Monday, June 29, 2015

New Agent Contest Announcement

Last summer, I did a New Agent Contest in July. I decided to send out a few agent invites this morning and maybe start to think about doing another one this year.

I'm rather overwhelmed to announce that there are already 8 agents signed up to take part! So I think it's safe to say that New Agent will take place. In fact, it's moving beyond a mini-contest!

New Agent is just as it sounds: a contest for newer agents. A chance to roll out the red carpet and welcome another batch of new agents to the writer community. So a big welcome and thanks to them for finding time.

As I just started planning this morning, I don't have much set yet. The agent round will be July 27th-29th. The contest will feature query letters and first 250 words. There will be four or five experts as slush readers to form teams. As of now, I have a romance, WF, contemporary expert. A MG expert. A mystery and thriller expert. And a fantasy and science fiction expert. One more will be invited and all will be named in an upcoming post. 

There will be 30 entries chosen by the teams to go to the agent round. Some of those will be group picks (entries that more than one team wanted.) Each entry will get a very short window to "tweak" their entry. No big revisions or huge changes. Just touchups with advice from their team leader. 

The submission date will be July 15th.  

You may look at my blog posts from last July for more info on what may happen. Or ask questions in the comments. Finished and polished manuscripts only. One entry per person. We ask that those already in an agent round not participate. (If you were picked for QK but didn't make the agent round, send your entry!)

Because this contest is so last notice, I'll need your help to spread the word to your writer friends. Use the hashtag #NewAgent. There will be a twitter party during submission.

I've decided not to charge for the contest. It's just not the way I want to go, and something has come up which leaves me too busy to look into it. So New Agent will be a free contest. 

So that's it. I'll try and update with a firm submission date. And look for more news after Query Kombat. 

5 comments:

  1. Yay!! I can't wait! Will picture books be accepted?

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  2. Awesome news! Thanks for supporting new agents and amazing writers!

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  4. Gotta question. I have queried one of your #NewAgents and she requested a partial. I have not heard from her since. That was a month ago. Would it be inappropriate to enter #NewAgent with her participating? I have done some revisions to the project since I sent her the partial.

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    1. I would only recommend staying out if you'd tried half of the agents. Just one shouldn't hold you back.

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