Tag Archives: Writer

The Masters Review Short Story Award for New Writers

The Masters Review Short Story Aware for New Writers is an annual contest that recognizes the best fiction from today’s emerging writers. This years judge is Helen Oyeyemi. The winning story will be awarded $3000 and publication online. Second and third place stories will be awarded publication and $300 and $200 respectively. All winners and honorable mentions will receive agency review by: Nat Sobel from Sobel Weber, Victoria Cappello from The Bent Agency, Andrea Morrison from Writers House, Sarah Fuentes from Fletcher & Company, Heather Schroder from Compass Talent, and Siohban McBride from Carnicelli Literary Management.

They say they don’t have any preferences topically or in terms of style. They’re simply looking for the best. Also, they don’t define, nor are they interested in, stories identified by their genre. However, they consider themselves a publication that focuses on literary fiction and are looking for stories that dazzle, take chances, are bold — and do so by focusing on more than plot.

You can check out the complete guidelines for submissions and previous winners here. Please note the deadline to enter is January 31, 2021.

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

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Remote Internship: McIntosh & Otis, Inc.

McIntosh & Otis, Inc.

McIntosh & Otis, Inc. is looking for a remote intern for the adult department. This is unpaid and the candidate must be enrolled as a student. They would like an intern to work 12-18 hours per week and to commit to a 3-month term, but they’ll work with the interns schedule. The agency will also work with students to possibly receive academic credit.

Requirements:

  • Currently enrolled as a student
  • Voracious reader
  • Strong writer
  • Keen editorial eye
  • Interested in in adult fiction and non-fiction
  • Detail-oriented, with office skills as a plus
  • Enthusiastic

There is a modest stipend. Interested candidates should email their resume (as a Word doc or PDF attachment) and cover letter (in the body of the email) to Zoë Bodzas at zbodzas@mcintoshandotis.com. Please write “Spring Intern Application – Adult” in the subject line.

As always, good luck!

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

#PitDark Is Soon!

PitDark-May-October

A cool twitter pitch party is coming on October 29, 2020 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 down my alley. The event is between 8am and 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.

Hashtags for AGE CATEGORIES

  • #MG – Middle Grade
  • #YA – Young adult
  • #NA – New adult
  • #A – Adult

Hashtags for GENRES & SUBGENRES

  • #H – horror
  • #PH – psychological horror
  • #GH – gothic horror
  • #CSH – cosmic horror
  • #BH – body horror
  • #CH – comedy horror
  • #DC – dark comedy
  • #DR – dark romance
  • #SFH – science fiction horror
  • #PNH – paranormal horror
  • #ZH – zombie horror
  • #MH – monster horror
  • #GRH – graphic horror
  • #MM – murder mystery
  • #FA – fantasy
  • #DF – dark fantasy
  • #T – thriller
  • #EF – epic or high fantasy
  • #HF – historical fantasy
  • #LF – literary fantasy
  • #AH – alternate history
  • #PN – paranormal
  • #PR – paranormal romance
  • #UF – urban fantasy
  • #MR – magical realism
  • #SF – science fiction
  • #AF – apocalypse fiction
  • #ML – military science fiction
  • #PA – post-apocalyptic SF
  • #CP – cyberpunk
  • #SFT – sci-fi thriller
  • #SH – superhero / superhuman
  • #SO – space opera
  • #DS – dystopian
  • #SP – steampunk
  • #TT – time travel
  • #WW – weird west
  • #SPEC – speculative fiction
  • #NF – non-fiction

For complete rules, go here. (Note: If your curious about previous agent, editor, and film company participation, there is a link on this page.) As always, good luck!

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

#PBPitch Is Soon!

In just a few days, #PBPitch will begin for picture book authors and illustrators. The event will be on Thursday, October 29th, 2020 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. For those wanting to participate, here are the rules:

*Pitch your PBs on twitter using #PBPitch.
*Pitch manuscripts only ONCE in the morning and ONCE in the Evening. (Once before 2pm and once after.)
*If you are an author/illustrator, you can attach an image to your PB manuscript pitch.
*Include Subgenre # if it applies.
#F=Funny
#CD = Character Driven
#NF = Nonfiction
#C= Concept
#L= Lyrical
#I= Interactive
#FT=Fairy Tale/Folk Tale

Only agents and editors should favorite a pitch. If they do, be sure to do your research before submitting (as anyone can troll the feed). For complete details, go here. And as always, good luck!

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

Pitch Wars Query and First Page Workshop

PitchWars Logo

Pitch Wars is offering a critique workshop for your query and first page. That’s right, both will get critiqued this year! They have mentors lined up, and ready to give you feedback. So, if you are entering Pitch Wars, or just need extra eyes on your material, you can enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Available age categories are:

  • Middle Grade
  • Young Adult
  • New Adult
  • Adult

Deadline for entry is August 16, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be announced on August 17, 2020 at 10am EST. As always, good luck!

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

Sourcebooks: Romance Submissions

Sourcebooks

While Sourcebooks only accepts virtually all agented submissions, they’re doors are wide open for romance fiction subs—even from unagented writers! They are acquiring single-title romance fiction for their Casablanca imprint. Some of the subgenres they’ll accept are:

  • paranormal romance
  • romantic suspense
  • contemporary romance
  • erotic romance
  • historical romance (prior to 1900 only)

Please note, this is not an exclusive list as they state they’ll consider all subgenres. The manuscripts they’re looking for should be between 85,000-100,000 words. To get an idea of some things they like, check out a few of their recent authors’ books.

For complete criteria and to learn how to submit, 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 2021) 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 3, 2020. 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.

PitDark Pitch Contest Hosted by Jason Huebinger

PitDark-May-October

 

This cool twitter pitch party will be May 21, 2020 and is hosted by author Jason Huebinger, the creator of #PitDark. This is one of my favorite contests because it’s strictly for manuscripts with darker elements, which is soooo down my alley. The event is between 8am and 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.

Hashtags for AGE CATEGORIES

  • #MG – Middle Grade
  • #YA – Young adult
  • #NA – New adult
  • #A – Adult

Hashtags for GENRES & SUBGENRES

  • #H – horror
  • #PH – psychological horror
  • #GH – gothic horror
  • #CSH – cosmic horror
  • #BH – body horror
  • #CH – comedy horror
  • #DC – dark comedy
  • #DR – dark romance
  • #SFH – science fiction horror
  • #PNH – paranormal horror
  • #ZH – zombie horror
  • #MH – monster horror
  • #GRH – graphic horror
  • #MM – murder mystery
  • #FA – fantasy
  • #DF – dark fantasy
  • #T – thriller
  • #EF – epic or high fantasy
  • #HF – historical fantasy
  • #LF – literary fantasy
  • #AH – alternate history
  • #PN – paranormal
  • #PR – paranormal romance
  • #UF – urban fantasy
  • #MR – magical realism
  • #SF – science fiction
  • #AF – apocalypse fiction
  • #ML – military science fiction
  • #PA – post-apocalyptic SF
  • #CP – cyberpunk
  • #SFT – sci-fi thriller
  • #SH – superhero / superhuman
  • #SO – space opera
  • #DS – dystopian
  • #SP – steampunk
  • #TT – time travel
  • #WW – weird west
  • #SPEC – speculative fiction
  • #NF – non-fiction

For complete rules, go here. (Note: If your curious about previous agent, editor, and film company participation, there is a link on this page.) As always, good luck!

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

2020 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award

baen%20logotransSmall

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.

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

littlelamb_final_logo1-e1437675387523-1

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.