Monday, August 10, 2009

Secret Agent Heads Up

Okay, it's time for submission guidelines once again! Our next Secret Agent: Are You Hooked? contest opens for submissions on Monday, August 17, at 9:00 am EDT. Submissions will close in 24 hours or as soon as I have received 50 entries, whichever comes first.

And, people. Please don't whine at me about time zones. I have to run these contests when I'm awake, yanno? I would love to accommodate everyone; really, I would. But I can't. So make friends with someone on the east coast of the States and have them submit for you.

Or come up with another plan. But don't whine about it. Okay? Whining doesn't lead to success in life. Solving problems does.

*short sermon over*

Also, I'm not doing a lottery this month for three reasons:

1. They're too much bloody work.
2. I don't expect as much of a deluge because children's fiction is not included.
3. They're too much bloody work.

So. Here's what you need to know:

  • Submissions will open at 9:00 am EDT on Monday, August 17. Early submissions will be disqualified.
  • Send the first 250 words of your completed manuscript to me at facelesswords(at)gmail.com in the following format:
SCREEN NAME
TITLE
GENRE
(followed by the excerpt)

The following genres are included in this month's contest:

  • Romance, including paranormal and historical
  • Urban fantasy
  • Historical fiction (general)
  • High-concept women's fiction
  • Literary fiction
If your manuscript does not fall under one of these genres, please do not submit to the contest.

Questions in the box, please.
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18 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 10, 2009 at 10:10 AM

    I'm embarrassed to ask this (this is my first time to seriously consider submitting here), but would a YA urban fantasy be accepted? Or does it have to be straight urban fantasy?

    Thank you anyway!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cate KariaxiAugust 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM

    I think YA is technically childrens, though *ahem* I had the same hopeful thought this morning. :)

    I actually have something for once. YA though.

    I'm looking forward to reading and commenting anyway. And won't whine about having to wait 3 HOURS after my days starts to see the reading material pop up. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. pj schnyderAugust 10, 2009 at 10:38 AM

    If we were in the Query Contest, we can't submit the first page of the same book...but we can submit the first page from a different book, yes?

    This one would be paranormal romance, as compared to my previous submission of a book for urban fantasy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AuthoressAugust 10, 2009 at 11:03 AM

    Unfortunately, YA is "kid lit" and not included. Hang on, though, because I've got other SAs lined up who WILL include your manuscript.

    And yes...I should have mentioned that you may NOT enter if you were in the Query Contest, unless it is a different manuscript.

    A different COMPLETED manuscript. =)

    ReplyDelete
  5. texcatAugust 10, 2009 at 12:22 PM

    Where does "low-concept" women's fiction fall? In or out?

    Okay, I confess. I'm finding the "high-concept" modifier a little murky. Or maybe that's stringent? ;)

    verifying word: mantice--the genre term for how-to dating advice for women? :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Andrew RosenbergAugust 10, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    Okay mine wouldn't qualify so I'm saying this for myself, but can you at least move the time to 12EDT so us West Coasters have a ghost of a chance?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Andrew RosenbergAugust 10, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    That would be NOT saying this for myself.
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. nessiliAugust 10, 2009 at 5:00 PM

    would a historical romance with strong fantasy elements come under romance or historical, or should I wait for another fantasy go-around?

    ReplyDelete
  9. texcatAugust 10, 2009 at 5:01 PM

    Please read the following with the knowledge that I HATE to get up early and have chosen all my careers with late starts as a priority...

    But come on--for a Secret Agent contest, can't we rouse enough to wake up the computer and hit send at 6 a.m., then go back to unconsciousness until whenever?

    I might get up at 5, even. Nah... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lori FolkmanAugust 10, 2009 at 5:08 PM

    Are all romance sub-genres included...i.e. romantic-mystery?

    Why don't you just give us the agent's website, then we can look for ourselves and see what exactly they are looking for. Oh wait, then it wouldn't be a SECRET. Dang. I hate secrets.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousAugust 10, 2009 at 10:17 PM

    Authoress: do you list the genres in order of the agent's preference? Just wondering because although I got very helpful feed back from Jodi, my genre (though included in the query contest) wasn't "her thing." Not a waste of time for sure, and not whining, just wondering if it's prudent to wait and enter when one's genre is listed first or second and not last.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AuthoressAugust 10, 2009 at 11:08 PM

    Nope, no particular order at all.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousAugust 11, 2009 at 1:23 AM

    A general question: How fast do submissions fill up normally?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Katharina GerlachAugust 11, 2009 at 3:12 AM

    very fast (1 to 3 minutes)

    Another question: if the manuscript is completed but in a different language from English and the translation is roughly half done - does that count as completed manuscript?

    By the way, thanks for all the great contests you launch. They are truly helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Miss Worry WartAugust 11, 2009 at 2:07 PM

    I'm tempted... but are there any legal ramifications if my stuff ends up posted on this website? I've just started submitting in the real world.

    ReplyDelete
  16. AuthoressAugust 11, 2009 at 3:24 PM

    Nessili -- I would wait.

    Anon -- I've had contests with the full 24 hours and I've had them fill up in less than 5 minutes. All depends on whether or not SFF is included (and kid lit). I expect this round to fill quickly, but not lightening-fast.

    Cat -- Your translation counts as an "unfinished manuscript" so I would definitely wait.

    Worry wart -- No legal ramifications.

    ReplyDelete
  17. philosophiaeAugust 15, 2009 at 11:43 PM

    I'm just posting to establish a screen name for myself--I'm a longtime lurker but never commented. Can't wait to submit. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. 6 degrees of whyAugust 17, 2009 at 8:08 AM

    Another long time reader/first time poster eagerly awaiting the contest :)

    ReplyDelete

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