Latest Contest

Our Latest Contest, Scintillating Starts, is open. See what we’re looking for below.

The Submittable links are live.

Questions? Please ask.

There are no mistakes–only new material. 

It’s not news that the publishing world keeps changing. There are lots of opportunities available, but if you’re looking for an agent or trying to sell your work to a small press or a university press, Scintillating Starts will make your work more appealing to them. The market is extremely tight and everyone look at marketability as well as the quality of your work.

Keeping that in mind we want to read your first 5 pages or 1500 words of your completed manuscript or work in progress. We’ll read quickly, as an agent would, if you only want to be considered for a prize. Cost will be $6.50 and the payment will be $35 for everyone who is published.

If you’d like feedback, we ask for an extra $13.00, which is less than half of my normal editing rate for 1500 words (.02 cents per word which is very low). NOTE: You’re still eligible for the $35 if we publish your work.  

In addition you may submit your query letter for $5 if you only want to be considered for a prize.

The cost is an additional $10 if you’d like feedback. Your query is your first impression, and I can tell you how an agent might react. It’s a given that your first paragraph will vary depending on how you found the agent or publisher. Remember you’re still eligible for a prize if we send you feedback. 

Most agents and submissions managers consider the following before looking at other factors:

1. Is this project marketable? Why or why not? Does it offer something new, trending, or intriguing that will create buzz and more attention?
2. Will the first page of the manuscript engage readers?
3. What are the stakes and why will they keep the audience reading?
4. What trips me (the agent or publisher) up?
5. Does the author’s voice resonate? Why or why not?
6. In the query does the author recognize her audience? Who is it? How much contact does s/he have with the audience?
7. Do the submitted materials show writing competency and professionalism? Does the author have a following? Does s/he need one?

We’ll have 2 categories of winners: Top queries  and top openings. It’s possible to be published in both categories. If that happens you’ll earn $70.

We do our best work with all kinds of fiction including contemporary, historical, romance, sci fi, women’s fiction, auto-fiction, book club fiction, literary fiction, YA, middle grade, and unlisted genres plus creative nonfiction, memoir, and any genre with an engaging story.

FYI, we’re not looking for textbooks, scientific studies, academic work, board books, early readers, or poetry for this opportunity.

• Please submit through the Submittable link on this page. 
• Please put query or opening plus the title on each submission.
• Each submission is separate and requires a separate fee.

Why are my fees so low? This is my gift to all writers who enter.

If anything is unclear, please ask questions using the contact box on the home page. If your question arrives that way, I’ll recognize that your e-mail needs my immediate attention.

A bit about me: I’ve listened to enough presentations from agents to know what they are looking for. Among other things they want to earn their commission with polished, original work that speaks to today’s audience. Companies that don’t require an agent also want to make sure they’re working with polished professionals. 

I’ve worked very briefly with two agents, published four books without agents, and have been running WriterAdvice.com since 1997. Before starting Writer Advice, I taught English and drama in high school and college, which offered strong insights for creating believable characters. Good characters drive a story. My education includes a B.A. from Vassar College, an MA from San Francisco State University, and two teaching credentials. If you’re curious, you can learn more about me in my memoir, Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62 or at https://writeradvice.com/meet-b-lynn-goodwin/.

The link for submissions is in the box with a black background below. We recommend that you read “For Best Results” towards the bottom of the page.

Questions? Please ask using the contact box on the home page. 

“Great stories often come from the smallest, least flashy places, and being open to the idea that even a dirty sock on the floor can serve as a catalyst for a story means inspiration can truly come from anywhere.”  ~~Ani King

Keep reading. There are contestant comments below. 

JUDGES: Editor B. Lynn Goodwin consults with former Writer Advice winners as needed.  

Submittable will ask for a submission fee which goes towards prizes and an additional fee if you’d like feedback. Despite the price of gas, groceries, and everything else, I’m keeping my rates the same, which is my gift to those who enter. 

 

 

1. Include your name, contact information, and title on the Submittable form, but include only your title in the actual submission so it remains anonymous. Please leave the header and footer blank.
2. You don’t need a cover letter. We’re judging the work, not your resume.
3. Please double-space your submission. We recommend that you use a 14-point font that is easy to read. Cambria, Ariel, and Verdana are all good. If you forget, we may fix it for you.
4. You own the copyright. If we publish your work, the rights still belong to you, though we ask you not to resubmit to anyone other a publisher or agent until 90 days after it appears on Writer Advice. Please give us credit if it is published elsewhere.
5. Simultaneous submissions accepted.
6. If your work is accepted elsewhere or you find an agent or publisher, please notify us immediately.
7. We prefer unpublished work, though we do accept stand-alone excerpts from work seeking a publisher or agent.
8. Please hit the contact button and ask questions if anything is unclear or missing. Thank you!

COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS CONTESTANTS:

Although I’ve received many more kind words since I posted these, I haven’t updated. My interest is in your writing–not promotion, though I have books for sale.

Curious? Please ask.

I appreciate being able to choose where I put my time. 

 “You reviewed a piece I wrote for the Flash Memoir Contest earlier this year and provided inspirational feedback. Your guidance helped me to improve the piece and my writing, and I’ve had success publishing in part because of your assistance. So thank you. :-)”   ~~Rob Rogers

“Thank you for your great advice. I appreciate it and will use it to improve my writing.”  –Shelley Malicote

“Your suggestions for improvement rock.”  –Shelley Stutchman

“WriterAdvice.com is one of my all-time most reliable and accessible sites for writers. I use it—and recommend it to my clients.” ~Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers (http://howtodoitfrugally.com), poetry and fiction

“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve told about the great feedback you give to folks no matter how many entries you get.”   –Bill Buschel

“It’s such a refreshing experience to have some exchange — as most submissions disappear into the either like rogue satellites.” –Charles Watts 

“Your insights are excellent” –Dan Dubelman

“I learned about this contest from the Submittable page. I then checked out your website and felt comfortable submitting my story as you seem like someone who genuinely wants to help and advise others.” –Roger Yetzer

“I’m always striving to improve my writing, and feedback from editors like you make it much easier to do so.”  –Margarite R. Stever

“Many thanks for your response, from it, I can tell you’re very good at what you do.” –Kisa, Visually Versed

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to read and analyze my work . . . It’s not every day a contest gives you comprehensive feedback instead of a simple yes/no!” –Lena Crown

“Thanks for the wonderful feedback, never, never, got that before in thirty years.” –Jenny Hickinbotham