Tomorrow we shine the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Spotlight on Chris Devlin, Contest Chair. She has a big job, and we aim to help her out a little by spreading the word about this outstanding opportunity for unpublished writers.
You’ve been working hard on your manuscript–writing, revising, self-editing, then rewriting after your critique group reviews your efforts. Now you have your first finished novel. What should you do next?
For over thirty years, the Colorado Gold contest for unpublished writers has given aspiring novelists the chance to get their work in front of an acquiring agent or editor while also providing feedback and encouragement for the craft of writing.
Writers enter the first 20 pages of a manuscript plus a 3 to 4 page synopsis in one of six categories. Two judges from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers will evaluate and score each entry. The top five submissions scoring 130 points or more in each category will make the finals and will then be judged by one of the agents or editors attending the Colorado Gold Conference.
One winner will be named in each category. Winners receive $100 and a certificate. The remaining finalists receive $30 and a certificate. Winners will be announced at the Colorado Gold Writers Conference awards banquet September 6th, 2014, at the Westin Hotel in Westminster, Colorado.
The 2014 Contest Categories are:
Action/Thriller
Mainstream
Mystery/Suspense
Romance
Speculative Fiction
Young Adult
The contest final judges have been announced. You’ll find those names on the website as well (the link is at the end of this post).
Contest Dates:
Opens April 1, 2014 at midnight.
Closes June 1, 2014, 11:59 PM MST.
Entry Fee:
$30 per entry or $55 per entry to receive a critique from one of the first two judges.
By now, I’m sure you’re chomping at the bit to know how to enter. First you head over the RMFW Website and check out the Contest Page. That’s where you’ll find the links to the 2014 Official Rules and Entry Instructions.
Good luck!