There’s a chill to the fall air, at least where I am, but contests are heating up! There’s quite a variety of contests in this month’s roundup. Poets, be sure to check out this list of no charge poetry writing contests. Perhaps you’ll find something of interest.
See our About Contests post if you have any doubts or questions about entering a contest. And please, read those contest rules carefully! Contests are mostly listed by closing date.
Here’s this month’s Roundup:
9/30: Lee & Low New Voices Award – Open to writers of color only. Fiction, nonfiction, or poetry for ages 5-12 that “should address the needs of children of color by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another.
9/30: Authors First Writing Contest – Open to novels. Enter your unpublished fiction of 40,000 words or longer. Prize is $5000.00 and publication by The Story Plant. See the contest rules. Participants must submit via entry form.
October:
10/3: Overcoming Writer’s Doubt Writing Contest – Post your 300 – 1000 word inspirational essay on overcoming writer’s doubt on your blog. Link back to the contest post and leave a comment with a link on the contest blog as well. Prizes are a $100, $75, & $50 Amazon gift card.
10/4: Pitchslam – Send in your 35 word pitch between 12a.m. and 11;59 p.m. More stages to follow including one with agents.
10/14: Adult Pitch – Pitch your adult or new adult manuscript on Twitter using the #AdPit hashtag between 7 a.m and 7 p.m. EST.
10/15-17: Nightmare on Query Street – Open to all categories excluding picture books and erotica. Enter your query, first 250 words, and a short (under 100 word) paragraph about your character’s most fearsome obstacle.
10/15: Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition – Open to writers who have not published any mystery novel. Enter your finished novel of no less than 65,000 words via online form. See very specific novel guidelines on the website. Winner will receive an offer of publication along with a $10,000.00 advance against royalties.
10/17: Dear Lucky Agent Contest – Open to adult/upmarket women’s fiction only. Enter your query letter, first 150-200 words of your manuscript, along with your title and logline via email. To be eligible you must mention the contest twice through social media. Judged by agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary Services. Top 3 winners get a critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work from Paula and a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.
10/17: The Four Contest – Agent Marisa A. Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency is giving away one full manuscript critique. She will randomly choose four entries then pick the one that interests her most to critique. Like and follow her pages then send a one paragraph description of your completed work via email.
10/20: #ThatIsAll – There isn’t much information on this upcoming Twitter pitch party yet, but it is listed at the end of this post. Keep an eye out for more details. UPDATE – This pitch party has a changed hashtag and a new date: #JustPitchIt, twitter pitch party for faith-based works of all genres and readerships will be 1/5/2015.
10/20: Irish Children’s Prize 2014 – Open to un-agented children’s book writers born or resident in Ireland (or those who hold an Irish passport), and writing in English. Accepts picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Enter your first 5,000 words plus a short description of your manuscript and a one page outline. Judged by Julia Churchill, children’s book agent at A. M. Heath, and David Maybury of Scholastic Children’s Books. The winner will be awarded a prize of €1,000.
10/20: Stories of Resilience Contest – Submissions are being sought that reflect the broad impact of abuse — through stories, personal essays or poems. Entries can be very brief to a maximum of 1,500 words. Survivors, friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, children – all perspectives on the effects of domestic abuse are welcome. First prize of $500 and two second prizes of $100.
10/31: New Visions Award – Open to writers of color. Enter your middle grade or young adult fantasy, science fiction, or mystery. Winner receives $1000 and a publication contract from Tu Books. Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $500
November:
11/10-14: Romance and Entangled Publishing Editor – Pitch your 100 word pitch and first 100 words of your completed romance novel to Entangled Publishing Editors via the upcoming official contest post. See the list of editors in the on Brenda Drake’s blog.
Upcoming:
12/4: #PITMAD – Twitter pitch party. 8am – 8pm EST. Pitch your completed manuscript in 140 characters or less.
12/15: Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition – Unpublished writers only. Enter your novel that involves serious crime or murder at the heart of the story. Winner receives publishing contract with Minotaur Books and a $10,000 advance against royalties. Enter via entry form.
12/?: #SFFpit – A twitter pitch day for works of fantasy or science fiction in any age category: PB, MG, YA, NA, or adult.
12/?: #Pitchmas: A twitter pitch event tentatively scheduled for December.
Sub It Club 