Who will be left standing?
2011 River City Romance Writers’ Duel on the Delta Contest Rules
Fee: $20.00 (U.S. funds) per entry. Make check payable to RCRW (River City Romance Writers) or pay with PayPal. If sending a check, be sure to write your manuscript title in the memo line. Fees are non-refundable. Please mail check and entry form to the following address:
River City Romance Writers
P.O. Box 4214
Cordova, TN 38018
Deadline: Entries must be received via e-mail by March 15, 2011 at Midnight CST. E-mail confirmation will be sent by the Category Coordinator
Contents: The first twenty (20) pages. Additional pages will not be judged. You may include an optional one-page, single-spaced synopsis. The synopsis will not be judged, but may be used as a reference to answer questions that arise during judging.
Entries in all categories must be romantic fiction with romantic elements. Short stories, nonfiction, and fiction in genres other than romance will not be accepted. Category Coordinators reserve the right to reject any entry that does not meet the acceptable industry standards for romantic fiction.
You may submit up to three (3) different entries per each category with a maximum total of fifteen (15) entries per entrant. All fees and rules apply individually to each entry.
Eligibility requirements: The Duel on the Delta Contest is open to unpublished writers and to any author who has not been published in the past five years and/or contracted within the last three years for any novel-length work of fiction (40,000 + words) in any format (ebook, mass market, etc). Disregarding this rule will result in immediate disqualification and the entry fee forfeited. Past Duel on the Delta Winners are eligible to enter a manuscript that has not previously won the Duel on the Delta Award.
Submission Process:
Submissions will be accepted as of January 1, 201 at Midnight CST.
Entry must be sent as an attachment. Entries cut and pasted within the e-mail will not be accepted. Please save your document as an .rtf (rich text format). You will receive an e-mail notification when your entry is logged (attachment is opened without virus or formatting error and payment is received/confirmed).
Attach a completed entry form, PayPal receipt or confirmation number (if applicable). If paying by check, please include check number. Typing your name on the entry form and e-mailing it is acceptable.
The email subject line should include your last name and the manuscript title.
E-mail your entry to the appropriate Category Coordinator (see list below).
The email entry cannot exceed the first 20 pages of your manuscript and must be in standard format.
- Double spaced
- 1-inch margins
- Size 12 Courier or Times New Roman
- Unjustified text, aligned left.
- Title and category name in the upper left-hand corner and page number in the upper right-hand corner of each page.
- Begin first page one third of the way down from the top.
- Author's name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript.
Note: There must be at least 5 entries in each category. If the minimum number is not received, the category will be eliminated and the entry fees returned. There will be a limited number of entries admitted. The Duel on the Delta Contest Chair will determine the maximum number of entries based upon category volume and notify those additional entrants and refund their entry fee.
Judging: Individual judges are encouraged to make comments within the manuscript and the score sheets. The extent of the critique provided is at the discretion of the individual judge. A minimum of three (3) judges read and score each entry. Judges will be published authors, PRO members, or RCRW-trained. All judging is confidential. Please review the judge’s score sheet available on the contest page of the RCRW website.
Winner Notification: Finalists will be notified by April 20, 2011. Finalists will have one week to make changes before submitting for the final round judging. Winners will be notified on or around May 31, 2011.
Prizes: The final round judge ranks the top three (3) entries in her/his respective categories. Top prize: Duel on the Delta pin and $25. All finalists receive certificates. Winners are announced in the Romance Writers Report and on the RCRW website.
Failure to Comply: Any entry failing to comply with the rules as stated herein will be disqualified and entry fee forfeited. No fees will be refunded on the basis of disqualification or withdrawal. The Duel on the Delta Contest Chair reserves the right to return any entry that does not comply with contest rules.
E-Mail questions to Marissa Rogers, contest coordinator at
duelonthedelta @ yahoo DOT com.
Duel on the Delta Categories
- Contest entries should be mailed to the appropriate coordinator listed below.
- Romantic Suspense: romanticsuspenseDoD@yahooDOTcom
- Contemporary: contemporaryDoD@yahooDOTcom
- Inspirational: inspirationalDoD@yahooDOTcom
- Historical: historicalDoD@yahooDOTcom
- Young Adult: youngadultDoD@yahooDOTcom
- Paranormal: paranormalDoD@yahooDOTcom
Final Round Judges
- Contemporary - Deborah Nemeth, Carina Press
- Historical - Liz Bass, Carina Press
- Inspirational - Sarah Long, Bethany House
- Paranormal/Urban Fantasy - TBD, Samhain Publishing
- Romantic Suspense - Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin
- Young Adult - Maryglenn McCombs, Oceanview Publishing
More information here.
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