Want to Be a Published Children's Book Author. Contest Announced!

"MeeGenius is searching for the next great children’s book author, and is extending an invitation to aspiring and published authors to submit a manuscript. Winning manuscripts will be beautifully illustrated, professionally edited, and published online at MeeGenius. It’s as simple as writing, submitting, and having MeeGenius’ online community vote" or having a judge choose your project as their favorite.

Details:
FIRST PRIZE: Publishing Contract + $1,500 + Meegenius library donated to school of your choice.

THREE RUNNER-UP PRIZES: Publishing Contract with $500 Cash Prize
Your book will be professionally edited, beautifully illustrated, enhanced with all of MeeGenius’ features, and then published to the iPhone, iPad, Android, Google TV and the Web. In addition to the $500 prize, you’ll continue to rake in cash with royalties on each of your books sold.

QUICK DETAILS OF THE HOW AND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR:

1.Write a great children's book for readers ages 2-8
2. 10-20 pages max, roughly 75 words per page (450 characters)
3. submit by November 1, 2011 (winner announced by March 7, 2012)
4. Follow all the formatting guidelines (see example here) and do not submit illustrations


Follow this link for guidelines AND please follow formatting instructions to a tee!

Formatting

• Make sure to Download the Example Manuscript, which shows how to properly format your entry.
• Each page should be no more than 450 characters (roughly 75 words per page).
• Triple-space between pages, and label the page number in the manuscript (please see the example manuscript).
• No text formatting — all of the type should be the same size and style.
• Please make sure your entry is free of spelling errors and has been thoroughly edited prior to entry.

Conditions

• Please review the Official Rules and Conditions, and the MeeGenius Publishing Agreement

More Questions?

• Please email the people at Meegenius at challenge@meegenius.com

FOR ENTRY FORM LINK CLICK HERE

A little about Gary Paulsen

from http://www.bookshelfdetective.org/ by Kim Tomsic
It was a cold Minnesota winter’s day that caused a very young Gary Paulsen to duck into a building and flee the harsh weather. The building happened to be a library. When the librarian offered him a book and a library card, magic ignited. Paulsen discovered his passion for reading, and books became his escape from a less than ideal home life.


It’s no wonder Paulsen fell in love with books—they helped quench his need for adventure. When he was just a fourteen-year-old boy, he ran away from home and joined a traveling carnival. Later, he served as a soldier, and after that he raced the Iditarod—twice!  For those who are unfamiliar with the race, the Iditarod is not for the weak.  It's a sled race with 15 mushers and it spans over a 1000-mile course running from Anchorage to Nome. But you don't need to spend the $250,000 it cost to train for the event to know the thrill.  A fan can experience every drop of Paulsen’s blood, guts, and tears when they read his entertaining books on wilderness and adventure.

Perhaps when Paulsen writes, he feels compassion for the young man he wanted to be or for the kids who desperately need a break from their real world. He has dedicated countless hours writing for young people and has created more than 175 books. Gary Paulsen is considered one of the most important people in children’s literature. In addition to the numerous awards he has won, three of Paulsen’s novels were Newbery Honor Books — Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room.