the double payday. During a break in my “binge blog pre-scheduling”, I surfed the net to see how many books for children have actually made it to the big screen. Of course, there were the obvious ones:

  • Harry Potter
  • Coraline
  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
  • Black Beauty, Charlotte’s Web
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Divergent
  • The Lorax
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • Little Women
  • Nancy Drew
  • Twilight
  • And so many more.

I perused to see what was interesting about the books, meaning I read a LOT of opening pages on Amazon and book blurbs (for the books I haven’t read yet). The honest truth is what we’ve all heard so often. You just need a damn good story! (And, of course, good writing skills and voice.)

Movie Reel

It’s an interesting list, and it may not be absolute. If you want to check out the stories that have made it to the “big screen”, go to this Wikipedia link. Have fun reading, or watching (if that’s what you choose).

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

 

Books By The Banks Contest (Cincinnati)

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The 2nd-annual Books By The Banks Writing Contest includes almost $2,600 in cash prizes. It is generously underwritten by the McLane Foundation to recognize excellent work by the region’s writers. The contest is open to current residents of Cincinnati’s Tri-State Area. (Note: College students whose homes are in Cincinnati but who currently attend school elsewhere are also eligible.) This years theme is the river with a maximum word count per entry of 2,000 words. In the Adult category, prizes of $1,000, $750, and $250 will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards.  In the Teen category, prizes of $500, $250, and $100 will be awarded. All entries must be emailed or postmarked by Oct. 1, 2016. Be sure to read the entire eligibility and submission guidelines before submitting!

As always, good luck!

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

The Manuscript Academy

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

the-manuscript-academy

The creator of Manuscript Wish List, Jessica Sinsheimer, now brings her adoring fans The Manuscript Academy. How amazeballs is this? The website proclaims it had the writer’s need, comfort, and budget in mind when creating the academy. And oh, how true! A writer can watch classes, panels, and ask questions in the forums from the coziness of their home. Hooray, no traveling!

Faculty includes:

  • Laura Barbiea: Social media manager at Alloy Entertainment, a publishing arm of Warner Brothers Entertainment. Actress.
  • Regina Brooks: Founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC.
  • Linda Camacho: Literary agent at Prospect Agency.
  • Jalissa Corrie: Marketing & Publicity Assistant at LEE & LOW BOOKS.
  • Melissa Edwards: Literary agent at Stonesong.
  • Julie Falatko: Author of Snappsy the Alligator (Viking 2016) and other books.
  • Erica Finkel: Works at Abrams Books from picture books to young adult novels.
  • Ali Fisher: Editor at Tor/Forge Books in the children’s and young adult division.
  • Monica Odom: Literary agent at Bradford Literary Agency.
  • Megha Parekh: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group.
  • Adriann Ranta Zurhellen: Literary agent at Foundry Literary + Media.
  • Chuck Sambuchino: Writer’s Digest Books edits the Guide to Literary Agents and managed the Guide to Literary Agents Blog. He is also an author of humor books.
  • Katharine Sands: Literary agent at Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
  • Amanda Shih: Assistant Editor at TarcherPerigee.
  • Jessica Sinsheimer: Associate Agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency and  known for #MSWL, ManuscriptWistList.com, #PubTalkTV
  • Stephanie Stein: Associate Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books.
  • Roseanne Wells: Literary agent at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

With that kind of line-up, how can you NOT sign up for this? For the Children’s conference: PB to YA starting November 5, 2016 the cost will be $179. Some of the things the academy promises is:

  •  Priority booking of one-on-one meetings
  • Submit your first page for a chance to be read to our panel
  • Craft and business classes
  • Forums and networking
  • Live literary events
  • Everything you’d learn at a conference–without leaving home

To learn about other conferences or to learn how to register, go to The Manuscript Academy.

As always, good luck!

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

The Sunday Times Short Story Award

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Sunday Time Logo

The Sunday Times is sponsoring an international award worth £30,000 to the winner. It’s open to any story of up to 6,000 words written in English. Stories need to have been either previously unpublished or only published after December 31, 2015. Five authors shortlisted for the award will each receive £1,000. The prize is administered by the Society of Authors.

To be eligible, the author must simply have a record of prior publication in creative writing in the United Kingdom or Ireland.

The deadline for entries is 6pm (GMT) on Thursday, 29 September 2016.

Make sure you read the entire instructions and terms and conditions (available as a download) before you submit your entry form! Go here for all the details.

As always, good luck!

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