Elevation of Love Contest
The goal of this contest is to promote the CIMRWA Chapter’s mission of promoting excellence in ethno-cultural romance
2019 CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS
CIMRWA's ELEVATION OF LOVE contest is open to entries that feature diverse cultural, interracial, and multicultural romances.
UNPUBLISHED WORKS
Both published and unpublished authors are welcome to participate. However, only unpublished works may be submitted.
Each submission will consist of the first 5,000 words of a completed, unpublished manuscript of no less than 40,000 words. Entrants can submit more than one entry, but each entry can only be submitted to one category. All submissions will be judged by three trained judges. The top two scores will be used to determine the finalists. The top three finalists in each category will be forwarded to our editor and agent judges.
Entries can be submitted to the following categories:
PUBLISHED WORKS
The Published EOL is open to books of 40,000 words or more featuring characters of color published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. This includes self-published, traditional, and digital first published works. Note: You don't have to be a member of RWA to submit an entry.
Entries can be submitted in four categories:
Contest Opens:
The Elevation of Love Contest opens for entries at 12:01 am EST, March 1, 2019.
UNPUBLISHED WORKS
Both published and unpublished authors are welcome to participate. However, only unpublished works may be submitted.
Each submission will consist of the first 5,000 words of a completed, unpublished manuscript of no less than 40,000 words. Entrants can submit more than one entry, but each entry can only be submitted to one category. All submissions will be judged by three trained judges. The top two scores will be used to determine the finalists. The top three finalists in each category will be forwarded to our editor and agent judges.
Entries can be submitted to the following categories:
- Contemporary
- Romantic Suspense
- Women’s Fiction w/Romantic Elements
- Young Adult
- Historical
- Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal
- Erotic
PUBLISHED WORKS
The Published EOL is open to books of 40,000 words or more featuring characters of color published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. This includes self-published, traditional, and digital first published works. Note: You don't have to be a member of RWA to submit an entry.
Entries can be submitted in four categories:
- Contemporary
- Historical
- Futuristic/Fantasy/Paranormal
- Erotic
Contest Opens:
The Elevation of Love Contest opens for entries at 12:01 am EST, March 1, 2019.
Deadline:
Entries and payments must be received by 11:59 pm EST, April 15, 2019.
Fee (unpublished):
Fee (published):
*Fees are per entry and non-refundable.
Payment:
Make payment via PayPal from your PayPal account or debit or credit card.
Eligibility Requirements:
The contest is open to unpublished and published writers of romance fiction. The author does not have to be a member of Romance Writers of America® (RWA) to enter the CIMRWA Elevation of Love Contest. However, the entry must be the author’s original work.
Ineligible entries will be disqualified, and the entry fee forfeited.
Submission:
Complete the entry forms corresponding to the contest you want to enter: Once complete, contestants will be directed to PayPal to submit contest fees and manuscript.
Submission format:
At least 1″ margins on top, bottom, and both sides. Minimum 12 point font. Times New Roman preferred. Manuscript title in upper left-hand corner of header. Page number in upper right-hand corner of header. First page of each chapter must start approximately three (3) inches from top of page. Text must be double-spaced, aligned left, and unjustified right. Author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Manuscript(s) must be saved as a doc or docx file / format. Deductions in score will be made for manuscripts not in the standard format as defined above.
Judging:
A minimum of three (3) judges read and score each entry. Judges are published authors, RWA PRO, or CIMRWA-trained and certified judges. All judging is confidential. All judges complete a score-sheet for each entry, and they are encouraged to place tracked comments onto the submission. Entrants will receive their score-sheets and manuscripts with marked changes.
Finalists:
The top scores for each entry will be used to determine the finalist. The three (3) highest scoring entries in each category will be selected as finalists. The CIMRWA Contest reserves the right to not select any finalists in a category if the overall quality of entries is not considered suitable as determined by a panel of discretionary judges. All finalists will have an allotted amount of time (approximately 1 week) to review judges’ critiques and make changes to her/his manuscript before it goes to a final-round editor/agent pair judge.
Note:
Per the request of our judges listed below, finalists must submit a synopsis with their entry. The synopsis cannot exceed five (5) pages. The synopsis will not be judged. The finalists may submit a revised version of the synopsis when they revised the contest entry.
Entries and payments must be received by 11:59 pm EST, April 15, 2019.
Fee (unpublished):
- CIMRWA Members: $20.00 (U.S. funds)
- Non-CIMRWA / RWA Member $25.00 (U.S. funds)
- Non-CIMRWA / Non-RWA Member $30.00 (U.S. funds)
Fee (published):
- CIMRWA Members: $25.00 (U.S. funds)
- Non-CIMRWA / RWA Member $30.00 (U.S. funds)
- Non-CIMRWA / Non-RWA Member $40.00 (U.S. funds)
*Fees are per entry and non-refundable.
Payment:
Make payment via PayPal from your PayPal account or debit or credit card.
Eligibility Requirements:
The contest is open to unpublished and published writers of romance fiction. The author does not have to be a member of Romance Writers of America® (RWA) to enter the CIMRWA Elevation of Love Contest. However, the entry must be the author’s original work.
Ineligible entries will be disqualified, and the entry fee forfeited.
Submission:
Complete the entry forms corresponding to the contest you want to enter: Once complete, contestants will be directed to PayPal to submit contest fees and manuscript.
Submission format:
At least 1″ margins on top, bottom, and both sides. Minimum 12 point font. Times New Roman preferred. Manuscript title in upper left-hand corner of header. Page number in upper right-hand corner of header. First page of each chapter must start approximately three (3) inches from top of page. Text must be double-spaced, aligned left, and unjustified right. Author’s name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Manuscript(s) must be saved as a doc or docx file / format. Deductions in score will be made for manuscripts not in the standard format as defined above.
Judging:
A minimum of three (3) judges read and score each entry. Judges are published authors, RWA PRO, or CIMRWA-trained and certified judges. All judging is confidential. All judges complete a score-sheet for each entry, and they are encouraged to place tracked comments onto the submission. Entrants will receive their score-sheets and manuscripts with marked changes.
Finalists:
The top scores for each entry will be used to determine the finalist. The three (3) highest scoring entries in each category will be selected as finalists. The CIMRWA Contest reserves the right to not select any finalists in a category if the overall quality of entries is not considered suitable as determined by a panel of discretionary judges. All finalists will have an allotted amount of time (approximately 1 week) to review judges’ critiques and make changes to her/his manuscript before it goes to a final-round editor/agent pair judge.
Note:
Per the request of our judges listed below, finalists must submit a synopsis with their entry. The synopsis cannot exceed five (5) pages. The synopsis will not be judged. The finalists may submit a revised version of the synopsis when they revised the contest entry.
Romance Category |
Editor/Agent Name |
Contemporary |
Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency Editor: Mackenzie Walton, Carina Press |
Erotic |
Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary Editor: Diana Carlile, The Wild Rose Press |
Historical |
Agent: Tricia Skinner, FUSE Literary Editor: Norma Perez-Hernandez, Kensington Books |
Paranormal |
Agent: Kat Enright, The Seymour Agency Editor: Meghan Ferrell, Tule Publishing |
Romantic Suspense |
Agent: Jess Dallow, Brower Literary & Management Editor: Angela James, Carina Press |
Women's Fiction/Romantic Elements |
Agent: Jessica Alvarez, Bookends Literary Agency Editor: Elle Keck, Avon/Harper Collins |
YA |
Agent: Nikki Terpilowski, Holloway Literary Editor: Cat Clyne, Sourcebooks |
Click here for the CIMRWA Elevation of Love contest Romance Category Descriptions.
**CIMRWA reserves the right to eliminate a category if there are not sufficient entries in the category.
**CIMRWA reserves the right to eliminate a category if there are not sufficient entries in the category.
Prizes:
Editor/Agent judge pairs rank the top three (3) entries in their respective categories. First place winners in each category receive an award and a contest winner graphic for websites. All finalists receive commemorative certificates highlighting their achievement in the prestigious Elevation of Love Contest. Winners announced at the CIMRWA Mini-Conference to be hosted before RWA19 on July 23, 2019.
Agreement and Waiver:
Entry in the CIMRWA contest constitutes an agreement by the author to conform to all contest rules and abide by the decision of the judges and/or contest officials. The entrant agrees to hold harmless CIMRWA, its Board of Directors, officers, members, the Elevation of Love contest, all contest judges, personnel and volunteers, heirs and assigns, et al., in any and all disputes arising from her/his entry(s) in the CIMRWA Elevation of Love contest.
Editor/Agent judge pairs rank the top three (3) entries in their respective categories. First place winners in each category receive an award and a contest winner graphic for websites. All finalists receive commemorative certificates highlighting their achievement in the prestigious Elevation of Love Contest. Winners announced at the CIMRWA Mini-Conference to be hosted before RWA19 on July 23, 2019.
Agreement and Waiver:
Entry in the CIMRWA contest constitutes an agreement by the author to conform to all contest rules and abide by the decision of the judges and/or contest officials. The entrant agrees to hold harmless CIMRWA, its Board of Directors, officers, members, the Elevation of Love contest, all contest judges, personnel and volunteers, heirs and assigns, et al., in any and all disputes arising from her/his entry(s) in the CIMRWA Elevation of Love contest.
Please email any questions and/or concerns to: contests@cimrwa.org
Thank you for entering the 2019 Elevation of Love Contest. Good luck!
Thank you for entering the 2019 Elevation of Love Contest. Good luck!
