Query Kombat Submission Guidelines
I’m so excited because submissions for Query Kombat will start on Monday, May 13th and that’s just a few days away! (Excuse me while I squeal like a crazy person!) Below is a refresher of the submissions guidelines. Take care. Entries sent before the submission window opens will be deleted unopened. Entries that don’t follow the guidelines will also be deleted. Knowing how writers worry, confirmation emails will be sent to ensure we got your submission and it didn’t end up in Siberia.
You should also know that Mike, SC, and I have very different tastes so that should insure a large variety in what makes the contest cut.
Party Time!
But all that is so boringly technical. How about some fun first? If you are chosen for Query Kombat there will be up to eleven judges going through your matchups. The very same cool judges we boasted about last week (here).
Kontestants get to invent amazing nicknames, naturally the judges want one, too! It’s not fair for Kontestants to hog all the fun. So our judges will be commenting and voting as their dual-personality self. To recognize our wonderful judges and know the vote is legit here is a list of the names they’ve chosen:
UltravioletSavageBlue
GoldilocksPepperStorm
HedgehogFlameSacredlbisX-Man(uscript)DragonfireInterrobang
LittleMynx
Who is who? That would be telling, but perhaps you can figure them out. Now, onward to the fine and gory details:
The tournament is open only to unagented writers seeking representation. Your manuscript must be complete, polished, and ready to submit. Submissions for MG, YA, NA, and Adult works will be accepted. No picture books or non-fiction.
The submission window will open at 11AM EST on Monday, May 13th and close at 11AM Friday, May 17th OR WHEN WE RECEIVE 225ENTRIES. You may submit entries for two manuscripts (in the same email) but we will only consider the second entry if less than 64 entries are received. Kontestants will be revealed May 24th and the tournament will kick off on May 28th on Michelle’s blog.
In order to enter the contest you MUST follow formatting guidelines, and submit during the contest window. All entries that follow those guidelines will be considered. In the event that we receive more than the available spots, hosts will be assigned a group of queries and pick the best of their group. We will also select a few alternates. Sixty-four queries will enter into the tournament.
Send entries to: QueryKombat (at) yahoo (dot) com
Formatting guidelines:
Times New Roman, 12pt font, single-spaced with spaces between each paragraph.No indents or tabs.
Subject line of the Email: A short, unique nickname for your entry [colon] your genre (audience included). Do not skip this step or your entry will be deleted. Example:
Happy Hamsters: MG Fantasy
For the nickname, make it as unique as possible so that there are no duplicates. These will be the names used in the tournament brackets and post headings so keep it PG-13 and try to have it relate to your story in some way. Nicknames are limited to 25 characters!
***The four Free Pass winners should include “Free Pass” before their nickname in the subject line to ensure their spot.
In the body of the email (bold where bold):
Name: Michelle Hauck
Email address: MichelleHauck@xxx.com
Entry Nickname: Happy Hamsters
Title: Pygmy Hazards
Word count: 34,000
Genre: MG Fantasy
Query:
Tom, the classroom hamster, wants to escape from the h-e double hockey sticks known as school. There he’s sentenced to never-ending show ‘n tell, math facts rap, and story time. But he’s learned a lot behind the bars of his cage. The giant in the dress thinks she is running the show, when the chatterbox pygmies are really in control. Playing house during activity time is no job for a tough guy. Somehow Tom has to get away before the pygmies dress him as Strawberry Shortcake again.
When a “subspatoot” fills in for the giant, Tom sees his chance to put Operation Escape the Pygmies into action. He makes a run for the border, hamster style. Bad news. The principal says Tom is a distraction to learning and better off flushed. The way out is turned into a battlefield of snapping mousetraps, sticky snares, and poisoned pellets. Tom seems doomed until a friendless pygmy named Squeezer lends an over-excited hand. Now, the greatest obstacle to his freedom may be Tom’s soft spot for this lonely pygmy.
(Only include the meat of your query. No bio. Queries may be up to 350 words, but 250 is strongly preferred. Names and emails address of Kontestants will not be posted.)
First 250 words:
(Don't include the chapter title and please, don't stop in the middle of a sentence. You may go over the 250 limit to finish a sentence.)
Simple, huh?
All queries submitted are FINAL. We will not edit them in any way, shape, or form. Please read, reread, and rereread your submission before you hit send. Unless you make it into the third round, you will not have another opportunity to edit your query or first 250 words. You have several days to polish your work. Take advantage of it. Competition will be fierce.
Put on your thick skin and get those submissions—Ready! Set! Go on May 13!
You should also know that Mike, SC, and I have very different tastes so that should insure a large variety in what makes the contest cut.
Party Time!But all that is so boringly technical. How about some fun first? If you are chosen for Query Kombat there will be up to eleven judges going through your matchups. The very same cool judges we boasted about last week (here).
Kontestants get to invent amazing nicknames, naturally the judges want one, too! It’s not fair for Kontestants to hog all the fun. So our judges will be commenting and voting as their dual-personality self. To recognize our wonderful judges and know the vote is legit here is a list of the names they’ve chosen:
UltravioletSavageBlue
GoldilocksPepperStorm
HedgehogFlameSacredlbisX-Man(uscript)DragonfireInterrobang
LittleMynx
Who is who? That would be telling, but perhaps you can figure them out. Now, onward to the fine and gory details:
The tournament is open only to unagented writers seeking representation. Your manuscript must be complete, polished, and ready to submit. Submissions for MG, YA, NA, and Adult works will be accepted. No picture books or non-fiction.
The submission window will open at 11AM EST on Monday, May 13th and close at 11AM Friday, May 17th OR WHEN WE RECEIVE 225ENTRIES. You may submit entries for two manuscripts (in the same email) but we will only consider the second entry if less than 64 entries are received. Kontestants will be revealed May 24th and the tournament will kick off on May 28th on Michelle’s blog.
In order to enter the contest you MUST follow formatting guidelines, and submit during the contest window. All entries that follow those guidelines will be considered. In the event that we receive more than the available spots, hosts will be assigned a group of queries and pick the best of their group. We will also select a few alternates. Sixty-four queries will enter into the tournament.
Send entries to: QueryKombat (at) yahoo (dot) com
Formatting guidelines:
Times New Roman, 12pt font, single-spaced with spaces between each paragraph.No indents or tabs.
Subject line of the Email: A short, unique nickname for your entry [colon] your genre (audience included). Do not skip this step or your entry will be deleted. Example:
Happy Hamsters: MG Fantasy
For the nickname, make it as unique as possible so that there are no duplicates. These will be the names used in the tournament brackets and post headings so keep it PG-13 and try to have it relate to your story in some way. Nicknames are limited to 25 characters!
***The four Free Pass winners should include “Free Pass” before their nickname in the subject line to ensure their spot.
In the body of the email (bold where bold):
Name: Michelle Hauck
Email address: MichelleHauck@xxx.com
Entry Nickname: Happy Hamsters
Title: Pygmy Hazards
Word count: 34,000
Genre: MG Fantasy
Query:
Tom, the classroom hamster, wants to escape from the h-e double hockey sticks known as school. There he’s sentenced to never-ending show ‘n tell, math facts rap, and story time. But he’s learned a lot behind the bars of his cage. The giant in the dress thinks she is running the show, when the chatterbox pygmies are really in control. Playing house during activity time is no job for a tough guy. Somehow Tom has to get away before the pygmies dress him as Strawberry Shortcake again.
When a “subspatoot” fills in for the giant, Tom sees his chance to put Operation Escape the Pygmies into action. He makes a run for the border, hamster style. Bad news. The principal says Tom is a distraction to learning and better off flushed. The way out is turned into a battlefield of snapping mousetraps, sticky snares, and poisoned pellets. Tom seems doomed until a friendless pygmy named Squeezer lends an over-excited hand. Now, the greatest obstacle to his freedom may be Tom’s soft spot for this lonely pygmy.
(Only include the meat of your query. No bio. Queries may be up to 350 words, but 250 is strongly preferred. Names and emails address of Kontestants will not be posted.)
First 250 words:
(Don't include the chapter title and please, don't stop in the middle of a sentence. You may go over the 250 limit to finish a sentence.)
Simple, huh?
All queries submitted are FINAL. We will not edit them in any way, shape, or form. Please read, reread, and rereread your submission before you hit send. Unless you make it into the third round, you will not have another opportunity to edit your query or first 250 words. You have several days to polish your work. Take advantage of it. Competition will be fierce.
Put on your thick skin and get those submissions—Ready! Set! Go on May 13!
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