What’s a Blurb?
It’s “…a short description of a book that is usually found on its back cover. Its purpose is to entice readers into buying the book by revealing details about its plot, setting, or subject. Blurbs are often 150-200 words long, though this may vary between genres and publishers.”
-Reedsy.com
What’s a Blurb Contest?
Let our select reader judges rate your blurb!
You’ve written your romance novel or novella, and now you have to market it.
Find out how your blurb holds up to readers and potentially win a free editorial consult of up to $100 value!
Contest Details
- Submit online (links below) from March 15 until April 30 at Midnight, Eastern Time, or until contest is declared full.
- Entries will be closed after 100 submissions.
- $20 entry fee (PayPal only).
- NHRWA Members entry fee is $15 (PayPal only).
- Up to 2 entries per author (must pay two entry fees).
- Your blurb will be read by a select group of romance reader judges and scored against a rubric (for Intrigue, Goal/Motivation/Conflict, Characters, Language/Grammar).
- Top 10 scoring finalists will be judged by 3 industry professionals (Romance Bookseller, Librarian, Book Publisher).
- Results will be returned to entrants after winners are announced.
- Winners will be announced August 15th.
- Entries must adhere to Submission Guidelines or be disqualified and fees will not be refunded.
- Questions? Reach out to: contest@nhrwa.com
Prizes
Top 3 winners will win a 30 minute private session with the below experienced industry editors reviewing up to first 1,500 words, a $100 value.
- Anna J. Stewart Services for Writers – Anna J. Stewart (authorannastewart.com)
- Robin Baskerville robin.baskerville.23104 – Editorial Freelancers Association (the-efa.org)
- Rona Gofstein Certified Book Coach & Manuscript Muse (ronagofstein.com)
10 finalists will receive a certificate.
Submission Guidelines
- Entries must adhere to Submission Guidelines or be disqualified and fees will not be refunded.
- This contest is for Romance (Novel or Novella) blurbs only.
- Blurbs must be for unpublished works.
- Entries must be submitted by Midnight Eastern Time on April 30.
- All Payments must be made through PayPal (links below).
- Payment must be made before submitting an entry. Entries without a PayPal Transaction ID will not be judged and no refund will be issued.
- 200 word maximum.
- Open to published or unpublished authors.
- Entries must not be the product of AI technology.
- No more than 2 entries per submitter (must pay two entry fees).
- Submit via Google form, below.
- Blurbs must be attached as an anonymous PDF. (To make a pdf anonymous: open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat. Choose >File; then >Document Properties. You should see information that indicates the “Author” of the document. Delete your name and save the document prior to uploading to the submission form.
Judging
There will be two rounds of judging.
Round One – all blurbs will be distributed anonymously to our team of readers and scored according to our rubric.
Final Round – top 10 scoring entries will be scored by 3 industry professionals (Romance Bookseller, Librarian, Book Publisher).
The judges’ decisions are final.
Names of the judges will not be released to entrants.
Disclosures
The scores and opinions of the reader judges and final round judges in no way reflect the opinions of NHRWA and are the sole opinion of those judges.
All entry materials will be deleted by contest facilitators and judges within 30 days after scores are returned to entrants.
Privacy Policy:
New Hampshire RWA respects your privacy and will not share your information. Your information will only be used for contest purposes.
ANTI-Discrimination Policy Statement:
The New Hampshire Romance Writers of America Chapter does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, or religion. We expect the same from our judges and entrants with a zero-tolerance policy.
How to Submit
Non-Members
- Click the Buy Now Paypal button below and make your payment (save your transaction ID).
- Fill out this form.
NHRWA Members
- Click the Buy Now Paypal button below and make your payment (save your transaction ID).
- Fill out this form.
NHRWA 