#ShoreIndie Contest 2017

#ShoreIndie is a new contest in 2017 that supports emerging indie authors by providing quality editing services and book marketing resources, creating a Twitter-based learning community for indie and hybrid authors, and connecting with existing online communities that share our mission of supporting the development of writing craft as well as the technical and business skills and knowledge needed for a successful indie author career.

This contest consists of two rounds. In Round 1, authors submit their materials to vetted freelance editors, who will each choose one author to work with for seven weeks. Authors selected in Round 1 will then submit their revised manuscripts to a panel of judges, who will choose a Grand Prize Winner and a Runner Up.

Prizes
The prizes for the two rounds mirror the twin purposes of this contest.

Round 1: Each vetted, volunteer #ShoreIndie editor will select one author to work with for free for seven weeks to get the manuscript ready for copy editing.

Round 2: One Grand Prize Winner and one Runner Up will receive prize packages that contain resources an indie author needs to finish producing a high-quality book, market their book effectively, and further their learning about craft and indie authorship. Although the prize packages have yet to be finalized, they may include things like free copy editing, book formatting, cover design, books on book marketing, consultation with a marketing coach, website design, a media packet, and a spot in a book marketing newsletter.

Who can enter
Our mission is to support emerging indie authors, whom we define as authors who are serious about supplementing their incomes by self-publishing and marketing high-quality books, who have published 0-3 books, and who are grossing less than $500 annually from combined sales of their books. In our first year, we are accepting completed YA, NA and A novels written in English. Because we will be using Twitter for chats and announcements, you must have a Twitter account.

In addition, if you are selected to participate in the Editing Round, you must be able to devote a significant amount of time to revision - think 40-60 hours over the seven weeks - and be willing to have both the original and edited versions of your book blurb and first five pages published on the ShoreIndie blog.

To avoid potential conflicts of interest, ShoreIndie Judges, Editors, Sponsors, and Featured Authors are not eligible to submit.

Please note: The ShoreIndie team is committed to providing a fun and safe space for authors to learn about/discuss writing, book marketing, and indie authorship. To that end, anyone who engages in any form of verbal abuse, hate speech, bullying, or harassment toward any member of the ShoreIndie community (including but not limited to authors participating in discussions on the #ShoreIndie hashtag, contest entrants, sponsors, featured authors, editors, and judges) will be disqualified from the contest and its related giveaways. If a member of the ShoreIndie community verbally abuses, directs hate speech at, bullies, or harasses you, please bring it to the attention of the organizer, @writelearndream, or any other member of the editing team so that we can take appropriate action. Thank you for helping us create a fun and welcoming learning community!

Submission guidelines
You will submit your back-of-the-book blurb and first five pages (up to 1500 words) to up to three editors.* We encourage you to watch the recording of the ShoreIndie webinar, How to Refine Your Novel's Blurb and First Five Pages, hosted by Reedsy, for great tips that will give your submission package an edge in the contest.

Pages should be in 12pt Times New Roman (or a similar, easy-to-read font), double-spaced, and submitted as a .doc. Up to 2 submissions per person are allowed.

*Each editor can only receive 100 submissions; submit early in the submission period to ensure you get your first choices.

There is no submission fee to enter this contest.
Entrants will have the option of donating $5 or $10 to the contest. Everyone who donates will be entered into a raffle to win a free blurb critique from one of the ShoreIndie editors. ($5 donation = 1 entry. $10 donation = 2 entries.) The 10 raffle winners will be drawn and announced after the Author-Editor pairs are announced on Sunday, June 11th. Donations will be used to cover contest expenses, and any surplus proceeds will be donated to Books for Africa.

2017 Contest schedule
May 6, 12pm Eastern: Editors' manuscript wish lists (MSWLs) announced
May 13, 12pm Eastern: Judges announced
May 20, 12pm Eastern: Sponsors announced
May 27, 12pm Eastern: Prize packages announced
May 29-June 2: #AskEditor Twitter chats with the ShoreIndie editors
June 3, 9am Eastern: Submissions open
June 5, 9am Eastern: Submissions close
June 3-10: Editors tweet anonymous feedback about submissions
June 11, 3pm Eastern: Author-Editor pairs announced
June 12-July 29: Editing Round; weekly revision chats on Twitter with editors, #AskAuthor Twitter chats with featured indie authors, giveaways
July 31-August 13: Judging Round
August 14, 12pm Eastern: Winners announced

Note: All announcements will be made on Twitter by @ShoreIndie.