I Made It To the Second Round of the 2014 Amazon.com BreathThrough Novel Award Contest! Posted on March 18, 2014November 3, 2014 by LJ Hi There: This is the third year that I've entered the Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. In 2012 and 2013, I was kicked out of the contest during the first stage (the pitch stage). This year, I made the first cut and made it to the second stage of the contest. This is how it works: The contests accepts 10,000 entries in five categories: General Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and Young Adult. My novel is in the General Fiction category. To enter the contest, you have to submit a pitch (a 300 word description of your book like you would see on the back jacket), an excerpt from the beginning of your novel of 3000-5000 words (12-20 pages double-spaced), and the full manuscript (50,000-120,000 words). Amazon selected editors reviewed the pitches and cut the entries down from 10,000 to 2,000 top entries. That means my pitch survived an 80% cut off the bat! I can't tell you how good that makes me feel. I darn near had a heart attack when I saw my name on the list of second round contestants in the general fiction category. But the torture is far from over. Amazon selected editors and Amazon Vine Reviewers (the top customer reviewers on Amazon) will next read our excerpts and narrow the field from 2000 second round participants to 500 Quarter-Finalists, who will be announced on www.amazon.com/abna on April 14, 2014 (just days before my birthday). Amazon will post each of the Quarter-Finalists’ excerpts and their associated written reviews online at www.amazon.com/abna. Amazon customers may download and read the excerpts and then write a review and rate the excerpt using Amazon’s process for submitting online reviews. I am very nervous about this stage. Some of the participants from previous years received scathing reviews of their excerpts. Oh well, it's a tough business I'm getting into and if I want to survive I guess I'm going to have to grow a thick skin. Publishers Weekly editors will then read the Quarter-Finalists' full manuscripts to rate and review them based on: originality of idea, plot, prose/writing style, character development, and overall strength of the submission. On June 13, 2014, the top 25 Semi-Finalists will be announced at www.amazon.com/abna and the Publishers Weekly reviews of their manuscripts may be posted on http://www.publishersweekly.com. I really hope to get to this stage of the contest, because if I get a positive review from Publishers Weekly, I can use it to market my book so long as I don't substantially alter it. A panel of qualified judges selected by Amazon Publishing editors will then read each Semi-Finalist's manuscript and accompanying review and, using the Judging Criteria, will select one Finalist in each of the five categories to be announced on July 8, 2014. Amazon customers will then vote and select the Grand Prize Winner of the Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Contest who will be announced on or about July 21, 2014. The finalists receive a publishing contract and a $10,000 advance. The Grand Prize is a $50,000 advance and a publishing contract with Amazon Publishing. I'm sitting here wishing I had spent more time editing the book I entered. I'm not going to reveal the name of the novel I submitted yet because I don't want to be disqualified. But if I make it to the quarter-finals, I'm going to be calling on you for your help. I know that I can count on you. Peace Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Share this:ShareFacebookPocketLinkedInTumblrRedditPinterest
The Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Contest Posted on February 2, 2012November 3, 2014 by LJ So, as I mentioned in my last blog post, I entered my romantic legal thriller – “Just Dreams” – in the Amazon.com Breaththrough Novel Award Contest (also known as “ABNA”). The contest officially closed to new entries in the adult fiction category on February 2, 2012. I know this because I went to upload an edited version of my novel and I couldn't anymore. Imagine the angst I felt knowing that all the mistakes I had so painstakingly found and fixed in my latest draft are still there in my entry for all the world to see. Hopefully, acceptance will kick in sometime soon, because it hasn't yet. Anyway, here's how the contest works. My entry consisted of my pitch which is a less than 300 word blurb about my book (kind of what you would see on the back jacket cover of the book), a 5000 word excerpt, and a copy of the manuscript. First Round: Amazon editors will review a 300-word pitch of each entry. The top 1,000 entries in each category (2,000 total entries) will move on to the second round. (Announced 2/23/12) Second Round: The field will be narrowed to 250 entries in each category (500 total entries) by Amazon top customer reviewers from ratings of a 5,000 word excerpt. (Announced 3/20/12) Quarterfinals: Publishers Weekly reviewers will read the full manuscript of each quarterfinalist, and based on their review scores, the top 50 in each category (100 total entries) will move on to the semifinals. (Announced 4/24/12) Semifinals: Penguin USA editors will read the full manuscript and review all accompanying data for each semifinalist and will then select three finalists in each category (six total finalists). (Announced 5/22/12) Finals: Amazon customers will vote on the three finalists in each category resulting in two grand prize winners. (Announced 6/16/12) If I make it to the semifinals, I'll be able to use the Publisher's Weekly review of my book (assuming it's a good review) to market the book even if I don't win the contest. Wish me luck. Peace Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Share this:ShareFacebookPocketLinkedInTumblrRedditPinterest