A New Contest!

Today I'm blogging about a hot new contest, over on Savvy Authors. The submission date for this one is very soon, next week in fact, 15 July 2010, so if you're interested, check it out quick!
Here's the skinny...

Lori Wilde's Drive 'Em Wilde Contest for Emerging Authors

Does your query make editors and agents pant, moan and beg for more? Have you written a story that will keep editors up at night, thinking of you and your prose? If you think you have what it takes to drive editors and agents wild with anticipation, Lori Wilde’s Drive 'Em Wilde Contest is your chance to prove it.

Our first-round is judged by published authors who will act like slush pile readers, pulling only the best three in each genre to pass along to the final round editors who will select the winners. But it doesn’t end there!

Lori Wilde, USA Today bestselling author, will choose an Overall Grand Prize Winner from each genre's first place winner to receive free tuition for her year-long mentoring track at Savvy University with Lori Wilde—a value of $1800! This individual will be mentored by Lori to improve his or her writing and edit a market-ready manuscript that really will drive an agent or editor wild!

**NEW: Enter contest today to reserve your spot, but you can upload your file any time until contest deadline!

2010 Categories and Final Judges:

Historical: Deb Werksman, Editor, Sourcebooks

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Fantasy:, Chris Keeslar, Dorchester Publishing

Science Fiction/Futuristic: TBA

Contemporary: Angela James, Editor, Carina Press

Suspense: Kristin Sevick, Editor, Tor/Forge Books.

Young Adult: Danielle Rose Poiesz, Editor, Gallery/Pocket Books Editorial

Erotic Romance or Erotica: Lindsey Faber, Managing Editor, Samhain Publishing


**NOTE: Each entrant will have an opportunity to further designate whether their entry is most like commercial fiction, commercial fiction with romantic elements, literary fiction or romantic fiction for the sole purpose of managing judges’ expectations.

Contest Details:

Sponsor: Savvy Authors

Fee: $20 Premium Savvy members / $25 Basic & non-members

Deadline: July 15, 2010

Judging: Each entry will be judged by three published authors and scored using the contest’s scoresheet. Judges will provide comments and feedback for each score given. All scores will be combined and averaged. Three highest scoring manuscripts for each genre will advance to the final round. All judged copies will be returned via email to non-finalist entrants following finalist announcement. Finalist entries will be returned after winners are announced. Final Judges will rank finalists one through three, with the First place winners sent to Lori Wilde who will choose the Overall Grand Prize Winner.

Finalists Announced: August 1, 2010

Eligibility: Must not have been published in the last 2 years or contracted on the date of contest entry by any of the major publishers (or its imprints) listed by Agent Query here: http://agentquery.com/publishing_mp.aspx

Enter: Query letter AND first 10 double-spaced pages of unpublished manuscript (See Official Rules)

First Place Winners: All first place winners for each category will receive $25 credit towards a workshop of their choice at Savvy Authors.

Overall Grand Prize Winner: Lori Wilde will read each of the first place winners and rank them 1 thru 7, with the first place winner receiving a free year’s tuition in her upcoming Mentoring course at Savvy University This prize is non-transferrable.

*****

Its a great prize, but what is also so great is the chance to get your first ten pages read by 3 published authors, and receive their critiques. Also, in my own particular catagory, should I make it to the next round, is the chance to get my work before the final judge Angela James of Carina Press. Manuscripts do not have to be finished, and as long as you meet the criteria of not having been published or contracted by any of the major publishers or their imprints (and The Wild Rose is not in the list).

So head on over to Savvy Authors and check it out. Feedback from 3 published authors for $25 - and the possibility of much more, got to be worth a try, right?