Introduction
This is a friendly, in-family
contest, intended to encourage VIC-RWA members to write and submit work,
and to
help them develop their skills. This is a good place for
beginners to try
their wings as well as for the experienced to reach high.
There is no submission fee. Entries will be submitted in paper format. Experienced judges (at least 2 published) will judge each entry and provide detailed feedback.
Who may enter
The contest is open to all VIC
members in good standing who have been unpublished in book-length
romance
fiction for the last ten years. “Unpublished” is judged by
VIC standards
rather than RWA® National standards – i.e., if VIC has awarded a rose,
the
member is “published” for the purposes of the contest.
The contest is for book-length
works of fiction, not short stories. The book need not be a
pure
“romance” but must have a sufficient romantic element that it would
qualify for
entry in RWA’s Golden Heart® contest (for information on Golden Heart
categories, see www.rwanational.org)
or other RWA chapter contests. For example, a
romantic suspense is
eligible; a mystery or thriller with no romance is not
eligible. The
intent of the contest is to be as inclusive as possible. If
you have any
doubts as to whether your manuscript qualifies, check with the contest
coordinator rather than assuming that it doesn’t meet the requirements.
A member may enter one manuscript only. S/he may enter a manuscript that’s been entered in other contests and/or submitted to a publisher or agent.
Contest Requirements
The entry is a “novel
beginning” – i.e., the opening pages of the book.
Submit 2000 words
(approximately 8 double-spaced manuscript pages) from the beginning of
the
novel. Ten percent over or under will be forgiven, but words in excess
of 10%
over will not be read, and marks will be docked. Entries must
be
double-spaced. In terms of judging format, the judges will be
as lenient
as most editors are. The major factor is how easy the entry
is to read
and how close it is to standard submission guidelines. Marks
will be lost
for unacceptable presentation.
It is not necessary to
complete a scene for it to be judged fairly. The judges are
looking more
for a sense of the characters and situation, for instant energy and
interest
for the novel opening and story concept.
Also submit a synopsis no
longer than 500 words (i.e., 2 pages). The judges will mark
the synopsis
for the sense of a book being possible. It will only be a
small
percentage of the marks.
The author’s name must not
appear anywhere on the entry. The header of each page of the
entry should
set out the title of the book, the target market and/or line (e.g.,
“long
contemporary” or “long contemporary – Harlequin Superromance”), and the
page
number (of the entry, not the page number in the book
itself). The author
must provide a separate sheet with her name, the title of the book, and
whether
she is a first time entrant in this contest.
There are no submission
categories.
Contest entries are
anonymous. The cover page will not go to the judges, and the
Coordinator
will not in any other way identify the entrant to the judges.
Submit four copies of the entry in paper format.
Format
- a single sheet with your name, the book’s title, and whether you are a first time entrant
- 4 copies of the opening pages of your novel up to 2000 words (a romance or novel with romantic elements), double-spaced, with each page header setting out the title, target market and/or line, and page number
- 4 copies of a synopsis up to 500 words
Deadline
The deadline for entries is the regular chapter meeting in November, usually the second Saturday.
Judging
The judges will use a scoring
system based on a total possible score of
100 points. As well, judges are encouraged to write comments
on the manuscript itself or on the score sheet. Any judge
questions will be directed to
the coordinator.
Results/awards
The results will be announced
at the annual Valentine’s Day luncheon.
First Prize - VIC contest trophy
and $50 Canadian towards a Golden Heart entry fee
All entrants - A flower for courage
Good Luck!