2010 "FIRST CHAPTER" Writing Contest

Entry deadline March 1st, 2010, at 6 p.m. MST  (All entries must be received by 6:00 P.M. to qualify)

- CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED - NO NEW ENTRIES ACCEPTED -

Categories:

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative
Romance/Women’s Fiction
Mystery/Suspense
Youth Fiction (all genres)
Non-fiction
General Fiction
Historical Fiction

Entry Fees:

$15.00 for single or first entry
$10.00 for each subsequent entry

Limit FIVE total entries per Attendee.

NOTE: Contest entry fees are non-refundable.
LDStorymakers is not responsible for entries that are disqualified due to rule violations.

Awards

Grand Prize:

Asus Eee Netbook PC

Category Prizes:

Winners in each category will also receive awards.

***Editors from Deseret Book and Covenant are interested in looking at the winners' entries.***

All entrants will receive a completed judge’s critique form on their work.

Only unpublished authors may submit.  Published authors are not eligible.  Published authors are defined as any author who has signed a publishing contract for their work. Posting your work to your blog or website does not classify you as being published.

This is a First Chapter contest only.  If you submit a prologue AND a first chapter, your entry will be disqualified.  All entries must be the original work of the author.

Judging will be based on the merits that should be found in a first chapter, including a good opening hook, strong characterizations, compelling voice, conflict, dialogue, and little to no grammar/mechanical errors. Judges will also be looking at your presentation—did you follow the rules, submit in the correct format, and were you in the correct category, with the manuscript at the appropriate length.  Generally the grand prize winner has been an entry with a fresh idea, presented with clarity, structure, and elements of exceptional writing.

You must be a registered attendee of the 2010 LDStorymakers Writers Conference to enter this contest. (Click here to register for the Conference)

Please be professional and sensitive that your submission aligns with the nature of the LDStorymakers Writers Conference. We do not accept entries with graphic language, extreme violence, or sex scenes. 

Submissions should be double-spaced, using the Times New Roman font. 

Word Limit: 3000. This is about 10-12 double-spaced pages. The maximum number of pages you can submit is twelve.  If your first chapter goes beyond twelve pages, please do not send page 13. Your entry will be disqualified if you do.  If your first chapter contains fewer than 3000 words or twelve pages, it is not required that you send more to make up the word count difference.   

Pages must be numbered in consecutive order. 

Please submit a cover page. Do NOT put your name on the cover page or any other page of the manuscript. Your cover page should include only: the manuscript title, category name, and approximate word count. 

Remember, the author’s name should not appear anywhere in your entry (we'll get all your personal information when you register and pay). PLEASE double check this before submitting. This includes your headers and footers.  

Proof your work before submitting. Show us your best! 

You may submit multiple entries. Limit five total entries per attendee.

If you are unsure what category your manuscript would fit in, you alone must decide. For instance, if your manuscript is set in the early 1800s and could be both mystery and historical, only you, the author, can make the decision as to which category it best fits. Please be aware that the judges who read and judge your entry will be judging for that particular category (i.e. historical or mystery), so enter with that in mind. 

Judging

There will be several judges, each specializing in the genre of your choice. The grand prize will be determined from the top selections in each category. An entry cannot win both grand prize and a first place category. The grand prize winner will be pulled out of its respective category and stand above all the rest—basking in well-deserved glory. 

Awards will be presented on Saturday, April 24, 2010, during lunch at the LDStorymakers Writers Conference at the Provo Marriott.

Submission deadline