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Dear Visitor - Through the Novel of Promise Award, Ocean Cooperative Publishing recognizes work in progress and awards the persistence, intelligence and talent that contribute to the completion of a successful novel. The rules for entering the competition are simple and few. The prizes, awarded monthly, are pertinent and of real value. Establishing Encompass
Editions,
the new imprint at Ocean Cooperative, consumed a lot of our time and we
fell,
well, behind. For twenty-four months we suspended the Novel of Promise
Award. Now the competition is back and I hope you'll join us in search
of tomorrow's published achievement.
Anyone who approaches the writing of a novel with serious intent knows what a formidable task it is. To begin with, a novel calls forth a considerable and dogged commitment of time, time that would be easier spent doing something else. Authors may be too self-critical and bog down in their own second thinking, or they may be too complacent and produce work of little merit. They may be pulled this way and that by the opposing demands of character and action, or by the opposing impulses to write only for themselves or only for a hypothetical reader. Whatever the case, most writers — especially new writers without the imprimatur of a publisher — benefit from encouragement, or at least perspective. Ocean Cooperative Publishing created the Novel of Promise award program to provide that encouragement and that perspective -- not for a few lucky entrants but for as many worthy contributors as the quality of their work recommends. The competitions are open to all writers and there are no limits on the number of submissions. Entry in the competitions in no way encumbers the writer's rights to his or her work or binds the writer to any agreement. The value of the prizes depends on the value the recipient attaches to them. For some, they can be transforming. The competition for the OC award is on-going, with prizes awarded according to the quality of submissions. A grand prize -- publication by Encompass Editions of a manuscript chosen from all submissions -- is awarded from time to time. No special forms need be filled in. Authors' own e-mails are their entry forms. The rules of the competition appear below. Good luck and good writing!
Publisher, Ocean Cooperative Publishing |
RULES FOR ENTERING THE
NOVEL OF PROMISE COMPETITION
1. The competition for the OC award is on-going, with interim prizes awarded at irregular intervals according to the quality of submissions. A grand prize is awarded from time to time, chosen from among previous Novel of Promise award winners and entirely at the discretion of Ocean Cooperative Publishing.
2. The contest is open to all persons writing in the English language.
3. Entrants submit a single chapter or excerpt - not fewer than ten standard pages - of their novel in progress and provide a working title. Entrants may, at their option, include commentaries, explanations or additional support material. Submissions must be in digital format and sent as e-mails or e-mail attachments to words@oceancooperative.com. Excerpts longer than twenty standard pages, including support material, may not be read in their entirety.
4. Ocean Cooperative will make an effort to acknowledge receipt of all entrants.
5. All entrants may resubmit revised chapters to the competition in subsequent rounds (a new round being declared upon the awarding of any interim prize) and any number of times.
6. Submissions to the competition must be wholly the work of the submitting author(s).
7. Entry in the Novel of Promise competition entails no surrender whatsoever by the author of ownership or copyright of his or her work and Ocean Cooperative Publishing acquires no automatic options or ownership of entries by virtue of publishing such work.
8. In their entry e-mails, entrants provide their pen names or actual names, e-mail and postal addresses, to be used solely for the purpose of communicating on matters pertaining to the competition. Ocean Cooperative undertakes not to share this information with any third party without the author's explicit permission.
9. Prizes
There is one interim winner each round. The winner of a Novel of Promise interim award receives the following prizes:
Five (5) hours of editorial support by The Business of Words editorial consultancy. At the winner's option, this support may take the form of critical reading and commentary, structural or line editing, discussions and suggestions.
Publication of the winning excerpt on the Ocean Cooperative website for a period of not less than one year. This publication may include comments and commendation by Ocean Cooperative editors.
Announcement, through Ocean Cooperative's press releases and international public-relations network, of the winner's names and, at the winner's option, other promotional material related to the winning entry.
A digital award badge, which the winner may post on the internet or print at his or her option.
Automatic eligibility for Ocean Cooperative's New Novel award. The winning entry of the New Novel Award will be published by Encompass Editions.
10. Ocean Cooperative Publishing is not responsible for any infringement of copyright that may result directly or indirectly from entry in the competition or publication of winning entries on the Ocean Cooperative website. While Ocean Cooperative management acknowledges that published work is automatically copyright in most jurisdictions and such infringement constitutes a minimal risk, entrants nonetheless participate in the competition at their own risk.
11. The judges’ decision in all cases is final.
If you've arrived at this page from outside the Ocean Cooperative web site, you won't see a menu bar on the left. If that's the case, click here to go to our home page and learn more about our innovative publishing model.
Robert Buckland at Our office telephone number is (613) 659-3666
You can e-mail us at: words@oceancooperative.comYou can write us at: 640 Sand Bay Road, Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada K0E 1L0
