Writing contest!

*****************Permission Granted and Encouraged to Forward*****************

Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest

***The 2012 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest!***
We welcome you to help us celebrate the 22nd anniversary of Indiana’s Golden Opportunity (IGO), one of the Midwest’s premier contests. The Indiana chapter of Romance Writers of America® (IRWA) has a well-deserved reputation for offering detailed, encouraging comments to our contest entrants from experienced professionals. Our four-page score sheet is designed to help entrants identify the elements of storytelling at which they excel while pinpointing the elements that require more attention. This means entrants will receive feedback that will help them create a quality polished manuscript. Many past winners have successfully sold the manuscripts they entered in the IGO, and we like to think we played a part in that. The contest is also a great way to prepare your work for Golden Heart. IGO attracts some of the most well-respected names in the industry as category and final judges.

CONTEST CATEGORIES AND FINAL JUDGES FOR 2012
Historical Jesse Feldman
Mainstream w/ Strong Romantic Elements Angela James
Paranormal Suzie Townsend
Romantic Suspense Aubrey Poole
Single Title Latoya C. Smith
Young Adult* Anna J. Webman
Erotic Romance Michelle Paulin
Best-of-the-Best Meredith Giordan

(First-place winners in each of the seven (7) categories will continue to the Best-of-the-Best round.)
* Young Adult entries do not have to be romance.

DEADLINE: All entries must be received by July 8th. For your convenience, IGO accepts only electronic entries.
AWARDS: Category winners: The top entry in each category will receive $50 in cash and a certificate. Best-of-the-Best Award: The entry judged best overall will receive $100 in cash and a certificate.
ELIGIBILITY: IGO is open to any author unpublished in novel or novella-length fiction by a non-vanity publisher in the last five (5) years.

IGO uses Romance Writers of America® (RWA) guidelines for PAN-eligibility to determine publishing status. Anyone who has either: (1) earned at least $1,000 in the form of an advance on a single novel or novella published by a non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher; or (2) who has earned at least $1,000 in the form of royalties or a combination of advance plus royalties on a single published novel or novella published by a non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher is considered a published author and is not eligible to enter IGO.

Note: Members of IRWA are not eligible for entry. However, Indiana residents who are members of RWA, but not members of IRWA, are eligible to enter. Check out the IGO Contest Rules and complete the IGO Entry Form to enter. Good luck, and thank you for helping us celebrate the 22nd Anniversary of IGO!