FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION The Royal Palm Literary Awards – Adult Competition Submission Guidelines, Book-­‐Length Entries Submission Email For each entry, send your email to [email protected]. The email should contain the following elements. Please keep the total size of the attachments below 8 MB; if total size exceeds 8 MB, you may need to change the resolution of your photo. (See FAQ for additional information.) 1. Entry Form. Completed form saved as a PDF attachment. Please name the form using all of part of your title followed by the capitalized initials EF. For instance, if your entry title is Heaven Help All Dogs, Cats, Hamsters, Parakeets, and Husbands, you could title your entry form HeavenhelpEF.pdf. 2. Manuscript. In the same email, include your full manuscript as a PDF attachment. Please name the file using all or part of your title followed by the capitalized word ENTRY, e.g., HeavenhelpENTRY.pdf. Please keep you naming convention consistent, e.g., avoid naming the form HeavenhelpEF and the manuscript HeavenhelpdogscatsENTRY. 3. Synopsis. In the same email, include a synopsis of 250-­‐500 words. See FAQs for specifics. 4. Photo. In the same email, please include your photo as a JPG attachment. Please provide a head shot, i.e., not including other people, dogs, cats, or an inordinate amount of scenery. Please use your author name as the file name. Entry Fees 1. Before an entry can be processed, RPLA must receive your payment . When you pay online, you will receive a confirmation email, please include your payment confirmation # on the entry form. If you pay by check, you will need to include the check # and date mailed on your entry form. Make checks payable to Florida Writers Association and mail to: Chrissy Jackson, Director Emerita PO Box 66069 St. Pete Beach, FL 33736 2. Fees are tiered. a. $30 12:00am 1/15/15 – 12:00am 2/28/15 b. $40 12:00am 3/1/15 – 12:00am 4/30/15 c. $60 12:00am 5/1/15 – 12:00am 5/15/15 3. You will receive email confirmation when all eligibility requirements are verified, payment is made, and the submission is officially entered. 2/3/15 corrected to add thriller/suspense category Page 1 of 5 Formatting Submissions Formatting Unpublished Entries 1. 8.5 x 11 inch page setup, 1 inch margin all around. 2. Black text, 12-­‐point Times New Roman typeface. 3. First page approximately one-­‐third from the top of the page; all chapters should begin on a new page, approximately one-­‐third from the top. 4. Double-­‐space text and insert no extra lines paces between paragraphs. 5. Left justify text. 6. Indent first line of each paragraph .5 inch. 7. Place asterisks centered *** between each scene within a chapter. 8. Save file as a PDF. Please ensure that your name is removed from the Properties field of your file. (See FAQs for details.) 9. For unpublished entries, do not include your or any co-­‐author’s name on any page unless the entry autobiography or memoir and use of the name is essential to the story. 10. For unpublished entries, no graphics or photos. 11. To see a sample format, please email [email protected], and a sample page will be sent to you. Formatting Published Entries 1. If you are submitting your published entry in manuscript form, follow formatting requirements for unpublished entries. 2. A published entry also may be submitted in the form it was published, e.g., using the book’s typeface and fonts. Here double-­‐spacing is not required, any standard font is acceptable, and full justification is acceptable. 3. Entries must be submitted electronically as PDFs. No physical books will be accepted. Formatting Plays 1. Should be in the industry standard format. Use Celtx or Final Draft. Do not submit a “shooting” script. 2. Courier 12 pt. 3. Entries must be submitted electronically as PDFs. Note: The Educational/Informational genre-­‐category allows submission of books under 35,500 words. Although an entry may win this category if it is less than 35,000 words, it will not be eligible for consideration as Published Book of the Year or Unpublished Book of the Year. To ensure a smooth entry process, please review all applicable RPLA information and disclaimers on this website. Questions, please email [email protected]. 2/3/15 corrected to add thriller/suspense category Page 2 of 5 Genre-­‐Categories, Book-­‐Length Entries Fiction for Adults 1. Fantasy. Constructs a world that is not this one. Sometimes the entire story takes place in the fantasy realm, and sometimes the fantasy elements impinge upon the real world (may be called urban fantasy or magical realism). May employ magic or the supernatural, time travel, or mythological/folkloric beings and/or settings. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien; the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin; War of the Flowers by Tad Williams; works of Charles de Lint) 2. Historical Fiction. Time and place are important elements. The majority of the plot should be set at least 50 years ago. May focus on historical or fictional characters. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory, Lipstick and Lies by Margit Liesche, and Eagles Daughter by Judith Tarr) [Note: Historical Fiction is a separate category from History, which is nonfiction.] 3. Horror/Dark Fantasy. Horror chills the spine and curdles the blood by creating an atmosphere of brooding terror. It can rely heavily on setting to contribute to the atmosphere; typically, unknown or unexpected forces are present. Horror can also be psychological, as in Psycho by Robert Bloch. Dark Fantasy combines elements of fantasy (including marvelous abilities) with those of horror. Minimum 60,000 words. (Horror/Dark Fantasy examples: Dracula by Bram Stoker; most of the work by Stephen King; works of Edgar Allen Poe, Clive Barker, Joe Lansdale, Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell) 4. Humor/Satire (Fiction). Like other fictional genres, fictional humor includes such elements as character, plot, and so on, but the overall focus is humor or satire. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: Ann B. Ross’s Miss Julia series and works by Janet Evanovich) [Note: Humor/Satire (Fiction) is a separate category from Humor/Satire (Nonfiction.] 5. Inspirational Romance. Combines Christian themes with the development of a romantic relationship. Typically does not include gratuitous violence or swearing, and the central courtship is chaste. Sex, if present, occurs after marriage and is not explicitly detailed. Typically demonstrates the hero’s or heroine’s faith and includes such themes as forgiveness, honesty, and fidelity. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: works by Debbie Macomber, Gayle Roper, and Diana Palmer) 6. Mainstream/Literary. Mainstream fiction appeals to a broad range of readers, both male and female. Usually it is set in this day, age, universe, dimension, or plane of existence, with stories concerning the human element. Minimum (60,000 words. (Example: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini). Literary fiction is often deeper, more ambitious, and more memorable than genre or mainstream fiction, with detailed characters, thought-­‐provoking storylines, and elegant language. Minimum 60,000 words. (Example: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte) 7. Mystery. A detective, either amateur or professional, solves a crime or series of crimes. The detective may be almost anyone, including a private investigator, police officer, elderly widow, or young girl. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: works by Agatha Christie or Patricia Cornwell) 8. Novella. Prose fiction that is generally longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. May be more concerned with personal and emotional development than with larger social issues and may contain highly developed characterization and description. 8,000 – 59,000 words. (Examples: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac.) 9. Romance. Focus is usually the love relationship between a man and a woman. Often told from the viewpoint of the heroine, who meets a man, falls in love, and then encounters a conflict that hinders their relationship. The 2/3/15 corrected to add thriller/suspense category Page 3 of 5 conflict is then resolved, true love triumphs, and the couple lives happily ever after. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: works by Nora Roberts) 10. Science Fiction. Deals with the impact of imagined innovations in science or technology, with imaginary elements largely possible within scientifically postulated laws of nature. Generally employs elements of science in the conflict, setting, or both. Story may involve technology, spaceships, or aliens and will often focus on exploration of the unknown. Minimum 60,000 words. 11. Thriller/Suspense: A thriller arouses feelings of excitement and usually focuses on illegal activities, international espionage, sex, or violence. Is often a detective story in which the forces of good are pitted against the forces of evil in a kill-­‐or-­‐be-­‐killed situation. The suspense genre can involve danger, but is less focused on action than thriller. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: works by Tess Gerritsen or John Grisham) 12. Women’s Fiction. Relationships are the core of the plot, the woman is the star of the story, and her emotional growth is the focus. The relationships may involve siblings, parents, friends, or lovers. While a happy ending is not required, there is usually a life-­‐affirming resolution. Minimum 60,000 words. (Examples: Shellseekers by Rosamonde Pilcher, Fortune’s Rocks by Anita Shreve, novels by Sue Miller or Elizabeth Berg) Fiction for youth 1. Chapter Book. Targets ages 7-­‐9 and typically portrays a protagonist of that age or slightly older. Minimum 10,000 words. (Examples: The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca) 2. Middle-­‐Grade Fiction. Targets ages 9-­‐12 and typically portrays a protagonist of that age or slightly older. Minimum 15,000 words. (Example: Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthia Liu, any Mallory book by Laurie Friedman) 3. Young Adult/New Adult. Young Adult targets ages 12 and up and portrays an adolescent as the protagonist, with subject matter and storylines consistent with the age and experience of the main character. Minimum word count 40,000. (Examples: Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian Cirrone, Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore, or Forever by Judy Blume). New Adult usually features protagonists in the 18-­‐15 age bracket. (Examples: works by Jennifer Armentrout) Plays 1. Screenplay/Stage Play/Teleplay. A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. It may feature an entirely original storyline or adapation from existing works. Movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated. A stage play consists of scripted dialogue among characters, intended for theatrical performance. A teleplay is a play for television. Nonfiction 1. Autobiography/Memoir. An autobiography is a factual prose narrative, generally presented in chronological order, showing a broad view of one’s life. A memoir is usually more subjective, episodic, stream-­‐of-­‐
consciousness, lyrical, or literary. Minimum 35,000 words. (Example: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt). 2/3/15 corrected to add thriller/suspense category Page 4 of 5 2. Biography. Account of an individual’s life written by another person. Minimum 45,000 words. (Example: American Lion by Jon Meacham) 3. Educational/Informational. Self-­‐help, instructional, or how-­‐to. Minimum 7,500 words.* 4. History. Describes an event, customs, styles, or culture of a particular era. Minimum 40,000 words. (Example: The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough) [Note: History is a separate category from Historical Fiction.] 5. Humor/Satire (Nonfiction). Focuses on humor or satire, with characters, settings, and subjects based on real events. Minimum 40,000 words. (Examples: works by Dave Barry and Erma Bombeck) [Note: Humor/Satire (Nonfiction) is a separate category from Humor/Satire (Fiction).] 6. Travel. Describes a particular locale or various locales as it entertains or informs the reader. May be based on the author’s own experiences in story form or written as a travel guide. Minimum 40,000 words. (Examples: works by Bill Bryson and Peter Mayle) General 1. General. Submissions of any length that do not fit any of the genre-­‐categories of RPLA. *NOTE: A book under 35,000 words in any category is eligible to win this category, but not eligible to be considered for Published Book of the Year or Unpublished Book of the Year. To ensure a smooth entry process, please review all applicable RPLA information and disclaimers on this website. Questions, please email [email protected]. 2/3/15 corrected to add thriller/suspense category Page 5 of 5