Q: How will I know my entry is received?

A: You’ll receive an email confirmation of payment received and when the entry has been approved from the contest coordinator. You’ll also receive a timeline. All entrants will be notified at the end of Round One. If you are a Round One finalist, you will be notified of your finalist standing and given further instructions concerning your synopsis and letter of intent.

Round Two winners will be notified after the final judges have selected their manuscripts and given further instructions regarding Round Two.

The Winner will be notified at the November chapter meeting. All other Round Two winners who were not The Writer will be notified at that time.

Q: What does no sub genre mean and why are they listed if there are none for the contest?

A: We decided to let the author choose their sub genre. The author will benefit from being allowed to include possible cross sub genres, ex. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which is a young adult fantasy novel. Also, the final judges will be allowed to work with a manuscript they believe they could help, regardless if it is the sub genre they currently write in. It allows for more inclusivity and a chance to allow the work to shine.

Q: I don’t get the heat levels. Why do I need to include it and why is ‘chiles’ spelled wrong?

A: The heat levels are included to make sure your manuscript gets paired with the right judge. Not all judges are comfortable reading a sweet romance nor are all judges comfortable with a hot and steamy romance. We want to make sure your manuscript is given the best attention and consideration.

As for the chiles, it’s a New Mexican thing. 😉

Q: What if my story isn’t a romance?

A: Then this contest may not be for you. Our judges are focusing on romance and its impact on the story. We encourage you to take a look at your manuscript and see if your submission has romantic elements.

Q: Are your judges trained?

A: Informally, yes. The judges will have access to presentations on how to judge the contest as well as the ability to ask the coordinator questions at any time. Our first round judges consist of published, PAN, PRO, and pre-published members. Should a question come up, the contest coordinator will answer it based on the consensus of the contest committee.

Q: What formats are accepted and how should I title my entry?

A: We are only accepting .docx, .doc, and .rtf files. There are examples in the contest rules, but it should follow this format:

[Title of work]-[sub genre initials]-[chile heat level].doc

[Title of work]-[sub genre initials]-[chile heat level].docx

[Title of work]-[sub genre initials]-[chile heat level].rtf

ex. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone-YAPN-1.doc

Q: Are same sex pairings accepted?

A: Yes! ALL pairings and ALL combos are accepted and encouraged to enter.

Q: How many critiques will I get back?

A: You will receive three critiques of your manuscript where at least one critique came from a published in romance or Pro author.