Rules

RULES:

•    We will take the first 100 Middle Grade/Young Adult/New Adult entries submitted in the correct format after NINE AM Eastern on 2/12 to the email AYAPcontest@gmail.com. *If I receive your email at 8:59 on my computer's timestamp I CANNOT accept it. Please remember that we have many teen readers on this blog who are under 18, so keep the first pages rated PG. (I'm the last person to suggest any kind of censorship for ANY reason, but there is a level of expectation based on what readers are used to seeing here at AYAP.) 

•    Only one entry per person to make sure everyone has a shot at feedback. 

•    Entries will consist of the PITCH for a COMPLETED manuscript, which should not exceed 150 words. Please use single spaced text, no indentations, one space between paragraphs. 12 point font. Please make sure to include your name, email, manuscript title, manuscript word count and genre/subgenre. 

             E.g., 

             IDA Luv Anoffer

             Sillymadeupemail@ayap.com

             BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN

             78,000 words

             YA Magical Realism

•    The accepted entries will be judged by our first round of craft bloggers, who will rate and choose the top 50 entries, which will then be notified and asked to send the first page of the manuscript in addition to the pitch and will be posted on AdventuresInYAContests.blogspot.com by 6AM EST February 19.

•    We will invite reading, comments, and love from anyone who wants to participate — until 6:00 AM ET on 2/28. By noon on 2/27 we will announce the top 25 entries as judged by our respected book blogger judges, who will score the entries according to a standard scale with two bloggers reading each entry and a third blogger serving as a discrepancy judge if there is a wide disparity in scores. This is amazing news, since these are the people that will someday be reading and reviewing YOUR books.

•    The top 25 entries will then be invited to send their revised pitch (of no more than 150 words) and a revised first page by Noon EST 2/28, to be posted that evening. These entries will be judged by our amazing author judges, who will also score the entries according to a standard scale with two bloggers reading each entry and a third blogger serving as a discrepancy judge if there is a wide disparity in scores.

•    The top 10 will be announced on 3/5 by NOON EST and will have until Noon on 3/6 to send in their revised entries in order to move on to the agent round beginning 3/7. 

•    Winners will be announced on 3/14/15. 

•    All relevant feedback received, from the public, bloggers, authors, and agents will be posted as comments on the entry or emailed, but the identity of the judge making the comment will not be revealed. You'll just see Judge 1, or Judge 2, etc. You will, however, have access on our Judges page to a bio for all of the judges involved in that round.

This will give all participants the opportunity to receive feedback that they can apply immediately to their work, and comments along with the revisions posted will give anyone who is inclined to watch the process the ability to learn vicariously.

And yes, there will be prizes.

Good Luck!

*You can follow along with hashtag #PitchPlus1 on Twitter!