A First Step to Published Success…12 Novel Contests

Why spend time on a contest v. submitting to a publisher?

You should take advantage of all the benefits a contest can offer your novel manuscript. First contests offer you one guarantee: your manuscript will be read. A publisher can't guarantee that. Granted, most contests only want you to submit a portion of your novel, but know that those pages will be read and considered by an industry professional - either a published author, an editor, an agent, etc.

A second benefit is that if your manuscript wins or places high in a contest, it builds history and a solid reputation. Because contests are judged by people in the industry, agents or editors will take that prize as a reference. "Editor Smith at X-House Publishing said this book was worthy of this prize. Therefore, it must be worthy of my time."

The prizes themselves are a great benefit. Many contests offer publication as their grand prize. See you met your goal after all. Others will help you set meetings with agents or editors to pitch your manuscript. And don't forget the cash. What writer can't use good ol' cash in his pocket?

What do novel contest want in terms of submissions?

There are two types of novel contests. The first and most predominant contest type wants previously unpublished novels. The International 3-Day Novel Contest (listed below) wants previously UNWRITTEN novels. The other type of contest is for books that have been published. Usually those contests seek to honor first books, often from specific demographic groups.

Novel contests vary in terms of genre. There are genre specific contests, but open genre contests are more prevalent. Some go a step further in their openness and accept not only novels, but novellas, book-length short story collections and more. For instance, Chiasmus (also listed below) seeks "innovative novels, anti-novels, novellas, graphic novels, short story collections, hybrids." I don't know what an "anti-novel" or a "hybrid" is but if you have one, Chiasmus will accept it.

Where can you find novel contests listings?

As always start with Google and search both "novel contests" and "book contests." Other resources include NewPages.com, Poets & Writers Grants and Awards Database, both of which are searchable by deadline date. FundsforWriters.com offers a contest page available through a link on the home page, and there are two newsletters you can subscribe to that include contests listings. One's free. The other is reasonably priced. Editor Hope Clark lists all kinds of contests, not just book/novel contests. Another resource is the subscription service WritersMarket.com. Again, this website lists all kind of contests but there are menus to help you narrow your research.

Finally, here's a dozen to get you started. Click the contest name to go to the website. Unless noted, all competitions are for previously unpublished manuscripts.

Chiasmus Undoing the Novel - First Book Contest - "looking for new writers at the front edge of fictional form", deadline: August 30, entry fee: $25, prize: publication plus 10 copies.
George Garrett Fiction Prize - deadline: September 15, entry fee: $20, prize: $200 plus publication by Texas Review Press.
International 3-Day Novel Contest - must write the novel between August 30 and September 1 ONLY, grand prize: publication, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $100.
Julia Ward Howe Book Awards - deadline: January 15, 2009, awards to an adult book and a children's book of any genre, books must be published in 2008, limited to writers who "live, have lived or attended college within 100 miles of Boston," prize: $1000.
Juniper Prize for Fiction - deadline: August 1-September 30, novels, novellas and book-length short story collections accepted, entry fee: $20, prize: $1500 plus publication with University of Massachusetts Press.

Mountain Plains Regional Book Award - deadline: October 1, seeks books published in 2008 that relate in some way to the Mountains and Plains areas of the western US, six award categories, entry form REQUIRED, entry fee: $50, prize: extensive press and promotion campaign for each category winner.
MVP Project 2008 - deadline: September 15- November 1, open to residents in Minnesota or New York City ONLY, entry fee: $20, entry form REQUIRED, prize: (2 to be awarded) $1000 plus a book contract with New Rivers Press.
Paradigm Novel Contest - deadline: July 31, entry fee: $20, prize: $500 plus publication by Rain Farm Press, 3 copies of the book, and feature article in Paradigm art-literary journal.
Ronald Sukenick/American Book Review Innovative Fiction Prize - deadline: August 15-November 1, seeks short story collection, one or more novellas, or novel, writers who have published with co-sponsor Fiction Collective Two are NOT eligible, entry fee: $25, prize: $1000 plus publication with Fiction Collective Two.
Ruthanne Wiley Memorial Novella Contest - deadline: August 1-October 1, entry fee: $25, prize: $1000 plus publication by Cleveland State University.
W.Y. Boyd Literary Award - deadline: December 1, seeks novels published in 2008 set during a period when the US was at war, submissions may come from authors or publishers, entry form REQUIRED, prize: $5000.
Young Lions Fiction Award - deadline: August 25, seeks novels or short story collection published in 2008 by a US citizen 35 or younger, authors and publishers may submit published copies or galley copies of books scheduled to be published in 2008, entry form REQUIRED, prize: $10,000.