Good opportunity for Aspiring Writers

Amazon.com and Penguin have hosted a contest every year for the last four years titled the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (ABNA).  If you've been following my blog awhile, you'll know that I've entered every year since its inception (and my soon to be release novel, Never Eighteen was entered in the contests first year.  It didn't make it far, so even if you don't win the contest, you still have that shot, just sayin').  

The award is a book deal for one YA and one general fiction novel. A real honest to god book deal!  Many of the non-winners have gone on to be published through Amazon's publishing house, AmazonEncore, or other traditional publishers. Contest starts January 23, 2012.If you're trying to get published, you should seriously consider entering. 

It's not just about the book deal either.  It's about experience.  If you've not queried your novel out yet, guess what?  That's what you need to do to make the first round.  You need to write a pitch.  Terrified?  Don't be.  There's a very supportive group of writers all ready in place on the ABNA forums, some of them having been there all four years.  They have a pitch thread, where you can ask questions, get advice, and even get your pitch critiqued.

The feedback is awesome too.  That is, if you make it through that pitch round.  If you do, you get two reviews by Amazon Vine Reviewers.  Just like any other critique, you take what you need from them and disregard the rest.  Vine Reviewers are human and make mistakes, just pull on your thick skin suit and be ready.  If you make it even further, you can get reviews from Amazon customers themselves.  Also, many of the other writers in the contest review the entrants.  Getting feedback was one of the best things about the contest.

Lastly and most importantly, for me at least, this contest was about the camaraderie.  I had just finished my first manuscript when I found out about the contest. I had never met other writers before and participating on the forum was a great way to do this.  If found people with the same fears and goals.  I even found writers in my own area that I am still friends with (and actually dating one).  Don't feel intimidated writing on the forum either.  Yes, some of them have been there for four years and have inside jokes, but most of them are loving, friendly, talented, and funny individuals and will accept you with open arms.

Really, you should enter.  What have you got to lose?  Click here to visit the ABNA main page and good luck.

Updates

Just a couple of updates about the upcoming release of Mending Fences.  I FINALLY got my contract in the mail.  It's signed and on its way back to HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) as we speak.

Also, here is something kind of cool, Mending Fences has been posted on Goodreads.com. Not only that, but people have already been marking it "to read".  Ack!!!  Okay, it's a short list, but it's a list just the same.  It's kind of cool to see your book up there on the Goodreads website with people already wanting to read it.

That's it.  Now from what I understand I wait some more.  What for the advance, and then an editorial letter.

Ciao, 

Megan

Submissions

No, not that kind of submission.

So, you landed an agent. They want you to make a few changes. A few, HAHAHAHAHA, it is to laugh. Okay, they want you to make MAJOR changes. Some of them want this before they will even sign you, some of them, if they really don't see any major flaws with the manuscript will sign you before the changes (if you're lucky). Remember, save your manuscripts under different names (1.0, 2.0, or whatever floats your boat) just in case you make changes and they decide they like the previous version better.

I had an agent for Dena Powers: Superhero? She was a sweet girl with high hopes and big dreams. She had interned at a NY agency after graduating college.

I had to put together a cover letter, manuscript, and author photo for my publisher submissions. Plus I (we did this together) had to research and find out what they wanted from agents. I paid the printing, I paid the shipping. I'm sure this must be standard. (maybe not?)

We sent out to about fourteen total. We heard back from three when my agent quit the business. So, that's my experience subbing to pubs. Not ideal. Maybe other's experiences have been different/better.

Of course, having looked back at the manuscript a couple months ago, I said to myself WTF? No wonder they didn't take it. It needs serious work.

Kisses

:*

Megan

Top Four Reasons to Join my Friend Gae's Facebook Fan Page: # 2

Dedication. She is not only dedicated to her writing, but to her friends (and I'm sure her family, though being 3000 miles from her, I'm not witness to it).

It has been a long road for her to get Steinbeck, the Scoot, and the Pull of Gravity published. She got an agent. Agent said, revise, she revised, agent said revise again, she revised again, agent sent to publisher, publisher said revise, she revised again. Voila. Yes that is the short version. I've seen how long and hard she has been working on this novel.

Like I said, she's also a dedicated friend. She has helped me with both my query letter and my novel. And I know she has helped countless others as well. She's selfless, she's busy writing and revising her own work, but has the time to edit my manuscript, call me on the phone to talk about it, send endless emails about how to make it better.

And it's not all about the writing. She comes through in all aspects of life. Personally, she's helped me through some personal stuff that I don't think I would have made it through without her.

Join her fan page. You won't regret it.

Top Four Reasons to Join my Friend Gae's Facebook Fan Page: # 3

She's hilariously funny. She without fail makes me laugh every single day. Even on my darkest days. Here are some Gaeisms:

This is what she said when I told her I was going to blog about her fan page. "make me witty, and clever, and overall smokin hot. Oh, yeah, and I write well."

Her favorite phrase is "bite me" If she says it to you, she probably likes you. If she doesn't like you, believe me, you'll know.

Much of her funny is too racy to post here. Just sayin'.

Here are some funnies she posted on a forum we used to frequent.

"A crazy few months of my life started once by accidentally calling myself Gea. There was soccer and some nakeness involved. I can't go back there."

"I found a life for the last 24 hours. Don't worry. I've misplaced it again."

Honestly, I could go on and on and on, but you get the picture, right? So if you want to be witness to this brilliant insanely funny sense of humor, join her fan page. You should be constantly entertained.

If you're not, you're probably doing it wrong.

ABNA: Down to the Wire

So it seems that the "potential" finalists in the ABNA contest are going to be notified in a couple of days. I wonder what they mean by "potential". Does that mean that they are actually contacting more than three people, just in case someone is unable to attend the award ceremony or commit otherwise to being a finalist? Um, not to be too blunt or brash, but, what kind of idiot would get into this contest, just to drop out after becoming a finalist? (and if you have actually done this, I'm not trying to offend you, but, what were you thinking?)

Let me give you some insight about how these semi-finalists are feeling right now.

Everyday feels like forever. They consider sitting by the phone from May 6th to May 17th so they don't miss their call. Even when May 6th comes and goes, they wonder if the calls have been made, since Amazon states in the rules "on or about May 6th". They consider, although they did not receive their call, yet, they may still be in those finals. Only when they see the names of the top three on the ABNA home page will they believe they didn't make it in. Or maybe that's just me.

Yep. Been there, done that. I would say, don't get your hopes up, but from experience know that is virtually impossible. Just try not to be too disappointed if your name doesn't appear on that ABNA home page on the 17th. I have a couple I'm rooting for, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for them.

Once this announcement is made, I urge everyone to go review your favorite excerpt. http://www.amazon.com/abna .

The winner receives a publishing contract from Penguin, a $25,000 advance, and all sorts of cool electronics. (jealous) If you're a writer, especially unpublished, you know how important this is.