Young Novelist Challenge

It's Monday monring already here in Japan and I've got more great news to share with you. For young writers out there who've written that novel but want to learn how to make it shine or for those of you in the process but need help getting over that bump in the road, this challenge might be just what you've been looking for to get ahead. Note the deadline to sign up is October 15, 2006.

--Patrizia

YOUNG NOVELIST CHALLENGE
http://www.absynthemuse.com
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Do you fancy yourself the next big thing in publishing? Do you
spend far too much time developing a cool-looking autograph for
your adoring fans during math class? Do you ever wish someone
would finally explain to you the difference between a query
and a hook?

This challenge is for young novelists, ages 13-22, who want to
learn about all there is to book publishing, want to win free
prizes, and garner a critique by a lit agent, namely Nadia
Cornier, of the fabulous Firebrand Literary agency. Perhaps,
just perhaps, she would be so impressed with your work, that
she’ll offer you a contract. That’s something to celebrate!

If you think you’ve got what it takes to whip your novel into
marketable shape, this challenge is for you! Over the course
of the next two months, we’ll be posting articles, offering
roundtable chats where we invite awesome published authors,
editors, and agents to talk to participants, and holding mini-
workshops on Absynthe Muse for you to sharpen your writing
skills.

We’ll take you from ruthlessly editing your manuscript, learning
how to give and take good critique, to researching publishers
and agents, to writing queries and novel synopses, and finally,
submitting them. The more events you participate in, the more
chances you get to win fabulous prizes, such as books, journals,
gift cards to coffee shops, and lots of chocolate to kick writer's
block.

Then, you email us your query with the first three chapters of
your manuscript. We’ll post each with critiques on the blog,
and the handful of entries that blow our socks off we’ll pass
onto Nadia to review.

Sound cool?

All you have to do is sign up on the Young Novelists' Challenge
board on the forum. There we’ll be posting further information
about the challenge and mini-challenges to come. The deadline
for interested novelists to join the board is October 15, 2006.

Happy October!
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Editor-in-Chief