I’m interrupting my postings for the Thanksgiving Blog Hop to announce a very exciting contest!
We’re extremely excited to announce an upcoming event where agented authors, industry interns, and editors team up with aspiring writers to shine up their manuscripts and pitches to present to some awesome agents.
Here’s the deets…
· The teams will consist of 1 agented author or industry intern or editor (coaches) and 1 aspiring author.
· November 26: The coaches (listed on the linky below) will post on their blogs what genre/category they want to coach. They’ll be very specific genres. Aspiring writers will hop around and decide which coaches best fit their manuscripts.
· November 26 through December 5 until 8PM EST: Aspiring writers will submit 3 “applications” to their top choices for coaches to the contest email (brendadrakecontests@gmail.com). That means, participants will send three separate emails to the contest email addressing each with one of their three top choices for coach.
· December 5 through December 10: Coaches will read the applications and pick teammates.The coaches don’t have to pick from their applications. If a coach passes on an application, it is then up for grabs and another coach, if they haven’t connected to their applicants, can snatch it after notifying the applicant and if the applicant chooses the coach.
· December 12: Teams will be announced. On the announcement post there will be instructions on how the winners must send their work.
· December 12 through January 16: Each coach will read their teammate’s manuscript and give general notes on any issues they find. The coach will help their teammate get his or her pitches ready for the agent round.
· Note: The material for the agent round will be a 3 sentence pitch and the first 250 words of your manuscript. Coaches will read manuscripts and query letters only once and give notes. It is up to the writer to use the notes from their coaches to get the manuscript and query letter in as best shape as they can to send to requesting agents. The coaches will critique the three sentence pitch and first 250 words. The coaches will read them as many times as they deem necessary. In no way will writers expect the coaches to read the manuscript and query letter more than once or the pitches more than twice.
· January 20: Coaches will submit shined pitches to the contest email.
· January 23 and 24: Agents will read and make requests on the pitches they like (it is likely that not all participants will get requests).
· January 25: We’ll announce the team with the most requests and who will take home the winning prizes (an amazon gift card for each).
· This is open to finished manuscripts only.
· You may only enter one manuscript.
· Only the genres requested by each coach will be considered for the contest.
Formatting…
Subject line: Pitch Wars Application: Coach Name you want to apply for: Title (Example: Pitch Wars Application: Brenda Drake: GONE WITH THE WIND)
Name: Your Name
Genre: The genre of your manuscript
Word Count: The word count of your manuscript
Query letter here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
First five pages of the manuscript here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““
REMINDER: You can send an application for up to 3 coaches.
Our mentors …
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75 Comments
Heidi · November 14, 2012 at 6:28 am
Thanks again for doing this, Brenda. I’m so excited to be a part of it!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:03 pm
I’m so glad you are part of this, too! <3
Kathleen · November 14, 2012 at 6:51 am
Very excited about this!! Can’t wait until the 26th to take a look at what the mentors/coaches are looking for!! Fingers crossed I’ve got what it takes;-)
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Crossing my fingers for you!
Darci Cole · November 14, 2012 at 7:08 am
I CAN NOT WAIT. I’m so excited… I WILL be ready for this!!!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Woot! Woot!
Ryan Dalton · November 14, 2012 at 7:11 am
Sounds like fun! Will definitely submit.
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Happy dance! Good luck!
michelleimason · November 14, 2012 at 7:37 am
Wow! This is amazing! So is that five pages when they’re single-spaced or before you make them single-spaced?
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:02 pm
That is 5 pages doubled space before you make them singled.
Lynn · November 14, 2012 at 7:37 am
How much fun is this?!?! I can’t wait. You’re officially on my calendar…=)
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Yay! Glad to be penned in (not penciled, right? No erasing us!)
Lori M. Lee · November 14, 2012 at 8:11 am
Woohoo! Excited 🙂
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Yay! Me too!
Angelica R. Jackson · November 14, 2012 at 8:13 am
I didn’t realize I follow a lot of these mentors, until my feed was full of post after post for Pitch Wars! It sounds like so much fun, but I’m not quiiite finished with Crow’s Rest. I’ll have to watch from the sidelines.
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Hence the grenade – total blog feed explosion!
Janet B Taylor · November 14, 2012 at 8:27 am
This comment has been removed by the author.
Janet B Taylor · November 14, 2012 at 8:28 am
Wow! This sounds like the coolest thing ever–I am so going for it!
Good luck everyone and thanks to Brenda and the Coaches for giving up their time to help us “Newbies”
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm
We are SO cool … and so are you!
mpenguinn · November 14, 2012 at 8:39 am
I am SO excited for this. What a fun contest 🙂
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:59 pm
It’s going to be TONS of fun!
Stephanie · November 14, 2012 at 8:57 am
Spunds really really awesome…but i know my new manuscript will not be ready in time 🙁
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I say you work 24 hour days until it is – get to it!!!! (You know I’m kidding, right? 12 hours a day would do it.) *grins*
Ink in the Book · November 14, 2012 at 9:10 am
Wow! This is truly a great opportunity for writers:)
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:58 pm
I love stuff like this!
Kristin · November 14, 2012 at 9:50 am
This sounds amazing! Thanks!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:58 pm
You’re welcome!
Robin Delany · November 14, 2012 at 10:32 am
Ooh fun. I’m excited!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Me too!!!!
Carrie-Anne · November 14, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Sounds like a great contest, though I could certainly live without the term “aspiring writer.” That’s one term I’ll never understand, since to me, if you write, and have for a long time, that act makes you a writer, even if you’re not published. Nothing “aspiring” about that!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:57 pm
I guess I meant that the writers are aspiring to get an agent. Sorry if I offended. And this is the part where I pull out the dictionary and get the definition… LOL
as·pire
[uh-spahyuhr] verb (used without object), as·pired, as·pir·ing.
1.
to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, especially for something great or of high value (usually followed by to, after, or an infinitive): to aspire after literary immortality; to aspire to be a doctor.
Shelley Watters · November 14, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Thrilled to be a part of it! Thanks for having me!
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Thanks for doing it!!
Anna · November 14, 2012 at 3:35 pm
You should really indicate which agents are participating. Because otherwise you may end up with writers who have already queried all your participating agents. That would be a waste of the coaches’ time and efforts.
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 9:35 pm
The list will be up by 12/5 we still are waiting on some responses.
Ellie Heller · November 14, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Thanks so much for organizing this. I was just commenting on how slow November was when, bam, I saw this. 🙂
I agree an agent list would be helpful. As I hope to be querying a new piece so that’s less of an issue for me. If not, yep, a list would be uber helpful.
Brenda Drake · November 14, 2012 at 9:35 pm
We’re creating the buzz and getting the writer and their manuscripts ready. The agent list will be up soon.
Ellie Heller · November 15, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Put you up on my contest list for the week! Will highlight it on the blog when I do next weeks post. 🙂
jonyangorg · November 14, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Ack, signing up to be a mentor is over? Will there a be Season 2 of Pitch Wars? #lookingahead Such a fun idea, can’t wait to follow it!
Brenda Drake · November 15, 2012 at 8:46 am
I always do repeat performances for successful contests, so if this is a hit, we’ll do it again.
jonyangorg · November 20, 2012 at 10:50 am
It’s a hit, do it again! (I can see the future)
Marieke · November 15, 2012 at 1:36 am
Yaay, I’m SO excited to be part of this! It’s going to be lotsa fun!
Brenda Drake · November 15, 2012 at 8:46 am
I’m excited you are too! <3
Robin Weeks · November 15, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Wow–so many awesome mentors! How can we possibly pick just three? You guys better be dang specific in what kind of project you’d like to mentor. 🙂
Thanks again, Brenda, for another awesome contest.
Brenda Drake · November 19, 2012 at 10:27 pm
You’re welcome and they should be pretty specific on their likes.
Alex Brown · November 19, 2012 at 11:34 am
This might be a really silly question, buttttttt do we address our query letters to the coaches? Or should it just be a generic query?
Thanks for much for putting this on!!! You rock 🙂
Brenda Drake · November 19, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Oh you might want to and turn up the charm. LOL
Alex Brown · November 20, 2012 at 11:34 am
hahaha done! thanks so much!
Tia · November 19, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Hi there – I know “YA” stands for, but what is MG and NA? Many thanks 🙂
Brenda Drake · November 19, 2012 at 10:28 pm
MG = Middle Grade
NA = New Adult
Tia · November 20, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Thank you :O)
Zoë · November 19, 2012 at 9:46 pm
I know it’s a request for five pages when it’s originally double-spaced, but if I have a novel in verse would I be able to do 5 pages that were single-spaced? Because that’s only 800 words. Not trying to cheat the system, but five pages of a verse novel is really short 🙂 Thanks for organizing such an amazing contest.
Brenda Drake · November 19, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Yes, do that.
Zoë · November 20, 2012 at 6:05 am
Thank you! 🙂
Sandra Wickham · November 20, 2012 at 4:38 pm
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rene Gilley · November 21, 2012 at 3:13 pm
This is wonderful, thank you! I hope I get selected. Do the mentors only chose one author or several?
I’m a new author and am so touched when established authors help out. Authors are a real pay-it-forward group of folks. It’s refreshing!
laurenswrittenword · November 21, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Brenda, you and your contests… they’re a bit amazing, is all 🙂 Excited about this one – very cool concept with the mentoring component. Can’t wait to enter and fingers crossed I get chosen 🙂
Nat · November 25, 2012 at 8:11 am
I am so excited about this! What a fantastic contest; it’s a rare thing to be able to get feedback from industry professionals and this is just so perfect. A real confidence booster for those who win, thank you for making it a possibility!
I do have a question, sorry if it’s been asked – is there a limit on entries (like, only the first 300 people get in)? Or will everyone who submits between the 26th and 5th be considered?
sheri levy · November 26, 2012 at 2:48 pm
I just sent emails to find out about the mentors and after a little research have found your website and all the information needed, Sorry to have bothered you with an email. Am reading mentors wish list today. Thank you for taking so much time to help others. It is very much
appreciated.
Kaelyn · November 27, 2012 at 8:57 pm
This is going to be awesome! So, I just saw on Twitter something about a confirmation email…I submitted all three yesterday and I haven’t gotten one yet. Do I need to be patient or could something have gone wrong?
Brenda Drake · November 27, 2012 at 10:25 pm
If your last name is Christian – I got all three. 🙂
Kaelyn · November 28, 2012 at 7:13 am
It is! Haha. Wonderful, thank you!
quix689 · November 29, 2012 at 11:18 am
I’m sure this is a really stupid question, but I figured I’d rather ask a stupid question than do something wrong, so here go:
Is the five pages before or after we add the space between each paragraph? I know that it’s five double-spaced pages (of 2.5 single-spaced pages), but I wasn’t sure if copied over the pages and then added the space between paragraphs or if we added the spaces and then found the five pages.
Sorry to bother you, but this is the first time that I’ve participated in a contest like this, and I’m a bit paranoid about doing something stupid. 🙂 Thanks! And thanks for creating this awesome contest!
Brenda Drake · November 29, 2012 at 11:57 am
Add the spaces after you copy it over.
quix689 · November 29, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Thank you!
angela · November 30, 2012 at 11:36 pm
Okay, I’m so in! I’ve never done anything like this but I’m so, so, so excited! A big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to help us hopefuls. Did I mention, I’m excited;)
Amanda Salisbury · December 1, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Sorry to be a bother, but not sorry enough to not be!
I submitted and received emails that my submission were wrongly formatted. On my end, both in the original and in the reply emails, the formatting was single spaced with one space between paragraphs. I resubmitted, using plain text.
Will I get some sort of confirmation that they were received with proper formatting?
Thank you ever so much.
Sheri Duff-Merz · December 2, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Okay, stomache in knots. Wondering why I sent. But then I’m so excited that I did. Wait. Can I have it back. No keep it. This is how it is every time I send out a query. Thank you for doing this. Excited but scared.
If you could just tell me why we do this to ourselves…
Thanks again.
Sheri
PS I think I may need to post this 3 times as I sent out 3. Feeling sick again.
Racheal Mcgillivary · December 5, 2012 at 3:35 pm
I just re-read the formatting and realized I had indents! OH NO! I won’t be cast out will I? I did everything else right. I feel stupid now. Thank you for putting this together. I appreciate this awesome opportunity. 🙂
Racheal
Brenda Drake · December 5, 2012 at 10:14 pm
No problem. It was put through.
Racheal Mcgillivary · December 6, 2012 at 8:35 pm
*phew* Thank you! 🙂
Erinn · December 5, 2012 at 6:02 pm
How many people can a mentor pick for her team?
Brenda Drake · December 5, 2012 at 10:14 pm
One, and two alternates in case the one drops out.
Ryan Holmes · December 6, 2012 at 6:49 am
Any idea how many pitches were received? It would be nice to gauge the competition. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity.
Donna Barker · December 11, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Is this the right place to find out the teams? Will chosen mentees get an email or have to search out their mentor?
Comments are closed.