New Contest on the Horizon: HOOK THE EDITOR

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

So it's definitely taken me a while (my apologies!), but I've finally got something for you. 

How'd you like to win a 10-page, in-depth edit from an editor who, until recently, worked for a major publisher? If this makes your writerly fingers tingle, read on!

HOOK THE EDITOR

You may already know that my lovely editor, Elayne Becker, has left Tor Teen. It was heartbreaking to lose her, because she is incredibly talented. The good news for you, though, is that Elayne is now doing freelance editing! And I'm doing my part to get the word out (because she's so very good at what she does).

Hook the Editor will give you a chance to hook first your colleagues, and then, if you're chosen for the final round, Elayne herself. Here's how it will work:

1. ROUND ONE: Submit a pitch and the first two sentences of your (completed, edited) story. A maximum of 50 entries will be chosen.

2. The pitches will post on the blog, and readers will vote YES or NO as to whether they were hooked by your pitch. The 5 entries with the most YES votes will go to the next round.

3. ROUND TWO: The 5 winning entries will be invited to submit their first 250 words, along with their original pitches.

4. The 5 first pages will post on the blog. Readers will critique, and Elayne will read, leave comments, and then choose her favorite.

5. Elayne's choice will win a 10-page edit!

MORE INFO:

*Submission date: Tuesday, September 24 (Stormrise release day! Wooo!)

*The pitches will post on Tuesday, October 1; voting will begin immediately.

*The 5 winning entries will post on Tuesday, October 8; critiquing will begin immediately.

PLEASE NOTE: I will post a CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, with full submission instructions. Mark your calendars!

Ask your questions below. I'm super excited about this! 

Pitch Contest: Grab My Heart!

I promised some in-house critiques, so here's the first! I've sweetened it a bit, though, because THERE WILL BE SOME WINNERS.

Welcome to the GRAB MY HEART pitch contest, in which you will attempt to grab my heart with your pitch and the first page of your ready-to-query manuscript.

Here's how it'll work:

1. Submit a pitch and the first 250 words of your story in ANY GENRE except erotica or erotic romance. (Pictures books not included; I'm sorry.)

2.  I will take 40 entries, chosen by our lovable bot.

3. The 40 entries will post on the blog for public critique.

4.  From these 40, I will choose MY THREE FAVORITES.  Each of my favorites will receive a critique of their first 5 pages.  (Why 5? Because often that's how many pages agents request that you include in your query letter.)

So start fine-tuning your pitches--submissions will open THIS MONDAY, JULY 16!

(Ask your questions below!)