Contest Roundup January 2018!

I love starting fresh with a big zero rejections in the new year. I don’t have any yet, but I hope to get some in 2018. Why? Because that means I’m getting my work out there! You can’t reach that goal of publication without weathering some rejections.  So don’t be afraid. If your work is ready then it’s time to send it. It’s a new year full of subbing opportunity!

Of course, here at Sub It Club we don’t want you to submit your work until it’s been revised, edited, and polished, and you feel you’ve done your best to get it ready to go. If you’re not quite ready for submitting your work (or even if you are) click over and download a Small Steps Bingo card for some motivational fun! 

Contests can be a fun way to get motivated to submit your work too. Why not try Storystorm? It’s open to all genres and is running for the month of January. It’s the first listing and there are many more. Check them out! As always they’re listed in order by closing date.

January –

1/9: Storystorm – Open to all genres. Register by January 9th to be eligible to win prizes on daily posts full of inspiration in this month long brainstorming event.

1/9: National Native American Veterans Memorial Design Competition – The National Museum of the American Indian invites entries to the design competition for the National Native American Veterans Memorial. Read the Competition Regulations.

1/12: St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition – Open to unpublished writers. Murder or other serious crime or crimes must be at the heart of the story. Winner to receive a publishing contract from Minotaur Books with a $10,000.00 advance.

1/13: Writing With the Stars – Open to Picture Book Writers and Illustrators. Enter to win a 3 month mentorship with a published author or author/illustrator. Read the official rules. Enter via downloaded application.

1/18: #IWSGPit – There is not a whole lot of information on this pitch day but they do say they have hosted one previously. No participating agents or editors listed. I assume you post your pitch along with the #IWSGPit hashtag. Pitch is between 8am and 8pm EST.

1/19: Free Pass to Sun vs Snow – Enter to be an instant pick for Sun vs Snow (see below). Entry via Rafflecopter.

1/23: Sun vs Snow – Open to MG, YA, NA and Adult genres, excluding erotica. Send in your title, age category, genre, query, first 250 words, and answer the contest question via email. The first 200 entries will be taken starting at 4pm. Chosen entrants will be paired with a mentor and will compete in agent rounds. According to Michelle Hauck’s newsletter participating agents include Steven Salpeter of Curtis Brown and Amy Bishop of Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

1/31: Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize – Open to any writer who is not yet established in the genre and resides in the United States. “A $12,000 advance and publication by Graywolf will be awarded to the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a writer not yet established in the genre. The prize will be awarded to a manuscript in progress.”

February –

2/22: #PBPitch – Open to picture books. Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #PBPitch hashtag between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST.

Upcoming –

3/8: #Pitmad Twitter Pitch Party – Open to all genres. Pitch your manuscript via Twitter using the #Pitmad hashtag between 8am and 8pm EDT.

4/1: Wergle Flump Humor Poetry Contest – Enter one humor poem, up to 250 lines. First prize of $1,000, second prize of $250 & ten Honorable Mentions will of $100 each. Submit via Submittable.

5/18: LB Emerging Artist Award – Open to unpublished, unagented illustrators, author/illustrators.  Enter your original story idea, original take on a classic story, or nonfiction incorporating the award’s mission statement along with a mock-up of no more than 32 pages of text (no more than 1200 words), sketches, and at least 6 pages of finished art. Award includes a day at Little Brown Young Readers offices in New York to meet with an editor, art director, and artist mentor and much more! Contest entries open January 15th.

Looking for more? Here’s an interesting list at Published to Death.

Of course, if you know of a good contest that I missed please link us up in the comments!