Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Spring Writing Contest

Welcome to the long-awaited spring writing contest here at Disgruntled Bear! The winner will receive an in-depth critique of his/her query letter AND the first 10 pages of his/her fiction manuscript.

Cool, right?

To enter, post a comment below by midnight EDT on Friday, April 15th with the following info:
Title
Author
Genre
Awesome Line

What's an awesome line, you ask? Imagine your book becomes a movie--what will be written on the poster? What single sentence should be in big letters on the back cover of your book?

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water."

There's a lot of great advice out there about how to write a logline.

"I KNOW what you're thinking."

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Competent loglines give an overall sense of the story, like:

"A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love aboard an ill-fated voyage at sea."

"A journey of self-discovery by a brilliant mathematician once he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He eventually triumphs over tragedy and receives the Nobel Prize."

But awesome lines give a FLAVOR of the narrative voice with humor, dark foreshadowing, a hint of danger, etc.

"Love at Second Sight."

Sometimes it's simply a line of the dialogue that really gives this sense.

"Well, Clarice - have the lambs stopped screaming?"

"You talkin' to me?"

"I’d be super-pissed in the afterlife if I died a virgin in this craphole."

So, what single sentence really sells the reader on your book? THAT'S your awesome line. Put it here. After the deadline, I'll set up a poll and we'll put it to a vote starting on Monday, April 18th.

And hey, if you need inspiration, you can always use the
random logline generator. My personal favorite:

"A prostitute and a pack of polygamist ventriloquists teach everyone a valuable lesson on a subway train."

36 comments:

Disgruntled Bear said...

Yay! Contest!

Loralie Hall said...

Yay! Epic contest idea ^_^

Title: Uriel's Fall
Author: Loralie Hall
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Awesome Line: An angel without a god is like a puppet without strings: useless unless it finds its purpose.

Cindy Thomas said...

I want to enter this so bad, Kate. Alas, I think there is still too much polishing to do. Someday...someday.

Disgruntled Bear said...

Feel free to enter, Cindy! You can always take a rain check on the critique if you win.

Eliza Tilton said...

Uber contest + disgruntled bear= WINNING

Title: Broken Forest: A Keening Blade Novel
Author: Eliza Tilton
Genre: YA Fantasy

Pitch: Seventeen-year-old Avikar thought he was rescuing his sister from bandits, not a reptilian lord planning a world invasion.

Cindy Thomas said...

Title: The Beckoner
Author: Cindy Thomas
Genre: YA Paranormal
Awesome Line: God, Eli's hot.

Unknown said...

Can I vote for Cindy? God Eli's hot has my attn? Wait...am I biased? O_o

Stephanie S. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Landra said...

Title: Genevieve Awakens
Author: Landra Graf
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Awesome Line: Wizards, duels, and imminent death... oh my!

Danielle Ellison said...

This is great!

Title: Silhouettes
Author: Danielle Bunner
Genre: YA Dystopian
Awesome Line: If ever there was anything too perfect to lose, it’s this.

Celeste said...

Title: Just Breathe
Author: Natalie Celeste Martinez
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Awesome Line: Sometimes dying is better than falling.

Anonymous said...

Title: Fall Leaves and the Black Dragon
Author: Erik Gustafson
Genre: Horror
Awesome line: Is it post traumatic stress or paranormal torture?

Sheilagh Lee said...

Great contest!

Title:A Penny Saved A Murder Earned
Author:Sheilagh Lee
Genre:Cosy Mystery
Awesome Line:Family curse meets Serial Sinner, as a serial killer protects his Angel at great cost to the Kelly family.

Disgruntled Bear said...

I'm loving all the awesome lines! Keep 'em coming!

lexcade said...

Title: Duality

Author: Catherine Peace

Genre: Science Fiction

Awesome line: I was one of you.

Jess said...

Ooo, great contest! :)

Title: The Last Daughter of Elhamair
Author: Jessica Byam
Genre: YA Fantasy
Awesome Line: They believe she can save them, but do they deserve to be saved?

Bidisha said...

Awesomeness.

Title: What Was Mine
Author: Bidisha Das
Genre: YA Contemporary
Awesome line: A grief-stricken girl, a flighty muse and a motley crew of theatre-pessimists: things are bad.

Jessica Lawson said...

How fun!

Title: The Number Jungle
Author: Jessica Lawson
Genre: MG Adventure
Awesome Line:

Two Lost/Four Stuck/Six Kids/Bad Luck.

Unknown said...

Title: Eyes of Stone
Author: Becky Regalado
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Awesome line: To save her family from monsters, she must become one.

Margay Leah Justice said...

What a cool contest!

Title: Elemental Humans: Water
Author: Margay Leah Justice
Genre: Paranormal YA
Awesome Line: Water is her element, but does a body make her human?

Shallee said...

What a fun contest! Here's mine.

Title: Devolutionaries
Author: Shallee McArthur
Genre: YA Dystopian

Awesome Line: This time, shutting up means fighting back.

Unknown said...

I love this!

Title: Beyond the Surface
Author: Nicole Steinhaus
Genre: YA Paranormal
Awesome Line: The dead battery was an omen; I just didn't see it as that.

Margo Berendsen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Margo Berendsen said...

Title: A Handful of Scars
Author: Margo Berendsen
Genre: YA historical fantasy
Awesome line:

Two genies who are mortal enemies means "oh well, so much for three wishes"

Kimberlee Turley said...

Title: The Solomon Twins
Author: Kimberlee Turley
Genre: YA Fantasy/Gaslamp Fantasy
Awesome Line: One of the twin brothers wants to keep her safe, and the other wants her dead—too bad she has no idea how to tell them apart.

Jenni Merritt said...

Love the contest idea!

Title: Prison Nation
Author: Jenni Merritt
Genre: YA Dystopian

Awesome line:
In Prison Nation, the truth can't set you free.

Deirdra A. Eden said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Title: Extra Innings
Author: LS Murphy
Genre: YA Contemporary
Line: A girl, a ball, a bat, and a summer that will change the way the game is played.

Bridgid said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Let's try this again!

Title: Camp Juvie
Author: Bridgid Gallagher
Genre: Contemporary YA
Awesome Line: I always thought Eva's coma was the worst thing that could ever happen to me...and then I went to summer camp.

Great contest! So fun. :)

Deirdra A. Eden said...

Title: SPIRIT OF FIRE
AUTHOR: Deirdra Eden Coppel
Genre: Historical Fantasy

Scotlyn has to prove her worth in a traditionally male-dominated society, battle wounds and a broken heart, elude the rebellion that seeks her fiery powers, find her purpose on earth, and discover if her ethereal abilities are a curse or a gift.

Jeanmarie Anaya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jeanmarie Anaya said...

New follower here! Such a fun contest!!!!!

Title: MAGNETIC
Author: Jeanmarie Anaya
Genre: paranormal YA
Awesome Line: The possibility of getting a gold star for playing the role of hero was zilch--particularly when the person Carly needed to save was already dead.

Deniz Bevan said...

Title: Out of the Water
Author: Deniz Bevan
Genre: Historical Romance
Awesome Line: A dangerous and passionate journey, for a love that must transcend faith and family, East and West.

Such a great contest!

Disgruntled Bear said...

The submissions are now closed. Voting starts Monday. Feel free to link your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. over so your friends, family, and followers can vote!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to vote for "Fear Not the Darkness" - thanks!! :)