It’s not too late to enter the Foundation and the Directors Choice Awards! 

The BRMCWC contests and dessert extravaganza are among the highlights of BRMCWC. Every year gets better than previous years and we know this year will be no exception.

We’re ready . . . are you? Whether you are published already or will be in the future, we have three contests designed for you. Also, please note that most of the fees collected for the contest go to our Scholarship Fund. This enables talented writers with extensive financial needs to attend the conference at a reduced price. When you enter the contest, you are sowing seeds you may never see harvested … but God knows. You are a part of a winning team just by entering!

Please read the guidelines carefully for all contests before submitting. We have one major change—the use of PayPal for payment. You do not have to have a PayPal account; your credit or debit card is sufficient to use PayPal, which is one of the most secured payment options in the world.

Ready? Set? Amaze us!

Eva Marie Everson
BRMCWC Contests Director

BRMCWC Directors’ Choice Awards
(For Published works from current or former attendees)

BRMCWC Foundation Awards
(For UNPUBLISHED works and those who will be IN ATTENDANCE for the 2022 event)

2023 CONTESTS RULES AND GUIDELINES

Directors’ Choice Awards (Closes March 1, 2023)

The Foundation Awards (Closes April 1, 2023)

THE DIRECTORS’ CHOICE AWARDS

The Directors’ Choice Awards are given to published writers who are a past or current conferee (past faculty members who are not also past conferees are not eligible).

Rules, Guidelines & Fees:

• Any past or current conferee published within 2022, whether via traditional publishing or by independent publishing, is eligible.
• Eligibility is not limited to attendance from the previous year. Any past conferee may enter. (If a faculty member has also been a conferee, that person is eligible to enter. Those who have ONLY been faculty are NOT eligible to enter the Directors’ Choice Awards.)
• We will no longer accept re-released books for entry.
• Books entered must have been published between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
• Books may be fiction, nonfiction, or children’s.

Entry fees of $45 per entry must be paid via PayPal
(PayPal Buy buttons on the Contest Page of the Website)

Mail a copy of the book to:

Edie Melson
604 South* Almond Drive
Simpsonville, SC 29681

*Note: all correspondence must have “South” in the address.

Contest is now open.

Deadline for entries is March 1, 2023

No works received after that date will be considered.

BRMCWC FOUNDATION AWARDS

Rules, Guidelines & Fees:

• The entrant must be registered for the entire conference to compete.
• There is a $35 entry fee for each submission. Please make one payment for multiple entries.
• First entry received is the one that will be judged. Any subsequent submissions/corrections will be deleted.
• When e-mailing the contest entry, please place in the subject line: BRMCWC FOUNDATION CONTEST ENTRY/ [CATEGORY HERE]
  • Example: BRMCWC FOUNDATION CONTEST ENTRY/SHORT STORY
• When e-mailing your contest entry, if sending multiple entries, send them in separate e-mails. E-mails with multiple entries will be returned.
• Entries must have a “cover sheet” within the body of the email. Your entry should not indicate who wrote the piece.

E-mail address for entries: BlueRidgeCWC@aol.com.

All entry fees will be payable through PayPal (you do not have to have a PayPal account to use this means of payment).

If a writer has been published in any publication category—or is currently under contract or receives a contract during the entry time-frame—then the writer is ineligible for this contest in that category. (For example, if a writer has had a devotion published, the writer may not enter the contest in the devotion category, but the writer may enter in a different category.)

Entries which received first place in a previous years’ Foundations contest is not eligible.

Writers may enter more than one category, but we accept only one entry per category.

Contest is now open.

Deadline for entries is April 1, 2023

Formatting: All entries must be attached to the email as a Microsoft Word document. NO PDFs or PAGES accepted. With the exception of poetry, children’s picture books, and scripts, submissions should be double-spaced, presented in a 12-pt. serif font (such as Times New Roman) and have one-inch margins all around.

Scripts and plays should be submitted in standard film or A/V format.

Please do not include pictures or illustrations. 

Entries not formatted correctly may be disqualified.

Critiques are not given on contest entries.

Contest entries will not be returned.

Categories and their details:

1. Articles (For Print or Web) —nonfiction, including how to, or information in nature. This is NOT the category for essays such as may be found in popular compilation books. Word count for this category is 700 – 2000 words.
2. Essays—true events or experiences. (Think: “Chicken Soup for the Soul” pieces.) Word count for this category is no more than 1000 words.
3. Devotions—limit of 3, no longer than two pages each, double-spaced. (Your $35 entry fee covers up to 3)
4. Nonfiction Books—True life stories, inspirational guidelines, motivational, encouragement, etc. Submit a two- to three-page outline (single spaced) and the first 15 pages, which may include the introduction. Double space all other pages.
5. Novellas—Fiction ranging from 20,000 to 44,999 words. Submit a one-page, single-spaced synopsis and first pages, not to exceed 10 double-spaced pages (if prologue is submitted, it is part of the 10 pages).
6. Novels—fiction ranging from 45,000 to 100,000 words. Submit a one-page, single-spaced synopsis, and first pages of the work, not to exceed 15 pages (if prologue submitted, it is a part of the 15 pages). Double space all pages other than the synopsis. Please state the genre on the coversheet. Genres include:

• Romance/Historical
• Romance/Contemporary
• Romance/Suspense
• Contemporary Women’s
• Historical/Biblical
• Suspense
• Speculative
• Western

1. Poetry—three poems or three pages equals one entry.
2. Short Stories—approximately 1000-3000 words
3. Bible Studies (book length)—submit a two-to-three-page outline (single spaced) along with the first 15 pages, double-spaced.
4. YA (Young Adult) Novels—See Novels (above).
5. YA (Young Adult) Nonfiction—See Nonfiction (above).
6. Flash Fiction—Fiction (a complete story) of no more than 1000 words.
7. Children’s Chapter Book—Submit short summary (no more than one page, single-spaced) and first 10 pages.
8. Children’s Picture Book—Submit entire work. No pictures or illustrations.
9. Middle Grade Novel—Submit a one-page, single-spaced synopsis and first 10 pages.
10. Blogs—Submit your blog address and your blog’s focus. Your blog must have been in existence at least four weeks prior to submission and must be an active blog that is updated at least once a week.
11. Film and Teleplay Script—Submit summary and first 15 pages of script in script format.

NOTE: Any of these categories may be combined depending on the number of entries per category. It may also be necessary to refund a contest entry fee if there are not enough submissions in a category group.

Checklist:

E-mail contest entry to Eva Marie Everson: BlueRidgeCWC@aol.com.

Put BRMCWC FOUNDATIONS CONTEST ENTRY/GENRE in the subject line. (Sample: BRMCWC Contest Entry/Novels/Romance) Submissions that do not follow this rule will not be accepted.

Include a cover page within the body of the email. Cover pages should include the title of your work, your name, address, and email address. Again: Do NOT send cover pages separately or within the text of the submission. This will disqualify your entry.

While your title should be a part of the submission, your name should not be anywhere on the document.

• Name
• Address
• Category with subgenre if applicable
• Title of Entry
• Do not attach more than one entry per e-mail.

Entry fees of $35 per entry must be paid via PayPal
(PayPal Buy buttons on the Contest Page of the Website)

Thank you.

Eva Marie Everson
Contest Director