Can you hook a teen? Blogfest Contest…prizes by Teen Eyes Editorial Services

It’s time for another blogfest contest! The summer is nearing its end, kids are back to school, and agents are starting to accept queries again. So how about we kick off the querying process and have a contest to see if you can hook a teen reader? There was such a great response to my book girls’ contest that I thought I’d do one with some talented teen editors at Teen Eyes Editorial Services who critique and edit as a business.

If you follow Miss Snark’s First Victim blog (which if you aren’t, you should be), she gave the girls a shout out and recommendation here.


Teen Eyes Website Teen Eyes is the editorial service for your YA manuscript. We bring a dual perspective that your critique partners and beta readers may not have: we are the age demographic of your future target audience–teens–as well as experienced writers ourselves. Both are avid readers of every genre, and we pride ourselves on our quick turnaround on submitted manuscripts.

Here’s a bit about our judges . . .

About Kate: Kate has completed eight novels to date. Her fifth novel, tentatively titled LIKE CLOCKWORK, won the 2010 PUSH Novel Contest. It is currently undergoing revisions with Jody Corbett at Scholastic Press. She is represented by Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh & Otis. In addition to having extensive experience as a freelance editor, Kate worked as an intern at Scholastic Press where she read many (agented and unagented) submissions. She now works as an intern at Deseret Books. She is 18 years old and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kate loves all things fantasy, contemporary, and middle grade. To learn more about her, visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

About Taryn: As of July 2011, Taryn has completed eleven novels. They range from YA contemporary to fantasy to YA thrillers to everything in between. She is a kidlit intern with a nationally renown literary agency where she reads lots and lots of manuscripts. Also 18, Taryn lives in Seattle but attends college in Kentucky where she is triple-majoring in English, Creative Writing, and Latin.

If you have a dystopian, mystery, or thriller novel, Taryn would love to check it out. Other elements she enjoys in books include sports, female-empowerment, and re-done myths.

Visit her website or follow her on Twitter to learn more.

Here’s the rules . . .

On September 21st and 22nd post the first 250 words of your young adult or middle grade manuscript on your blog (you may skip this part, if you wish), and then hop around to each others’ blogs and give critiques. By midnight on September 23rd post your entry in the comments of the official contest post, which I will have up on September 21st so you can post anytime from then until midnight on September 23rd. It’s going to be midnight my time (Mountain Standard Time). I’ll have how you should enter your entry on the official post.

Here’s the prizes . . .

The winner will receive a $50 editing gift certificate and two runners up will receive a $25 editing gift certificate each from Teen Eyes Editorial Services. Check out all the cool services you can purchase here.

As always, you don’t have to follow me here or on twitter or spread the word to win, but I’d love it if you did. All you have to do is enter your first 250 words and sign up on the linky below. That’s it. Easy peasy.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now!

Categories: Misc

66 Comments

Jolene Perry · September 7, 2011 at 1:24 pm

This is SUCH a fabulous idea!!

I SO wish I’d gotten started writing that young! How awesome 😀

I’ll totally pass this contest around!!

Donna Hatch · September 7, 2011 at 1:30 pm

I’m so excited!!! I have a YA dystopian that really needs a pair of teen eyes. Can’t wait to get this started!

Kristin Baker Przybyla · September 7, 2011 at 2:28 pm

Thanks to Jolene passing it on, I’m entering too!

Kate Coursey · September 7, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Thanks so much for doing this for us! We really appreciate it :).

Melodie · September 7, 2011 at 5:06 pm

These young women are fantabulous!! I interviewed them on my blog earlier this summer after winning a critique by Taryn. She did wonders for my MS…you’ll be in great hands. Am off to tweet this and get the word out!

Jamie Grey · September 7, 2011 at 5:17 pm

Wow – what a great contest! Thanks so much for offering it. I’ll be telling everyone about it 🙂

Robin Weeks · September 7, 2011 at 7:09 pm

I can’t resist your contests! You have such cool ones! 🙂

Riley Redgate · September 7, 2011 at 7:21 pm

Oh, wow! I’d love some (fellow) teen eyes. You guys are shrewd businesswomen indeed… =P

Brenda Drake · September 7, 2011 at 7:44 pm

Yay! I’m so glad to see you guys joining – We’re going to have lots of fun! <3

Jamie McHenry · September 7, 2011 at 8:25 pm

You did it again. Should be a great contest!

erica m. chapman · September 7, 2011 at 8:48 pm

Awesome idea!! You have the best blogfests, darlin ;o)

Roland D. Yeomans · September 7, 2011 at 10:08 pm

Victor Standish, my YA urban fantasy hero, will be there for me. Sounds like fun! Roland

Louisa · September 7, 2011 at 11:50 pm

What a great idea guys! Thanks

Elizabeth Light · September 8, 2011 at 5:15 am

This sounds great! I can’t wait to get started!

Michael Di Gesu · September 8, 2011 at 5:38 am

Hi, Brenda,

Another great blogfest…. YAY! This is awesome. I’ll look forward to see what these girls have to say.

Vicki Tremper · September 8, 2011 at 7:26 am

Another awesome blogfest/contest, Brenda!

1000th.monkey · September 8, 2011 at 8:54 am

Sounds like a lot of fun! I look forward to reading everyone else’s 🙂

The Golden Eagle · September 8, 2011 at 12:31 pm

It sounds awesome! I’m looking forward to seeing what people post. 🙂

Lisa Gail Green · September 8, 2011 at 2:52 pm

What a COOL concept!!! I love it and I might just have to check out that site!

Jamie Corrigan · September 8, 2011 at 4:16 pm

Another awesome contest! I’m so glad I’m almost done revising! Can’t wait to see what the girls have to say!! 🙂

Karen lee Hallam · September 8, 2011 at 4:37 pm

You can’t beat Teen Eyes, looking at your story. I will certainly pass this around.

Scribbling Scarlet · September 8, 2011 at 8:22 pm

Great idea! Can’t wait to hear the feedback. Thnx!

Rachel Dillon · September 8, 2011 at 9:23 pm

Wonderful! Great Timing! Thanks for the opportunity!

ladonna watkins · September 8, 2011 at 10:45 pm

Thanks. Great idea.

Shallee · September 9, 2011 at 8:59 am

Fun contest! I love the Teen Eyes girls. 🙂

Karen Adair · September 9, 2011 at 12:15 pm

What fun!!! Can’t wait for the 21st!

Kaleen · September 9, 2011 at 1:28 pm

Thanks so much for hosting this. 🙂

Megan Conway · September 9, 2011 at 2:02 pm

Sweet! Thanks for the contest.

Nicole Settle · September 9, 2011 at 4:35 pm

Thanks for hosting the blogfest. It sounds like a great one!

justjess · September 10, 2011 at 7:22 am

I’m in! Thanks for hosting; this sounds great.

Jani · September 10, 2011 at 11:09 am

It sounds like we’ll be having lots of fun. Looking forward to it.

Julie Daines · September 12, 2011 at 9:12 am

Cool contest! Thanks!

Brenda Drake · September 12, 2011 at 9:24 am

So excited that you all are participating – I can’t wait to read all the entries! <3

Kate Larkindale · September 12, 2011 at 11:39 am

Sounds like a good one!

Thanks.

Alison Miller · September 12, 2011 at 4:09 pm

Awesome contest! I’ll be sure to stop back!

erica and christy · September 13, 2011 at 7:50 pm

Super! Thanks a lot, christy

carrieannebrownian · September 14, 2011 at 11:26 am

I’m sure I’ll be in the minority yet again for writing (20th century) historical fiction, but it sounds like a good opportunity.

jennykellerford · September 15, 2011 at 7:32 am

Wow! this is awesome! for a writer of YA fantasy, this is exactly what I’m looking for. fab contest, as usual. Thank you for the opportunity.

jennifermeaton · September 15, 2011 at 7:57 pm

Here we go again! The teen comments on my first 250 words from the last contest sent my first few pages into a whirlwind. Let’s see how they landed!

Brenda Drake · September 16, 2011 at 9:04 am

Yay! I’m so glad you all are joining up! I can’t wait to read everyone’s stuff, and since I have no judge responsibilities or other stuff going on, I’ll actually get to hop around the blogs and comment this time. <3

Escape Artist · September 16, 2011 at 9:10 pm

Those two girls are amazing!

Tracey J · September 19, 2011 at 3:46 pm

What a great opportunity. Thanks for hosting.

Ebyss · September 20, 2011 at 6:35 am

Cool contest. Sounds like a lot of fun and great experience.

Forbiddenhero · September 20, 2011 at 2:28 pm

Is 250 the limit on words, or can we put a few more in? I have a little under 300 words in what’ll be my entry, and if I cut it short, I’ll have a slightly confusing end to my entry.

Brenda Drake · September 20, 2011 at 3:30 pm

The limit is 250 words, but please don’t cut off a sentence. If 250 words ends in the middle of a sentence, then please go to the end of the sentence within reason.

@ Forbidden – 300 words is too much for this contest. Don’t worry about it making sense, it’s just to see if you have the voice and can catch the teens in those first crucial words.

Forbiddenhero · September 20, 2011 at 4:37 pm

Okay. I’ll just put it back a little then and hope for the best. I’ll be waiting for your update, with anxious fingers.

Jennifer Groepl · September 21, 2011 at 4:54 am

Sounds like fun! I can’t wait to read all the entries. 🙂

Jonathon Arntson · September 21, 2011 at 6:37 am

This is my first first 250 contest. I have always shied away from them because I haven’t been able to whittle enough words. This time, though, I hunkered down and chopped, chopped, chopped.

Thanks for hosting!

ScottTheWriter · September 21, 2011 at 12:46 pm

This seems like a great contest. I hope that my book is eligible for consideration.

Kelly Weaver · September 21, 2011 at 5:37 pm

Thank you for the opportunity to share my new project Brenda. I look forward to hearing what the target audience has to say.

REINHARDT! · September 21, 2011 at 7:39 pm

Thank you for hosting this contest. It’ll be fun to read everyone’s entries!

Donna Galanti · September 21, 2011 at 8:08 pm

great blog contest! Thanks for putting this on. Now on to reading everyone’s entry!

Written Words · September 21, 2011 at 8:35 pm

I may have made a mistake in my entry. I put the basic URL for my blog. The sample from my book is at this address:
http://scottswrittenwords.blogspot.com/p/sample-bones-of-earth.html

Is it possible for you to change that?

Jenny Kaczorowski · September 21, 2011 at 9:36 pm

Thanks for doing this!

Jess · September 21, 2011 at 10:48 pm

This is great! I’ll be sure to tell others. 🙂

Marilyn Almodóvar · September 22, 2011 at 4:53 am

What a superb idea!

Mandy P. · September 22, 2011 at 5:13 am

Thanks so much for the contest! Very cool!!

Fiona Claire · September 22, 2011 at 5:57 am

I would join in the fun but have already gotten my Teen Eyes Editorial. Would like to offer another glowing endorsement, tho. I am a VERY satisfied customer. Kate is a fabulous 40-year-old editor in an 18-year-old body!

ali cross · September 22, 2011 at 10:47 am

How fun! I love Kate and TEEN EYES!!

Can we enter more than one story?

K.T. Crowley · September 22, 2011 at 12:03 pm

Exciting! Thanks for the fabulous contest and thanks to the judges as well!

donna galanti · September 23, 2011 at 8:31 am

This is fun! I have enjoyed reading entries. Now we have to submit our entry here in this comment section before midnight? Was wondering if accurate as I didnt see any other entries here…and do we post a changed entry based on the feedback we got? (If we did decide to change)

Brenda Drake · September 23, 2011 at 1:58 pm

@ Donna Galanti – Yes, this is the wrong post. Please post your entry here: http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-on-can-you-hook-teen-blogfest.html

If I don’t see yours on the official entry post, I’ll move it later, somehow. I did send you a direct message by Twitter.

Sorry for the confusion!

REMINDER TO ALL: Please don’t post entries here – go to the post dated 9/21/11

Okay, it was fun reading everyone’s entries. If I missed yours, I’m sorry. There were several that weren’t up when I went through making comments. Let me know if I did because I love reading your work.

Thanks for joining in on the fun! <3

Sher A. Hart · September 23, 2011 at 5:56 pm

I read this before traveling and totally forgot until I got home and saw it on twitter just now. Too late to do the linky list and critique part. I hope that doesn’t disqualify me. I did post my entry in the contest blog. I’m taking brain donations, if you have extra.

Donna Hatch · September 23, 2011 at 7:23 pm

Do you have an idea of win the winners will be announced? And will you contact the winners on their blog or do we need to keep checking back here?

Yeah, I’m soooo nervous!

Brenda Drake · September 23, 2011 at 9:19 pm

@ Sher, you don’t have to do the blogfest part, so entry is good.

@ Donna, the winners will be announced on my blog on Monday. I will also contact the winners.

donna galanti · September 25, 2011 at 1:41 am

Brenda, Sorry, I just saw this and sorry I couldnt find the official contest link to post my entry in the right location. Thanks for hosting a great contest!