- What's New?

"A wonderful introduction to the art of writing children's books."

- Virginia Dunphy
elementary teacher

"Every aspect of each class was a learning experience. The instructor made the minutiae as fascinating as the major subjects. It was extraordinarily well taught. I learned much more than I anticipated."

- Graham Fuller
Executive Editor
Interview Magazine

More Student Quotes Here

The response to the YA Novel Discovery Contest was exceptional. Close to 1,700 entries were submitted. After an extensive judging process (detailed below), these were whittled down to 20 semi-finalists from which the Top Five Finalists and Grand Prize Winner were selected.

Regina Brooks, the judges, and Gotham Writers' Workshop extend our congratulations to the following writers:

1. Kirsten Lopresti - Grand Prize Winner

2.   Mary Danielson (Austin, TX) - Top Five Finalist
3.   James Riley (Dubois, IN) - Top Five Finalist
4.   Miriam King (Kingwood, TX) - Top Five Finalist
5. Anne Levy (Scottsdale, AZ) - Top Five Finalist

6. Katherine Higgs-Coulthard (Niles, MI)
7. Lisa Bose (Los Angeles, CA)
8. Janet Al Junaidi (Severna Park, MD)
9. Jason Taylor (Pella, IA)
10. Aviva Adler (Flushing, NY)
11. Jill Lawrence (Carmel, IN)
12. Nuria Coe (Bellevue, WA)
13. Jessica Hamel (Woodside, CA)
14. Jessica Newhall (Kenmore, WA)
15. Jessica Owen (Whitefish, MT)
16. Liz Cleek (Des Moines, IA)
17. Doyle Suit (St. Charles, MO)
18. Melanie Thompson (Manning, IA)
19. Janelle Bitikofer (Raleigh, NC)
20. Katherine Tomlinson (Valley Village, CA)

The judges were so impressed with the semi-finalist entries that they have requested to see complete manuscripts from several writers.

Winners listed above will soon receive an email detailing the steps for redeeming their prize.

PRIZES
The Grand Prize Winner won the opportunity to submit an entire manuscript to YA literary agent Regina Brooks and received a free, 10-week writing course, courtesy of Gotham Writers' Workshop.

The Top Five Entrants (including the Grand Prize winner) received a 15-minute, one-on-one pitch session with Regina Brooks, one of New York’s premier literary agents for young adult books. They also received commentary on their submissions by editors at HarperCollins, Penguin, Harlequin, Random House, and Sourcebooks and receive a one-year subscription to The Writer magazine. Regina Brooks will be contacting the top five finalists to schedule their pitch session.

The Top 20 Entrants received autographed copies of Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks.

JUDGING
Every entry was read by three judges--editors at Sourcebooks and/or staffers a Serendipity Literary Agency. These judges determined the top 20 semi-finalists.

The semi-finalist submissions were then be read by five editors: Dan Ehrenhaft, head Acquisitions Editor at Soucebooks Fire; Alisha Niehaus, Editor at Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin); David Linker, Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books; Michele Burke, Editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House); and Evette Porter, Editor at Harlequin. Based on scores assigned by these editors, the top 20 was whittled down to five finalists.

The Grand Prize Winner was selected from these finalists by Regina Brooks, one of New York’s premier literary agents for young adult books and author of Writing Great Books for Young Adults.

THE 2nd ANNUAL YA DISCOVERY NOVEL CONTEST
WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING ENTRIES IN SEPTEMBER 2010

>> For writing tips from Regina Brooks, click here.