January 2012 Contests & Critique Opportunities - Part I

The publishing world is coming back from it's holiday snooze, so get ready for some contests!  Here's to 2012, the year to get published.  :)

Gabriella and Cassandra's Christmas Wishlist Contest - Check the editors' wishlists and if your manuscript fits, submit your query and first few pages.  Winners will get editing services.  Deadline 1/6.

The Endings - Ebyss always thinks outside the box.  This contest is for the LAST 500 words of your manuscript.  How's that for different?  Winner will get a first page critique by agent Lauren Hammond.  No genre restrictions.  Deadline 1/8.

YALitChat 2012 Pitch-Slam Weekend - For YALitChat members (it's free to join).  Post your 4-5 line YA pitch between 1/13-1/15 and agents will comment.  It's a chance to get the eyes of 2 agents and 1 editor and possibly win a full manuscript critique.

Can You Hit a Perfect Pitch? Blogfest Contest with Ammi-Joan Paquette - Brenda Drake has another great contest, and it has a critique portion so everyone wins (if you count getting helpful feedback as winning, and yes I do).  From 1/15-1/16 post your 2 sentence pitch and your first 150 words on your blog and then hop around to give critique.  On 1/17, add your revised entry to the official entry post and you could win a request from agent Ammi-Joan Paquette.  YA only.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award - Enter to win a publishing contract with the Penguin Group or other prizes (there are up to 200 third prize winners).  Contest is for a complete finished YA or adult novel.  Entry window is open between 1/23-2/5 but they only take the first 5000 entries in each category so enter early!

Houston Writers Guild 2012 Novel Contest - $15.  Multiple genres.  You submit only your first 10 pages and the grand prize is $500.  There are multiple runner ups named as well (which looks good on your query bio).  You do not have to be a member of the Houston Writers Guild or a resident of Houston or Texas.  Deadline 1/30.

January Query Tracker Contest - Agent NatalieFischer Lakosil will be judging Query Tracker's next contest and will ask to see the first 100 words and a one sentence log line. Commercial fiction and YA, several subgenres. Opens 1/30/12 at 9 am.