2017 RYS CONTEST!

*The 2017 Rate Your Story Contest is now CLOSED*

The contest theme is "Awesome Openers" 

How strong is your hook? 

The 2017 Rate Your Story Writing Contest is 

open for submissions at 12:01am EST on 7/15/17 and 

closes to submissions at 11:59pm EDT on 7/31/17 

CATEGORIES:

Our judges will be accepting manuscripts and awarding winners in four separate categories: Picture Book Fiction, Picture Book Nonfiction, Middle Grade & Young Adult. 

Picture Book Fiction - Text only, no art. Fiction only accepted. Rhyme, free verse, or prose accepted. Stories should be geared for today's children. Submit the entire picture book. Judges will evaluate text and choose winning entries that hook the reader from the start, show originality, overall quality, appropriateness for the intended audience, and readiness of submission. Submit as a .doc attachment only. Remove your name from the manuscript and include only the title, category (PICTURE BOOK FICTION), and intended age of audience at the top.


Picture Book Nonfiction - Text only, no art. Nonfiction only accepted. Rhyme, free verse, or prose accepted. Stories should be geared for today's children. Submit the entire picture book. If you have back matter available and you would like to include it in the text, feel free include the back matter. However, please note that back matter is optional. Judges will evaluate text and choose winning entries that hook the reader from the start, show originality, overall quality, appropriateness for the intended audience, and readiness of submission. Submit as a .doc attachment only. Remove your name from the manuscript and include only the title, category (PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION), and intended age of audience at the top.

Middle Grade - Submit only the FIRST TWO CHAPTERS - of a completed novel. Judges will evaluate text and choose winning entries that hook the reader from the start, show originality, overall quality, appropriateness for the intended audience, and readiness of submission. Submit as a .doc attachment only. Remove your name from the manuscript and include only the title, category (MIDDLE GRADE), and intended age of audience at the top.

Young Adult - Submit only the FIRST TWO CHAPTERS - of a completed novel. Judges will evaluate text and choose winning entries that hook the reader from the start, show originality, overall quality, appropriateness for the intended audience, and readiness of submission. Submit as a .doc attachment only. Remove your name from the manuscript and include only the title, category (YOUNG ADULT), and intended age of audience at the top.

**All entries must be the original work of the author and not previously published or under contract at time of entry.**

ENTRY FORMAT:

Please see our "SUBMISSION GUIDELINES" section below for manuscript formatting guidelines.

WHO MAY ENTER:

RYS Members may submit two manuscripts for entry at no charge. For additional entires, regular contest fees apply. Submissions are unlimited per person. 

Non-members are also able to enter the contest. There is a small $15.00 fee per manuscript to enter the writing contest. These fees cover prizes and administration costs. Please see below for the entry purchase and checkout buttons. 

*In order to avoid any conflict of interest, individuals affiliated with Rate Your Story as a judge (past or present), freelance writer or illustrator, or any other compensated position are ineligible to enter this contest. Exception: Guest bloggers and interviewees who have not been compensated for their work are welcome to enter the contest.

PRIZES:

First Place in each category will win:

-One query pass to literary agent Jill Corcoran, of the Jill Corcoran Literary Agency
-One Manuscript critique from a Rate Your Story Judge
-A Pre-taped webinar pass from Kid Lit College
-A 2018 Rate Your Story Membership

Second Place in each category will win: 

-"An Insider Look at Agent-Client Relationships", a pre-taped webinar from 12x12 with author Julie Hedlund and literary agent Erzsi Deak, of Hen & Ink Literary. For more about Julie and 12x12, click HERE

-Two free Rate Your Story Submissions

Third Place in each category will win:

-Two free Rate Your Story Submissions

HOW TO ENTER:

Annual Rate Your Story Contest Entry Pass - 2017

PURCHASE ENTRY HERE:   

1. If you ARE a current 2017 Rate Your Story Member, you automatically receive 2 free contest entries. If you wish to purchase more entries, please follow the directions below for non members. 
If you are NOT a current RYS paid member, you must first purchase a non-refundable contest entry pass for $15.00.To avoid any confusion, please checkout using the email address you will use to submit your manuscript or clearly indicate in your email submission that you are using a different email. You may purchase passes and enter the contest as many times as you wish.

*
PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU PLAN TO ENTER MORE THAN ONE MANUSCRIPT IN THE SAME CATEGORY, YOU WILL HAVE TO CHECKOUT SEPARATE TIMES.

2. Once you have purchased your non-refundable entry pass (or if you are a member using your free pass), you may submit one manuscript to rateyourstory [at] gmail [dot] com. 

**CONTEST SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. In the subject line, put the word CONTEST first. Then, type the category (PB Fiction, PB Nonfiction, MG or YA) in the subject line. Then, type the TITLE of your work in the subject line.


For example, your email subject line will look something like these examples:
CONTEST PB A FUNNY FROGGY FINDS A FEATHER
CONTEST MG THE WITCH HUNT 
CONTEST YA STELLA'S TEARS


2. Important: Do NOT put the word "Submission" or your name in the email subject line! This will cause your submission to go in the wrong filter or be disqualified. Please put the word "Contest" in the email subject line. (See Rule #1)


3. In the email body only, please put your name, the category, title of your work, and preferred contact information (email or phone that we will use to contact you if you are a winner).

4. As an attachment - a .doc file only - please send the the whole picture book (including back matter for nonfiction) or THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS of your novel. Please do NOT include your name on the manuscript, only the CATEGORY, TITLE, and AGE/GENRE information requested at the top. Please make sure that your title on the manuscript matches exactly the title in your email subject line! Also, only one contest entry per email. We will be checking pass receipts and member lists to the entries to verify eligibility. Do not send a link to a Google or Dropbox document, or any other file format than a .doc or .docx attachment for your submission. Do not submit the same manuscript more than once (or a "corrected" version if you realize later that you had a typo). Email all contest entries to rateyourstory (at) gmail (dot) com.


5. Please follow all category guidelines above, and read our regular submission guidelines page for best practices in formatting a manuscript professionally. Though we don't want to do so, we reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not follow submission guidelines. We also will not be able to offer refunds for contest entry passes, nor can we accommodate requests to update a version of a manuscript submitted in error, etc.


6. Submit any questions to us at rateyourstory (at) gmail (dot) com BEFORE you send in your entry.

DEADLINE:

All entries must have been received by 11:59pm EST time on July 31st, 2017. Entries received before July 15th, 2017 or after July 31st, 2017 will not be accepted.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU PLAN TO ENTER MORE THAN ONE MANUSCRIPT IN THE SAME CATEGORY, YOU WILL HAVE TO CHECKOUT SEPARATE TIMES.