Tag Archives: Guidelines

2022 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

Self-published writers are often left out in the cold, struggling to market and promote their 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:

  • $10,000 in cash
  • An interview with writer for the March/April 2023 issue of Writer’s Digest
  • A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot
  • Publication of an excerpt from the writer’s winning book on WritersDigest.com

FIRST PRIZE:

  • $1,000 in cash
  • Promotion of writer and their winning book the March/April 2023 issue of Writer’s Digest

BOTH WILL RECEIVE:

  • Be featured on the Writer’s Digest website
  • One year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
  • 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
  • A special graphic recognizing their winning status

Honorable Mention Winners will receive promotion on http://www.writersdigest.com and a special graphic for use in promoting their 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, 2022.

As always, good luck.

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

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Oregon Literary Fellowship FY 2020

Literary Arts Logo

Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers initiate, develop, or complete literary projects. Fellowships are also awarded to support Oregon’s independent publishers, small presses, and literary magazines. Monetary prizes for the fellowships range around $3500 and $10,000 with several being given out in various categories.

This fellowship is sponsored by Literary Arts with a deadline of September 17, 2021. And though being a resident of Oregon is one requirement, be sure to read the entire guidelines and categories before entering.

As always, good luck!

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

Bath Children’s Novel Award

The Bath Children's Novel Award Logo

The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an international writing competition for unpublished and independently published novelists. This years judge is literary agent Stephanie Thwaites of Curtis Brown literary agency. The winner will receive £3,000 (approximately $2168 USD). And the most promising longlisted novel will recieve the Edit Your Novel the Professional Way from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

Some of the past participants and winners have gone on to getting agents and/or publishing deals. Inaugural winner Lucy Van Smit was swiftly signed by literary agent Sallyanne Sweeney. Jane Brittan attracted a Carnegie Medal nomination for her indie-published debut. Shortlistee Sophie Cameron signed a book deal with Macmillan Children’s after accepting representation with literary agent Hellie Ogden for her YA novel Out of the Blue. Struan Murray signed a six figure deal with Penguin Random House for his novel Orphans of the Tide.

Entry for the award ends November 30, 2021 (and remember, this is UK time zone)! For complete guidelines and entry fee information, go here. As always, good luck!

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

Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artists Fellowships. Deadline Approaching

Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships (FY 2022) is a competitive award based on quality as demonstrated by creativity and skill in an art form. Applications are accepted in eighteen artistic disciplines in the fields of choreography, folk art, jazz, literature, media arts, music, and visual arts. Applicants can be emerging or established artists. (I think these are one year.) The Masters Fellowship is available in select disciplines on a three-year rotating basis to artists who meet specific criteria.

Judges are anonymous. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation assists with the administration of the program. Awards are $3,000 for Emerging; $6,000 for Established; and $10,000 for Masters. Deadline to submit is August 1, 2021. Artists MUST have been a resident of Delaware one year prior to submission, and has to remain a resident of Delaware during the entire fellowship. For complete categories and guidelines, go here.

As always, good luck!

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

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Pitching Contest on Twitter

Insecure Writer’s Support Group is hosting a twitter pitching contest on January 20, 2021 from 8am-8pm EST. This is for completed and polished manuscripts only! Be sure to pitch only once per hour and include the hashtag #IWSGPit. (As with all pitching events, do NOT fave a pitch unless you are a literary agent or publishing editor.)

There has been some chatter about this being a newer pitching event and caution due to no participating agents listed. However, I can assure you that legitimate agents and editors participated in their previous pitch event. Some of them were:

Like all pitch events, be sure to research the agents or editors that favorite your pitch before submitting your materials. For complete details, go here. And as always, good luck!

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

L. Ron Hubbard Writers & Illustrators of the Future Contest

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest entries end at 5pm on December 31, 2020. 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. Those quarterly winners then compete for one annual Grand Prize of $5000! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting.

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. Three prizes of $500 are awarded each quarter. Quarterly winners compete for $5,000 additional annual prize! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting.

As always, good luck!

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

Blue Mountain Arts Biannual Poetry Card Contest

headerLogo-2013-04-17

Blue Mountain Arts is holding their thirty-first Biannual Poetry Card Contest.  The winner will be published on their website and there are monetary prizes!

  • 1st prize: $350
  • 2nd prize: $200
  • 3rd prize: $100

Here are a few of the guidelines:

  • Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming.
  • Write about real emotions and feelings.
  • Poems should be original and unique.
  • English-language entries only.
  • Enter as often as you like!

You can mail your submission or use their online submission form. For complete rules and guidelines, go here. Entry deadline is December 31,2020. As always, good luck.

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

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition

Chicken House Books

While they no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts, they do offer unpublished and unagented writers of children’s fiction the chance to submit their work to the annual Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. They’re looking for original ideas, a fresh voice and a story that children will love!

First prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000 (approximately $12,500 US), plus representation from a top children’s literary agent.

To enter, you must have written a completed full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged somewhere between 7 and 18 years. The full-length , manuscript should be minimum of 30,000 words and do not exceed 80,000 words in length.

The competition closes February 1, 2021. Also, there is an entry fee of £15 (approximately $18.76 US). For complete guidelines and entry form, go here.

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

#PitMad Is Coming!

Pitmad

Nothing soothes the writerly soul than a good twitter pitch party! This Thursday on September 3, 2020 is the infamous #PitMad founded by Brenda Drake, ran now by Managing Director Sonia Hartl, and 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
#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

Additional hashtags (optional):

#BVM = Black Voices Matter (to be used by black creators)
#POC = Author is a Person of Color
#OWN = Own Voices
#IMM = Immigrant
#LGBT = LGBTQIA+ subject matter
#IRMC = Interracial/Multicultural subject matter
#MH = Mental Health subject matter
#DIS = Disability subject matter
#ND = Neurodiverse subject matter

The rules clearly state to only pitch THREE times per manuscript during the contest. Don’t break the rules and clog the feed! Also, please remember anyone can stalk the pitches. So, do your research before submitting your manuscript. And as always, good luck!

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

Bath Children’s Novel Award

The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an international writing competition for unpublished and independently published novelists. This years judge is literary agent Stephanie Thwaites of Curtis Brown LTD of UK. The winner will receive £3000 (approximately $3878.40 US). And the most promising longlisted novel, will receive a free place on the Cornerstones Literary Consultancy online 18 week course Edit Your Novel the Professional Way , valued at £1,800 (approximately $2365 US).

Some of the past participants and winners have gone on to getting agents and/or publishing deals. Inaugural winner Lucy Van Smit was swiftly signed by literary agent Sallyanne Sweeney. Jane Brittan attracted a Carnegie Medal nomination for her indie-published debut. Shortlistee Sophie Cameron signed a book deal with Macmillan Children’s after accepting representation with literary agent Hellie Ogden for her YA novel Out of the Blue. Struan Murray signed a six figure deal with Penguin Random House for his novel Orphans of the Tide.

Entry for the award ends November 29, 2020 (and remember, this is UK time zone)! For complete guidelines and entry fee information, go here. As always, good luck!

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