The holiday season has begun, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any writing contests! Infact, there are some excellent Twitter pitch opportunities during the month of December. Need to get your pitch polished up? Join our Sub It Club group at Facebook where you can post your pitch and receive feedback from other members and you can help others with their pitches as well. The best way to learn is by doing!
If you’re unsure about entering contests check out our About Contests post. And please, only pitch completed manuscripts unless otherwise specified (which is very rare but you will find that the Conville & Walsh prize is open to nearly completed work.) I’ll be adding more contests to this post if I find them throughout the month so check back to see what’s new. Most contests are listed by closing date. Check the guidelines and get ready to enter you best work!
Now on to the listings:
December:
12/4: #PITMAD – Twitter pitch party. 8am – 8pm EST. Pitch your completed manuscript in 140 characters or less. Check out our How to Pitmad post if you need tips on participating.
12/15: Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition – Unpublished writers only.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.
12/7: PitchMAS – Email your 35-word pitch to compete for one of the top 50 spots. Winning pitches will go live on the Pitchmas blog during the Blog Pitch Party on 12/11. Agents and editors will be invited to makes requests. Be sure to check out the list of agents and editors who have signed up to participate this year.
12/9: #SFFpit – A twitter pitch day for works of fantasy or science fiction in any age category: PB, MG, YA, NA, or adult. #SFFpit creator Dan Koboldt posted 9 Ways to Get Ready for #SFFpit on his blog. Check it out.
12/12: #PitchMAS Twitter Pitch Party – An open pitch day for all writers to pitch completed work on Twitter using the #PitchMAS hashtag. Agents and editors will be invited to check out the hashtag tweets and make requests.
12/24: The Magical Competition – Open to unpublished, unagented writers. Enter your “magical and captivating” middle grade. Judged by three UK editors as well as the agents of the newly opened Skylark Literary. Winner will receive “a one-to-one editorial critique of their finished manuscript either via telephone – or in person if a suitable meeting location can be found” with agents Joanna Moult and/or Amber Caravéo. Be sure to read the contest rules before entering.
January 2015:
1/5: #JustPitchIt – A twitter pitch party for faith-based works of all genres and readerships put together by Jessica Schmeidler. More info to come.
1/9: #SecretShop – A new, all-encompassing pitch contest also put together by Jessica Schmeidler. More information to come.
1/15: Transitions Abroad’s Narrative Travel Writing Contest – Enter your “…article which describes how traveling in a slower manner and attempting to adapt to the space and time of locals, their culture, and their land has deepened your experience of both the people and the destination.” Scroll down on the page for 2015 details. 1st prize is $500 , 2nd $250, 3rd $100.
1/15: Conville & Walsh Word of Mouth Prize – Open to Adult Fiction. Conville & Walsh Agency is looking for stories they can’t put down, the kind that start conversations. They want books that will be talked about! Email your manuscript, synopsis, and cover letter to enter. “The winner will receive a cheque for £1,000 and, if mutually agreeable, representation by Conville & Walsh.”
1/30: Debut Novel Competition – Janklow & Nesbit Agency have teamed up with Mumsnet and Gransnet online communities to host a debut novel competition. Submit the first 8,000 words of a novel along with a 500-word outline of the remaining chapters. You can read more about how to enter on the first page of the Mumsnet site but you must become a member to enter.
1/31: Highlights Fiction Contest – This year’s category is mystery stories for children. Stories may be up to 750 words. Three prizes of $1000 will be awarded. Enter by mail.
February:
2/23: Pitch Madness – Submit your 35-word pitch and the first 250 words of your completed manuscript. Readers choose the top 60 entries to go on to the agent rounds.
Know of a great contest that we missed? Email us at SubItClub (at) gmail (dot) com
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