writingbabe.com

I got an e-mail yesterday from a writing friend of mine, Karen McQuestion, forwarding information on the second annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition. Beginning February 2, 2009, Amazon will accept unpublished novel manuscripts. The contest closes February 8 or when 10,000 manuscripts have been received, whichever comes first. Follow the link to find all the rules for the contest, as well as information on the success stories that came out of the 2008 competition.

This contest is credible in a way many aren’t. There’s good news on both ends of the process. First, there’s no fee for participating. I understand why many contests have fees, but they definitely keep me from competing. I feel guilty putting money into a contest–like I’m playing the lottery. I’d rather submit pieces for publication.

Which brings me to the good news at the end of the Amazon competition: the grand prize is a contract with Penguin to publish the winning manuscript, and a $25,000 advance. So if you’ve got a complete novel, or can finish revisions before February 2, it seems like a great opportunity.

Did you participate in Amazon’s competition last year? If so, share your experiences in comments. I’d also like to hear your opinions on competitions with fees. Do you participate? How often do you pay to participate? And have you had any successes with contests?

Also check out Karen’s website and blog. Karen writes novels and humorous essays, and keeps a warm and funny blog on her site. To get a flavor of her writing, check out her essay, “When Joe McCarthy came for Thanksgiving,” in the November 27 issue of the Chicago Tribune.