Bywater Prize for Fiction

Deadline:

All entries for the 2015 Bywater Prize for Fiction must be submitted online no later that June 30, 2015.

Focus:

The Bywater Prize for Fiction seeks to highlight and promote novels written for and about lesbians.

The competition is open to all authors, published and unpublished. All manuscripts will be given fair and thoughtful consideration.

Submittal:

1. Novel must be for and about lesbians.
2. Novel must fall within general fiction, mystery, or romance genres.
3. Novel length manuscript (min. of 60,000 words).
4. Novel must not been previously published, or slated for publication either under contract or under an option clause.
5. The novel manuscript may be submitted to other publishers while it is under consideration. In the event the submitted manuscript is accepted by another publisher, it is no longer eligible for the contest—Please notify Bywater Books as soon as possible.
6. Manuscript must be double-spaced in 12 point type, and in an easily readable font, such as New Times Roman, with 1-inch margins all around.
7. Manuscript pages must be consecutively numbered and include the title only—the author’s name must not appear anywhere except on the cover page.
8. Include a cover page with author’s name, address, phone, title, and this statement: “This is an original work of which I am the sole author” (followed by the entrant’s signature).
9. Include a title page with the manuscript title only.

Reading Fee:

Reading fee of $13USD in the form of a check or money order made payable to Bywater Books.

Mail to:

• Bywater Books Prize for Fiction
• C/O Bywater Books
• P.O. Box 3671
• Ann Arbor, MI  48106-3671

Online Submissions:

Online submission can be made via our website portal at www.bywaterbooks.com/submission-form/

The reading fee, in the form of a check or money order, must be mailed to the address listed above.

Notification of the Winner:

Please include a valid email for notification of the winner or visit our website, where the winner and finalists will be announced.

Bywater Books reserves the right to withhold award if no manuscripts meet requirements for publication.

The Bywater Prize for Fiction will be announced on December 15, 2015.

Prize:

The first place winner receives an honorarium of $1,000, and publication by Bywater Books, the sponsor of the contest.

Second and third place winners will receive honorariums of $200 and $100 respectively.

Judging:

Manuscripts will be judged by a panel comprised of Bywater Books authors, editors, and the Publisher.