Nanowrimo and bookcover and bookcovers and covers and writing Sue Campbell on 26 Oct 2009 04:46 pm
Nanowrimo Cover Contest.
Hey Nanowrimo writers!
It’s almost time! Sharpen those pencils, crack your typing knuckles, dust off the Remington, and get ready to write, write, write!
If you’ve signed up for Nanowrimo this year, or if you’ve been thinking about it, you may have heard that a New York Design group is sponsoring a contest in which they will pick 30 winners and design 30 covers during the month of November. That’s pretty cool! Well, I’m not a “group” and I can’t add 30 covers to my design workload, but in honor of the miracle that is finishing a novel in a month, I’m offering free covers to three lucky and deserving winners!
Here’s how it will work. You must be entered in Nanowrimo and finish your 50K words in November ie: be a winner. The entry period starts December 1 and runs through December 15th. During that time be one of the first 100 people to send me:
- Your title and your name, or pen name to appear on the cover
- A synopsis of not more than 250 words
- Also, please include not more than the first 250 words of your novel.
To enter use the WIN a FREE COVER! page (link will go live on Dec 1). Paste your entire entry into the comment field. One entry per writer! Multiple submissions will nullify all submissions from that writer. I will read the first 100 submissions and narrow the winners to the top three. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive a free full-color front cover design suitable for use on a print jacket or cover—created by yours truly, Sue Campbell. Ten (10) additional finalists will receive honorable mention on the blog. You retain all copyright, and no submissions will be shared, posted, or otherwise distributed, except for top three titles and synopsis excerpts. All other submissions will be deleted immediately after judging/cover production. Submissions are limited to those written in English only.
Who’s judging? Me, Sue Campbell, the book designer. Judging criteria: Hook me! Make me want to read more. Make me care about your characters and their situations. And do it in 250 words or less. Any genre! That’s it.
I’ll post reminders of the contest throughout November. Good luck, and happy writing!
The fine print: By entering (and if you are in the top three entries), you agree to allow Sue Campbell Graphic Design to create a cover of her own devising, and to publish on this website, the cover, your book title, your name (or pen name), and an excerpt of your synopsis. Further, you agree to allow Sue Campbell to use the cover in any promotional materials for her design services. If the cover is used in the final printing of your book, e-book, audio presentation, or as promotional materials either in print, or online; you agree to credit Sue Campbell Graphic Design with a credit on the copyright page and back cover, or adjacent to any promotional depiction of the cover. Copyright of the cover design will be given free to the author of the book, with credit to the designer, Sue Campbell.
on 24 Nov 2009 at 12:45 pm # trojanwar
Hey,
Sounds great! I just have a thought. I don’t think it would be fair to regions that get to Dec. 1st later than other regions. They would have no chance of being in the first 100, probably. Are we going by the time in your region? Or going by our own time?
on 24 Nov 2009 at 2:01 pm # trojanwar
Also, another question that I forgot to add: does it have to be the first 250 words or can it be a random part of our novel?
on 01 Dec 2009 at 9:21 am # Joe
Any idea when the submission page will go live?
on 01 Dec 2009 at 2:45 pm # writing addict
I was wondering the same thing…
on 01 Dec 2009 at 5:28 pm # Pennythepants
Maybe she forgot…
on 02 Dec 2009 at 12:31 am # Spacepirate
Awww man…
Has she forgot? Cause i was quite excited for this.
—
on 02 Dec 2009 at 2:18 pm # random_streak
Bummer. I was marking down my calender! (I am obsessed with contests!)
on 03 Dec 2009 at 5:28 pm # trojanwar
Yeah…
on 04 Dec 2009 at 11:09 am # Joe
Maybe I will just go for a plane blue cover… I am sure it’ll get across a sense of strength or something.
on 05 Dec 2009 at 10:31 am # trojanwar
Good idea, Joe. It’s quite obvious now–the fifth of Decemeber–that Sue Campbell forgot.
on 07 Dec 2009 at 12:14 pm # Joe
And by plane, I mean plain. Maybe I should be looking for editors rather than book covers?
on 13 Dec 2009 at 2:23 pm # Sue Campbell
Sorry everybody!!! I didn’t forget. I am on vacation in Europe, and my well-oiled machine of pre-planned posts let me down. Rural France isn’t the easiest place to get internet either especially when traveling with my husband who never slows down… ah well. Shoot. Enter now! The page is live and I will take the first 100 entries by Dec 30th your time (or however it gets posted.)
But don’t worry I don’t think there will be that many!
on 13 Dec 2009 at 5:39 pm # trojanwar
The link is live? I can’t click on it…weird.
on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:39 pm # trojanwar
Never mind!