Contest Time!

This contest is closed. Winners are announced here and here.

Check back often for information on upcoming contests.


Based upon e-mailed votes, we're going to do a first paragraph contest.


PROMPT:
Submit a first paragraph suitable for an LDS novel. Somewhere in that paragraph there needs to be 1) a clear hint, or at least strong foreshadowing, to the genre; 2) an identification of your main character; 3) a sense of place and time; 4) a teaser to read more. There is no word limit, but too short or too long will lose you points. (This is totally subjective.)


PRIZES:
Once again, there will be two winners: Publisher's Choice (chosen by me) and Readers Choice (chosen by you). Each first-place winner will receive a paperback copy of the LDS novel of their choice.


TO VOTE:
All paragraphs will have their own post, titled "Paragraph #1," "Paragraph #2," etc. To vote, click on the "comments" link at the bottom of the paragraph you like. Cast your vote (as opposed to just leaving a comment) by clearly indicating that it is a vote, as in: I VOTE FOR THIS ONE


Stupid Little Details That You Must Follow in Order to Win:
1. Send your paragraph to my e-mail address. Include your mailing address and your choice of LDS novel in your e-mail so I can mail your prize as soon as the contest ends.

2. I will post all paragraphs to this blog in the order they are received. I will NOT post the author's name or any identifying information until the contest is over.

3. Enter as many times as you want, but send a separate e-mail for each entry. Each entry will be judged on its own merits. (That means, if one is really good and one is really bad, the bad one won't color judgment of the good one.)

4. The contest STARTS NOW and and STOPS Friday, September 8, 2006 at midnight (MST).

5. All paragraphs will be posted by midnight on Saturday, September 9, 2006.

6. Voting STARTS NOW and STOPS Monday, September 11th. Vote by posting in the comments trail of the paragraph you like.

7. You may vote for as many paragraphs as you want, but you can only vote for a particular paragraph once. You are on the Honor Code not to post multiple anonymous votes for your favorite paragraph.

8. You may vote for yourself, but again, only once per paragraph. And just so we don't end up with every paragraph having 1 vote, vote for a couple of others too.

9. Winners posted on Wednesday, September 13, 2006. I will post the first-place winners and two runners-up in each category. Unless you specifically request not to be indentified, the names of the winners will be posted.

10. In the case of a tie for the Readers Choice, I will put the names in a hat and draw the winner.

11. The same paragraph cannot win in both categories. I will select my winner before tallying the Readers Choice votes. If my winner is also the winner of the Readers Choice, the Readers Choice prize will go to the second place paragraph.

To send this contest info to all your writer friends, click on the little envelope at the bottom of this post. It will bring up a page that will let you e-mail the post. Or if that doesn't work, go to the "September Contest" listed on the right of this blog. Click on "Click Here." This post will display on its own webpage. Copy the URL (web address) line and paste it into your e-mail. Then send that link to every writer you know.