ILLUSTRATORS!!! Society of Illustrators - Call for Original Art Award!
Call for Entries - The 26th Annual Exhibition of “The Original Art”

Hyperion Books for Children - Paul Zindel First Novel Award *DEADLINE April 30th!*
Hyperion Books for Children and Jump at the Sun are proud to announce the fifth annual Paul Zindel First Novel Award. The award is given annually to the winner(s) of a competition for a work of contemporary fiction set in the United States that reflects the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of our country. The prize is a book contract on the publisher’s standard form, covering world rights including but not limited to hardcover, paperback, e-book and audio book editions with an advance against royalties of $7500 and a $1500 cash prize. The prize is not redeemable for cash or transferable; and no substitution is allowed.

See website for eligibility.

Delacorte Press Contest for a First Middle-Grade Novel
The prize of a book contract (on the Publisher’s standard form) for a hardcover and a paperback edition, including an advance and royalties, will be awarded annually to encourage the writing of contemporary or historical fiction set in North
America, for readers age 9–12. The award consists of $1,500 in
cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties.

See website for eligibility.

DATES FOR SUBMISSION
1. Manuscripts must be postmarked after April 1, 2006, but no later than June 30, 2006.
2. Send manuscripts to:
Delacorte Yearling Contest
Random House, Inc.
1745 Broadway, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10019

The Twenty-Fourth Annual Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers is pleased to announce
The Twenty-Fourth Annual Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel

The prize of a book contract (on the publisher’s standard form) covering world rights for a hard-cover and a paperback edition, including an advance and royalties, is awarded annually to encourage the writing of contemporary young adult fiction. The award consists of $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties.

See website for eligibility.

Delacorte Press Contest
Random House, Inc.
1745 Broadway, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10019

SCBWI - Los Angeles
2nd Annual Writing Scholarship Contest!
SCBWI-L.A. is sponsoring a writing contest for our Los Angeles County Members. The lucky winner will receive FREE tuition to the 2006 SCBWI Summer Conference.

The Contest: Write a Tall Tale in 200 words or less. Make it a whopper! The winning story will be featured in Kite Tales.

Requirements:
Member of Los Angeles County SCBWI
May only enter once.
Send 3 copies of the entry.
200 words or less, double-spaced on one page.
Entry must be received between Feb. 15th and March 17, 2006.
No additional information will be given out.

The winner will be announced at the SCBWI-LA Writer's Day on April 22, 2006. (winners need not be present to win).
Send submissions to:
SCBWI-LA Scholarship Contest
c/o 9163 Sophia Avenue
North Hills, CA 91343
(The story page must NOT contain your name or contact information...attach on different paper)

The Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards
Writer's Digest is now accepting entries in the 14th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards. Now more than $15,000 in prizes. Enter the only competition exclusively for self-published books.

75th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition!
Writer's Digest is now accepting entries in its 75th Annual Writing Competition. Enter today to win fabulous prizes including $3,000 cash and a trip to New York City.

Writer's Digest Poetry Awards!
Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets! Regardless of style--rhyming, free verse, haiku and more--if your poems are 32 lines or fewer, we want them all. Submit your entries by the December 20, 2005 deadline… and your words could be worth cold hard cash!

The Quill Award
The Quill Awards are a consumer-driven award created to inspire reading while promoting literacy. The goals of The Quills are to Celebrate Excellence in Writing and Publishing, recognize and praise the creators of important books and great literature
Interest more consumers in acquiring books and reading, act as a bellwether for literacy initiatives.

To give an idea of winners: last award was given to a Harry Potter book. Worth seeing quality literature awarded.

Kimberly Colen Memorial Grant
The Kimberly Colen Memorial Grant has been established by the family of the late Kimberly Colen, along with the SCBWI, to honor Kimberly's memory by helping authors and illustrators get their first children's books published.

Eligibility: The Grants are available to author and illustrator members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators who have not yet published their first children’s books. Please note: members may apply for only one SCBWI grant per calendar year.

Grant Amounts: Two grants of $2,500 each.* In addition to the cash award, the recipients will also be reimbursed for tuition, transportation, and hotel expenses incurred during the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City. This year one grant will be for picture books and early readers (K - 3rd grade). Another grant will be for older readers (4th grade and up).

* In any given year, the SCBWI Grant Committee reserves the right to withhold either or both of the grants.

Requirements: Applicants must write a one-page letter (maximum 250 words) about describing the work they hope will become their first published book. It should be a work-in-progress or a completed manuscript. Grants will be judged on originality and creativity. Your complete contact information (name, address, phone numbers, and email address, if applicable) must be on the letter. Do not include writing or art samples (these may be requested later).

Mail three (3) copies of your letter to:

SCBWI Kimberly Colen Grant Letter
Box 20322
Park West Finance Station
New York, NY 10025-1512

Use a standard #10 business envelope (9 1/2" x 4") only, please. Large envelopes (including Priority Mail or Express Mail) and mail that requires a signature cannot be accepted.

Deadlines: October 1st to November 15th. Letters must be postmarked no earlier than October 1st and no later than November 15th. The winners will be notified by telephone or email before December 31st; the results posted will be posted on the website in early January. Winners must plan to attend the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City that following February to accept their awards. Additionally, when published, the grant must be acknowledged within the book, and the Colen family must receive two signed copies.

Work-in-Progress Grants Available!
The SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants have been established to assist children’s book writers in the completion of a specific project.

Grants Available:

* General Work-In-Progress Grant
* Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People
* Nonfiction Research Grant
* Grant for a Work Whose Author Has Never Had a Book Published

In any given year, an applicant may apply for: the General Work-In-Progress Grant OR the Work-In-Progress Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People OR the Work-In-Progress Nonfiction Research Grant. The Grant for a Work Whose Author has Never Had a Book Published may not be applied for -- it will be chosen from all the entries in the other Work-In-Progress categories.

Eligibility: The Grants are available to both full and associate members of the SCBWI. They are not available for projects on which there are already contracts. Please note: members can apply for only one SCBWI grant per calendar year.

Grant Amounts: Four Grants of $1,500 will be awarded annually, one in each category. Four Runner-Up Grants of $500 will also be awarded, one in each category. Authors of other projects cited by the judges as noteworthy will receive a Letter of Merit. In any given year, the SCBWI Grant Committee reserves the right to withhold the grant for that year.

Deadline: Completed application and accompanying materials must be postmarked on or after the following February 15th until or on March 15th. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged only if a stamped self-addressed post card is enclosed. The recipients of the grants will be announced in September.

To request that an application and procedure list be sent to you through the post, send a stamped self-addressed envelope to:

SCBWI Publications
W-I-P Grant Application
8271 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Martha Weston Grant
The Hairston Family wishes to honor and remember Martha (Hairston) Weston. After publishing more than 50 picture books and easy-readers as an illustrator and/or author, Martha published her first middle-grade novel shortly before her death. Martha always took time to encourage others, and it's the intention of the Martha Weston Grant to carry forward her generous spirit.

Eligibility: Applicants must be published SCBWI writer or illustrator members who want to work in a different genre of children’s literature other than that in which they have previously been published. For example: a picture book illustrator might like to write a middle-grade novel or picture-book text, or a young-adult author might like to write or illustrate a picture book.

Grant Amount: One grant of $1,500 will be awarded annually. Part of the grant must fund the tuition, transportation, and hotel expenses incurred by attending the SCBWI Annual Conference in Los Angeles.

Requirements: Applicants must send three (3) copies of a one-page letter, consisting of all of the following: a brief summary of their publishing career, the new genre they hope to pursue, and why they would find it helpful to attend the SCBWI Annual Conference in Los Angeles.

Deadline: Letters must be postmarked on or after May 1st until or on June 10th.

Send letters to:

SCBWI Martha Weston Grant
8271 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

The winner will be notified by July 1st, and must plan to attend the SCBWI Annual Conference that August.