SMOKE CITY NARRATORS ANNUAL NOVEL PITCH & 1st FIVE PAGES CONTEST
** CONTEST OPEN INTERNATIONALLY **
DEADLINE: Postmarked by Monday November 15, 2010 or Emailed by Midnight Central Time
ENTRY FEE: $8.50
AWARDS: 1st ... $150 | 2nd ... $75 | 3rd ... $40 | Up to 6 Honorary Mentions
SCN is PLEASED to ANNOUNCE OUR 2010 JUDGE: Agent Jeff Kleinman
After 7 years at another agency, Kleinman co-founded Folio Literary Management in 2006. He's placed his authors with Harper, Viking, Random House and other major publishers. The books he represents include New York Times bestsellers: - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks - Mockingbird by Charles Shields - The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty http://www.foliolit.com/s-jeff.php
2010 RULES
* Novel Does Not Have to Be Complete *
Please
read the rules carefully because we've made
several changes. Entrants in the 2009 contest, other than the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, may enter the same novel -- If the first five pages
have been revised beyond the level of pushing commas around.
Contest open to all writers internationally, with the exception of members of Smoke City Narrators. Entries must be in English, Original and Unpublished (includes Internet). Multiple entries OK (4 max.), but only One Prize Awarded to any Winner.
SUBMIT:
I.First
5 pages of a novel, 1,500 words max. II.One-sentencepitch
for the novel, 25
words or less.
III.$8.50
Fee (US Dollars) for Each Entry: Checks (US bank), Money Orders or Notation of
PayPal payment number.
*Entrants
living outside the United States, please send fee via PayPal only*
Sign-up is free. If paying by credit card, you do not need to have a PayPal account in order to use their services.
OPTIONAL: The 9
finalists will have their pitch posted on SCN's website & blog.
Novel
pages not published. Authors retain all rights.
Make
Checks or Money Orders payable to: Janice Wiley-Dorn. Email
Entries to: scnarrators
Snail Mail Entries and Fees to: Janice Wiley-Dorn SCN Contest Director P. O. Box 1031 Pell City, AL 35125
SNAIL MAIL SUBMISSIONS:
A.
Three Copies of Each Entry in standard
manuscript format: (1)
Double-spaced. (2)
Indent first line of each paragraph. (3)
1-inch margins. (4)
12 pt. font, Courier New or Times New
Roman. (5)
Put Title and Page Number in a Header. [If
you don't know how, neatly print them at the top of pages 2, 3, 4 &
5.] DO
NOT Put Author's Name on the
Manuscript.
B. At the Top of the First Page of the Manuscript include: (1) Novel Title. (We do not need novel's word count) (2)
Word Count for the First Five Pages. (1,500
words max.) (3)
One-sentence Novel Pitch. (4)
Pitch Word Count (25 words or less)
C.
Enclose a Separate Cover Sheet with: (1)
Novel Title. (We do not need novel's word count) (2)
Word Count for the First Five Pages. (1,500
words max.) (3)
One-Sentence Novel Pitch. (4)
Pitch Word Count (25 words or less) (5)
Author's Name. (6)
Author's Contact Info. (7)
Notation of Payment Method: PayPal (payment #), Check or Money Order. OPTIONAL:
For Delivery Confirmation - Enclose SASP (self-address, stamped
postcard)
EMAIL SUBMISSIONS:
EMAIL #1:
A.
SUBJECT LINE: SCN
2010 Novel Contest - Title of Your Novel
B. At the Beginning
of the Email
include:
(1)
Novel Title. (We do not need novel's word count) (2)
Word Count for the First Five Pages. (1,500
words max.) (3)
One-Sentence Novel Pitch. (4)
Pitch Word Count. (25 words or less.)
C.
BODY of the EMAIL: One entry: (1)
Single-spaced.
(2)
DO
NOT Indent lines. (3)
Skip
One Line between Each Paragraph. (4)
12 pt. font, Courier New or Times New
Roman. DO NOT Put Author's Name on the Manuscript. DO
NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS.
EMAIL #2:
A.
SUBJECT LINE: SCN
2010 NPC - Title of Novel + Author's Name B.
BODY of the EMAIL: (1)
Novel Title. (We do not need novel's word count.) (2)
Word
Count for the First Five Pages. (1,500 words max.) (3) One-Sentence Novel Pitch (4) Pitch Word Count. (25 words or less.) (5)
Author's Name. (6)
Author's Contact Info. (7)
Notation of Payment Method: PayPal (payment #), Check or Money Order.
DO
NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS. *Email
Delivery Confirmation Sent Automatically - After We Receive Both
Emails*
* Rule violations will result in disqualification & entry fees won't be returned. *
Winners Notified by Early February of 2011. Questions?
WHY NOVELS DON'T HAVE to be COMPLETE to ENTER SCN'S CONTEST
A deadline, especially one that rewards effort and talent with cash, often motivates writers to take the next step in the publishing process. Focusing on the first five pages and a one-sentence synopsis can:
- Reveal plot holes and flat characters in a first draft. - End the muddle in the middle & help you push through to the end. - Fine-tune a final draft. - Treat Revision Obsession (I spent the morning putting a comma in, and the afternoon taking it out. - Oscar Wilde), so you can write, The End, and start querying agents/editors. - Re-title a 1st novel: Changing My Novel to My Learner-Novel allows you to let go and start a new novel guilt free.
For all these reasons, your novel doesn't have to be complete to enter our contest.
Many industry professionals decide to reject, request the complete manuscript, or make an offer within the first few pages of a novel. Agent Noah Lukeman explains why in THE FIRST FIVE PAGES: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile.
A short and snappy synopsis that reveals the heart of the story, especially when rendered in the tone, style or voice of the novel, can hook an agent. Some agents use that pithy and interesting/intriguing sentence to pitch the book to editors and land a publishing contract.
Shrinking a novel into one sentence sounds daunting but it's not impossible. TV Guide does it daily. Turning readers into life-long fans with just five pages may sound even harder. Yet debut authors accomplish that every year.
We hope you use this contest's deadline to create a killer query packet and advance your writing career. Due to the subjective nature of story telling and reading, entries that miss the final cut may still appeal to the agent or editor of your dreams.
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