by Harlequin Presents editor (and writing contest organizer) Joanne Grant
The closing date is drawing near, but there is still time for you to enter The Harlequin Presents Writing Competition 2009. To date, we have had over 60 entries, but from past experience we know to expect the entries to come flooding in that final week, and that those 60 will turn into hundreds!
So do you want to be one of those hundreds? Do you want the first chapter of your book to be soon eagerly read by one of the editorial team in London and to potentially go on to win an editor for a year? Well this is your chance – take it!
I imagine there are many of you who are reading this blog who have already sent in your chapter and are now just waiting and hoping. But there are others (yes, I know you’re out there!) who are wondering whether they dare hit that send key and email off their chapter to the competition.
My advice – what have you got to lose?
Your entry will get read by an editor, it may or may not win, it may or may not final as a runner up, you may or may not get a little bit of feedback to encourage you on your way. Whatever the outcome though, if you don’t enter – you will never know! After all, if you have been following the blogs on this competition, you will have heard that we have had success in finding new authors from past competitions whether or not they won in the first place!
And there are other aspiring authors out there who have received ongoing advice from editors because there was something in that first chapter that caught their eye and made them think ‘This author has something – I’m going to work with them!’ That first submission may not have been right, a second or even third still might not hit the mark, but any published author will tell you that the road to publication is a rocky one and that road is often long, but if you never set foot on that road, you’ll never know where it may lead.
So – what is your excuse now? You may not go on to win the competition, only one of you can, but this could just be the start of something.
The Harlequin Presents Writing Competition is only the beginning…
Note from Amy: remember, the deadline for entering the contest is Nov. 2 at midnight! If you have any last-minute questions, please check the posts listed in Writing Competition 2009 tab, especially the Official Rules and Editor Chat Transcript. Also read the comments in those posts for common queries from your fellow aspiring authors that might have the answer you need. Good luck everyone! ~Amy
Really good advice, Joanne! In the editorial team we are thrilled every time we hear a new author has made a sale to Harlequin Presents and that they first came to the attention of an editor via this writing contest on the blog. Good luck to all and do submit!
PS the editors are absolutely fantastic to work with. You will learn so much.
I’m polishing, polishing, polishing. My entry will be in soon.
My entry is having a final polish this weekend before I take a deep breath, let it go, and hit “send”.
Good luck to everyone who enters- I think we’re all winners, no matter what the final outcome is!
We’ve had a go; and we’re learning more about writing, just by doing it, reading all the fab tips here, and being brave enough to take the risk.
Hi Joanne and Amy,
I sent my entry in on Friday, 9 October 2009 4:06:03 seconds, pm lol.. I gave it a prayer and a kiss for goodluck. lol
I think if I edited it much more it would have lost its essence. I left the phone call in as well, as my crit partners said it did not detract from the story. Nevertheless, it was the best it could have been.
I must admit I feel as though I’ve been electrocuted, absolutely fried. lol
I’ve been sprinting in here almost everyday to see if there has been an update. Is there going to be an update when the competition closes as well? Like how many entries received etc.
I am currently plotting my next Presents novel to write in the NaNoWriMo of Novemeber, which I enter every year. It will keep my mind occupied.
I’d like to wish everyone who entered the competiton all the best,
Suzanne
Thanks for the encouragement! Still doing final edits! Incidentally, the blog/ transcripts have been really helpful. I’ve had lots of fun putting an entry together! Good luck everyone!
May I echo what Suzanne posted. I too sent mine a couple of weeks back. May I also say it was a good piece of lateral thinking to set up an email account for the competition, given that there’s a postal strike in the UK.
Fingers crossed! Mine was sent last week. Good luck to everyone who enters. We can all be proud that at least “we did it”! Take care. Caroline x
That’s terrific advice, Joanne. I was lucky enough to sell out of the original Instant Seduction competition even though I didn’t win or place. So, if anyone is hesitating over hitting that send key then don’t. You have nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain. Go for it!
Regards
Tina
Hoping against hope to finish up my synopsis tonight, polish it up, and then ship it off either tonight or first thing this week.
Then gotta cross my fingers and work my way through NaNoWriMo which will keep my mind off the wait.
Hugs and luck to all.
I have to agree that the timing of this contest is perfect. I plan to send in this entry later this week, then use NaNo to distract me from worrying too much about it (and shh – don’t tell anyone but I’ll also be using NaNo to write the rest of the contest novel!)
Hey there everyone
I finally did it! I hit the send button yesterday and received a confirmation reply. Yahoo. But now the doubts have set in. Was I supposed to put my name in the header of the entry? A recent competition I entered in wanted only the title and page number along with category in the header. Ugh! For the presents entry I put the title and page number in it only. In the email part I put in my title and my name, address, phone & word count. I feel like an idiot. I tried to send in an email to ask but again received the same generic thank you for your entry reply. Can anyone help?
I hit enter last night on my entry. And I received my auto notice. So, I’m not sitting back and waiting.. nah.. can’t.
Gonna let the craziness and zaniness of NaNoWriMo ( http://www.nanwriomo.org ) take away all my worry and concern while tapping out a 50k story – just enough words to make a new Presents story.
Hugs and luck to all!!
Gibb, I’m no expert but I don’t think you need to be too worried about that! The editors are looking for good writing or potential they know they can work with, not the precision dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s of some contests.
Someone did say on I think eHarlequin that actually, what you put is the email is all that’s required. I wrote more like a covering letter, so I’ve been worried I’d put too much in!
I’m sure when it comes to it, they will just look at the story and not be too concerned about the formatting as long as it’s readable and clear.
Hey everyone, I’m finishing mine up this week.
Can I just take a moment to thank all those involved in reviewing, coordinating and entering this contest?
May the blessings of love be with you all…and a heartfelt wish of hope to all you talented and creative beings out there.
Good luck to everyone entering. As a runner up from the last one, it’s a HUGE opportunity. Give it your best shot guys!
Jackie
@Gibb – mulberry is right, as long as you have all the required contact info an easy-to-find place somewhere in your entry (like your email), I’m sure that is fine!
Good idea everyone to start with NaNoWriMo after the contest! Keep those engines going…maybe finish the book you started for the contest or start something brand-new for a change. Just curious how everyone will be doing NaNoWriMo this time — do you participate at the eHarlequin Community or another site?
~Amy
Amy, my Nano is going to be rewriting the 60,000 word bloated monster first draft of my comp entry into a sleek focused emotion packed 50,000 word submittable story!
Great goal, but hard to Nano because how do I count word count?
I wish I had the talent but I don’t. However, I wish all of you the very best. To submit takes courage amd determination…..good luck!
Hi Amy,
I was unaware that Harlequin have a NaNoWriMo.
I usually do it through http://www.nanowrimo.org/ each year. I sign up but don’t participate much in the push push of it all. Once I sign up, I make my goal 2.000 words a day or a little more. I actually reach that goal each year.
Hopefully this year will follow suite. It’s a great way to finish a novel in one month.
I love challenges. That’s why I enter. it’s a huge adrenaline rush.
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne — I know something happens in the eHarlequin Community during NaNo but I’m sorry I don’t know exactly what…I think they also track progress there and general encouragement/egging on to finish
mulberry — hmm, what if you tracked how many words you have edited?
~Amy
Tricky, but there’s gotta be some way of making it work! Anyway, my Nano is to second draft all the way to the end of the story by the end of November.
Best of luck to one and all!! What fun!! If you’re thinking of entering, really, you should do it. It’s definitely worth it!
Having been privy to a few of the entries, let me tell you, the editors are going to have fun!
mulberry- best of luck to you, darling.
Maisey
I have no finger nails left. This has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. To think that in a week or so’s time an editor will have read my script; well it’s just beyond belief for me really having never written anything like this before.
I doubt I am alone in wondering just how many entries have flooded in this weekend? I can’t wait for an update.
Good luck to all my fellow entrants. Lets hope the next few weeks fly by.
Just sent mine off. Gah, it was hard to press the send button – I had to reopen the attachment three times in Word to ensure I’d attached the correct draft! But it’s done now, so I’ve let loose a big WHEW, and should move on to other things! (yeah sure)
All the best to all, and Sharon, I hope your fingernails grow back before too long!
Madeline
LOL on opening the attachment three times! I did the same, and even then went back into my sent emails a couple more times to check I hadn’t attached the wrong versions.
Good luck to all of us who’ve entered. There can only be one “winner”, but the editors can request as many full manuscripts as they want!
Hi Maisey! Thanks for the wishes- hoping you hear back on your requested full soon!
Really nervous, hoping that my work’s good enough- doubts, doubts, doubts! They suck!
Good luck everyone! Fingers crossed for us all.