Eligibility
Q: Who is eligible to enter the Colorado Gold Rush Literary Contest?
A: Unpublished writers are eligible.
Q: Who is not eligible?
A: Any writer who has self-published or has traditionally published a novel-length work of fiction.
Q: Can I enter if I have an agent?
A: Yes.
Q: Do I have to be a member of RMFW to enter?
A: No. Members and non-members are equally welcome.
Q: Can I still win if I don’t attend the conference?
A: Yes. Your prize money and certificate will be mailed to you after the banquet.
Q: I’ve had a memoir published through a traditional press. Am I eligible?
A: Yes. Our contest is concerned with fiction.
Q: I’ve published several short stories in anthologies. Can I enter with my novel?
A: Yes. The only restriction is if you’ve had novel-length fiction published.
Q: Can I enter a manuscript that won in a different contest?
A: Yes. But if your manuscript won its category in a prior Colorado Gold/Gold Rush contest, you cannot enter it again.
Submitting
Q: Can I enter the best chapters from my novel?
A: No. You must enter the FIRST 3,000 words. If these words are not the best, make them the best.
Q: Should my book be finished before I enter the contest?
A: It is recommended, but it isn’t required.
Q: I already sent in my manuscript but have made some changes to it. Can I resubmit?
A: Sorry, no. Our goal is to mimic the professional submission process as closely as possible. There are no do-overs there, or here. You may, however, remove your manuscript from consideration by emailing contest@rmfw.org, prior to the contest deadline (midnight, May 1st), and then resubmit a completely new entry. Bear in mind, entry fees for removed submissions will not be refunded or applied to other entries. In short, double-check everything before you hit “send.”
Formatting
Q: Can I use any type of font?
A: No. The Colorado Gold Rush Literary Awards Contest requires a 12-point Times New Roman font.
Q: My chapter ends beyond the allowable word count. Can I submit the whole chapter?
A: No. Contest rules stipulate a 3,000-word limit for the manuscript. Judges will not read beyond that point. It’s best to stop at the end of the last full sentence before you hit the 3,000-word mark. Some find it useful to tweak/rewrite in order to include an important story moment and still stay within the limit.
Q: What if my synopsis runs past the word count?
A: The FULL STORY must be told within the stipulated 250-word limit. Judges will not read beyond that point. If your synopsis runs long, crucial story elements could get missed, which could prevent you from hitting synopsis benchmarks. You can find great tips on writing a synopsis here: https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/
Please note, your submission may be returned to you if we encounter formatting errors that make the entry difficult to work with.
Judging
Q: What are the judges’ qualifications?
A: All of our judges are experienced writers. Many are published, have placed or won in contests, and/or work as professional editors. All are experienced in the methods of critique, and all are members in good standing with RMFW.
Q: What if I don’t like what the judges have to say?
A: You might be disappointed by the feedback you receive. As with all professional critiques, the comments provided are opinions and suggestions, not absolute truths. Successful writers often hear positive and negative things about their writing. The key is to remember that it’s all part of being a professional. Try not to take comments personally.
Q: What do I get for the entry fee?
A: Your pages will be read and evaluated by two judges who have been asked to provide brief comments about missed and hit benchmarks. Some judges make comments only on the evaluation, others also mark the manuscript and synopsis.
Q: What do I get for the critique fee?
A: Instead of providing brief comments, the two judges have been asked to go into more detail about the submission’s strengths and weaknesses, and to also give suggestions for strengthening the work.
Q: How are the finalists determined?
A: Entries are evaluated based on a list of storytelling benchmarks. The entries that successfully hit the most benchmarks become the finalists.
Post-Contest
Q: It’s September and I haven’t heard from anyone. Does this mean I didn’t final?
A: Yes. Our aim is to notify the finalists in mid-August. If that deadline changes, we will announce it on the contest page of our website and on our other media.
Q: If I didn’t final, when can I see my feedback?
A: The committee will review and return your entry as quickly as possible once the finalists are announced.
Q: What if my judged entry and feedback did not arrive?
A: If you don’t get your manuscript pages and evaluation back via email, and you cannot locate them in your spam, contact us and we’ll track them down for you.
More questions? Email us at contest@rmfw.org.
Contest Eligibility and Guidelines | Contest FAQ | Contest Home
Call for Judges | Judging Benchmarks | Previous Contest Winners