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Friday, March 26, 2010

Okay, So Dude, I Know

I know, I know. I said I wasn't going to blog today. And I'm not. I just wanted to give you all a heads-up about something going on over on the QueryTracker blog on Monday.

Jason Yarn at Paradigm Literary Agency is hosting our next contest!

The contest will open on Monday, March 29 at 12 Noon EST. When? MONDAY. Not today. MONDAY.

You’ll be submitting a one-line pitch and the first paragraph of your manuscript. The contest is open to all genres except short stories and romance. Mr. Yarn is accepting 100 entries.

Some advice from Mr. Yarn as you prepare your submission for Monday:


  • Be careful if you make your one-line pitch a question. It’s not verboten, but asking me something I can answer ‘No’ to is always a dangerous thing.
  • Don’t be flabby – be concrete. Meaning, your pitch line shouldn’t be full of generic clichés like ‘Fate’ and ‘Doom’ without being tied to a concrete story element or character.
  • Your pitch should drive me to read your first paragraph and your first paragraph should make me feel like I’ll die if I don’t see more – you don’t need to tell your entire story in either part, just addict me to wanting to find out what happens next. Good luck!


Mr. Yarn will review the entries and choose up to five winners. He’ll be critiquing your query letter and the first 10 pages of your manuscript! We anticipate announcing the winners on Friday, April 9 on the QueryTracker blog.

Dude, guys! All of this is happening MONDAY on the QUERYTRACKER BLOG. So go follow us over there!

But I'm sort of in charge of the contest and wanted you to know so you could, you know, get your pitches and paragraphs ready. *wink*

Have a lovely!
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60 comments:

  1. ScottMarch 26, 2010 at 6:16 AM

    Thanks 'Miss I'm Not Going to Post on Friday'! I guess since it is auspicious news, we'll allow this one little slip . . . this time. : )

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  2. CandylandMarch 26, 2010 at 6:20 AM

    You so so good to us (bowing with hands folded)

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  3. UnknownMarch 26, 2010 at 6:25 AM

    Elana:

    What I want to know is, what are you doing up so damn early? - LOL!

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  4. StinaMarch 26, 2010 at 6:44 AM

    And I said I wasn't going to check any posts this morning because I'm leaving in two hours for the airport. Guess I lied too. ;)

    Sounds like a great contest. Not sure if I'll be able to enter since I'll be on vacation (with my lap top and ms). Good luck to all who enter. :D

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  5. Theresa MilsteinMarch 26, 2010 at 6:57 AM

    Thanks for giving us a heads up. I'm going to get mine ready this weekend.

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  6. Christi GoddardMarch 26, 2010 at 7:02 AM

    Yay, contests! It'll take me three days to figure out a pitch :-)

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  7. SlamdunkMarch 26, 2010 at 7:09 AM

    Thanks for the notice and I hope you enjoy your weekend.

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  8. S.A. LarsenッMarch 26, 2010 at 7:11 AM

    Thanks for passing on the post!! Got to love it here. Rounds...

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  9. Bish DenhamMarch 26, 2010 at 7:13 AM

    Thanks for the heads-up on the contest!

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  10. KayMarch 26, 2010 at 7:16 AM

    Wanna hear something funny/ironic... your last blog, the one about a 'functioning blog'... I couldn't figure out how to comment on it :) hahahahaha Happy Friday, have a great weekend!

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  11. Christine FonsecaMarch 26, 2010 at 7:21 AM

    Thanks for the heads up! And go...enjoy your weekend okay? OKAY!

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  12. HenyaMarch 26, 2010 at 7:24 AM

    Not budging from my keyboard till the hour of 12 Monday.

    Thanks for the heads up. Do we have to include genre and name? (Silly question. Of course)

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  13. Anne GallagherMarch 26, 2010 at 7:27 AM

    Awwww, no romance. That leaves me out.

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  14. Sarah AhiersMarch 26, 2010 at 7:39 AM

    omg omg omg! SO exciting! I hope i get my entry in fast enough to be one of the 100

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  15. Lisa K.March 26, 2010 at 7:40 AM

    That sounds great. I guess I know what I'll be working on this weekend! Thanks for letting us know.

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  16. Kerri CuevMarch 26, 2010 at 7:41 AM

    Coolness! Thank ya!

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  17. Christina LeeMarch 26, 2010 at 7:43 AM

    heading over there--hey enjoy your weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  18. TracyMarch 26, 2010 at 7:53 AM

    That sounds like a pretty cool contest.

    *Wonders how to leave the "romance" part off of her paranormal romance *

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  19. Elana JohnsonMarch 26, 2010 at 7:58 AM

    Henya, there will be a submission form and it will have fields for the title and genre of your work. So don't worry about trying to squeeze that into your pitch.

    :)

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  20. Karen LangeMarch 26, 2010 at 8:01 AM

    Thank you!
    Have a happy weekend:)

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  21. AnonymousMarch 26, 2010 at 8:32 AM

    Good luck to everyone who enters.

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  22. Lydia KangMarch 26, 2010 at 8:42 AM

    Thanks Elana. Hopefully I won't screw up the midwest time change on this one...

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  23. Shannon O'DonnellMarch 26, 2010 at 8:43 AM

    See, it's because of stuff like this that there are Elana Johnson fan clubs sprouting up across the nation. I'm the president of the Pacific Northwest branch. :-)

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  24. UnknownMarch 26, 2010 at 8:49 AM

    Ha, knew you couldn't stay away from us. Thanks for the heads up for the contest.

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  25. VR BarkowskiMarch 26, 2010 at 9:11 AM

    You are so sweet to give up your no-blog Friday. Because of you, we have the weekend to prepare for Monday. Thank you!

    Best of luck everyone!

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  26. Talli RolandMarch 26, 2010 at 9:19 AM

    Great contest! Thanks for letting us know. Have a brill weekend!

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  27. AnonymousMarch 26, 2010 at 9:20 AM

    I am super interested. Do I just submit it on the OueryTracker blog then? How do I do it? Oh god Im hopeless.

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  28. UnknownMarch 26, 2010 at 9:47 AM

    Good luck all you query-ers! I can't wait until I'm one, too!!

    Elana, have a fab weekend!!

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  29. Joshua McCuneMarch 26, 2010 at 9:50 AM

    Thanks for the heads up.

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  30. Matthew MacNishMarch 26, 2010 at 10:06 AM

    Hi Elana, I came here because I just noticed you became a follower of my blog. Thanks by the way. I thought I would stop by and do the same. Done.

    So, now I read your post and I will have to try to take part in this contest.

    Great advice about blog traffic on your previous post as well. I was already following most of it but learned a couple new tid-bits just now.

    Thanks!

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  31. Susan R. MillsMarch 26, 2010 at 10:08 AM

    Fun contest. I'll check it out if I ever am satisfied enough with my first paragraph.

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  32. Carolyn V.March 26, 2010 at 10:34 AM

    Elana! Awesome! How do you get all these cool people to promote your contests?

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  33. TaherehMarch 26, 2010 at 10:52 AM

    this sounds so great!! thanks for sharing -- i'll be sure to spread the word!! :D

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  34. TanaMarch 26, 2010 at 11:18 AM

    How exciting! Will you have a link up Monday for the blonde at heart? If not I'll find it ;)

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  35. Courtney Barr - The Southern PrincessMarch 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM

    lol - yep you just could not stay away from all of us!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Visit My Kingdom Anytime

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  36. bookaholicMarch 26, 2010 at 11:23 AM

    Thanks for the contest info!

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  37. Kayeleen HamblinMarch 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM

    You are so great! Thanks for the notice. Now, to beat the rest of the people and get in on the first 100.

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  38. Tamika:March 26, 2010 at 11:38 AM

    Sounds wonderful! Elana you are a treasure!

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  39. Natalie AguirreMarch 26, 2010 at 11:43 AM

    Thanks for the heads up. Have a great weekend.

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  40. Yat-YeeMarch 26, 2010 at 12:18 PM

    I echo others: thanks for the heads up.

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  41. Shelli (srjohannes)March 26, 2010 at 1:24 PM

    another blogger addict - i love it!v :)

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  42. Kristine AsselinMarch 26, 2010 at 1:47 PM

    Thanks Elana! Cool news!

    I've got a great first paragraph (me thinks), but a one sentence pitch. Hmmm. I'll have to think about that one.

    Good thing I've got all weekend. ;)

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  43. Jill KemererMarch 26, 2010 at 2:58 PM

    So my awesome romance pitch:

    Trapped by fate, Serena was doomed to a loveless life...or was she?

    doesn't work? Doggone it.

    Thanks for the head's up! And have a great weekend!

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  44. Mary AalgaardMarch 26, 2010 at 3:15 PM

    Thanks for the contest info. I'll pass since I just started a drama. But, wanted to wish you a great weekend, filled with sunshine and picnics.

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  45. Mel ChesleyMarch 26, 2010 at 3:27 PM

    First, I thought, "Awesome!" Now I am thinking, "Oh the pressure!"

    Haha!!

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  46. UnknownMarch 26, 2010 at 3:38 PM

    Thanks for the heads up. I'll work on my pitch this weekend.

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  47. Jemi FraserMarch 26, 2010 at 4:08 PM

    Wow - awesome contest! I think my first paragraph is okay - gotta write a pitch... Thanks for the advance warning!

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  48. A.J. FreyMarch 26, 2010 at 6:50 PM

    Thanks for letting us know about the contest! That is awesome.
    BTW - there's an award for you on my blog.

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  49. TessMarch 26, 2010 at 8:33 PM

    you guys do such great things over there ... good luck to everyone!

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  50. Susan FieldsMarch 26, 2010 at 9:01 PM

    Thanks for the good information - so glad you decided to not "not" blog today.

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  51. Roni LorenMarch 26, 2010 at 9:15 PM

    No romance, bummer. But it sounds like a great contest! Have a good weekend. :)

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  52. AnonymousMarch 26, 2010 at 9:41 PM

    Exciting stuff! (One of these days, I've got to ask you a question. I'll email ya.)

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  53. Christi CraigMarch 26, 2010 at 10:01 PM

    I'm guessing I need to have my mss finished...which would be the case anyway, if I wanted to write a good query letter. So, I have to pass on this contest (to my disappointment), but thanks much for giving us the heads up. I hope to be ready the next time you post something like this!

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  54. Ann Marie WraightMarch 27, 2010 at 5:21 AM

    CHEERS for the info. Wow - you are really dedicated to your blog. Thumbs up from me!
    Now the pressure is really on though...

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  55. Christina FarleyMarch 27, 2010 at 6:54 AM

    Sounds awesome! Thanks for the heads up!

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  56. AnonymousMarch 28, 2010 at 7:42 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  57. AnonymousMarch 28, 2010 at 7:45 AM

    Contests totally rock. And so do you!

    I've left a Sunshine Award for you on my blog: http://marybrebner.blogspot.com/

    (a new one with my whole name--see, I read and understand, oh mistress of the author blog!).

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  58. Cassandra FrearMarch 28, 2010 at 4:04 PM

    I was away for the week on my own personal spiritual retreat. I just read your posts for the past week.

    What a nice set of pieces for your reader. I love your practical, clear writing.

    I think I am getting attached to your writing. And I'm getting used to being called "Dude."

    I will be returning to this set of posts and mulling them over. You have really helped me here by sharing your perspective. It came at a good time, too, when I am re-evaluating where my time goes and how to keep myself charged.

    I am so amazed at reading and commenting on 90 blogs in one day. How long did that take you?

    BTW, for me, I want my blogs to transcend the writerly promotion stages. I am after something much more universal and enduring -- sharing with others. A blog is a conversation on paper. Period.

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  59. Amanda GaumeMarch 28, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    I've got an award for you on my blog!

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  60. Katie AndersonMarch 28, 2010 at 6:59 PM

    Ooo this sounds cool! Can't wait to check it out!

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