Announcing the FIRST LINE BLOG CONTEST!!!

(source: writingcareercoach)

Hey WriMos, how are the words coming along?

I hope everyone’s in good spirits. I know I am! So as promised, it’s time for the infamous first blog contest here at WriMos FTW! And because I didn’t want to make any of you work more than you should at this time of literary distress, I designed the ultimate simple contest.

All I need you to do is to leave the first sentence of your NaNo novel here in a comment. Please leave your twitter handle as well. All entries will be judged by 13 esteemed writers/tweeps extraordinaire. Why 13? Because it’s the 13^th year of NaNo and because I personally love the number! Below are the details. Happy contesting! :D

Name: most gripping first sentence

1. Start: Nov. 2 at 3.30 pm (EST); *look for today's post

2. Enter your sentence before Nov. 5, 3.30 pm (EST);

3. Judges pick top 10 entries until Nov. 9, 3.30 pm (EST); 

4. Poll goes up on Nov. 9 and closes on Nov. 11 (EST);

5. Announcing winners: Nov. 12, 3.30 pm (EST);

The 3 Prizes are as follows:

1. Rochelle Melander (@WriteNowCoach) is giving the first place winner a print copy of her book Write-A-Thon, which is a great tool for jump-starting your writing career and writing your book for less than 30 days. I'd say it's a perfect fit for NaNo!

2. Roxanne Piskel (@roxisbrilliant) will give a complete critique of the second place winner's NaNo manuscript. In addition Roxanne is giving 20% discount to all entrants. 

3. Alivia Anders (@AliviaAnders) will make a pretty book cover for the third place winner. Woohoo!

In addition, all three winners get this badge to display on their website:

(made by RonnieTaleon @ TDA)

Meet the Judges:

1. Angie Richmond is 30-something writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Diploma in Animal Health Technology. When she's not writing, reading or working her day job, you can find her tweeting at @write_me_happy or blogging at Write Me Happy.

2. Jennifer Gracen (@jennifergracen): Former copy editor, current SAHM, and writer of contemporary romance/women’s fiction. Twitter addict. Self-proclaimed NaNoWriMo Head Cheerleader. Lives on Long Island, New York with husband & 2 young sons. This is her 3^rd year in a row doing NaNo.

3. Cheryl Mackey  lives in Southern California with her hubby and 2 sons. Her favorite genres to write in are Fantasy and Paranormal.  When she is supposed to be working a miserable day job she instead haunts Twitter(@writezalot) and plots on Post It Notes. 

4. Julie A Lindsey:  Wifey, Mama, author, blogger,…I am YA obsessed, addicted to social media, caffeine and Poptarts. You can find me anytime lurking around the Internet, amped up on coffee and wielding a book. I blog at Musings from the Slush Pile and Tweet at @JulieALindsey. Say “Hi!”

5. AlisonDeLuca is the author of The Night Watchman Express and Devil’s Kitchen, both steampunk fantasies for young adults.  She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain.  As a teacher she taught every grade level in every kind of school district possible.

6. Maureen Hovermale: (Maureen dons judges robes, looks around and grabs gavel) What, this isn't that type of judging? Wow, am I embarrassed. Catch me on Twitter. I'm @zencherry. I'm also more appropriately dressed there.

7. My name is Blue Remy and I'm addicted to writing.  I am a GM of a Regal theatre and currently have three books in the works, one of which is the first in a 13 book series called "The 13th Hour". You can find me on twitter as @ValkyriesEdge.

8. Gene Lempp is a science fantasy and science fiction writer with interests in archaeology, history and astronomy. Gene blogs about the uses of history and archeology in discovering story through his Designing from Bones series, reads every craft book he can find and roams worlds where science becomes magic and power evolves from the human spirit. 

9. Nicole Humphrey Cook (@simplywriting) is a Young Adult Author, residing with her husband and their 5 children in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a food blogger in her free time and loves to be in the kitchen. She is addicted to sushi, coffee and chocolate. She is participating in her 8th year of NaNoWriMo.

10. Amber West is a writer who writes. (In true Amber style.)

11. Cara Michaels: A left-handed, right-brained Gemini with stories to tell. Author of Gaea’s Chosen: The Mayday Directive.

12. Lena Corazon writes steampunk and fantasy novels, drinks far too much tea, and has an unhealthy obsession with Byronic heroes.

13. Born in the middle of nowhere PA, Alivia Anders is frequently called different, insane, and a little creative. You can see her chit-chattering on twitter or plotting her evil plan at the NaNoWriMo site.

Meet the Sponsors:

1. Rochelle Melander (@WriteNowCoach) is a certified professional coach and the author of 10 books, including a new book to help fiction and nonfiction writers write fast: Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It). Melander teaches professionals how to get published, establish credibility, and navigate the new world of social media. Visit her online at Write Now Coach.

2. Roxanne Piskel (@roxisbrilliant) is a single mother to a 5-year-old superhero, living in the biggest little city and blogging all about her journey at Unintentionally Brilliant. Besides being a mother, an administrative assistant, and a blogger, Roxanne is also a freelance editor. Her background in editing includes working on the Sierra Nevada College literary review, editing term papers throughout college, and being nit-picky about her family's Facebook statuses. 

3. Born in the middle of nowhere PA, Alivia Anders is frequently called different, insane, and a little creative. You can see her chit-chattering on twitter or plotting her evil plan at the NaNoWriMo site.