Rules and Registration
Entry Fees:
$25
Schedule:
June 1, 2024 - Contest opens for submissions and judges
September 1, 2024 – Contest closes (all entries and payments must be received before midnight on this date)
September 15, 2024 - Entries sent to first-round judges
October 15, 2024- Deadline for judging
November 1, 2024- Finalists sent to final judges & notification of finalists
November 15, 2024 - Final round judging due
November 22, 2024 – Finalists are announced during live online award show
Rules:
There must be a romantic element.
There must be an HEA (Happily Ever After). Or Happily for Now.
Entries must be unpublished and not under contract by the contest deadline.
Entries must be submitted electronically as a .doc or .docx file.
Entries comprise the first 20 pages of a manuscript and a one-page synopsis. Both will be in the same document and one-page synopsis will be the last page of the submission.
Please save entry files with the phrase “Rudy24” first, followed by the capitalized first four letters of your category, and the entry title. Example of an entry file name: Rudy24HISTSeducingtheMarquis.docx .
The author’s name must NOT appear anywhere on the entry.
Authors may submit up to two entries to the contest. Only one entry may be submitted per category.
Each entry MUST be paid for separately.
Each submitting author is required to judge three entries in a different category.
All judges will complete Equity and Professionalism Expectations training to ensure that all entries receive the best feedback possible.
A category must receive 3 entries to be viable. If a category does not receive enough entries, authors will be contacted with the option to have their entry moved to another category. If the author declines, he or she will be reimbursed.
Any entry that has won in a previous Rudy Contest may NOT be submitted in this or future Rudy contests.
Judges may not judge a category in which they are currently entered.
Entries containing rape, abuse, pedophilia, bestiality, or other illegal, non-consensual, or similarly objectionable content will be disqualified.
Refunds WILL NOT be given for entries disqualified for content.
Formatting:
1” margins
Double-spaced
12-point font, Times New Roman
Title and category in the top left corner of header
Page number in the top right corner of the header. Start page numbers with the first page of the entry.
It is up to the author whether or not they want to include a prologue as part of their 20-pages.
Chapters start on a new page 1/3 of the way down the page.
Categories:
HISTorical Romance
PARAnormal/SciFi/Fantasy/Speculative Fiction Romance
CONTemporary Romance
EROTic Romance
SUSPense/Thriller/Mystery
*Please note:
Romances featuring characters of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities or disabilities, or containing spiritual/religious elements are welcome to enter. Please enter the category that best suits your entry overall.
Prizes:
Second and third place winners will receive a digital certificate and an e-badge for social media.
1st Place winners will receive a $50 cash award paid via PayPal, a digital certificate, and an e-badge for social media.
Judging:
Entries will be reviewed in the 1st round by three judges. Each judge will be vigilant regarding bias of any kind. The lowest score will be dropped and the two remaining scores will be averaged to calculate the final score.
The top 3 Entries receiving the highest averaged scores in each category will move on to the next round.
Each finalist’s entry will be reviewed by an industry professional selected from a pool of vetted agents, publishing editors, professional reviewers, and romance bloggers. The final judge will determine the final ranking.
Final judges:
CRW encourages judges to leave specific remarks on score sheets, but that is not requirement for judges. All commentary will be constructive and helpful.
If you have questions regarding judging, please contact your category head. Judges will receive a digital copy of the three entries they will evaluate by email from the category head.
All judges will complete Equity and Professionalism Expectations training to ensure that all entries will receive the best feedback possible.
$25
Schedule:
June 1, 2024 - Contest opens for submissions and judges
September 1, 2024 – Contest closes (all entries and payments must be received before midnight on this date)
September 15, 2024 - Entries sent to first-round judges
October 15, 2024- Deadline for judging
November 1, 2024- Finalists sent to final judges & notification of finalists
November 15, 2024 - Final round judging due
November 22, 2024 – Finalists are announced during live online award show
Rules:
There must be a romantic element.
There must be an HEA (Happily Ever After). Or Happily for Now.
Entries must be unpublished and not under contract by the contest deadline.
Entries must be submitted electronically as a .doc or .docx file.
Entries comprise the first 20 pages of a manuscript and a one-page synopsis. Both will be in the same document and one-page synopsis will be the last page of the submission.
Please save entry files with the phrase “Rudy24” first, followed by the capitalized first four letters of your category, and the entry title. Example of an entry file name: Rudy24HISTSeducingtheMarquis.docx .
The author’s name must NOT appear anywhere on the entry.
Authors may submit up to two entries to the contest. Only one entry may be submitted per category.
Each entry MUST be paid for separately.
Each submitting author is required to judge three entries in a different category.
All judges will complete Equity and Professionalism Expectations training to ensure that all entries receive the best feedback possible.
A category must receive 3 entries to be viable. If a category does not receive enough entries, authors will be contacted with the option to have their entry moved to another category. If the author declines, he or she will be reimbursed.
Any entry that has won in a previous Rudy Contest may NOT be submitted in this or future Rudy contests.
Judges may not judge a category in which they are currently entered.
Entries containing rape, abuse, pedophilia, bestiality, or other illegal, non-consensual, or similarly objectionable content will be disqualified.
Refunds WILL NOT be given for entries disqualified for content.
Formatting:
1” margins
Double-spaced
12-point font, Times New Roman
Title and category in the top left corner of header
Page number in the top right corner of the header. Start page numbers with the first page of the entry.
It is up to the author whether or not they want to include a prologue as part of their 20-pages.
Chapters start on a new page 1/3 of the way down the page.
Categories:
HISTorical Romance
PARAnormal/SciFi/Fantasy/Speculative Fiction Romance
CONTemporary Romance
EROTic Romance
SUSPense/Thriller/Mystery
*Please note:
Romances featuring characters of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities or disabilities, or containing spiritual/religious elements are welcome to enter. Please enter the category that best suits your entry overall.
Prizes:
Second and third place winners will receive a digital certificate and an e-badge for social media.
1st Place winners will receive a $50 cash award paid via PayPal, a digital certificate, and an e-badge for social media.
Judging:
Entries will be reviewed in the 1st round by three judges. Each judge will be vigilant regarding bias of any kind. The lowest score will be dropped and the two remaining scores will be averaged to calculate the final score.
The top 3 Entries receiving the highest averaged scores in each category will move on to the next round.
Each finalist’s entry will be reviewed by an industry professional selected from a pool of vetted agents, publishing editors, professional reviewers, and romance bloggers. The final judge will determine the final ranking.
Final judges:
- Romantic Suspense:
- Contemporary:
- Historical: an editor from Dragonblade Publishing
- Erotic:
- Paranormal/Fantasy:
CRW encourages judges to leave specific remarks on score sheets, but that is not requirement for judges. All commentary will be constructive and helpful.
If you have questions regarding judging, please contact your category head. Judges will receive a digital copy of the three entries they will evaluate by email from the category head.
All judges will complete Equity and Professionalism Expectations training to ensure that all entries will receive the best feedback possible.
Ready to Enter?
Registration is a two-step process:
Accepting submissions June 1-September 1
1. Payment: Please pay first by clicking on the below PAYPAL link. Write down your transaction number and name of the account from which you are paying.
2. Registration Form: Return to this page and click on the REGISTRATION form below.
Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Rudy Contest! Good luck!
About The Rudy
We are the Chesapeake Romance Writers. Our contest was created to honor the best-selling, award-winning author, and long-time member of CRW, Judy McCoy. Before Judy lost her battle with Diabetes, she was an avid dog lover and supported the Tidewater Bichon Frise Rescue organization. This contest is named for her beloved companion Bichon Frise, Rudy.
Those who remember her know that she was a pistol, and very serious about helping emerging authors. Her primary advice was to “finish the damn book!” So, if you’ve finished a manuscript and feel it is polished and ready for submission, now is the time to catch an agent or publisher’s eye by winning an award for your hard work.
Even if you don’t win, you will have valuable feedback to help you with editing and/or revisions. Good luck and have fun!
Those who remember her know that she was a pistol, and very serious about helping emerging authors. Her primary advice was to “finish the damn book!” So, if you’ve finished a manuscript and feel it is polished and ready for submission, now is the time to catch an agent or publisher’s eye by winning an award for your hard work.
Even if you don’t win, you will have valuable feedback to help you with editing and/or revisions. Good luck and have fun!