We’ve come to our final contest in GUTGAA this year! I can’t believe we’ve already been at this for a month. I’m so happy for those of you who’ve already gotten requests from agents! And if you haven’t yet, there is still today and tomorrow:) AND if you end up getting no requests, I can’t reiterate enough how very subjective this all is. If writing is your passion, keep at it! There a ton of agents in this world and my contest only had 12.
Speaking of those 12, I have the final two parts of their interview questions up. If you didn’t get to read part 1 go HERE and do it now. Some really good nuggets of advice there:)
Go HERE for part 2
Go HERE for part 3
Now for the rules of the GUTGAA Small Press Pitch Contest...
PLEASE READ BELOW IF YOU PLAN ON ENTERING THE CONTEST. YES, IT IS A LOT, BUT YOU MAY BE DISQUALIFIED IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES.
First and foremost, you must sign up on the GUTGAA Master List HERE if you want to join in the contest.
New Email Address
If you were around for the Agent Pitch Contest, you know the email for submitting is not my regualar email. You will be sending your query and first 150 words for the small press pitch contest to gutgaa(at)gmail(dot)com. Easy enough, right?
How to Submit Your Agent Pitch Contest Entry
There will be two entry windows: 11:00 AM EST and 4 PM EST. You will send your query and first 150 words of a COMPLETED manuscript to the email address: gutgaa(at)gmail(dot)com. Each window will close after I have 50 entries, making a final total of 100 entries. I will email you with the words "you're in" if you made it. I know you will be excited, but, so I can stay organized, please don't respond to the email. You are only allowed ONE entry and the entry can only have ONE query and ONE first 150 words. If your 150 words ends in the middle of a sentence, you may go to the end of that sentence.
Format for the Small Press Pitch Contest Entry
I’m not going to be a huge stickler on font and size of the font. I know that emails can change that without you wanting it to. BUT I am going to be a stickler on the format of your entry. I hate to do it, but if you do not follow the guidelines, I will have to pass on your entry. Also, once your entry is in, I cannot change anything on it so make sure it is exactly the way you want.
Please send me your entry single spaced, email style (meaning do not indent, please single space, and only one space between paragraphs. This makes the process so much easier for me and the blog hosts.
Email Subject Line must read:
GUTGAA Small Press Pitch Contest: YOUR NAME
(This is SOOOOO important. This is another one I will have to disqualify if it isn’t this way.)
Body of the email:
TITLE
GENRE - ex: YA sci-fi (I need it this specific for grouping purposes please)
WORD COUNT
QUERY:
I need the meat of your query here. Again, no "Dear Agent" or "I choose you because". Also, no word count or credentials (please see example below).
First 150 Words:
I need the first 150 words of your completed manuscript here (please see example below).
Example entry submission:
EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: GUTGAA Small Press Pitch Contest: DEANA BARNHART
Ripple
YA sci-fi
99,000
Query:
Kali Addison turns seventeen the day nukes annihilate her dad's time machines. Her birthday presents? A dead family and the truth--time travel has nothing to do with science and everything to do with her.
Since her dad's work has turned to ash, it seems Kali is now a freaking time machine, and those responsible for ridding the world of them know she's even more. Too bad Kali doesn't. Maybe the oh-so-hot guy, who shows up every time she's catapulted into the past can help her figure things out. But knowing the truth would mean facing a life she forgot for a reason.
Now she must decide what's more important: Continuing to live in the dark, or embracing the danger of who she's always been. If she chooses wrong. Time is up. For everyone.
First 150 Words:
I hate time travel.
It's the one absolute thought I have in my head when I crane my neck to take in the massive Clandestine, in all its bland glory. The Commoners appear just as dull as the timeport with their solemn expressions and outfits the color of dirty snow.
Today, I match them.
Preparation for a journey through time doesn't allow for distractions like color or commotion. There are no windows here either. So no way to enjoy the cool spring breeze or hear the birds chirp me a happy birthday song.
Nope.
I get to be serenaded by the whispers of curious onlookers wondering why I'm travelling with the rest of the public, being jostled about from line to line, until we make it to the time dock I choose.
I guess I have that on my side. My loser friends, Sage, Greer and Flip, are letting me pick the "when" we travel to as my birthday present.
Monday, the entries that made it in will be divided into groups of 25 and will be posted on host blogs. My blog will be one and the other hosts awesome enough to help me out are:
Tara Tyler
Juliana Brandt
Ink in the Book (Talynn)
Covert 1st Round Judge Names:
The first round of the contest will be making it past the judges that I introduced to you HERE. They will be prowling the entries under secret identities. So if you see the names below on any of the entries, pay close attention.
Lone Star
Indigo
Honey Badger
Escape Artist
Writerlicious
Mystery Science Theater Geek
Rose Cardinal
Kinderella
Saphira
The Purple Pixie
Slave to the Muse
Manchee
Jammy Dodgers
Goldilocks
Marlowe
I’m Just Sayin’
I think that’s it! If you want to gab it up on Twitter, the hashtag we’ve been using and will continue to use is: #GUTGAA
See you there!
Showing posts with label Small Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Press. Show all posts
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Introducing Editors and 1st Round Judges for the GUTGAA Small Press Contest
The GUTGAA Agent Pitch Contest is in full swing! Which means that the Small Press Pitch Contest is fast approaching! And if you're planning on getting in on that action, I'm sure you want to know who the 1st round judges and editors are, right?
Here they are...
Small Presses
I'm so excited about this group and the editors that have agreed to take the time to read your pitches. Let's welcome them, shall we?
Christa Desir
Nina Bruhns
Amy Lichtenhan
Katie Henson
Curiosity Quills
Krystal Wade
Andrew Buckley
Jessa Russo
Kate Kaynak
Spencer Hill Contemporary
Patricia Riley
Mallory Braus
Deborah Smith
1st Round Judges
The first round judges are all, or soon to be, published by a small press. They are pretty...no, they're completely amazing. I wanted to get mini bios for them, but ran out of time. Instead, I'm adding links to their blogs and twitter so you can stalk them as much as you want:) FYI: These will be the people that vote you through to the editor round
Jamie Ayres
Sharon Bayliss
Brinda Berry
Nancy Thompson
Carrie Butler
Heather McCorkle
Victoria Smith
Denise Tompkins
Anna Silver
Elizabeth Arroyo
Courtney Young
Adriana Ryan
Danielle Ellison
Michelle Hauck
Kelley Lynn
Lisa Regan
Friday, August 31, 2012
GUTGAA Meet and Greet Sign-Ups and Questions
T-minus 3 days and counting until the Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest begins!!! How excited are you? I know I am!
If you writers are ready to get this party started with a little 'get to know you' action, then you've come to the right place!
Meet and Greet Rules:
-Sign up on the linky list below if you are going to participate in this bloghop.
-Copy the questions below and paste them in your Monday's Meet and Greet post along with a mini bio about yourself. If you don't like these questions, make up your own.
-You will have from Monday, Sept 3rd- Friday, Sept 7th to visit other's blogs and get to know them. Have fun and visit as many as you can!
Questions for the Meet and Greet
-Where do you write?
-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
-Favorite time to write?
-Drink of choice while writing?
-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
-What's your most valuable writing tip?
Wait. Before you do....
Other tidbits to remember for week 1 of GUTGAA:
If you're interested in hooking up with beta readers or critique partners, come to my blog Wednesday for further instructions.
Don't forget, Friday is the call for Pitch Polish Entries and I will be announcing the first random prize winners!
If you want to get in on any part of the Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest/Pitch Contests you must sign up on the master list first. Sign ups will continue until the last event begins. Go HERE to sign up on the master list.
The complete GUTGAA schedule is HERE.
Badges are HERE.
Wanna yap about it on Twitter? #GUTGAA talk is HERE
I have a new side bar to the right ---->>>> and up, with links and a recently added GUTGAA FAQ's
And one more thing...
I had to tell you guys that I'm being interviewed by the lovelies at Falling for Fiction. I'd love for you to check it out. If you want to, that is:) The link is HERE
Now that really is it.
Questions? If not have a great holiday weekend and I'll see you back here Monday!!!
Friday, August 24, 2012
GUTGAA Schedule!!!
AHHHH! It's almost here!! Anyone else ready to get this party started??? I'll tell you, I may not be trying to land an agent, but I am super stoked to meet new writers. But I know you're not here to listen to my blathering. You want to know the GUTGAA Schedule, right? Right.
But wait...
A couple things to remember:
1) You don't have to participate in all of the events in GUTGAA, but if you want to take part in any of it you must signup on the linky list HERE.
2) Grab your badge HERE.
3) Please spread the word via Twitter (#GUTGAA hashtag), Facebook and Blogs.
Okay, now your wait is over....
GUTGAA SCHEDULE
Friday, August 31st:
Meet and Greet Questionnaire - I will be posting a list of fun "get to know you" questions on my blog for you to grab and use for our Week 1: Meet and Greet Blog Hop.
WEEK 1 (Monday, Sept 3rd - Friday, Sept 7th)
OFFICIAL START OF GUTGAA!!
Monday:
GUTGAA Meet and Greet - We're starting off with a little get to know you action. On your blog, post a mini bio about yourself along with answers to the questions I posted on my blog (see above if your confused). Don't like those questions all that much? That's fine. Make up your own. Either way, we just want to get to know you!
Wednesday:
BETA/Critique Group Connect - Anyone interested in making some serious writer connections can come to my blog and post in the comments section what they're looking for and I will try my best to make a writer connection for you.
Friday:
Call for Pitch Polish Entries - Are you looking for some pitch help? The Pitch Polish may be what you're looking for. I will start taking pitches Friday, at 11AM and you will have until Saturday, Sept 8th at 11:59 PM EST to get your pitch sent to deanabarnhart(at)gmail(dot)com. I will take the first 100 entries I get (if I get that many). To enter the pitch polish you will need to paste in the body of an email, your query and first 150 words and send to deanabarnhart(at)gmail(dot)com. Go HERE for details about what I mean by query and first 150 words as well as the format for entries.
Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
WEEK 2 (Monday, Sept 10th - Friday, Sept 14th)
PITCH POLISH!
Monday:
Pitches Posted for Pitch Polish - I will be posting all 100 pitches on my blog for critique. They will be posted anonymously and I will expect ALL comments to be constructive. It is possible for you not to like something and still be helpful. But I'm sure you lovelies know that:)
NOTE: If your pitch didn't make it into the anonymous Pitch Polish, I welcome you to post your pitch on your blog for helpful feedback. I will be posting a linky list for this so those that want can visit as many blog pitches as possible.
Friday:
Agent Pitch Contest Call for Entries - There will be two windows for entries--one at 11AM EST and the other at 4PM EST and I will accept a max of 100 entries in each window for a total of 200 entries. If the windows don't fill up, I will take entries until 11:59PM that same day. To enter the agent judged pitch contest you will need to paste in the body of an email the query and first 150 words of your completed manuscript and send to gutgaa(at)gmail(dot)com. Go HERE for details about what I mean by query and first 150 words as well as the format for entries.
Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
WEEK 3 (Monday, Sept 17th - Friday, Sept 21st)
AGENT PITCH CONTEST: ROUND 1!
Monday:
Get Your Foot in the Door - For those that made it into the Agent Pitch Contest (assuming there are 200 entries), your pitches will be divided into groups of 40 and posted on 5 different host sites: My Blog, Robin Weeks, Falling for Fiction, Emily R King and Jaye Robin Brown. I will do my best to separate the entries into genres. Once the posts go up, each group will be visited by 4 anonymous judges who will each pick their top 10. Those entries with the most votes will go on to Round 2 - The Agent Round. If there is a tie, judges from the other host blogs will come in and pick their favorite until one comes out on top. There will be 50 finalists!
Monday - Thursday:
Judge Trolling - The anonymous judges can comment on any entries that they would like, but if they want you in they will say something along the lines of, "I vote for you to move on."
Friday:
Finalists Announced - I think this is pretty self explanatory:)
Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
WEEK 4 (Monday, Sept 24th - Friday, Sept 28th)
AGENT PITCH CONTEST: ROUND 2!
Monday:
The Agent Round - I will post the 50 finalist pitches on my blog for the 11 agents to read through.
Monday - Friday:
Agent Trolling - As agents read through the pitches they can comment on any that they want. If they really like your entry they can request a partial or full through the comments as well.
Friday:
Small Press Pitch Contest Call for Entries - There will be two windows for entries--at 11AM EST & 4PM EST. I will accept a max of 50 entries each time. To enter the small press pitch contest you will need to paste in the body of an email the query and first 150 words of your completed manuscript and send it to gutgaa(at)gmail(dot)com. Go HERE for details about what I mean by query and first 150 words as well as the format for entries. I will post the format directions on this day as well.
Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
WEEK 5 (Monday, Oct 1st - Friday, Oct 5th)
SMALL PRESS PITCH CONTEST: ROUND 1!
Monday:
Get Your Foot in the Door - For those that made it into the Small Press Pitch Contest, (assuming there are 100 entries) your pitches will be divided into groups of 20 and posted on 5 different host sites. I will do my best to separate the entries into genres. Once the posts go up each group will be visited by 3 anonymous judges who will each pick their top 5. Those entries with the most votes will go on to Round 2 - The Editor Round. If there is a tie, judges from the other host blogs will come in and pick their favorites until one comes out on top. There will be 25 finalists!
Monday - Thursday:
Judge Trolling - The anonymous judges can comment on any entries that they would like, but if they want you in they will say something along the lines of, "I vote for you to move on."
Friday:
Finalists Announced - I think this is pretty self explanatory:)
Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
WEEK 6 (Monday, Oct 8th - Friday, Oct 12th)
SMALL PRESS PITCH CONTEST: ROUND 2!
Monday:
The Editor Round - I will post the 25 finalists pitches on my blog for the 7 small presses to read through.
Monday - Friday:
Editor Trolling - As editors read through the pitches they can comment on any that they want. If they really like your entry they can request a partial or full through the comments as well.
Friday:
Winners Announced For Agent and Small Press Pitch Contest - Again, I'm thinking this is pretty self explanatory:)
Final Giveaway Winner Announced - Every Friday I will be randomly drawing a participants name and giving them a prize just for being cool:)
And that's it folks! Any questions? Please leave them for me below.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Got a Question for an Agent or Small Press???
The Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest is shaping up to be pretty fantastic if I do say so myself (and not because of me, but because I have the best helpers in the universe!!).
At the end of the week I will be posting the GUTGAA schedule. Then next week I will be revealing the eleven awesome agents and seven spectacular small presses who will be participating in the pitch contests. I can't wait!
Until then I need your questions!
Is there a burning question you've been eager to ask an agent or small press? If so, leave it in the comments section and I will try to get you an answer for you in the interview portion of GUTGAA.
Still haven't signed up?
There's still time. Head HERE and put your info in the linky and grab a badge to get in on the action. And you don't have to, but I'd love it if you'd spread the word through blogs, facebook and twitter (we will be using the hashtag #GUTGAA).
So get those manuscripts ready, polish those pitches and send in your questions because the time is almost here!!!
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