2012 Breakthrough Novel Award - Get Published!

Just wanted to let everyone know about something I found.

Authors with previously unpublished or self-published novels are eligible to make a submission to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest for an opportunity to win a publishing contract with Penguin.

http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Novel-Award-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=332264011
or search for "Amazon Novel Contest" in Google.

Submissions are accepted from January 23, 2012 through February 5, 2012.

I know my novel won't be ready at that point, but hopefully some of my fellow WriMo's will be interested.

I'm aiming to have my novel ready for the Text Prize which is early next year sometime as well... so perhaps if the guidelines allow it I coul do both =) Thanks for posting this!

I have to hurry to make that deadline!

Let's see... I need to completely rewrite my novel so that it has an actual plot, and I need to go through the whole phase of revision...

Never mind. I hope some other fellow Wrimo wins next year, though! Good luck!

Is this a yearly contest? Mine definitely won't be ready by 2012, but if they had a 2013 one...

Yes, its a yearly contest! The website has information about previous winners.

I actually am acquainted with someone who made it to the semi-finals this year and got a publishing contract even without winning.

I'm actually going to see how much editing I can get done in the next month and a half. If I can get my novel where I want it, I will definitely be entering that contest. If not, well - I'll just do it next year. :)

I'm in two minds. I'm willing to try it, but I think I'm going to need to fully evaluate how much editing my book needs first ... but it seems worthwhile and it's something I want to try for. I'm not getting my hopes up, though, because I don't see my book as going very far ... but it's partly for my own sake. I want to be able to say that I had the courage to go for it. And if something comes of it, excellent. If nothing comes of it, I still went for it. :)

But I suppose the same could be said for trying to get published. Not ... yet, I'm thinking. xD

Interesting! Thanks! Not sure I'll have mine ready in time but I'll give it a go.

SO going for this; I'm sure I can edit my novel into something workable before the deadline! ^^
Thanks for the heads-up!!!!

Oh, just an added note; on the site it says that there are two prizes that will be awarded, one for young adult fiction and one for general fiction. Not sure if these are the only two genres they're accepting...
You can also do this in conjunction with CreateSpace, too! So if you were to get your five free copies, you'd still be able to enter this!

There is likely a lot of flexibility within the acceptable genres but everyone, please read all the rules completely before submitting your novel.

Thanks so much for the heads up!

whoa this looks amazing!!! i can't wait to enter! i will be working furiously over break! do you thinks my fellow WriMos will be interested in critiquing the 300 word pitch?

Definitely doing this! I'll be editting like a crazy little literary squirrel but I will be in this. Woot! Ive read all of the Ellie's and Penguin has a limited time option on all of the finalists and semi-finalist's books. So just doing well means a chance to.be considered by a major publisher. I'll be working on my second novel and getting query letters ready in the background so I'll be ready if things should go unfortunately. I have a short list of my preferred first group of agents picked out. I'm SO pumped.

::crazy squirrel goes tickity-tack on the keyboard::

I'll be entering. :) Maybe some Wrimos can help me with my pitch later.

Cool!
I do have a question - does anyone know what kinds of general guidelines there are for stories that are based on old tales? Does it still count as an original story?

Be sure you read ALL of the rules and the terms & conditions for the contest. I entered a few years ago, and then they changed the terms of the contest so they're pretty unfavorable for authors (if I remember right, you have no choice but to take the contract now if you win, whereas when I entered you could walk away if you chose to do so, even if you won). Since then, I refuse to enter.

Don't dive in without knowing exactly what the terms and conditions of the contest mean and what rights you're giving up just by entering. There's all sorts of restrictions on what you can do with your novel during the time it's in the contest and immediately afterward.

Oh, bother. I won't be nearly ready before February. Well, good luck to anyone who's participating!
Also, I'm not a big fan of Penguin. I prefer Harper-Collins. *hipster shrug*

Read the rules before submitting--do it carefully. There are some hitches you should be aware of.

I'm not saying this because it is Amazon or something--but it is generally good practice to read contracts carefully and be aware of what they contain. There are a few hitches I, personally, don't like which is why I don't submit... but that is just me. Again *read your contracts* and *understand them* It avoids heartbreak.