Gutsy Great Novelist

The prize has been established to support and celebrate novelists and aims to find the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in the English language. First Prize: $1,000; Second Prize: $500; Third Prize: $250.

Entrants must not be personal friends with or family members of the judge. Writers with whom the judge has worked either in classes or one-on-one are eligible; because the entries are reviewed blind, the judge will not see the writers’ identities until her selections are final.

Entries (or drafts of entries) that have won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in any other competition are not eligible, although those that were given finalist or honorable mention status in any other competition are eligible. 

Previous Chapter One Prize winners (those who won cash–1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize) must wait two years before submitting again. 

Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize

FIRST NOVEL

Please submit only the complete first chapter of your unpublished novel-in-progress (fiction only). Please do not include title pages, dedications, prologues, introductions or any other opening pages—submit only your complete first chapter. There is no page limit or word count limit. 

Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize

Additional info

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