How to Win a Novel Award

[Hannah Faoileán]

This won't guarantee a win, especially as many entrants will be watching the same video, but there's some good tips/reminders to at least increase your chances.

 

[Bloo]

But I don't want a novel award. I want something more conventional and well-known.

 

[Claire G]

Thanks, Hannah. This is useful to watch even if you're not focused on competitions - just to improve your craft or submission package to agents!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Start in the right place. So freaking important and not easy. It is so true and runs counter to what you get from a lot of critiques. READERS BRAINS ARE GOOD AT FILLING IN GAPS.

And in the ultimate draft, the final polish is going from "her stomach rumbled from hunger" to weaving starvation into Katniss's every waking moment.

 

[Pamela Jo]

But I don't want a novel award. I want something more conventional and well-known.

Bloo.... Novel by name, Novel by nature. A novel by any other name is a cliche.

 

[CarolMS]

This won't guarantee a win, especially as many entrants will be watching the same video, but there's some good tips/reminders to at least increase your chances.

Hannah, this was excellent. Who are these two authors? Give them credit. Such a good job.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

Hannah, this was excellent. Who are these two authors? Give them credit. Such a good job.

https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/authors/emily-randall-jones/

https://petersfraserdunlop.com/clients/melissa-welliver/

They both also offer mentoring service for members of the WriteMentor community (for picture book to YA). I subscribe (free) to the WriteMentor Newsletter (hence the video link) but am not a member of their community. Actually, their mentoring fees are very reasonable but still unaffordable for me.

 

[CarolMS]

https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/authors/emily-randall-jones/

https://petersfraserdunlop.com/clients/melissa-welliver/

They both also offer mentoring service for members of the WriteMentor community (for picture book to YA). I subscribe (free) to the WriteMentor Newsletter (hence the video link) but am not a member of their community. Actually, their mentoring fees are very reasonable but still unaffordable for me.

I suspect they'd be nice to work with. And I do understand what you mean about the affordability of such mentoring, even when relatively speaking costs might be reasonable. I'm living very close to the bone these days, too. Thank goodness for writing communities like Litopia!