Well...the initial rush has passed and I've stopped texting my sisters randomly reminding them that Meeting Lizzy has been pushed through to the next round in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Now that I'm a bit calmer I've realized that I didn't provide you with near enough information about the actual process.
So! The initial submissions for the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel awards were sent in between 1/25/2010 and 2/7/2010. The contest accepts no more than 10,000 submissions per year. The entries were plowed through (very quickly) and the selected novels in both general fiction and young adult fiction were announced on 2/25/2010.
Meeting Lizzy was amongst those selected to move forward in the competition. (Again...yeah!) The next step involves Amazon editors and Amazon Vine Reviewers reading 3,000 to 5,ooo word excerpts of each entry that passed through the first round of competition.
500 Quarterfinalists will be announced on 3/23/2010. The 500 Quarterfinalists' manuscripts will then be read in full by Publishers Weekly. They will be rated and reviewed based on five elements:
1. originality of idea
2. plot
3. prose/writing style
4. character development
5. overall strength
100 Semifinalists will be announced on 4/27/2010 and Publishers Weekly reviews will be posted for the selected group's manuscripts.
Penguin editors will then read each Semifinalist's manuscript using the same 5 element judging criteria to select three entries in each category (YA and general fiction). The 6 Finalists will be announced on 5/25/2010.
At this point it will be time for Amazon readers to weigh in on the subject! Excerpts will be posted for Amazon customers to read and then vote for the best in each category. Amazon readers will select the final winners who will then be announced on 6/14/2010. During this final stage of the contest there will be a celebrity judging panel that will post their professional opinions and comments regarding the entries so they can be considered by Amazon readers when voting for the winners.
Exciting, right? I hope it continues to be fun for Meeting Lizzy, but if the fun ends here then I have to say...that it was already pretty fun!
Posts
