ORANGE COUNTY ROMANCE WRITERS
2025 Book Buyers Best Contest
For Published Authors!
Showcasing the shining excellence of published authors in novella- and novel-length romance fiction and mainstream fiction with a central romance. We will announce winners at our 2025 Celebration of Romance in October.
The Deadline to enter is MARCH 31, 2025. OCRW Members pay $30 per entry; nonmembers pay $50. Please read through the rules prior to completing the entry form and/or paying the fee. All fees are nonrefundable.
Author Entry
Click the down arrow or the link under the document for download.
Download a Word Doc Version of the File. Please click the download button below, complete and save as a PDF under a new name: TitleAuthor2025BBBEntry, then send as an attachment to bbbcontest@ocromancewriters.org.
All novel length entries must be at or above 50,000 words; all novella length entries must be at or above 15,000 words but less than 50,000 words.
- Contemporary Romance (Novel Length)
- Mainstream Fiction with a central romance that ends in an HEA/HFN (Novel Length)
- Historical Romance (Novel Length)
- Romantic Suspense & Mystery with romantic elements (Novel Length)
- Paranormal/Time Travel/Fantasy/Futuristic Romance/SFR (Novel Length)
- Young Adult (Novel Length)
- Inspirational (Novel Length)
- Erotic Romance (Novel Length)
- Romantic Novella (All Works of Romance Fiction at or above 15,000 and less than 50,000 words regardless of subgenre)
JUDGING
The preliminary round will be judged by Romance Readers. First, Second, and Third Place will be awarded in each category. Highest score in each category will advance to the Final Round to be judged by the Top Pick Judge.
Click the down arrow or the link under the file for download. Or complete the form in Google by clicking the button below.
2025 CONTEST ENTRY RULES
- The Book Buyers Best Contest is open to writers of traditional or indie romances in print or e-novel format published during 2024. Non-refundable entry fee for each title: $30 for OCRW members; $50 for entrants who are not OCRW members.
- Entries may be novel-length or novella-length. Novel-length will have a 50,000-word minimum and not exceed 130,000 words; novellas will have between 15,000 and 49,999 words. All novellas will be entered in the Novella category regardless of genre.
- All contest entrants are asked to read and judge three entries (not in their entry category) for each book entered. Entrants must select a minimum of two (2) judging categories in which they will read. Completed scoresheets must be returned by June 30, 2025, or earlier. Sign up to participate as a 2025 BBB Judge here.
- The first copyright date must be 2024 between January and December regardless of the method of publication, first electronic publishing date between January and December 2024, or the first North American release date between January and December 2024.
- Entries must be received by March 31, 2025. Overall contest limit: 150 entries.
- The Contest Officials reserve the right to add or drop categories depending on the number of entries received. Any category receiving insufficient entries will be transferred to the author’s second choice category for that entry.
- Finalists in each category will be the three (3) highest scorers. Finalists will be announced in July 2025 at OCRW’S Monthly Meeting.
- The highest scoring entry in each category will advance to the final round to be judged for the “Top Pick.”
- Winners of each category and the “Top Pick” will be announced at the Annual OCRW Celebration of Romance to be held in October 2025.
- Finalists and Winners will receive certificates, engraved pens, a digital BBB award image file for the authors’ book cover and website, and judges’ comments submitted during the scoring.
- Finalists and Winners will be announced on the OCRW website in October 2025.
- Author must email verification of entry fee (PayPal receipts), completed entry form(s), and PDF of novel(s) or novella(s) with a 2024 copyright date to: bbbcontest@ocromancewriters.org. It is the author’s responsibility to check that PDF file can be opened and read. Entries that come with unreadable PDF files will be disqualified. No ARCs will be accepted. It is also the author’s responsibility to select the category and secondary category for their entry.
- Entrant must sign and submit the release form as part of their application.
- The Contest is intended to honor and promote high standards in fiction writing. The Contest Officials reserve the right to disqualify an entrant for any reason without notice or explanation.
For questions and concerns please contact our BBB Coordinator, Selene Grace Silver at bbbcontest@ocromancewriters.org
Orange County Romance Writers