Friday 2 December 2011

Competitions for the New Year...

Now that I'm finally getting over the nasty chest infection, courtesy of an inhaler and another course of antibiotics, my head is finally clear enough to start considering a few possible competitions for next year.

Probably the biggest opportunity getting talked about is the Good Housekeeping magazine novel competition with a £25,000 advance, publication on completion of the novel and introduction to literary agent Luigi Bonomi. (Thanks to Stirling on the Talkback forum for details.)

Obviously the standard required of entries will be tough, especially when you see the judges: Kate Mosse, Bonomi, Orion fiction publishing director Kate Mills and Good Housekeeping editorial director Lindsay Nicholson.

You need to get a copy of the January issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, in newsagents from the 1st December, for the entry coupon. It has Lulu on the front cover.

Read the rules because it mentions it's open to writers who have never had a novel published before. As I haven't seen the magazine yet I don't know if they define this anywhere, so clarification may be needed.

Nor are you eligible to enter if you are already signed to an agent.

You'll need a full synopsis and 5,000 words as well as your entry form. And you'll need to include a 100 word mini bio of yourself.

You have time to work on your entry as the closing date is 31st March 2012. But do give yourself enough time for submission as your entry does have to go by post.

I don't know if the entry form will be available in future issues- I'd assume you will need to get the January issue or miss out.

But before you get too excited, no novels for children...

The good news is, entry is free.

I'm going to get to work on my Dorset novel as soon as I get my synopsis and first three chapters back with the comments from the club competition next week.

Good luck if you enter...

*   *   *

Another competition you might be interested in is the annual Words with JAM Short Story Competition (2011) with a closing date of 27th January 2012. Your story can be up to 2,500 words- excluding the title. The entry fee is £6, or £10 for two. Entry details here.

The rules can be found here.

You can send by snail mail, but online submission is preferred, which is a plus for most writers as you can give yourself a closer deadline for submission- if needed.

1st Prize - £500
2nd Prize - £100
3rd Prize - £50

7 comments:

Patsy said...

I plan to enter a lot more competitions next year - including that GH one.

Carolb said...

Yes, I'll be entering more competitions next year too, Patsy.
In fact I entered more competitions this year than I expected to.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

The very best of luck with that GH comp, Carol. It's definitely worth entering if you don't have a book published yet.

Anonymous said...

The GH comp. is a fabulous prize. I'm sure they'll be inundated with excellent entries...I'm tempted to give it a try though...

Carolb said...

Exactly my thoughts, Rosemary- and thank you for the best wishes. :-)

I'm sure GH will get a lot of very good entries. For the time to prepare your entry, print it out and post it, plus the price of the magazine (£3.80) it is cheaper than many competitions entry fees.

Good luck to all who enter.

Seaview said...

Carol, this may be a daft question, but do you have to have a draft novel written for the GH comp or can you enter just three chapters and a synopsis of the way you think your novel will read - eventualy?!

Carolb said...

Seaview, some may have a draft of their novel already written, others may be still writing it of course-like me...

The competition only asks for 5,0000 words of a novel- or a single chapter if it runs to more than 5,000 words- but the instructions say to keep it to under 10,000 words.

Plus a maximum two page synopsis, and a 100 word mini bio of yourself AND the entry form.

Good luck if you enter Seaview.