Tag Archives: Critique

Avengers Of Colour Mentorship

Avengers Of Colour

Avengers of Colour is a mentorship program created by faridah àbíké-íyímídé for unagented writers of color who are ready to query but need help with their query package. Winners will receive professional help from experienced (agented and traditionally published) authors of color. Feedback will be given on editing the authors first 25 pages of their manuscript, query letter, synopsis and pitches.

Manuscripts must be finished though the query package doesn’t have to be perfect. The mentors will help with that, as long as writers are near ready to query. Current mentors are:

Submissions open August 27, 2020 and close August 31, 2020. The link to the application will go live on the Avengers Twitter at Midnight EST / 5am GMT. Be sure and read the complete guidelines! As always, good luck!
P. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.
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Secret Agent Contest

Authoress (aka Jillian Boehme) is hosting a round of Secret Agent on her popular Miss Snark’s First Victim site. If you’ve followed Authoress for several years, then you know that she unveiled herself because she got her first book deal, which is out in the world to read now! (And this was her one condition she had promised herself before unveiling her true identity.) And many of us are so excited for her because she has given back to the community for so-so-so long! (Thank you Jillian!)

Now, for a few basic details of the contest:

  • Submissions open between Noon to 6pm EDT, August 24, 2020
  • This is a lottery. The BOT will draw 50 random names.
  • Only the First 250 words will be submitted.
  • Only completed and polished manuscripts may be entered.
  • Only ONE entry per person!

As always, there is no fee to enter the contest. This month’s contest will include the following genres only:

ADULT

  • High-concept women’s fiction (NO genre fiction-high fantasy, romance, etc.)
YA
  • Fantasy
  • Narrative Nonfiction
  • Historical Fiction
  • Epistolary
MG
  • Fantasy
  • Narative Nonfiction
  • Historical Fiction
  • Epistolary

For complete guidelines and entry form, go here. Also, keep an eye on her blog because she’ll post more details a week before submissions, especially the brief time the window for entries will be open. As always, good luck!

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

Secret Agent Contest

Authoress (aka Jillian Boehme) is hosting a round of Secret Agent on her popular Miss Snark’s First Victim site. If you’ve followed Authoress for several years, then you know that she unveiled herself because she got her first book deal, which is out in the world today! (And this was her one condition she had promised herself before unveiling her true identity.) And many of us are so excited for her because she has given back to the community for so-so-so long! (Thank you Jillian!)

Now, for a few basic details of the contest:

  • Submissions open between Noon to 6pm EDT, April 13, 2020
  • This is a lottery. The BOT will draw 50 random names.
  • Only the First 250 words will be submitted.
  • Only completed and polished manuscripts may be entered.
  • Only ONE entry per person!

As always, there is no fee to enter the contest. This month’s contest will include the following genres only:

ADULT

  • High-concept women’s fiction
  • Rom-com
  • Mainstream with a hint of magic
YA
  • Fantasy
  • Magical Realism
  • Historical
  • Contemporary
  • Thriller
  • Mystery
MG
  • Contemporary
  • Mystery
  • Light fantasy
  • Light magical realism

For complete guidelines and entry form, go here. Also, keep an eye on her blog because she’ll post more details a week before submissions, especially the brief time the window for entries will be open. As always, good luck!

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

Picture Book Party

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

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

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:

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.

SAN FRANCISCO WRITERS CONFERENCE

San Francisco Writers Conference

The 2020 San Francisco Writers Conference will be held on February 13-16 at the historical Hyatt Regency Embarcadero. Meet keynoters:  

But the SFWC presenters list also includes many more bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses.  There are experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites.

2020 SFWC PRESENTERS:
Nina Amir, author and writing coach
Kathleen Antrim, author, copresident of International Thriller Writers
Jim Azevedo, marketing director at Smashwords
Armand Baltazar, author/illustrator ***KID’S EVENT PRESENTER***
Jordan Bernal, author and past president of CWC Tri-Valley Branch
Cara Black, bestselling mystery novelist
Carole Bumpus, travel/food writer
Stephen E. Browne, online editor and marketing pro
Stephanie Chandler, author and CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association
Paula Chinick, author and past president of California Writers Club Tri-Valley Branch
Amanda Clay, novelist
Mark Coker, author and founder of major ebook distributor Smashwords
Christine Conradt, screenwriter, author, director and producer
E.J. DeBrun, animator and storyteller
Aya de Leon, author, activist, teacher
Laurie Ann Doyle, author, essayist, writing teacher
Taryn Edwards, Strategic Partnerships Manager and Historian, Mechanics’ Institute of San Francisco
Kate Farrell, author, librarian, storyteller
Grant Faulkner, author, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo, Co-founder of 100 Word Story
Joey Garcia, author, journalist, love expert
Joan Gelfand, poet, author, book coach
Cali Gilbert, author, screenwriter, filmmaker
Sarah Granger, author, playwright and screenwriter
Seth Greenwald, author, speaker, creativity coach
Connie Hale, author, journalist
Barbara Hall, TV producer, screenwriter and author
Dorothy Hearst, author
Rebecca Hunter, author
Meredith Jaeger
, author
Dr. Andy Jones, poet & Pub Quiz Host
Elizabeth Kauffman, indie editor and social media guru
Carla King, author and self-publishing expert, founder of Self-Publishing Boot Camp
Mary E. Knippel, independent editor, writing mentor, and author
C. S. Lakin, author, copy-editor, and writing coach
Rocky Lang, author, producer, director, screenwriter
Heather Lazare, editorial & publishing consultant
Linda Lee, website designer and WordPress expert, SFWC Volunteer Director
Christopher Locke, IBPA and author
Richard Loranger, poet, performance artist,
Jill Lublin, marketing guru
Louise Marley, novelist
Claire McKinney, PR professional
Brian D. Meeks, nonfiction author, fantasy novelist
Kira Ming, author, indie editor
Louise Nayer, memoirist, poet, and writing instructor
Anne Perry, NYT bestselling novelist
Adam Plantinga, police sergeant, author
Lissa Provost, poet, author and SFWC Operations Manager
Jordan Rosenfeld, author, editor, and coach
Bob Saenz, screenwriter
Barbara Santos, author of Practice Aloha and two cookbooks, and Marketing Director for SFWC
Kate Schatz, feminist writer, activist, educator
Maw Shein Win, poet
Kevin Smokler, author, performer, and public speaker
Miriam Klein Stahl, artist, activist, educator
Suzette Standring, author, TV host, syndicated columnist, national speaker
Ransom Stephens, novelist, scientist, international speaker
Alex Tillson, novelist, attorney
Kevin Tumlinson, Director of Marketing for Draft2Digital and host of Wordslinger Podcast
Eleanor Vincent, author
Lyzette Wanzer, novelist, essayist, writing instructor
Monica Wesolowska, author, independent editor, teacher
Victoria Zackheim, author
Paul Zeidman, screenwriter and actor

The lists for attending agents and editors looks topnotch! Some of the agents will even be accepting pitches during the Speed Dating For Agents. You can see a list of those participating here. But for an idea of the many agents and editors that will be in attendance, here is a list:

AGENTS:
Alicia Brooks, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
Karly Caserza, Fuse Literary
Michele Crim, Miller, Bowers, Griffin Literary
Karyn Fischer, Bookstop Literary
Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary
Nicole Geiger, Full Circle Literary
Jennie Kendrick, Red Fox Literary
Liz Kracht, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Rachel Letofsky, Cooke Literary
Paul S. Levine, Paul S. Levine Literary Agency (also entertainment lawyer)
Em Lysaght, Ladderbird Literary
Dorian Maffei, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Jill Marr, Sandra Dijkstra Literary
Laurie McLean
, Fuse Literary and Director of SFWC
Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc.
Andy Ross
, Andy Ross Agency
Katharine Sands, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Emma Sector, Prospect Agency
Alec Shane, Writers House
Eric Smith, P.S. Literary
Jennifer March Soloway
, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Saba Sulaiman, Talcott Notch Literary Agency
Gordon Warnock
, Fuse Literary

EDITORS/INDEPENDENT EDITORS:
Sylvan Creekmore
, Wednesday Books/Macmillan
Rachel Diebel, St. Martins/Macmillan
Diane Frank, poet and publisher of Blue Light Press
Georgia Hughes, New World Library
Joyce Jenkins, poet and publisher of Poetry Flash
Jennifer Joseph, Manic D Press
Brenda Knight, Mango Press
Danielle Marshall, Amazon Publishing (Lake Union)
Laura Mazer, Seal Press/Hachette
Michelle Millet, Indie editor
Taylor Norman, Chronicle Books
Amber Oliver, Perennial/HarperCollins
Jill Roberts, Tachyon Publications
Jodi Warshaw, Amazon Publishing (Lake Union)
Jacob Weisman, Tachyon Publications
 

For those attending, this sounds like a great four days of learning and marketing yourself. Good luck!

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

The Houston Writing Workshop

Houston Writing Workshop

If you’re in the Houston area, this is the event for you. According to The Houston Writing Workshop site, this writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (100 total). There are a few seats available, but you must hurry because this Workshop is November 16, 2019. Seats will close fast!

This year’s faculty so far includes:

I hope you have a great time and receive awesome feedback!

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

Women Over 40 Writing Contest

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Gransnet and HQ (imprint of HarperCollins) are launching a fiction writing competition for women writers over 40. Applicants can submit 20,000 words to HQ by September 30, 2019 at 11:59pm BST, however the leading character must also be female and over 40. Five shortlisted writers will receive editorial feedback, with the overall winner being offered a publishing contract with HQ.

Judges of the competition include Gransnet editor Cari Rosen, HQ Publishing Director Kate Mills, author Sarah Morgan and journalist Nina Pottell. For more information, please go here. And as always, good luck!

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

Pitch Wars Is Almost Here!

PitchWars Logo

For many writers, Pitch Wars is considered the crème de la crème of writing contests that was created by Brenda Drake. It is ran by Managing Director Sarah Nicolas, and a full committee (yeah, it’s grown that much!) Unfamiliar with Pitch Wars? This is an event where mentors select a mentee’s manuscript to revise to help them get ready for an agent round. That’s right, they help a mentee rework their entire manuscript for free. This is because authors and editors want to give back to the writerly community. How exciting is that? There is so much love people!

Submissions will be open from September 25, 2019 (midnight EST) and ends on September 27, 2019 (10pm EST). Manuscripts must be completed and polished in order to enter. This is the crème de la crème of writing contests and only happens once a year! So, get those manuscripts edited for the mentors you hope to sub to because you only get to pick four. Soon, their wish lists will be posted! And as always, good luck!

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

Pass or Pages Contest

PASSORPAGES

Operation Awesome is hosting a Pass or Pages this month. For this round, the category is  for Middle Grade. Submissions open between September 9 (6am EST) to  September 13 (6pm EST), 2019 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 agent:

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.