Monday, October 26, 2020

Guest Post with Shannon Vannatter - and a Contest!

Erica here: I am thrilled to have Shannon Vannatter as my guest today. She's got exciting news for aspiring authors! Take it away, Shannon!



In August, Missy let me share about my latest venture into editing/publishing with my business partner, Linda Fulkerson. (You can read more about that HERE.)  Since then, we’ve released five books, two speculative, one romantic suspense, one contemporary romance, and one historical romance. All four books were contracted by the previous owners, but Linda and I actually did the editing on these. And readers are snapping them up. We’re excited and recently got to attend our debut author’s launch party.



Our publishing schedule is currently full through 2021 with only a handful of slots left available in 2022. How did that happen so fast? Today, Erica invited me to share about two contests we’re hosting. One winner will receive a publishing contract and we’ve held a June 2021 slot for our winner. And even if you don’t win, all entries get thorough constructive critiques by Linda or me to improve your manuscript.

 If you’ve hung around Seekerville for long, I’m sure you know, the original members started out on Unpubbed Island. They shared what they learned from entering contests and within three years, they’d all made it off the island. After discovering Seekerville, back in the day, I started entering contests. Within a few years, I had a contract.

 So, let me say it again, we’re giving away a publishing contract with a guaranteed publishing date of June 2021. Will the winner by you? Here are the details:



GET PUBBED CONTEST

 

Get Pubbed Grand Prize — The Grand Prize winner of the Get Pubbed contest will receive a publishing contract with Scrivenings Press; paid registration for our annual author retreat, with Keynote speaker Deb Raney, to be held April 2021 in Hannibal, Missouri (boyhood home of Mark Twain) PLUS a thorough critique of up to 25 pages* of your manuscript by our senior editor – Shannon Taylor Vannatter, a multi-published, award-winning novelist; AND a $50 Amazon gift card.

 GET PUBBED CONTEST PRIZES

Genre Winners — The entry with the highest score in each genre will receive a critique of up to 25 pages* of your manuscript by our senior editor – Shannon Taylor Vannatter, a multi-published, award-winning novelist, plus a $25 Amazon gift card. The Grand Prize winner’s genre will not have a separate genre winner, as that entrant will be awarded the grand prize package.

 ALL ENTRIES will receive feedback from contest judges with tips to strengthen your writing. Guidelines: https://scriveningspress.com/get-pubbed/

 

What if your book isn’t finished? What if you have no idea if you’re doing this writing thing right? We’ve got a contest for you too with feedback for all and a free in-depth video course for the winner.


NOVEL STARTS CONTEST

NOVEL STARTS CONTEST PRIZES

Novel Starts Grand Prize — Access to the soon-to-be-released (coming December 2020) Scrivenings Press video-based novel writing course; an invitation to submit your novel for consideration by Scrivenings Press once it is finished; a thorough critique of up to 25 pages* of your manuscript by our line editor/marketing director – Linda Fulkerson, a multi-published author in both fiction and nonfiction; and a $50 Amazon gift card.

 

Video course lessons will include:

 

Creating Compelling Characters – their goals/motivations/conflicts and stakes

From Premise to Plot – the must-haves in every great story

Understanding Scenes – how to develop and write a scene

Mastering the Craft – taking your writing from good to great

Settings – creating a story world your readers can see, feel, hear, touch, and smell

Themes – how to weave life lessons into your novel without being preachy

And more …

 

Genre Winners — The entry with the highest score in each genre will receive a critique of up to 25 pages* of your manuscript by our line editor/marketing director – Linda Fulkerson, a multi-published author in both fiction and nonfiction, plus a $25 Amazon gift card. The Grand Prize winner’s genre will not have a separate genre winner, as that entrant will be awarded the grand prize package.

ALL ENTRIES will receive feedback from contest judges with tips to strengthen your writing. Guidelines: https://scriveningspress.com/novel-starts/

The deadline for both contests is November 30th. The entry fee is only $25.00, a mere drop in the bucket for guaranteed critiques from published authors/editors. And possibly more. So, what are you waiting for?

 

 


Linda Fulkerson is the owner of DLF Digital Services LLC (founded in 2013) and has nearly 20 years of experience in digital marketing. She comes from a newspaper background and has been a copyeditor, sportswriter, and online editor. Linda has been an indie publisher for several years and is the author of two novels and several nonfiction books. Her role in the new company will be business management, graphic designer, and line editor. You can learn more about Linda by visiting her page: Linda Fulkerson

 Shannon Taylor Vannatter is an award-winning, traditionally multi-published author. She is highly sought after for giving thorough manuscript critiques at conferences. Throughout Shannon’s writing career, she has worked with multiple editors, publishing companies, and agents. Her role in the new company is acquisitions/content editor and author career development. She recently completed the process of becoming a credentialed editor through the Christian PEN Institute.

Both Linda and Shannon will work with authors on marketing their books. You can learn more about them at: https://scriveningspress.com/

 



Sweetheart Reunion blurb:

 

Reuniting with the Cowboy by Shannon Taylor Vannatter: A charming cowboy moving in next door shouldn't be bad news. But veterinarian Ally Curtis knows Cody Warren—she'd never forget the boy who left her when she needed him most. Cody is doing everything he can to show his beautiful neighbor he's not the wild bull rider he once was, from helping her find homes for her beloved strays, to protecting her when her business is threatened. But Cody has a secret that keeps him from fully reaching out. Yet as they continue to work together to promote her shelter, he can't keep himself from hoping that Ally might have a home for him…in her heart.

Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe: The last person cowboy Joe Gallagher thought he’d see on his ranch was high school sweetheart Rebecca Anshaw Simpson. Twelve years after she married another man, she’s back as his physical therapist. But healing his body is nothing compared to guarding his heart from the woman he never forgot. There’s much the single mom would rather forget, but Becca won’t let regret and a surly rancher get in the way of her job and the chance to start over with her little girl. She has only a few weeks to make peace with her past. But Becca never expected she’d fall all over again for her first love.

 

I’m giving away 1 print copy of my two in one with Tina Radcliffe, Sweetheart Reunion. Answer these questions to enter: Have you ever entered a writing contest? If so, what did you learn from the experience? If not, why not?


Many thanks to Shannon for visiting today, and wow, what a great opportunity for an aspiring writer! Be sure to comment today and get your conversation with these editors going, and polish up that manuscript and get it sent in by the deadline!!

51 comments:

  1. Good morning, Erica and Shannon. As a former contest queen who got her first contract through a Harlequin contest, I have to say I love this post!

    I hope lots of writers seize this opportunity!

    Thanks, Shannon, for visiting today to share with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cate, good morning! I received a contract through a Harlequin contest, too, once upon a time! How fun that we have this in common! :)

      I think this is a fabulous opportunity, and I hope lots of folks jump in!

      Delete
    2. Hi Cate, long live the queen :) I learned so much from contests. Thanks for popping in and tell all your friends.

      Delete
  2. Hi, gals!

    Shannon, you hit on a great memory for all of the original Seekers... we were CONTEST DIVAS!!!! :) We formed an alliance in the form of a Yahoo group when we kept bumping heads in writing contests back in the early 2000's.... so over fifteen years ago!

    WHAT????? :)

    It's been a heck of a ride since then, and we started Seekerville to reach out a hand to others because breaking into this business on the side of the now defunct CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) or the ABA (American Booksellers Association) wasn't easy. There were a limited number of slots from traditional publishers, no e-books and there were FIFTEEN of us but we decided to pray one another into publication by a royalty paying publisher and we did it... So that was a lovely victory!

    Several have retired now, but we still firmly believe in the power and joy of hard work if you want to make it in this business... and a Never Give Up mantra!

    Thanks so much for being here today and I hope your venture is wonderfully successful, especially for the authors involved. It means a lot to get those first books out there and as a successful indie author, I know that volume is clutch... so encourage them to keep writing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. G'morning, Ruthy! I never tire of hearing that Seekerville story. Happy endings all around!

      It's amazing to see how the landscape has changed over the last 15 years, and yet some things, like writing contests being a great door opener, and friendships that last, haven't changed.

      Delete
    2. Ruthy, I still can't believe it's been so long! We're not that old are we??

      Delete
    3. Hey Ruth, one of my critique partners got her first contract from Revell simply by reading Seekerville. She never went to a writer's conference, jut studied every post on Seekerville, went to her first ACFW conference and got a 3 book contract. Seekerville is a goldmine. I tell writers I critique for conferences and the ones I have to reject now to study Seekerville.

      Delete
  3. Shannon and Linda,
    WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA! I'm excited to be a writer in 2020-2021, all other things being equal, because there are so many different options for us. We are going to hear so much more about smaller and boutique publishers. I'm with a small publisher myself and it's been a good opportunity for me. I LOVE THIS!
    Sorry about the caps. I need an editor for my blog posts.
    May be back later,
    Kathy Bailey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Kathy! I don't mind the all caps! It means you're enthusiastic. :D

      I love seeing all the boutique publishers popping up. It gives so much more scope to upcoming writers, having so many options.

      Delete
    2. Hi Kaybee. Writers are definitely looking into small publishers these days. We just signed an author with 90 books under her belt. She was tired of fitting into the big publisher's timeline, but didn't want to self-publish, so she sought us out since she knew Linda and has met me.

      Delete
  4. Good morning, Shannon! (also waving to Linda!)

    What a wonderful opportunity! A contest is the greatest incentive for submitting a novel.

    Cate mentioned getting her first contract from a Harlequin contest, and I got my first contract from a contest here at Seekerville. I wonder how many others can trace their start to a contest?

    Un-published authors, are you listening???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan, how cool that you met your publisher through a Seekerville contest! I love how God opens doors in surprising ways!

      Delete
    2. Hi Jan, I didn't get my first contract through a contest. But I got my first contract because of the feedback I got from contests. It's a great way to learn what you're doing wrong. And what you're doing right.

      Delete
  5. This is exactly what I needed this morning! I just sent Mary another whinning email last night because I needed help along this subject line. I prayed and whined some more, mostly to myself and the Lord, then this morning He sends me hope! What a wonderful Father we have!
    Thanks so much for this encouraging contest!
    Can I enter a book that has been self published through Amazon? I am writing a series and Book #1 should be published by Thanksgiving. Should I hold it back for this contest or maybe submit Book #2 or #3 that haven't been through the editing process yet?
    Please allow me to shout out my eternal gratitude to Mary Connealy (and this entire group) for so much help. I recently read Mary's book 'Accidental Guardian' and that is what she has been to me.
    Thanks for everything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Lynne! Shannon should be popping by today and she can answer the question for you! I'll give her a shout through a DM and let her know you're waiting for some guidance!

      Delete
    2. Thanks Erica!

      Delete
    3. Lynne, her reply is below, in case you were looking for it. It didn't quite 'nest' as intended.

      I hope you get to enter the contest, and that you get good results!

      Delete
    4. I don't know why my answer showed up so far down, Lynne. I hope you'll keep scrolling and find it :)

      Delete
  6. Wow, this was a fun post to read. I have entered a number of contests over the years, and I've received wonderful feedback. Two lessons I've learned are: 1) enter for the feedback, not with expectations to win (though it's really nice when that happens!), and 2) realize some judges are not going to like your writing. Take each judge's comments and evaluate them in light of the feedback other judges have offered. Some we'll disagree with, and some judges will share difficult but spot-on truths. Sift through each bit of feedback with an open mind. ;)

    Your contests and publishing "house" sound like they are very empowering for authors, Shannon! Thanks for sharing about these contests!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeanne, that's a great attitude to take into account when entering contests. Enter to get better, not expecting to win. Then a win is a cherry on top! :)

      I hope you enter Shannon and Linda's contest!

      Delete
    2. Hi Jeanne, we try to handle our authors gently and lovingly. It's hard to put your heart out there and that's what authors do. Within weeks of signing the papers, we had a Zoom meeting with the authors who came with the sale. We honored each of their contracts and gave them first chance at the upcoming editorial schedule. I've been through publishers selling and closing lines. It's very disconcerting and emotional.

      Good advice on the contests. I had a rule when I was entering. When I got the feedback, I'd read through it, then put it away and rail at the advice. A week later, I'd go through it with an open mind. It would always hit me: She's right.

      Delete
  7. Shannon, so glad you can be with us today! Linda, too! Congrats to both of you. Your success is amazing. Way to go, ladies!

    Love the cover of your two-in-one, Shannon! Two wonderful stories for one great price!

    Before I got "The Call," I won three contests and the final round judge for each contest was a Love Inspired editor! I had written for years without a sale, but those three contest wins put me at the right place in God's perfect time.

    I'm cheering for any of our Villagers who enter your contest! Good luck to all!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Debby, I got first place in one contest, 2nd in another, and a whole host of feedback from those and several I didn't place in. There's nothing like feedback from published authors who've worked with editors. And our case, the judges will be published authors, editors, and publishers.

      Delete
    2. Debby, that's a fantastic run of contest wins! :)

      I hope our SeekerVillagers will keep us posted, that they've entered, and the feedback they've received!

      Delete
  8. Welcome back, Shannon! So exciting to hear how your publishing venture is going! I'm excited to see whose entries end up getting selected in your contests. Contests are what helped me get published. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Missy. It's really been fun. The only thing I hate are rejections. But I give feedback with rejections with craft book recommendations to hopefully soften the blow and help the writer grow.

      Delete
    2. Missy, won't it be fun to celebrate the winners? Maybe that would be a fun post someday...interview the winner and the publisher on their experiences! I'd read that post!

      Delete
  9. Hey Lynne, our contest is for unpublished titles only. You can enter book 1 if you hold it back. But if you want go ahead with publishing it, you can enter book 2. My advice, even if I wasn't affiliated with the contest, would be to submit book 1. Since it's been through the editing process, that gives you an advantage. If you win, you don't have to worry with self-publishing. And if you don't win, you'll have even more feedback before you publish it. It's a win/win.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This was a fun post! When I was a teenager I entered a short story contest for my library. It was a fun little contest, and I was one of the five lucky winners.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How fun Angeline. I was in a local writers group for several years. We hosted a writing contest for 5th and 6th graders for several years. We had an award ceremony where the winners got to read their winning entry. I did that once for my son's school when he was in the 5th grade too. And I've taught a class on writing short stories for that age group several times. Maybe one of them will be a writer of the future. I hope so.

      Delete
    2. Angeline, do you still have that story? I have a 'book' I wrote when I was about 15, in a spiral notebook...in pencil. It's stored in a drawer, and I'm keeping it just in case Random House or Simon & Schuster come calling... :D

      Delete
    3. My first published writing came when I was a senior in high school. The Omaha World-Herald had a writing contest for students each month with a $25 prize and I won it one month. They called me at school to tell me!

      Delete
    4. I wish schools had courses to encourage kids to write, Sandy. I had a creative writing class in the 3rd grade. And that was all.

      Delete
  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sandy, that must have been such a thrill! $25 bucks and a call to the school! Score!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm late to the party, but thanks for much for being here! A few years ago I entered Harlequin's Blurb to Book (that I heard about on Seekerville!). I made it to the final round, but my manuscript didn't end up being accepted. I met a lot of great writers through that, it gave me a confidence boost --until the rejection, that hurt a little--but the feedback and deadline were fantastic. I've entered a few again recently and every time I do, I realize I've grown as a writer and a person and that's a great feeling, regardless of whether I win or not.

    Oh, and my first writing win was back in junior high when I entered an essay into an American Legion contest about Why I love America. I won a dictionary/thesaurus set that I still have and a lunch honoring the winners. Still a fond memory and I read that essay a while back. It wasn't terrible! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BTW, I'm reading Shannon's book that I won the last time she was here, so no need to stick my name in the drawing. But thanks, Shannon, the book is great!

      Delete
  17. I'm glad you're enjoying my book Glynis. Congrats on your contest history. I hope you'll enter the Scrivenings contest. It will be awesome to discover and new author.

    ReplyDelete
  18. That would be awesome, I agree!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Have never entered a writing contest! I Love reading the print books but I don't feel I could be a writer You Ladies keep up the great work of writing these wonderful books and I will keep reading The print copies! Blessings To You All For The Wonderful work you do on your Books!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Have never entered a writing contest! I Love reading the print books but I don't feel I could be a writer You Ladies keep up the great work of writing these wonderful books and I will keep reading The print copies! Blessings To You All For The Wonderful work you do on your Books!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please do keep reading Sarah. We so appreciate loyal readers like you. I'm a print gal myself. I have a few e-books, only the ones from favorite authors that don't come in print. Even though I own the e-books and can read them any time I want, I don't feel like I actually own them because they're not lined up on my book shelf. I understand why others love digital though--the ability to carry hundreds of books around with you to be read at a moment's notice.

      Delete
  21. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I never entered a fiction writing contest, Shannon, but I'm so grateful to be one of your authors at Scrivenings Press. It's a fun, encouraging place to be!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enter the contest and join the party! Good luck!

      Delete
    2. Thanks Hope, we strive to treat our authors like family. I'm glad you're with us.

      Delete

If you have trouble leaving a comment, please "clear your internet cache" and try again. You can find this in your browser settings under "clear history."