INK & INSIGHTS 2017
SUBMISSION
GUIDELINES
Earn easy bonus points for following the formatting guidelines below.
This contest requires only the first 10,000* words
of your manuscript.
*You may go over the 10,000-word limit to finish the scene or chapter.
MAX LIMIT 11,000 words.
Attach a title page to your submission:
Include ONLY this info:
- Manuscript Title
- Genre
- Word count of entire manuscript (A guess is fine if it isn't finished.)
- E-mail address (Use the same address on submission form and Paypal.)
Please do not put your name on your title page. All judging is BLIND--The judges will know nothing about the writer of each submission.
(The e-mail address will be removed before the manuscript is assigned to the judges, so it is OK if your name is part of this address.)
New for 2017--Add a summary of the rest of the story:
Due to the word-count limit, judges occasionally have difficulty knowing where a story is going, which could affect some of the scoring. (Especially for longer novels that have barely gotten started by the end of the sample.)
In order to help judges understand and judge your story based on the limited amount they read, they have asked that writers include an additional page of summary, outline, or explanation with any important points for plot and character arcs beyond the 10,000-word limit.
Whatever you wish to include is your choice, but please, no more than a page. Add this page to the end of the submission with a heading letting judges know what it is.
*This summary does not count toward your submission limit. Single-spaced is fine if you need to get more goodness on the page.
Formatting your manuscript:
- Times New Roman; 12pt font
- Margins 1"
- Double spaced
- Text aligned left
- Page number with manuscript title in header/footer
- Indented paragraphs (.5 minimum indentions)
- Proper paragraph spacing* with no extra space between
*(Nonfiction submissions may use either indentions or paragraph blocks.)
A few more things:
- Again, please do not include your name on the manuscript. Judges need to maintain total objectivity.
- You will be required to choose a category--Apprentice, Master, or Nonfiction. If you are not sure which to choose, click here for some questions that will help you decide.
- In order to match your submission with the best judges, we need to know its genre, or the closest possible genres the story it fits in.
- Warning and comment boxes are provided for additional comments.
- The upload link will not allow you to send PDFs.
- Please do not send your entire novel. We only read the first 10,000 words, and the upload is limited to 350kb.
- The title page, submission, and summary should be one file.
Cost for each submission:
Late Entry in June:
$45
You will be redirected to Paypal after your upload is complete.
You Do Not have to have a PayPal account.
Use Paypal as a guest.
Manuscript scoring:
-Four judges will read and score each 10,000-word submission.
- The combined score from the judges will determine each submission's placement for the contest results.
-The top three submissions in the Master category will then go on to the Agent Round where they will be read by our guest agents, who will choose the winning placements.
-Each agent will give feedback to these lucky writers. They may also request to see more of any manuscript they like.
EVERY manuscript submitted will receive feedback
from the four judges assigned to it.
Final results announced:
August or Sept 2017
(Depends on when judges finish reading. This does not include submissions that go on to the Agent Round. These placements will be announced once the agents finish reading.)
-Your scoresheets and feedback will be returned after all four judges have read your manuscript.
-If you have not gotten your scoresheets with feedback by September, please contact us at submission@InkandInsights.com
