American Title V
From RT E-mail Newsletter:
"You may have noticed that we announced in the June issue that the American Title contest would be ending. However, due to popular demand, we talked Dorchester into sponsoring the contest for another year so the AMERICAN TITLE COMPETITION WILL CONTINUE.
Dorchester is currently accepting submissions so polish your manuscripts. To enter, send the first three chapters (no more than 50 pages), a two- to seven-page synopsis and a cover letter (aka query letter) to American Title Contest, Dorchester Publishing, 200 Madison Ave., Suite 2000, N.Y., NY 10016. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 15, 2008.
For American Title V anything goes: historical, paranormal, time-travel, futuristic, romantic suspense, romantic urban fantasy. The only thing we're *not* looking for are straight contemporaries, young adult or women's fiction.
Your manuscript must be completed prior to entering and run between 80,000-90,000 words. Finalists must agree to participate in each of the five competition rounds and must submit copy for ALL five categories by August 15, 2008.
The winner will receive a publishing contract with Dorchester."
*****************
AMERICAN TITLE FAQ ANSWERED BY DORCHESTER
What does "unpublished" mean?
Any author whose work has not been printed as a book may enter the contest. For example:
• If you have been e-published, you're eligible.
• If you have had short stories or anything under 30,000 words appear in a magazine or anthology, you would still be eligible.
• If you wrote a 45,000-word story that was published in print as a stand-alone book, you are not eligible for this contest.
What formatting should I use?
Dorchester does not have any formatting requirements other than that pages are typed, double-spaced, legible and unbound.
How long should the first three chapters be?
We request that the first three chapters not exceed 50 pages. If your book starts with a Prologue, please include that and then the first two chapters.
How do you calculate your word count?
If the manuscript is written in a standard font, our word count requirement generally means it will run about 340-400 pages. Your computer can help give you a rough estimate of what constitutes 80,000-90,000 words, but we won't be tallying them up exactly when the entries come in.
May I enter more than one title?
No. Before we have allowed multiple entries, but since you can only final for one, we now request that you send only one submission.
"You may have noticed that we announced in the June issue that the American Title contest would be ending. However, due to popular demand, we talked Dorchester into sponsoring the contest for another year so the AMERICAN TITLE COMPETITION WILL CONTINUE.
Dorchester is currently accepting submissions so polish your manuscripts. To enter, send the first three chapters (no more than 50 pages), a two- to seven-page synopsis and a cover letter (aka query letter) to American Title Contest, Dorchester Publishing, 200 Madison Ave., Suite 2000, N.Y., NY 10016. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 15, 2008.
For American Title V anything goes: historical, paranormal, time-travel, futuristic, romantic suspense, romantic urban fantasy. The only thing we're *not* looking for are straight contemporaries, young adult or women's fiction.
Your manuscript must be completed prior to entering and run between 80,000-90,000 words. Finalists must agree to participate in each of the five competition rounds and must submit copy for ALL five categories by August 15, 2008.
The winner will receive a publishing contract with Dorchester."
*****************
AMERICAN TITLE FAQ ANSWERED BY DORCHESTER
What does "unpublished" mean?
Any author whose work has not been printed as a book may enter the contest. For example:
• If you have been e-published, you're eligible.
• If you have had short stories or anything under 30,000 words appear in a magazine or anthology, you would still be eligible.
• If you wrote a 45,000-word story that was published in print as a stand-alone book, you are not eligible for this contest.
What formatting should I use?
Dorchester does not have any formatting requirements other than that pages are typed, double-spaced, legible and unbound.
How long should the first three chapters be?
We request that the first three chapters not exceed 50 pages. If your book starts with a Prologue, please include that and then the first two chapters.
How do you calculate your word count?
If the manuscript is written in a standard font, our word count requirement generally means it will run about 340-400 pages. Your computer can help give you a rough estimate of what constitutes 80,000-90,000 words, but we won't be tallying them up exactly when the entries come in.
May I enter more than one title?
No. Before we have allowed multiple entries, but since you can only final for one, we now request that you send only one submission.
posted at 12:34 PM
18 Comments:
Woo hoo!
I LOVE reading the American Title entries.
I'm not really across the American Title competition. Can someone please post some submission criteria/rules or a link to more info (other than the details provided above)? Particularly the four-round process... what does that involve?Is the comp only for stories set in the US?
Many thanks (and sorry, I'm a newcomer to RT.)
Hannah,
It is like American Idol except with manuscripts. Each round has a theme like "first kiss" etc and then readers vote. The manuscripts with the most votes go to the next round.
The stories are set all over (many of the past historicals were based in England) and the entries are from all over also (Canada, Australia, etc)
The folks on the forum would be more helpful than I am.
Hi Hannah et. al.:
It's Liz French from RT.
Once contestants are chosen by Dorchester -- typically they select 10 finalists -- they compete in a five-round contest.
the rounds of competition are: first line; hero and heroine; story summary; dialogue scene; romantic scene.
Each round of entries is published in RT, and readers vote online for their favorite. The two contestants w/the lowest amount of votes are eliminated.
The manuscript does not have to be set in the U.S.--it doesn't even have to be set on EARTH! But the manuscript must be complete and must follow all the guidelines listed above -- AND be selected by Dorchester first.
Hope this answers your questions.
Liz
Thanks Liz & Kimber - that does help. Very much. Sounds like a great challenge. I'm in.
What if you have an ebook that's also available as POD. Does that count as a printed standalone book?
Hi Karen,
I forwarded your question to Dorchester and they replied that if you are published in POD format, you are not eligible.
Natalie
Web Manager
This is soooo cool. Can you have submitted your manuscript somewhere (aka "it's sitting in a slush pile somewhere") or can you continue to shop it on your own while it's entered in the American Title contest?
I'm betting not, but since it wasn't spelled out.... figured I'd ask ;)
Per Dorchester, if you are chosen as a finalist, you'll have to withdraw the material from anyone else who may be looking it at and give Dorchester an exclusive for the duration of the contest.
Natalie,
Web Manager
RT BOOKreviews
I'm a bit biased ;) but I love the American Title contest and think everyone eligible should enter!!!
I have a question. I have a manuscript that was published by a small firm that went out of business within a few months after it was released. It was released in ebook and print format for that short time. (POD)
Is it eligible for this contest?
Thank you,
Anita Whiting
Hi Anita,
PODs are not eligible, sorry.
Natalie
Web Manager
RT BOOKreviews
Considering that June 15th falls on a Sunday (Father's day) will you still be accepting entries that arive on Monday, June 16th?
Submissions arriving on June 16th will be accepted.
Natalie,
Do you know when they expect to notify finalists? I've been trying to find that information but haven't been able to. Thanks!
Hi Kim,
There is no exact date for finalists notifications, but from our magazine deadlines I can see that the latest would be mid August.
Best,
Natalie
Hey, I'm one of the eight finalists! Let me tell you what a nail-biting thrill ride this has been. Waiting to hear if you've made it through to the next round, connecting with people who've taken the time to visit your web site, learning about self-promotion . . . and y'all thought writing the book was the hard part. Hah! It's tough, but in a good way. I'm competing against a very talented and wonderful group of writers. I'm sure every last one of us will be published at some point . . . It's not a matter of "if," it's a matter of "when." (My mantra.)
Barbara Longley
American Title V finalist/TRUE TO THE HIGHLANDER
www.barbaralongley.com
Hi,
Instrutions read no "straight" contemp. YA, etc. If my book is a YA, but also a romance and paranormal (witch), can I submit it?
Post a Comment
<< Home