Tag: Writing Contests

Kobo and Curtis Brown Creative Introduce Writing Life 2013 Scholarship

Posted March 25, 2013 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments


This is a pretty neat piece of news.  Thought we’d share on the blog:

KOBO AND CURTIS BROWN CREATIVE INTRODUCE
KOBO WRITING LIFE 2013 SCHOLARSHIP

Companies make tuition at London’s premier writing school accessible for three up-and-coming authors

London, UK – 14th March 2013 – Kobo, a global leader in eReading, and Curtis Brown, one of the UK’s premier literary and talent agencies, today announced that together the companies are introducing the Kobo Writing Life™ Scholarship to advance opportunities for three aspiring writers this year. The Kobo Writing Life Scholarship provides tuition fees for a writer in each of the following course: the three-month novel writing course, three-month writing-for-children course, and six-month novel-writing course. Each course is offered by Curtis Brown Creative and held at their London location.

“Kobo Writing Life is dedicated to supporting authors and is committed to allowing them barrier-free access to readers anywhere in the world,” said Mark Lefebvre, Kobo’s Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations. “Excellence in writing is critical and at the heart of an author’s success and we are thrilled to be able to work with Curtis Brown Creative to help writers hone their craft.”

“We are very excited to be partnering with Kobo on this initiative to open up our courses to writers who would not otherwise be able to study with us,” said Anna Davis, Director, Curtis Brown Creative. “Kobo is an energetic supporter of new writing and a generous sponsor of this program.”

Applications are now being accepted for the three-month Writing for Children course held April-July. Applicants must complete the online application form and provide the first 3,000 words of their novel in addition to a synopsis. Full information and eligibility criteria for the Kobo Writing Life Scholarship can be found here: . Details of the scholarship for the three-month writing-for-children course starting in September and the six-month novel writing course starting in February will be made available at www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk.

Curtis Brown launched its creative writing school in May 2011 as a way to reach new writers and foster their development as authors. In-depth courses are taught by industry experts including bestselling authors, agents and editors from Curtis Brown. Kobo, through its self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life, and Curtis Brown Creative are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in writing and have partnered to develop strategic initiatives that foster the development of authors around the world.

This is the second project Kobo and Curtis Brown Creative have developed together. The companies also created the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Contest which resulted in a thousand, 100-word submissions to be judged by the author. The finalists will be announced on April 15 at London Book Fair.


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Avon Announces NaRoWriMo!

Posted November 5, 2012 by Rowena in Discussions, News | 0 Comments

Our friends over at Avon have some news and we’re sharing it with our lovely readers. If you’re a writer and want to participate, Avon wants you to bring sexy back!

Straight from our friends at Avon:

Announcing “NaRoWriMo,”
National Romance Writing Month
This November, Avon Books, in conjunction with NaNoWriMo, Encourages Aspiring Romance Authors to Set Goals High: Finish Your Manuscript and Aim to Publish!

NEW YORK, NY, November 5, 2012 — November is National Novel Writing Month (“NaNoWriMo”), the world’s largest writing event. It is not for the faint of heart: participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30. Last year, more than 250,000 unique participants proved they were up to the challenge; and this year might even bring more happy endings. If you look at NaNoWriMo’s online forums, it’s plain to see that one of the largest, most passionate segments of the NaNoWriMo writing community is comprised of aspiring romance writers. It is for this audience that Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, dedicates “NaRoWriMo,” “National Romance Writing Month.” Here’s the news that may make hearts start pounding during the month of November, Avon editors will make themselves available to the author community via online forums at www.nanowrimo.org, and by sponsoring “NaRoWriMo,” the publisher hopes to acquire original works of romantic fiction, to be released in 2013 by Avon Impulse.

“NaRoWriMo” romance fiction submissions should be submitted by December 10, 2012 to Avon Romance’s online submission portal (www.avonimpulse.com), and tagged “NaRoWriMo.” All novel and novella-length submissions (50,000 words and above) will be reviewed, and will be considered for publication through Avon Impulse, the publisher’s digital-first arm.

“The energy around National Novel Writing Month is infectious and exciting,” says Shawn Nicholls, Senior Director of Marketing for Avon Books. “We understand a huge percentage of the writers participating are aspiring romance authors, and we want to help incentivize them to finish their projects this November.”

Lucia Macro, Vice President and Exectutive Editor of Avon Books and Avon Impulse agrees, saying, “Avon Impulse is actively looking for fresh and exciting talent, and so many great ideas for books are nurtured through NaNoWriMo — Avon’s NaRoWriMo initiative encourages writers to submit those ideas to us for possible publication. We are looking to acquire many great manuscripts this November. Our digital-first publishing program has grown to an aggressive two-book-a-week publishing schedule, so we have plenty of opportunity to foster talented romance writers and launch careers!”

Macro, who editorially directs Avon Impulse, recently posted this “wishlist” for content at the Romance Divas website (www.romancedivas.com):

Send me your bachelors, your ranchers, your billionaires. My background is in contemporary romance—I miss the 21st Century! And while I’ll always love a good duke, I sometimes feel I’ve been hanging around with the Ton for too long. Seriously—send us sexy contemporary romance with some really good-looking heroes. (And no, they don’t all have to be bachelors, ranchers or billionaires!)

I love drama! Everyone’s always telling me that Avon books have to be ‘funny.’ This is so not true! There’s a reason I’ve been watching all those Lifetime TV movies all these years—I clearly need more drama in my world. (But your book doesn’t have to be like a LTM, I promise!)

Bring Sexy Back. Please. Enough said. I think you know what to do.

Stop overthinking. I mean it. Stop it right now. You’re the romance readers. You know what you like. I’m not here measuring indentations, or taking point off for point of view, or counting every word. Make it end happily and make sure ‘no animals are harmed’.

More new writers please. I like working with new writers. I wish I could do it more often. But this is the chance to do that—for both of us.

“NaRoWriMo” is an open call to new writers: Avon is actively acquiring for Avon Impulse. “Set your goals high this November,” Macro says. “Aim to publish.”

For more information on how to submit a completed “NaRoWriMo” manuscript this November, visit www.AvonImpulse.com.

If you’re interested, go forth and check it out.  Thanks to our friends at Avon for the heads up on this awesome writing adventure!

Good luck!


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Debbie Macomber Writing Contest, Deadline Extended.

Posted September 26, 2011 by Rowena in Reviews | 2 Comments

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins


Remember this post?

If you planned to enter the writing contest and it fell off your radar then you’re in luck because the powers that be, the ones running the contest have extended the deadline to enter the contest. The new deadline is October 15, 2011.

So if you’ve got a manuscript that fits the description and you want some professionals to take a look at it, send your writing in. They want to hear from you!

To recap what you might remember from the previous post that I put up, check it out:

Debbie Macomber Inspired Short Romance Fiction Writing Contest:

Winning Entry will be published as part of Avon’s “Family Affair” paperback and e-book in July 2012!

NEW YORK, NY, August 9, 2011 – To celebrate the 2012 mass market publication of Family Affair, a novella by #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber, Avon Books is hosting a Debbie Macomber-inspired online writing contest! Aspiring writers who participate in the “Make Your Dreams Come True” contest may find themselves enjoying an “American Idol”-type moment, as the winner receives a cash prize of $500, and the winning entry will be published in the back matter of the paperback and e-book edition of Family Affair, going on-sale in July 2012. In addition, the grand prize winner may also be offered an Avon Impulse publishing contract!

“This is a great opportunity for a new voice in romance to be discovered,” says Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President and Publisher of William Morrow/Avon Books. “It’s the publishing equivalent of ‘American Idol’ – entries will be reviewed by Avon editors, and the winner will be picked by Debbie Macomber herself. The possible exposure is amazing: the author is beloved by readers around the globe, and this short story could be read by millions of her fans.”

Avon Books executive editor Lucia Macro states, “We’re hoping to discover a new voice in romance. We’re so excited to work with Debbie on this contest, and publish the winning entry along with the heartwarming novella Family Affair.”

Contests entrants should go online to www.familyaffaircontest.com to submit their 20,000 – 25,000 word short story. Entries should be written in a style that complements Macomber’s own gentle, uplifting work.

Book Page attests, “When it comes to creating a special place and memorable, honorable characters, nobody does it better than Macomber,” and the Chicago Tribune notes that Macomber’s books “(glow) with genuine goodness and great emotional warmth.”

The Grand Prize of the “Make Your Dreams Come True” writing contest receives a $500 cash prize and is eligible for an Avon Impulse publishing contract. Three finalists will receive a collection of Avon Romances (approximate retail value: $100).

“Make Your Dreams Come True” Contest Rules and Entry Procedure:

No purchase is necessary. To enter, complete the entry form at www.familyaffaircontest.com. Entrants will need to provide a short story in the Romance genre, as well as their full name, postal address, e-mail address, phone number, and date of birth. Multiple entries are automatically disqualified, and only the first entry will be considered.

The contest is open to all legal residents of the United States, 21 years of age and older by August 1, 2011, excluding anyone who has ever received compensation in excess of $100 for publication of a work of prose fiction and employees and immediate family members of Avon, and its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, assigns, advertising, promotional and fulfillment agents, attorneys, and other representatives and the persons with whom each of the above are domiciled.

Story Requirements

Story submissions must satisfy all of the following requirements:

  • The story must be in the Romance genre and have a low-level of sensuality without any explicit love scenes.
  • The story must not have been previously published in any form or media, including posting in any manner on the internet.
  • Prose romantic fiction only; poetry, plays, screenplays, and non-fiction are not acceptable.
  • English language only.
  • No less than 20,000 words and no longer than 25,000 words.
  • No images or illustrations of any kind.
  • No curse words or depictions of vulgar behavior.
  • An original work created solely by you without any material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to material that violates privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright infringement.
  • The story must be in a Word or PDF file when submitted.

A submission that does not satisfy all of the above requirements will be disqualified without notification.

Avon Impulse further reserves the right to publish the story of the Grand Prize Winner and/or the other finalists as described above, but shall have no obligation to do so.

Entry Period:

The Contest will commence on August 9, 2011 (9 a.m. ET). The last entry will be accepted on October 15, 2011 (5:00 p.m. ET).

Selection and Notification of Winners:

Three Finalists will be selected by a panel of two judges, who will be professional editors selected by Avon. Entries will be judged based upon the following criteria: (1) Plot (40%), (2) Character Development (30%), and (3) Literary Style (30%). The three finalists will be chosen on or about October 15, 2011. All potential winners will be notified by e-mail. Potential winners may be required to sign and return to Avon an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability (the “Affidavit”), and, if the Affidavit is not returned within seven days of notification, the potential winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize, and an alternate potential winner will be chosen.

Based on the judging criteria above, Debbie Macomber will select the Grand Prize Winner from among the finalists. The winner will be announced on or about November 15, 2011.

Prizes:

Each of the three finalists will receive a collection of Avon Romances. Approximate retail value: $100.

The Grand Prize Winner will also receive a cash payment of $500.

Total approximate prizing value for contest: $800.

Only one prize will be awarded per individual, family, or household. All prizes are non-transferable and cannot be sold or redeemed for cash. Avon may substitute a cash payment of equal or greater value for the prize. Any federal, state, or local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner.

More information and complete contest rules available online at www.familyaffaircontest.com.

Don’t miss the opportunity to have your work seen by the professionals. This is a writing opportunity that you don’t want to miss!

Good luck!


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Calling All Aspiring Authors!

Posted August 17, 2011 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins



We get a lot of promotional emails and when we come across something that might be of use to our readers, we’re always happy to post them. This writing contest is one of them. Throughout our time in the romance community, we’ve come across plenty of readers and bloggers who are aspiring authors and we thought this would be the perfect writing contest for those readers/aspiring authors.

Check it out, this is the information straight from the press release from our friends over at Avon Romance:

Debbie Macomber Inspired Short Romance Fiction Writing Contest:

Winning Entry will be published as part of Avon’s “Family Affair” paperback and e-book in July 2012!

NEW YORK, NY, August 9, 2011 – To celebrate the 2012 mass market publication of Family Affair, a novella by #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber, Avon Books is hosting a Debbie Macomber-inspired online writing contest! Aspiring writers who participate in the “Make Your Dreams Come True” contest may find themselves enjoying an “American Idol”-type moment, as the winner receives a cash prize of $500, and the winning entry will be published in the back matter of the paperback and e-book edition of Family Affair, going on-sale in July 2012. In addition, the grand prize winner may also be offered an Avon Impulse publishing contract!

“This is a great opportunity for a new voice in romance to be discovered,” says Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President and Publisher of William Morrow/Avon Books. “It’s the publishing equivalent of ‘American Idol’ – entries will be reviewed by Avon editors, and the winner will be picked by Debbie Macomber herself. The possible exposure is amazing: the author is beloved by readers around the globe, and this short story could be read by millions of her fans.”

Avon Books executive editor Lucia Macro states, “We’re hoping to discover a new voice in romance. We’re so excited to work with Debbie on this contest, and publish the winning entry along with the heartwarming novella Family Affair.”

Contests entrants should go online to www.familyaffaircontest.com to submit their 20,000 – 25,000 word short story. Entries should be written in a style that complements Macomber’s own gentle, uplifting work.

Book Page attests, “When it comes to creating a special place and memorable, honorable characters, nobody does it better than Macomber,” and the Chicago Tribune notes that Macomber’s books “(glow) with genuine goodness and great emotional warmth.”

The Grand Prize of the “Make Your Dreams Come True” writing contest receives a $500 cash prize and is eligible for an Avon Impulse publishing contract. Three finalists will receive a collection of Avon Romances (approximate retail value: $100).

“Make Your Dreams Come True” Contest Rules and Entry Procedure:

No purchase is necessary. To enter, complete the entry form at www.familyaffaircontest.com. Entrants will need to provide a short story in the Romance genre, as well as their full name, postal address, e-mail address, phone number, and date of birth. Multiple entries are automatically disqualified, and only the first entry will be considered.

The contest is open to all legal residents of the United States, 21 years of age and older by August 1, 2011, excluding anyone who has ever received compensation in excess of $100 for publication of a work of prose fiction and employees and immediate family members of Avon, and its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, assigns, advertising, promotional and fulfillment agents, attorneys, and other representatives and the persons with whom each of the above are domiciled.

Story Requirements

Story submissions must satisfy all of the following requirements:

  • The story must be in the Romance genre and have a low-level of sensuality without any explicit love scenes.
  • The story must not have been previously published in any form or media, including posting in any manner on the internet.
  • Prose romantic fiction only; poetry, plays, screenplays, and non-fiction are not acceptable.
  • English language only.
  • No less than 20,000 words and no longer than 25,000 words.
  • No images or illustrations of any kind.
  • No curse words or depictions of vulgar behavior.
  • An original work created solely by you without any material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to material that violates privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright infringement.
  • The story must be in a Word or PDF file when submitted.

A submission that does not satisfy all of the above requirements will be disqualified without notification.

Avon Impulse further reserves the right to publish the story of the Grand Prize Winner and/or the other finalists as described above, but shall have no obligation to do so.

Entry Period:

The Contest will commence on August 9, 2011 (9 a.m. ET). The last entry will be accepted on September 30, 2011 (5:00 p.m. ET).

Selection and Notification of Winners:

Three Finalists will be selected by a panel of two judges, who will be professional editors selected by Avon. Entries will be judged based upon the following criteria: (1) Plot (40%), (2) Character Development (30%), and (3) Literary Style (30%). The three finalists will be chosen on or about October 15, 2011. All potential winners will be notified by e-mail. Potential winners may be required to sign and return to Avon an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability (the “Affidavit”), and, if the Affidavit is not returned within seven days of notification, the potential winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize, and an alternate potential winner will be chosen.

Based on the judging criteria above, Debbie Macomber will select the Grand Prize Winner from among the finalists. The winner will be announced on or about November 15, 2011.

Prizes:

Each of the three finalists will receive a collection of Avon Romances. Approximate retail value: $100.

The Grand Prize Winner will also receive a cash payment of $500.

Total approximate prizing value for contest: $800.

Only one prize will be awarded per individual, family, or household. All prizes are non-transferable and cannot be sold or redeemed for cash. Avon may substitute a cash payment of equal or greater value for the prize. Any federal, state, or local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner.

More information and complete contest rules available online at www.familyaffaircontest.com.

If this sounds like something you’d want to participate in, what are you waiting for? Get those submissions entered. Keep in mind though that this isn’t a Book Binge sponsored contest so please don’t send us your submissions, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. =)

Good luck!


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Romance Is Not Dead Writing Competition

Posted August 13, 2010 by Holly in Discussions, Reviews | 0 Comments

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a published romance writer? Well, now may be your chance to make that dream a reality. Mills and Boon will be hosting a writing competition in September. Check out the details at romanceisnotdead.com.

At Mills & Boon, we believe that there’s a romance in everyone – and we want yours! Have you ever dreamed of becoming a published author and writing your way into readers’ hearts? Well, this is your chance!

What is New Voices?

In September 2010 we launch a global search for fresh writing talent to join Mills & Boon’s galaxy of romantic fiction stars.
A celebration of romance, New Voices will put entrants through their romantic fiction paces – and we want you to have your say every step of the way!
The winner of the competition will win some fantastic prizes, including publication of the winning entry by Mills & Boon and a Mills & Boon editor for a year!

 Good luck! Click here for a full list of contest rules and regulations.


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