October 2017 Contest Roundup

October is looking real pitchy! You know where you can get feedback on your pitch before the big pitch day? That’s right. In our Sub It Club submission support group! There are a lot of smart cookies in there and it is always so great to see members helping each other get ready to send out their work. Get in there if you aren’t already.

Here’s the upcoming contests in ending date order. Do your research and find the ones that are best for you and your work. Good luck pitches!

October:

10/1: Inked Voices First Pages – Open to Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy writers of color, or who have a diverse background and are writing a novel related to their experience. Winner receives a spot in the Online First Pages Workshop with agent Eric Smith. Enter via online form.

10/2: #DVPit – Open to Children’s and Teen Fiction and Nonfiction frommarginalized voices. Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #DVPit hashtag between 8AM – 8PM ET.

10/3: #DVPit – Open to Adult Fiction and Nonfiction from marginalized voices.Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #DVPit hashtag between 8AM – 8PM ET.

10/4: #SonofaPitch – Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #sonofapitch hashtag. Please see the list of some participating publishers. Do your research before submitting if you get a request.

10/7: #10Queries – Writer must have completed query and first 5 pages. Enter via Rafflecopter which will go up on the 7th. 5 winners will be asked to send their samples and will be given feedback.

10/9: Nightmare on Query Street Free Pass – Open to all genres except picture books and erotica. Enter via Rafflecopter. One randomly chosen winner will move on to the mentor and agent rounds of the Nightmare on Query Street Contest so have your query and first 250 words ready to go. Make sure your manuscript is completed and polished incase you get requests in the agent round.

10/10: Inked Voices First Pages – Open to persons of color writing Middle Grade fiction related to their own experience. Winner receives a spot in the Online First Pages Workshop with agent Tina Wexler. Enter via online form.

10/13: Nightmare on Query Street – Open to all genres except picture books and erotica. Enter your query, first 250 words, and answer a question. Chosen entries will participate in mentor and agent rounds. 20+ agents participating.

10/13: Futurescapes – Open to short fiction up to 8,000 words on the theme “Blue Sky Cities”. 1st place receives $2000. 5 runners up receive $500 each.

10/24: Author Mentor Match – Open to Middle Grade and Young Adult. Submit your query, first 50 pages, and synopsis for the chance to be matched with a mentor.

10/26: #PBPitch – Open to picture books. Pitch your picture book via Twitter using the #PBPitch hashtag from 8am – 8pm EST.

10/26: #PitDark – Open to horror, dark fantasy, murder mystery,, non-fiction works about darker subjects, etc. MG, YA, NA, and Adult. Pitch your manuscript between 8am and 8pm EST using the #PitDark hashtag. See the long list of genre hashtags on the webpage.

10/27: #PitchCB – Open to fiction and nonfiction. Pitch the Curtis Brown and C+W agents via Twitter using the #PitchCB hashtag.

10/31: New Visions Award – Open to U.S. writers of color who have not had a middle grade or young adult novel published. Submit via Submittable. Chosen winner to receive $1000 and a publishing contract with advance.

Upcoming

12/1: Blue Mountain Arts 31st Biannual Poetry Card Contest – Open to poetry. “The author gives permission to Blue Mountain Arts, Inc. to publish and display the entry on the Web (in electronic form only) ifthe entry is selected as a winner or finalist.” 1st prize: $350,  2nd prize: $200,  3rd prize: $100.

12/7: #Pitmad Twitter Pitch Party – Open to all genres. Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #Pitmad hashtag.

12/31: Dwayne McDuffie Award – Open to work that promotes diversity in the comic book industry. Submit via form along with first issue or other example of the work.

12/? #SFFPit – Open to Science Fiction and Fantasy–picture book, middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult works. Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #SFFPit hashtag.

Of course, if you know of a great contests that’s not on the Roundup please add it in the comments.