Contest Closed until Next Year! Finalists will be notified and posted soon!
Fee: $30/current VRW members; $35/non-members; $5 discount (max) for first-round judges
Registration Dates: March 1, 2019-April 8, 2019 11:59pm (Pacific)
Eligibility:
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- You do not have to be a member of RWA to enter.
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- All work must be the author’s original work that has never been published in any form ever, and has not been contracted for publication prior to the entry deadline of April 8, 2019. This applies to all entries, including entries in the Published Author categories.
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- Authors who have been published or contracted for novel-length fiction, including e-books by any publisher and/or has self-published at least one book are considered published. These authors are eligible for the Published Author categories only.
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- The actual entries, however, must never have been published nor be under contract prior to the deadline of April 8, 2019.
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- Previous 1st place winners MAY NOT re-enter the winning entry, even in edited format. They may, however, enter another work. Previous 2nd and 3rd place entries are eligible for entry, revision encouraged.
It is not a requirement to have a finished novel-length manuscript in order to enter this contest.
Entry:
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- The beginning of the manuscript up to 7500 word maximum entry (approximately 30 pages) submitted electronically.
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- A prologue may be included as long as the entry does not exceed 7500 words.
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- NO SYNOPSIS.
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- Each manuscript may be entered in only one category, but an author may submit multiple entries.
Finalists will have an opportunity to read first-round feedback and revise entry for final round.
*NEW THIS YEAR* We have revised our categories. Instead of a catch-all category for all Published Authors, PAs will now have the opportunity to enter into the PA category for a specific subgenre.
Categories & Final Round Judges:
Long Contemporary – Published Author: ANN LESLIE TUTTLE, AGENT, DYSTEL,GODERICH & BOURRET LLC
Long Contemporary: GABRIELLE KELLY, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
Short Contemporary Romance – Published Author: JESSICA ERRERA, AGENT, JANE ROTROSEN AGENCY
Short Contemporary Romance: AMANDA LEUCK, AGENT, THE SPENCERHILL AGENCY
Historical Romance – Published Author: JENNIE CONWAY, ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
Historical Romance: ALYCIA TORNETTA, ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
Romantic Suspense – Published Author: ESI SOGAH, KENSINGTON PUBLISHING
Romantic Suspense: ALLISON LYONS, HARLEQUIN
Young Adult Romance – Published Author: KARLY CASERZA, AGENT, FUSE LITERARY AGENCY
Young Adult Romance: REBECCA STRAUSS, AGENT, DEFIORE AND COMPANY
Paranormal Romance – Published Author: KAT ENRIGHT, AGENT, THE SEYMOUR AGENCY
Paranormal Romance: ALETHEA SPIRIDON, ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
First Round Judges: Published and Trained romance authors
Top Prize: 1st Place in each category – $50 plus ONE free manuscript entry into either of VRW’s annual contests; 2nd and 3rd place will receive a certificate and free entry in next year’s FOOL FOR LOVE contest.