Pitch Wars Contest Info

How many of you have heard of Pitch Wars?

It’s an online contest hosted by the amazingly awesome Brenda Drake. And guess what? It’s happening right now!

That’s right, the Mentor Blog Hop went up on Monday and now those of you with completed, polished manuscripts are invited to explore the various blogs of the mentors to see who might be a good fit for you. These mentors are published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns who are giving their time and knowledge to help make your MS shine.

So, you’re probably wondering what this Pitch Wars thing is all about. Here are the deets:

—Check out the Mentor’s Blog Hop. Each mentor is only responsible for one age category. So, if you write YA, make sure you find mentors that are accepting YA submissions. You can find the blog hop HERE. 

—Choose 5 mentors you want to submit to. An easy submission form will go live at midnight (EDT – New York time) August 17 and remain open for 24 hours. Here is what you will need to enter the form: Your top five mentors, your email address, title of the manuscript, category and genre, your query letter, and the first chapter of your completed manuscript (Word .doc or .docx format). For more information, follow the instructions on Brenda Drake’s website on what and how to submit.

—Wait to see if one of the mentors you chose want to work with you. The mentors' picks will be announced on September 2nd. And keep in mind that they can only pick ONE mentee, so competition will be fierce! Don't let that be a discouragement though.

—If you are chosen, then for the next two months, your mentor will go through your MS and offer feedback and advice. They will help make your MS better and give you the confidence you need to continue (or begin) your querying journey. 

—November 3rd and 4th is the agent round, and over a dozen agents will participate and make requests. The great thing is that there are many, many success stories associated with Pitch Wars. 

So, if you're interested, the Pitch Wars submission window opens August 17th. Be ready to submit your query and first chapter of your completed manuscript. 

Good luck!