The Strongest Start Novel Competition 2008
Sponsored by TheNextBigWriter.com
Official Competition Rules and Regulations
1. OPEN ONLY TO REGISTERED MEMBERS OF THENEXTBIGWRITER.COM
Writing Members of theNextBigWriter.com may enter by:
- Posting the first three chapters of their submitted novel on theNextBigWriter.com sites anytime during the Competition period. The entry must include the tags "Strongest Start Two" (entered as strongest_start_two).
All work posted to the sites by members is the sole responsibility of the submitting person. Entrants are entirely responsible for all content posted or otherwise made available via the sites. Sponsor reserves the right to declare any entries determined to not be in accordance with the stated terms of theNextBigWriter Member Agreement.
2. Judging and Winner Selection: The Competition will judge the first three chapters only of the submitted novels. Non-fiction books are allowed. Writers are not required to submit additional chapters and are not required to have completed additional chapters. The winners will be selected according to a two round process:
Round I: Six novel finalists will be chosen based on the following criteria:
- Six finalists will be chosen from TheNextBigWriter.com Private Online Writing Workshop by the site's Editorial Team. The site's rankings and recommendations will guide the editors but sole discretion for choosing the finalists rests with the Editorial Team. All editorial decisions and procedures relating to this Contest are final. The editors will be looking for the most compelling, difficult to put down first three chapters. All judges will be asked to evaulate how interested they are in moving onto the next chapters if they existed. Any styles and genres are welcome as long as the submission complies with the site's member agreement.
The deadline to submit material for Round I is April 16, 2008. The names of the six finalist will be posted on TheNextBigWriter.com approximately two weeks later.
Round II: The manuscripts of the six finalists will be reivewed by a panel of independent judges. The judges will be asked to evaluate how interested they would be in continuing onto Chapter 4, if it existed. This is the main criteria for judging the submission altough grammar and punctuation will also be judging factors.
On May 15, 2008, the winners will be announced.
3. Prizes:
First Place
- A professional Editorial Evaluation, 30 minute Editorial Consultation, and complete manuscript line-edit, all provided by iUniverse - valued at $2,000.
- $100 cash.
- A free year subscription to TheNextBigWriter Online Writing Workshop (valued at $49.95).
- Winner announcement in an email going out to over 10,000 writers and readers.
Second Place
- $50 in cash.
- A free 90 day membership to TheNextBigWriter Online Writing Workshop (valued at $14.95).
- Winner announcement in an email going out to over 10,000 writers and readers.
Third place
- $25 in cash.
- A free 90 day membership to TheNextBigWriter Online Writing Workshop (valued at $14.95).
- Winner announcement in an email going out to over 10,000 writers and readers.
No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. No transfer or substitution of prizes permitted. Winners are solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, or local taxes on the value of their prizes. Winners are responsible for all costs or expenses not specifically exempted herein. By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to the release of his/her name, pen name, likeness, and city and state of residence for potential publicity purposes, where permitted by law.
4. Eligibility: Void where prohibited by law or regulation. Contest is open only to registered theNextBigWriter.com members 18 years of age or older who have never sold 15,000 or more copies of any particular book or manuscript they’ve authored. The following restrictions apply (i) Void in AZ; and (ii) Contest is only open to legal residents of the United States (except residents of AZ, PR, and all other US Territories and Possessions), Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, India, Israel, or Canada (except the Province of Quebec). Contest is not open to employees and their families (spouses, parents, children/siblings and their respective spouses, and those living in the same household) of theNextBigWriter, LLC, its affiliates, advertising and production agencies. Entrants consent to the use of their registration information in accordance with theNextBigWriter Privacy Policy.. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. All rights to any work submitted by Writing Members on TheNextBigWriter.com or registered members of Booksie.com are retained by the submitting member in accordance with the stated terms of theNextBigWriter Member Agreement. Entries must be original and conceived and created entirely by the entrant. Sponsor may prohibit any entrant from participating in this Contest or any future promotion offered by the Sponsor, if, in the sole opinion of theNextBigWriter, LLC such entrant (i) has tampered with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website, (ii) repeatedly shows a disregard for the rules, or (iii) acts (a) in an unsportsmanlike manner, (b) with an intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass theNextBigWriter, LLC or any other entrant, or (c) in any other disruptive manner. Entrants must be a Writing Member of theNextBigWriter.com site or a registered Member of Booksie.com, as appropriate, in good standing to be eligible to win. The Contest may be terminated at any time after its commencement without prior notice; however if such termination should occur, all prizes will be awarded to winners according to the rankings at the time of Contest termination.
5. Limitation of Liability: Sponsor is not responsible for typographical errors in any contest-related materials; or for any individual's inability to enter this contest, including but not limited to unavailable network, server, telephone, or other connections; failed software or hardware transmissions; other errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical, or electronic, including lost, late, incomplete, damaged, or misdirected entries; or for any damage to any computer related to or resulting from participation. Sponsor reserves the right to terminate or modify contest if fraud or technical failures compromise the integrity of the contest as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In the event that the contest is terminated, all eligible entries received before termination will be ranked. Entrants agree that the Sponsors, their promotion partners, related companies, agencies, and their respective employees or officers shall not be liable for injury, losses, damages or costs of any kind resulting from participation in this contest or acceptance of or use or misuse of a prize or parts thereof. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these official rules.
6. Winners List: For a list of winners send a postcard, only, with your name and address to: TheNextBigWriter Best Start Novel Competition Awards Winners List, P.O. Box 610383, Newton, MA 02461. Winners will also be posted on theNextBigWriter.com website as they are determined.
7. Sponsor: theNextBigWriter, LLC, P.O. Box 610383, Newton, MA 02461.
