The 2021 Passionate Plume Contest
The 15th Annual
PASSIONATE PLUME CONTEST
for Published and Unpublished Works of Erotic Romance
CATEGORIES
- BDSM –stories with BDSM elements. Do your characters like more than light spanking? Bring those stories to this category where romance thrives on kinks, fetishes, and/or power exchanges.
- Contemporary – stories that focus on the developing romantic relationship in a contemporary setting. Includes series and single-title length romances. Can also include elements of romantic suspense/intrigue or romantic comedy.
- Paranormal – Do your characters have extraordinary abilities or shift? Your stories belong here.
- Science Fiction – stories that focus on science or futuristic settings, including works with aliens or that are dystopian in nature.
- Historical or Time Travel – stories that focus on the developing romantic relationship in different time settings. This includes past time periods and time travel romance.
- Steamy – stories that contain explicit scenes or high heat, but the story does not hinge on sexual interaction.
- Novella —stories that are shorter in length than a novel**. Novellas can be entered either directly in the preferred subgenre or in the novella category if they are between 20,000-40,0000 words. Works that are less than 20,000 should be entered in the novella category. Works greater than 40,000 words should be entered directly in the preferred subgenre above.
- Virgins —This new category is for UNPUBLISHED authors. Entries will be the first 5000 words of your completed manuscript that fits one of the above categories.
**Novels are works of at least 40,000 words.
Judging and Prizes
Works will each be judged by three readers, writers, reviewers, booksellers or librarians. The top two scores are added to form the final score. The lowest score is dropped. Ties are broken using the dropped low score or with a fourth reading. The decisions of the judges are final.
First place winners will receive a prize and an award graphic for their website/social media. The winner in the Virgin category will be eligible to have their winning 5K word entry included in the next Passionate Ink Anthology as a teaser for their future publication. All others will receive a finalist graphic for their website/social media. Finalists will be announced May 21 on the Passionate Ink FB page and website. Winners will be announced on Thursday, July 1. Results will be listed in Passionate Ink’s newsletter, and on the Passionate Ink FB page.
Questions? Write Passionate Ink Vice President Jordyn Kross at vp@passionateink.org
RULES FOR ENTRY: Entries accepted 3/15 – 4/23/2021
Eligibility
- Contest is open to all erotic romance books published in 2019 or 2020. Erotic romance stories have HEA and the romantic relationship grows through sexual interaction. The genre is discussed here by one of our founders, Sylvia Day.
- All entries must be previously unpublished in any format prior to 2019 and must possess an original copyright date of 2019 or 2020**. (If the paperback format was released in 2018 and the ebook was released in 2019, 2018 would be the date of first publication and the book would be ineligible for Passionate Plume entry.)
** This year only we are including publications from 2019 and 2020 since we had to cancel the contest last year.
General Rules
- It is the author’s responsibility to enter the book in the correct category. All clarifications as to category should be made prior to submission. Entries submitted in the wrong category, as determined by two or more judges, will be disqualified without refund. The judges’ decision is final.
- One novel cannot be entered in multiple categories, but multiple works (up to three entries per category of novels and novellas) are welcome if accompanied by the proper completed entry form and full entry fee.
- There must be a minimum of eight entries or the category will be canceled. If the minimum number of entries is not attained, entrants will be notified. The entrant will be asked to provide a second choice of categories. If the entrant does not wish to place the entry in another category, the entry and associated fees will be returned.
- Failure to comply with the rules will result in disqualification.
- Decisions of the Contest Coordinator are final.
Entry Fees
– Passionate Ink members: First entry FREE, additional entries $25
– RWA members: $30
– Non-members: $35
Register for the Passionate Plume Contest
Registration will open March 15, 2021. A link will be provided in this space on that day to complete the registration process.
