Notes from the 32nd Annual Event
Our judges are holed up on the rainy West Coast and in chilly Ontario, reading the hundreds of manuscripts submitted after the 32nd Annual International 3-Day Novel Contest. We’ll announce their list of winners in late January, but in the meantime we’ve put together a few details from this past Labour Day weekend:
- Number of entrants: 650 (up from 570 in 2008)
- Number of submitted novels: 460 (71% submitting, down 4% from 2008)
- Countries participating: Canada (406), USA (222), UK (4), Germany (2), Norway (2), Cypress, Honduras, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey
- Top urban areas, by concentration of participants: Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa, New York
- Age of youngest participant: 10
- Age of youngest-ever participant: 9 (same person, last year)
For a few interesting statistics from one of our largest group-entry teams, have a look at this recap of the results from a 3-Day Novel Contest writing retreat on Cortes Island, BC.
Upcoming 3-Day-related events
People of Brooklyn! And people of Milford! Jason Rapczynski, the 2008 3DN winner, will be appearing at events in your area. Come on out and say hi to a fellow contest veteran, and pick up a copy of The Videographer for a great end-of-fall read.
November 29, 5pm - 6pm
Brooklyn, NY
Reading and book signing at Brooklyn’s favourite all-in-one coffee house/bookstore/performance space/publishing centre/political hub.
Vox Pop Cafe (www.voxpopnet.net)
1022 Cortelyou Road (map)
December 12, 2pm - 4pm
Milford, CT
Drop in book signing and literary Christmas gift-buying opportunity.
Borders (www.borders.com)
1201 Boston Post Road (map)
Meanwhile, our 2006 winner Brendan McLeod is on tour with his band The Fugitives. You can catch them at dates through November and December in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver (tour dates and locations here). Don’t miss their fantastic blend of music and performance poetry! For a really great preview, watch their latest video release.
The 3-Day Novel Contest: The Series
The long-awaited second season of the 3-Day Novel Contest reality TV series is airing now on BookTelevision. A dozen contest entrants were corralled into a Chapters bookstore in Edmonton and forced to write their novels in full view of the public while being harassed by the show’s host and distracted by a series of literary challenges. The result: twelve exhausted writers, twelve original novels and some great television. Catch the third of seven episodes tonight, Tuesday Nov. 17, at 8:30 p.m. EST (with repeat episodes on Wednesday). Find out how to order BookTelevision here.
Another 3-Day Draft Success Story
Marya Kalen won 1st prize (and $500) in the 2007 Winnipeg Free Press Writers Collective Non-Fiction Contest with a redeveloped excerpt from Elvis in Wonderland, her previous 3-Day Novel entry. Read the excerpt at the Winnipeg Free Press website.
Have your own success story about a work that began as a 3-Day Novel? We want to hear it!
Other Writing Contests
Give a big cheer for all the NaNoWriMo participants who are officially halfway through their race to produce 50,000 words in 30 days. There’s a contest in this list that’s just for them, since they likely won’t have time to think about other writing challenges for the next two weeks. The rest of you can use these other deadlines to keep limber for the 33rd Annual 3-Day Novel Contest (September 4 - 6, 2010).
Prairie Fire-McNally Robinson 2009 Writing Contests
Deadline: November 30, 2009
Poetry, non-fiction and short fiction awards. Fee: $31, includes subscription. First prize: $1,250. Details: http://www.prairiefire.ca/contests.html
The Fiddlehead 19th Annual Writing Contest
Deadline: December 1, 2009
East Coast literary journal’s annual poetry and short fiction contest. Fee: $30/$36, includes subscription. First prizes: $1,000. Details: http://www.thefiddlehead.ca/contest.html
Scribophile NaNoWriMo First Chapter Contest
Deadline: December 7, 2009
NaNoWriMo participants can submit the first chapter of their 30-day masterpiece. First prize: $50 Amazon gift card. No fee, but active membership required. Details: http://www.scribophile.com/contests/nanowrimo-09/
Review Fuse Flash Fiction Contest
Deadline: December 31, 2009
Submit micro-fiction on a holiday theme. No fee, but requires membership and participation in the critique process. First prize: $50. Details: http://www.reviewfuse.com/blog/2009/10/flash-fiction-writing-contest-december-2009/
6th Annual Geist Literal Literary Postcard Contest
Deadline: January 15, 2010
Send a micro-story along with the postcard image that inspired it. Fee: $20, includes subscription. First prize: $250. Details: http://www.geist.com/contest/6th-annual-geist-literal-literary-postcard-story-contest
In This Newsletter
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32nd Event Notes
About the Contest
Upcoming Events
BookTelevision News
Success Stories
3-Day Social Links
3-Day in the News
Books for the Holidays
Contact Us
Can you produce a complete first draft of a novel in 72 short hours? The International 3-Day Novel Contest is your chance to find out.
This crazy, notorious literary marathon started as a dare in a Vancouver bar in 1977. Today, hundreds of writers from all over the world sign up to the challenge every Labour Day weekend.
The 33rd Annual International 3-Day Novel Contest will take place Sept. 4 -6, 2010. Registration will open this spring. For more information, visit www.3daynovel.com.
Questions or comments? Email info@3daynovel.com.
Chat with fellow 3-Day entrants on our Abebooks discussion board.
Follow us on Twitter @3DayNovel. Twitter hashtag: #3DNC
See exhausted writers in action in the 3-Day Novel Flickr photo pool.
ForeWord This Week interviews Jason Rapczynski on winning last year's contest.
Paul Constant at The Stranger says the 3-Day Novel Contest teaches one surprising lesson.
The Scope interviews two 3-Day veterans from St. John's on their plans for this year's challenge.
The Maple Ridge News interviews Gordon Kirkland on his participation in the now-airing 3-Day Novel Contest reality TV series.
3-Day Books make great gifts for the writers and readers in your life. There's something for every taste in these prize-taking slices of literary madness!
The Videographer - for the rough and the tough.
In the Garden of Men - for the historian or the humanist.
The Convictions of Leonard McKinley - for questers and questioners.
Day Shift Werewolf - for the goth who likes to laugh.
Love Block - for the poets and the experimenters.
Order them direct from 3-Day Books, or ask for them at your favourite bookseller.
3-Day Novel Contest / 200-341 Water St. / Vancouver, BC / V6B 1B8 /Canada
info@3daynovel.com
www.3daynovel.com
