Amazon Writing Contest
If you're a writer and have a novel you've self-published, or haven't published at all yet, you might want to take a look at the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It's a good way to get some exposure and publicity for your book, and it's free! There aren't many of those types of writing contests out there.
I entered "Interent Kill Switch" last night. One important aspect is that you have to write a 300-word "pitch", to describe your book. This is the first cutoff point. If it's good, you move to the next stage -- an excerpt of your book. If you pass that test, the full manuscript is judged. The first thing judges see is your pitch, though, so write it (there are examples of pitches from previous years' winners) and re-write it until it glistens.
I worked on my pitch a lot. It might seem that 300 words should be easy to crank out, but it's not. If anything, it's harder to know what to say in such a limited number of words. The point here is to not skimp on this, no matter what. If you enter, I'd be delighted to hear from you. Let me know what category you entered, and your pitch. Here's my pitch:
"Tony Carver, a hero? Just stop it, already! Tony may be a lot of things, but as he’d be quick to tell you, “hero” ain’t one of them.
Ordinary guy with great friends and a phone more awesome than any phone ever was? That’s more like it.
But life for this “ordinary guy” turns decidedly extraordinary when he stumbles across a phone unlike anything he -- or the world -- has ever seen. Its rude, insulting personality makes it almost human. His best friend Rick is shocked when he holds the phone, and it reads back his vital signs. It even helps Tony grab the affections of the gorgeous Scarlett by feeding him lines at the right time, Cyrano-like.
What sets the phone apart, though, is its ability to instantly hack any network, no matter how secure. When it infiltrates the U.S. Air Force network and orders an attack on Cuba, just to show off, Tony’s terrified at the implications for the world. With good reason, too -- after all, a phone that can do these things will surely be a target for others.
One of those “others” is a crazed prophet of doom who kidnaps Tony, and uses his phone as the trigger for his plan to turn the country into a wasteland devoid of any technology more advanced than the wheel. After Tony escapes with the help of Rick, Scarlett and the phone, the trio is forced to travel through an increasingly dangerous country -- one without power, the Internet or any modern conveniences -- in an attempt to reboot the United States before it sinks permanently into chaos and war. Before it’s over, Tony will face terrifying evil and make choices that could cost him everything.
Just don’t call him a hero."
So that's my pitch. Any and all feedback is welcome.
I entered "Interent Kill Switch" last night. One important aspect is that you have to write a 300-word "pitch", to describe your book. This is the first cutoff point. If it's good, you move to the next stage -- an excerpt of your book. If you pass that test, the full manuscript is judged. The first thing judges see is your pitch, though, so write it (there are examples of pitches from previous years' winners) and re-write it until it glistens.
I worked on my pitch a lot. It might seem that 300 words should be easy to crank out, but it's not. If anything, it's harder to know what to say in such a limited number of words. The point here is to not skimp on this, no matter what. If you enter, I'd be delighted to hear from you. Let me know what category you entered, and your pitch. Here's my pitch:
"Tony Carver, a hero? Just stop it, already! Tony may be a lot of things, but as he’d be quick to tell you, “hero” ain’t one of them.
Ordinary guy with great friends and a phone more awesome than any phone ever was? That’s more like it.
But life for this “ordinary guy” turns decidedly extraordinary when he stumbles across a phone unlike anything he -- or the world -- has ever seen. Its rude, insulting personality makes it almost human. His best friend Rick is shocked when he holds the phone, and it reads back his vital signs. It even helps Tony grab the affections of the gorgeous Scarlett by feeding him lines at the right time, Cyrano-like.
What sets the phone apart, though, is its ability to instantly hack any network, no matter how secure. When it infiltrates the U.S. Air Force network and orders an attack on Cuba, just to show off, Tony’s terrified at the implications for the world. With good reason, too -- after all, a phone that can do these things will surely be a target for others.
One of those “others” is a crazed prophet of doom who kidnaps Tony, and uses his phone as the trigger for his plan to turn the country into a wasteland devoid of any technology more advanced than the wheel. After Tony escapes with the help of Rick, Scarlett and the phone, the trio is forced to travel through an increasingly dangerous country -- one without power, the Internet or any modern conveniences -- in an attempt to reboot the United States before it sinks permanently into chaos and war. Before it’s over, Tony will face terrifying evil and make choices that could cost him everything.
Just don’t call him a hero."
So that's my pitch. Any and all feedback is welcome.
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