ORANGE COUNTY ROMANCE WRITERS
2024 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 2024 Celebration of Romance in October.
The Deadline to enter has passed. Check back for information, including the finalists and winners.
All novel length entries must be at or above 50,000 words
- Contemporary Romance (Novel Length)
- Mainstream Fiction with a central romance (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 20,000 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.
2024 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 2023. Non-refundable entry fee for each entry: $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 20,000 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, 2024, or earlier. Sign up to participate as a 2024 BBB Judge here.
- The first copyright date must be 2023 between January and December regardless of the method of publication, first electronic publishing date between January and December 2023, or the first North American release date between January and December 2023.
- Entries must be received by April 30, 2024. 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 another 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 2024 at OCRW’S Celebration of Romance event.
- 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 2024.
- Finalists and Winners will receive certificates or plaques, lapel pins, and BBB logo image file for authors’ website.
- Finalists and Winners will be announced on the OCRW website in October 2024.
- Author to email verification of entry fee (PayPal receipts), completed entry form(s), and PDF of novel(s) or novella(s) with a 2023 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 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