Final Day of Celebration!

As our birthday celebration comes to a close on Halloween (and we turn back into pumpkins at midnight tonight), we're admittedly a little sad.

However, it's time for us to get back to work critiquing your manuscripts with fervor!  And that we shall do.  We've been a little lazy lately.  (OK, that's just Miranda.  But she swears it's because she's been busy writing and editing.)

As you may have imagined, however, we can't end the month without one more prize winner!

And the winner of TWO free, full manuscript critiques is...

GARY MASSKIN!

Gary: send us an email with your contact info and we'll get you the details about submitting up to two manuscripts for a free line-edit critiques (including a pitch or cover letter if you've got them!).

Now, to end with even more good news.

The good news is:

Rate Your Story will be OPEN to submissions for a few more weeks yet before closing down over the holiday season.  Last year, we had multiple closures in November -- but this year, we're staying open until Thanksgiving Day.  That's right, folks, you've got until November 22 to get us your manuscripts–and we promise to have them back to you before the year is out, so you can polish them up and get ready to submit in the New Year!

Have a safe and happy Halloween! Now get writing!

Cheers,

Rate Your Story

More Birthday Prizes!

Hi all,

It's Wednesday!  

We know you've been waiting for the drawing, so I promise to get to that very soon.  But first...a little good news.

RYS Judge Jill Esbaum has another book contract!
From Publisher's Lunch: Author of Tom's Tweet, Jill Esbaum's ELWOOD BIGFOOT, LOVE THOSE BIRDIES, in which a desperately-lonely bigfoot moves into a tree hoping to befriend the neighborhood birdies, but his boisterous personality makes it tough to convince them he's harmless, to Alli Brydon at Sterling Children's, by Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio.


RYS Judge Lisa Albert recently presented on an amazing author panel at the Sheboygan Children's Festival along with Sarah Weeks, Ilsa J. Bick, Julie Halpern & Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman!

RYS Judge Kelly Hashway's upcoming YA novel, TOUCH OF DEATH (Spencer Hill Press), is now available for pre-order on B&N and Amazon.com!

RYS Judge Mira Reisberg recently watched several of her students graduate from the first Picture Book Academy, and some of her graduates have author and editor interest ALREADY!  (I actually got to participate in this course and found it immensely helpful for thinking visually and getting better at self-editing.  Recommended!).  Her 2nd Picture Book Academy will be underway soon...still time to sign up!

RYS Judge Melissa Gorzelanczyk recently made it to the second-round of Kate Ellis's YA Novel Pitch Contest!

I also have some good news - one of my co-authored Gambian folktales has now been translated into Spanish and released by iStorybooks!

Do you have GOOD NEWS TO SHARE?  Next week, we will share your good news.  Post a comment on this blog post with the announcement of your writing news and you'll be entered into a contest for a free manuscript critique from me, Miranda Paul!*  

And, we'll have another secret prize giveaway for this week for anyone who RSVPs or has already RSVPed for our month-long birthday celebration (details here).  It's a two-fer!

*free manuscript critique of any story or picture book up to 2,000 words or fewer, or the winner may opt for a full novel critique at half price.
AND NOW, the moment you've been waiting for.  This week's winner of the 2013 Writer's Market or Children's Writer and Illustrator's Market is....

Lots of names in that bowl!

And the winner is....

JULIE ROWAN-ZOCH!

Congrats, Julie - just send me an email with the address you want me to send the electronic coupon to, and which book you've chosen.  Hooray!

Now, get posting to enter the prize drawings for next week (scroll up to read how).  Have a wonderful week!

...And the Party Continues!

Happy Wednesday again! Huzzah!  

This week, we’re continuing Rate Your Story’s month-long birthday celebration with some more swag.  (If you missed the first week of the party, you can catch up here.)


Today, we’ve got a goodie-bag surprise for all of you:  Badges!  If you’ve ever submitted something to Rate Your Story, you can now post a beautiful customized graphic on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.  Check out these lovely rating badges created by our talented illustrator, Dana Atnip!

To put one of these badges on your site, etc. simply right click (apple or control click on a Mac) and save the image to your desktop.  When you Tweet or upload the image to your site, we ask that you give credit to Rate Your Story and Dana Atnip.  We’d also love a link back!  (FYI: these badges will soon appear on our Rating Scale page as well).  

Now...to the best part: Another Giveaway!  Huzzah, again!

This week, we’re giving away a copy an electronic copy of the 2013 Writer’s Market or the 2013 Children’s Writer’s Market - Your choice!  To enter the contest, please read our original prize giveaway “RSVP” guidelines.  And enter more than once to improve your chances.

Good luck!

And the Winner Is...

Happy Birthday to Rate Your Story!

It's time to pull the first winner of our month-long celebration of prize giveaways.  This week, up for grabs was a critique with Rate Your Story Judge, Melissa Gorzelanczyk.  You can read more about all of our fabulous volunteer judges on our professional critiques page.

And the winner is...(chosen from a random drawing)

LJ Moz!

Congratulations!  Please email Miranda at rateyourstory@gmail.com with contact info and she will pass it along to Melissa.


If you didn't win, don't worry.  There are more prizes to be won!  You can be entered in every prize drawing by RSVPing to our birthday party.  See the original post from Wednesday, October 3 for instructions on how to be entered into the multiple Rate Your Story prize drawings.

We'll announce next week's prize on Wednesday and pull another name next Friday.  Thanks for celebrating with us!

Happy Birthday, Rate Your Story! Prizes and More!

Wednesdays are usually fun at Rate Your Story, but today is extra special.  It’s our birthday!

Happy Birthday, Rate Your Story!

Photo Courtesy Fotolia/Microsoft Free Clip Art

To celebrate, we’re giving out “goodie bags” for those of you who attend our month-long party.  

Here’s the invite!

Who:  All writers, readers, and RYS fans!

What:  A month-long online celebration with weekly prize giveaways!

When:  Through October 31st

RSVP (a.k.a. enter to win!):  You can RSVP to the party in three ways:  

1) Post a Happy Birthday message or Rate Your Story testimonial on your blog, 

2) Tweet about Rate Your Story using the #RateYS hashtag or directly to @RateYourStory, or 

3) Like the new Rate Your Story fan page on Facebook

Each RSVP = 1 entry; no limit on how many times you can enter!

IMPORTANT = Make sure to add a comment on THIS blog post each time you complete an RSVP so we can track entries.  Don’t skip this step!

Goodie Bag Prizes:  Free professional critiques, line-edits, autographed books, and more from our volunteer judges!  Check back often for the latest drawing!

First Drawing will be:  Wednesday, October 10th for a free manuscript critique with Melissa Gorzelanczyk, Rate Your Story judge!

Thank you for celebrating with Rate Your Story!  I can't believe we're a year old now!  Comments are open.  Remember to comment and let us know each time you've posted one of the RSVPs so we can track them!  Good luck!