Winning a writing contest always seems like a long shot, but then publishing anything is a long shot, isn’t it? And since my own writing life got a much-needed boost when my first novel, The Language of Light, was named a finalist for Barbara Kingsolver’s Bellwether Prize,
I have a soft spot in my heart for them. I’m always reluctant to encourage writers to enter a fee-charging one unless the contest is incredibly prestigious, but the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award is free and the prize – actually two prizes, one for general fiction and one for YA – is publication with a major house. Details are HERE, and the submission window is very short: January 24 through February 6. Good luck! – Meg
