Entrants of our Annual Contest have the opportunity to win feedback and developmental edits on their full manuscript from one of our professional editors.

Our professional editors have donated generous amounts of time in order to help you get your manuscript as polished as possible. You win 8 weeks of our editors’ developmental editing expertise.

For the Annual Contest, we define a developmental edit as an editorial letter (or equivalent) and consultation (via whatever means of communication editor and author agree upon). The editor will also help the author prepare a query letter edit and first five pages for the winner showcase.

Any additional edits will be up to the author's and editor's discretion and follow a mutually agreed upon timeline.

Developmental editing includes (but is not limited to) story-arc, character development, structure, flow, and voice. Winners will also have access to discuss their manuscripts, ask questions about how to approach revisions, and receive advice from their editors. This type of editing can be worth upwards of a thousand dollars, and grand prize winners will receive it for free.

Should you win, the editor that picks you will help you with what your manuscript needs most. Every manuscript will have different needs to get it agent-ready by the showcase stage.

Runners-up Prizes

First Five Pages Critique

with Adah Beatrice or Nicole Frail

This year we will have TWO runners-up per editor. Each runner-up will win a critique on the first five pages of their manuscript from Adah or Nicole. Please also provide a synopsis, if possible, so that their first impressions can be accompanied by feedback that's more informed about the plot and characters.

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