June 2016 Contest Roundup

It’s time for another Roundup filled with great opportunities. Of course, you should never submit your work without feedback. We invite everyone to join our Sub It Club Critique Partner Matchup group where you can find people working in the same genre as you to trade work with. I also found a fun opportunity to win feedback this week. Dear Editor is having Revision Week where you can enter to win feedback from some amazing authors including Salina Yoon and Jane Yolen! Go check it out now because revision week ends June 3rd. http://deareditor.com/2016/05/welcome-to-deareditor-coms-2016-revision-week/

As always, contests are listed by closing dates. If they aren’t pitch contests they are often open well beforehand so check the ones you are interested in, and good luck!

May:

5/31: Harlequin #Historical Blitz – Open to Historical Romance. Submit a cover letter, synopsis, and first chapter (up to 5,000 words) of your novel. The editors are seeking publishable submissions. Every targeted submission will receive a response by Friday, 10th June that includes editorial feedback.

June:

6/4: Query Kombat – Open to Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, & Adult. Submit your query and first 250 words of your completed manuscript. Winners are chosen to move on to an agent round. Here’s the post for Round one: http://www.michelle4laughs.com/2016/06/query-kombat-2016-round-1.html

6/9: #Pitmad – Open to any genre and category. Pitch your completed manuscript on Twitter using the #PitMad hashtag from 8am – 8pm EDT. Tweet 3 pitches per project for the day.

6/12: WCNV – Open to Adult, New Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books written by native authors and authors or color. Enter your query and the first 300 words of your completed manuscript. See submission guidelines. There is a big list of participating agents. See contest website for in depth details.

6/16: #PBPitch – Open to picture book manuscripts. Pitch your picture book via Twitter using the #PBPitch hashtag between 8am and 8pm EST. Pitch manuscripts twice only; once before 2p.m. and once after. Illustrators may attach an illustration to their pitch.

6/21: Roll of Thunder Publishing Contest – Open to people of color (or those who self-identify as other than white). U.S. residents only.  Must not have any published fiction. Enter your original fiction aimed at readers ages of 8 to 14 and between 25,000-75,000 words. Winner to receive a publishing contract from Penguin Random House LLC, with an advance of $35,000, plus royalties.

6/23: #SFFPit – Open to Science Fiction and Fantasy manuscripts in all age categories: PB, MG, YA, NA, and adult. Pitch your completed manuscript via Twitter using the #SFFPit hashtag between 8am & 6pm EST. See the #SFFPit page for suggested genre hashtags.

6/29: #TKA20 – Open to MG, YA, Adult, & Nonfiction. Pitch the Knight Agency agents via Twitter using the #TKA20 hashtag from 9am – 5pm EST.

6/30: Drue Heinz Literature Prize –  Open to writers who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction with a reputable book publisher, or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in magazines or journals of national distribution. Winner to receive $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. “Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 typed pages.”

July:

7/1 – 3: #pg70pit –  Open to MG, YA, NA, & Adult manuscripts. Entry on 7/1 is for MG, 7/2 is for YA, 7/3  is NA & Adult. Enter the 70th page of your novel along with additional details. The top 7 entries in each category will move on to an agent round.

7/13: #Pit2Pub – Open to Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult manuscripts. Pitch your completed manuscript via Twitter between 8am and 8 pm CST using the #Pit2Pub hashtag. See list of additional genre hashtags.

7/15: Future Scapes – Open to short fiction of up to 8,000 words written to the contest’s prompt regarding the future.  1st places receives $2,000, 2nd – $1,000, and 4 runners-up $500 each. See rules.

August:

8/3: Pitch Wars – “Published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions to shine it up for agents. The mentors also critique the writer’s pitch to get it ready for the agent round. Writers send applications (query and first chapter of manuscript) to the four mentors that best fit their work. The mentors then read all their applications and choose the writer they want to mentor for the next two months. Then we hold an agent round with over a dozen agents making requests.”

8/15: Pockets Fiction Contest – Open to fiction for ages 6-12. 750–1,000 words. Winner to receive $500 and publication in Pockets magazine. General submission guidelines state that submissions should support the purpose of the magazine to help children grow in their faith, though all submissions do not need to be overtly religious.

8/16: PITCH AMÉRICA – Open to fiction, all genres and age groups, written by Latinx. Enter your 35 word pitch and the first 500 words of your manuscript via email. A list of participating agents to come.

9/8: #Pitmad – Open to any genre and category. Pitch your completed manuscript on Twitter using the #PitMad hashtag from 8am – 8pm EDT. Tweet 3 pitches per project for the day.

10/31: Tu Books New Visions Award – Open to Middle Grade and Young Adult manuscripts by writers of color. “Manuscripts should address the needs of children and teens of color by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another.” Submit a cover letter, synopsis, plus the first 10,000 words. Graphic novels, include the equivalent of 24-30 scripted pages. Please note: “Manuscripts may not be submitted to other publishers, mentorship contests, writing contests, or to TU BOOKS general submissions while under consideration for this award.” Winner receives $1,000 and a standard publication contract. Honor Award winner to receive $500.

Know of a great, no fee contest that I missed? Please link us up in the comments!