(Not associated with the NationalNovelWritingMonth.org)
WHAT’S YOUR (FIRST) LINE?
You could win $100, $50, $25 or a free book for
the best first line from a NaNoWriMo novel!
To add to the fun of NaNoWriMo, I’m awarding a $100 prize to the writer of the best first line, with a second prize of $50, a third prize of $25, and a copy of “Your Writing Coach” for seven honorable mentions. I hope you get all of your 50,000+ words written but now you have the chance to win a prize for just your first dozen or so.
There’s no entry fee or other catch. Sure, if entering this contest happens to make you aware of my book, “Your Writing Coach” (published by Nicholas Brealey) and you order it from Amazon or another bookseller, that will be great, but mainly I like coming up with ways to encourage people to write what only they can write. We have no connection with the organizers of NaNoWriMo, this is just our way of encouraging the hard-writing novelists who choose to participate.
What makes a first line a winner?
It can be funny, intriguing, surprising, or just beautifully written. Any genre, any style, any length.
The normal-sized fine print:
1: The first line has to be original and from the novel you’re writing this month.
2: Send entries via email using the form below. Entries must be received by midnight, Sunday, December 4, 2011. Only one entry per person. You retain copyright to your first line.
3: Entries must be in English, but can come from anywhere in the world. You can use a pen name if you like.
4: We will award a first prize of $100, a second prize of $50, a third prize of $25, and seven honorable mentions will each receive a copy of my book, “Your Writing Coach.” You will be notified of the winners and prizes will be posted no later than December 15, 2011. Payment will be sent via PayPal, books via Amazon.
5: I think it’ll be fun for people to be able to read all the first lines on our website, but if you would prefer yours not to be public, just write “do not publish” after the line you are submitting.
6: The decision of the judges is totally subjective and final. I’ll be drawing up the short list myself and the final judge will be a publisher or agent (to be announced).
7: I promise never to sell or share your email details. We’ll contact you only to tell you the winners and make you aware of any other contests, courses or books you might find useful. You can unsubscribe at any time. We have no official connection with the folks organizing NaNoWriMo so if you have questions, contact me, not them (my email address is jurgenwolff@gmail.com, but don’t use that for entries).
8: The link for entries is: http://www.NaNoWriMoContest.com.
That’s it – I’m sure you’ve written your first line already, go ahead and send it, it could be a winner – good luck!
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