By Tom Dulaney, Editor
The growing number of authors who have self-published general fiction novels and young adult books on Amazon may have an edge in the fourth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition, which returns for its fourth installment in 2011.
The growing number of authors who have self-published general fiction novels and young adult books on Amazon may have an edge in the fourth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition, which returns for its fourth installment in 2011.
The already-published authors are eligible for the competition, and have had a chance to show their books to the world, collect reviews and feedback, and refine their works. Plus, those writers have until January 24 to re-polish their books and be locked and loaded to submit them when the slush pile opens on January 24.
That's important, because the gates slam shut once 5,000 submissions have been uploaded in each category.
All contestants should read the contest rules very—VERY--carefully to see how competing may obligate them. If an author's book is selling well already on Amazon as a self-published book, they'll have to weigh their current sales at the 70% royalty rate against what they project their sales might be if they win at the royalty rate they will get. The fine print starts here. Be sure to follow ALL of the links.
Winners selected will be published under contract by the Penguin Group, which with Amazon and the Publishers Weekly, mount the competition and names three nominees in each category. Amazon.com readers make the final call during a 7-day window for voting for the best in each class.
Eligible for the competition: Any unpublished or—importantly--self-published manuscripts that meet all of the detailed requirements, outlined start on Amazon.com's web site here.
Eligible writers with an English-language novel manuscript can submit their work between Jan. 24 and Feb. 6, 2011. Details here.
Amazon.com editors will choose 1,000 entries in each category, and pass them on to reviewers from Publishers Weekly. Those reviewers will name 50 semi-finalists. Then editors from Penguin will name 3 semi-finalists from the 50 in each category.
The two Grand Prize Winners will be announced in New York on June 13, 2011. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin and a $15,000 advance.
For complete terms and conditions for the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and more information about the contest, please visit www.amazon.com/abna. For more information on the CreateSpace self-publishing service or to connect with the CreateSpace Community, please visit www.createspace.com.
Paragraph 5. Take special care to read all the contest rules, especially Paragraph 5, which explains that you are giving Penguin publishing rights and first dibs on publishing your book in various circumstances.
Winners for 2010:
Farishta by Patricia McArdle in general fiction, which releases on June 2, 2011,
Sign Language by Amy Ackley, releasing on August 18 next year.
Both are available for pre-order as print books now, but are not shown in the Kindle Store for pre-order as eBooks.
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