Contests
Following are some of the most well-known of the contests for children’s writers. More listings can be found in newsletters, resource books, online resources, and magazines.
NOVELS
Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel
(Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books)
Delacorte Press Contest, Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10019
Open to writers who have not previously published a young adult novel.
Deadline: Manuscripts must be postmarked after October 1 but no later than December 31.
Prize: $1500 cash prize and a book contract on the publisher's standard form, with an advance against royalties of $7500.
Rules and details: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/
Delacorte Dell Yearling Contest for a First Middle-Grade Novel
(formerly
Marguerite de Angeli Contest)
(Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books)
Marguerite de Angeli Contest, Delacorte Press/Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Open to writers who have not previously published a novel for middle-grade readers. Submit manuscripts of contemporary or historical fiction set in North America, for readers age 8–12.
Deadline: Postmarked June 30
Prize: $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties.
Rules and details: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/writingcontests/
Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature
(Milkweed Editions)
Children’s Book Reader, Milkweed Editions, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1246
Milkweed Editions awards the Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature to the best manuscript for children ages 8-13 that Milkweed accepts for publication during the calendar year by a writer not previously published by Milkweed.
Deadline: None--Prize is selected from general submissions for publication.
Prize: prize will receive a $10,000 cash advance on any royalties agreed upon in the contractual arrangement negotiated at the time of acceptance.
Rules and details: http://www.milkweed.org/content/view/22/32/
Ursula Nordstrom Fiction Contest for a First Middle Grade Novel
(HarperCollins Childrens’ Books)
Current Status Unclear
Ursula Nordstrom Fiction Contest, HarperCollins Children's Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
Open to unpublished writers. A book-length manuscript (between 100 and 300 typewritten pages) with a story, setting and characters suitable for readers 8-12 years old.
Prize: A book contract (on the publisher's standard form, including worldwide rights in all formats) for a hardcover and paperback edition, a $7500 advance against royalties, and a $1500 cash award.
Deadline: Postmarked between March 15 and April 15
rules and details: http://www.harperchildrens.com
W.I.N. at SmartWriters.com
Six categories of children's books for the Write It Now Contest. $10 entry fee. Rules and details: http://www.smartwriters.com
SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grants
SCBWI, 8271 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (323) 782-1010
Grants Available are: General Work-In-Progress Grant, Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People, Nonfiction Research Grant, Grant for a work whose author has never had a book published. Open to full and associate members of SCBWI.
Deadline: Postmarked between February 1 and March 1.
Grants: $1,500 each for grant winners, $500 for runners-up. Others may receive a Letter of Merit.
Rules and details: http://www.scbwi.org/awards.htm
Paul Zindel First Novel Award (Formerly Hyperion New Voices, New Worlds Award)
(Hyperion Children’s Books)
Paul Zindel First Novel Award, Hyperion Books for Children, PO Box 6000, Manhasset, NY 11030-6000
Open to writers who have not previously published a novel. Manuscript of contemporary or historical fiction set in the United States that “reflects the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of our country.”
Deadline: April 30
Prize: $1500 cash prize and a book contract on the publisher's standard form, with an advance against royalties of $7500.
Rules and details: http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com/contests.asp
PICTURE BOOKS
Lee & Low New Voices Award
Lee 7 Low Books, 95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, ATTN: New Voices Award
Children’s picture book manuscript written by a person of color, who has not previously published a picture book.
Deadline: Postmarked between April 1 and October 31.
Award winner: $1000 plus publication.
Honor winner: $500
Rules and details http://www.leeandlow.com/editorial/voices.html
SHORT STORIES
Pockets Magazine Annual Fiction Writing Contest
Lynn Gilliam, PO Box 340004, Nashville TN 37203-0004
Guidelines are essentially the same as for regularly submitted material--no historical or Biblical fiction. (Previous winners not eligible.)
Deadline: Submit between March 1 and August 15.
Prize: $1000.
Rules and details: http://www.upperroom.org/pockets
Children’s Writer Contest
Children’s Writer Newsletter, 93 Long Ridge, Rd, West Redding, CT 06896-1124
Deadline: Twice a year - February and October
Prize: Grand Prize: $500, publication of the story in Children’s Writer, and a certificate. Second Place: $250 and a certificate, Third, Fourth and Fifth prizes each receive $100 and a certificate.
Rules and details: http://www.childrenswriter.com/contest-rules.htm
Highlights for Children Fiction Contest
Fiction Contest, Highlights for Children, 803 Church St., Honesdale, PA 18431.
2004’s contest category is stories that begin with the words “I have a problem.”
Deadline: Submit between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28
Prizes: Three prizes of $1,000 each. No entry fee.
Rules and details, check the website periodically www.highlights.com, write to above address or email: eds@highlights-corp.com.
Regional Writing-Related Links
If you have an organizational link you would like
considered for this page, please contact Co-RA, Colin Murcray or Becky Clark Cornwell .
The following sites have listed RMC-SCBWI on their sites and have much to
offer writers of all levels and interests.
Book Organizations of Colorado
Book Organizations of Colorado (BOOC) is a loose collaboration of Colorado organizations involved with books.
Their goal is to facilitate communication and cooperation among the leaders of various associations of writers, publishers, librarians, editors, book stores and similar groups to prevent scheduling conflicts, and inform our members of events of interest to them when appropriate.
BOOC offers a newsletter BOOC BookNews, which summarizes meetings and
events in and around Colorado.
Children Come First
Children Come First (CCF) is an educational corporation dedicated to cultivating a life-long love of learning among children and their families.
Its purpose is to enrich the education of children as society's greatest asset in the 21st century and work with groups which are organized and operated for similar purposes.
Colorado Center for
the Book
The Colorado Center for the Book is a program of the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities and is the state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Its mission is to encourage all people to develop the life skills necessary to be responsive, creative, and culturally literate citizens. The Center’s objective is promote reading and writing as a value in Colorado.
Women Writing the West
Women Writing the West® (WWW) is a non-profit association of writers and other professionals writing and promoting the Women's West founded by Sybil Downing and Jerrie
Hurd. The Women's West is based on a tradition that includes such fine writers as Willa Cather, Mary Austin, B.M. Bower, Mari Sandoz, Dorothy Johnson, Juanita Brooks, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Helen Hunt Jackson. Today's writers who set their work in the West are creating a literary explosion said to be comparable to the Southern literary renaissance in the 1930's.
|
