Gather is very pleased to announce the next generation of First Chapters: The Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition. On August 1, we’ll launch this new competition in conjunction with Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books imprint and Borders. This unique opportunity will enable one talented Gather member to win a guaranteed publishing contract, along with a $5000 cash advance!
Here’s How It Works: From August 1 through August 22, aspiring romance writers will have the opportunity to submit a full-length romantic fiction manuscript for consideration. Over the course of the competition, authors will post chapter one of their manuscripts in the First Chapters Romance Group. These chapters will be rated by the Gather community and the Gather Editorial Team, and five finalists will be selected through two rounds of voting. (See our new voting guidelines.) One Grand Prize Winner will then be chosen for publication by a panel of judges.
So are you an unpublished author who’s passionate about getting your romance novel into bookstores? Well, put away your unrequited query letters and enter The Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition. For those of you who don’t have a romance novel at the ready, readers are needed, too! In the weeks to come, you can join other romance lovers and writers to help read and rate the entries. Who deserves their big break? YOU can help decide.
If you’re not into romance, stay tuned for another First Chapters announcement very soon.
Program Details:
Submission Period: August 1 – August 22, 2007
From August 1 through August 22, romance authors can post the chapter one of their manuscripts in the First Chapters Romance Group, and email their full manuscripts to romancenovel@gatherinc.com.
Round 1 Voting: August 27 – September 18, 2007
Reading and voting on entrants’ first chapters officially begins on August 27. At the end of the Round 1 voting period, 25 writers will advance to the next round of the competition – 15 based on the most “10” ratings from Gather members, and 10 selected by the Gather Editorial Team. Votes cast before August 27 or after September 18 will not be considered. The 25 semifinalists will be announced on September 24.
Round 2: September 24 – October 8, 2007
The 25 remaining novelists will post their second chapters in the First Chapters Romance Group, where the Gather community and Editorial Team will narrow the pool down to five finalists. The five finalists will be announced on October 11.
Round 3: October 11 – October 30, 2007
The judging panel will review the complete manuscripts of the five finalists and select the Grand Prize-winning author.
Grand Prize Winner Announced: October 30, 2007
The Grand Prize Judging Panel:
· Maggie Crawford, Editorial Director, Pocket Books
· Lauren McKenna, Editor, Pocket Books
· Sue Grimshaw, Romance Buyer, Borders Group, Inc.
· Tom Gerace, Founder & CEO, Gather.com
For More Information, Read Our:
Eligibility & Submission Guidelines
Official Rules & Regulations
Voting Guidelines
Competition Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Member Support at support@gather.com
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Comments: 69
Here we go, writers!
We do have our own editorial staff combing through entries and advancing those that we find that might have slipped through the cracks. Some of the entries that advance are selected by our editorial team (see the detailed rules described above).
The good news is that our community did a terrific job. Our editors save a few from the pile as well along the way. And Simon and Schuster was so impressed with the quality of the writing Gatherers found, they picked and are publishing two winners from our first competition.
angelsamongus.gather.com,
etceteraetcetera.gather.com, and
gathersstars.gather.com
as I know many readers would be interested in this
announcement
and I'd like to feature it as well! Great idea....
I can't wait to read the submissions!
At the end of the Round 1 voting period, 25 writers will advance to the next round of the competition – 15 based on the most "10" ratings from Gather members, and 10 selected by the Gather Editorial Team.
Terry and Geoffrey have already sold me on their books with their synopses, so eventually you'll want to do another novel contest. It's a bigger audience. I'm still thinking that voting doesn't always bring out the best work, though. A fan base already set here on Gather will advance even the worst work.
Good luck to all the contestants. Your writing will always improve.
In reading the rules, it appears the author who can get the most people here to give then a ten will reign victorious. Why not label it a contest for that instead of a writing contest? That way...you could go straight to the Gather editorial team to select their ten, and eliminate the author's family, friends and supporters popularity portion of it.
And, as Tom mentions in his comment above, the Editorial Team balances out what the community has chosen by selecting entries that are worthy of publishing, but may not have as many votes.
Ian - Thanks. I hope you like the book!
It doesn't have to.....but why wouldn't it?
I participated in the FirstChapters contest until the final round; I have to say that while there were some mean-spirited people who made personal attacks, it was an exhilarating, enlightening experience on the whole.
I didn't win because my book wasn't ready for the modern reader market; it didn't conform to the rules, had many adverbs, told instead of showing. I could whine that the editors/readers just didn't get my style. OR I could change my style to meet the guidelines. I choose to do the latter. It's the only way to get published.
I also believe Simon & Schuster picked the right winners in the last Chapters contest. Because a book doesn't sell on merit alone. It also requires extensive promotion. The two winners (Terry & Jeff) met both the merit and marketing criteria.
I think the right choices will be made again with this new contest.
And Judi, you better enter!!
Thanks for the plug, Geeta, and if I enter, it will be with a different story.
To those who call romance novels the little pink books - do I HAVE to get my RWA statistics out again? (Romance Writers of America - who is holding their annual conference as we speak in Dallas, TX, which is where I'm emailing from as I get ready for our "Oscar" night - called the Ritas and Golden Hearts (pubbed and unpubbed, respectively)? )
Romance is 51% of the fiction market place. It's a BILLION - not million, but billion - dollar annual industry. There are almost 10,000 members of RWA and many more romance writers who haven't yet joined.
Check out the stats on my website: JudiFennell.com and feel free to browse around. An excerpt from Beauty and The Best is there.
Best of luck to all who compete!
the thing is if I coached someone it would be unfair...
(for sure it would rise to much a higher calibre and also be unfair).
But if I told the proficiency of any writing, in a way acceptable and not prejudical, it would be of help and eye opener...
Geeta - it is a Romantic One, though its dramas are more on the social aspect...( she placed among the best/not bad hehehe...)
Concept, structuring, and writing of the plot could be of different thing....
The Problem in ROMANCE is how can one author make a romance of the STONE...
I'll spy...
Daniella O. is somehow right... not all ROMANCE novel is romantic, and she knows the answer. The author is just ''romanticizing''.
I think Romance should be flowing.... like my short and simple poem CALLING OF THE WINDS.
See article!
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976962353
and tell me about its romanticism...
Nice initial proffer from gather... ( $50 BORDERS gift Card), it could be my favourite things...( hope international members could avail).
Glad I read about it from KRISTEN...
This just really bugs me. I have no horse in this race; I'd like to rate entries honestly. But now you're telling me that it only counts if I give someone a 10?
For those of you who indicate you are not Romance Writers, you may want to check out another similar writing contest that was just announced by Bookwise. They are accepting entries in all genres and the 1st place prize includes a contract, cash and other goodies. I was going to give you the website, but it was just announced last night and it looks like it isn't even on the website yet. I will publish the details in a separate article or you can email me via gather or directly at Sharilee@AmericaTakingAction.com. I'll go get my notes and post the article now.
(Just wondering because I have been hopping back on here every day, and no one is answering if there will be another contest for the other genres.)
I just wanted to stop by since I am finally going through what is now listed as under 5,200 pieces of gather new mail that is sitting in my inbox on here.
With that mentioned I just came across either a mailing from you yourself, or someone else brought this piece to my attention. You or they felt that your creation should be shared with the gather community, which I am very glad that it was passed on to me to view. So I wanted to say Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to publish it here on gather for us to all view. :o)
As well before I leave you I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)