Deadline: 31 May 2012
(Note: international submissions are welcome, so long as they are in English.)
An important part of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe's opus are novellas. To celebrate this format the Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine have partnered to sponsor the Black Orchid Novella Award.
Want to submit an entry for the this year's contest? It's important that you read the rules and follow the procedures carefully.
CONTEST ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS
- Each entry must be an original unpublished work of fiction that conforms to the tradition of the Nero Wolfe series.
- The mystery should be "traditional" in flavor.
- The crime must be solved using the deductive abilities of the sleuth. No coincidences.
- The killer must be known to the victim. No random pycho shootings.
- The characters (male or female) must have an engaging relationship.
- There needs to be some wit.
- The timing could be retro or current.
- There should be no explicit sex or violence.
- The detective could be a professional or amateur.
- The setting could be NYC or Boston or wherever.
- We're not looking for anything derivative of the Nero Wolfe character, milieu, etc.
CONTEST PROCEDURES
- Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length, and submitted by the deadline. Entries must be postmarked by May 31, of the submission year.
- The winner will be announced at The Wolfe Pack’s Annual Black Orchid Banquet in New York City, the first Saturday of December.
- The Black Orchid Novella Award is a blind contest. In order to be considered, your manuscript must follow the standards set out below exactly. Your manuscript must:
- Be typed and printed in Times Roman, 12 pt., double spaced, single side only, with 1 inch margins. All pages must be numbered.
- Be a copy—please keep the original—manuscripts will not be returned
- Contain two cover sheets:
- Top cover sheet should list your name, address, phone number, novella title, word count, and number of pages
- The bottom cover sheet should list only the title of the manuscript, the word count, and the number of pages.
- Include a header on every page containing the title and page number only. Do not put your name or contact information on the manuscript except on one of the two cover sheets as described above.
- If you’d like, you’re welcome to include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. The postcard will be mailed to you to indicate our receipt of your novella.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Can you tell me more about the distinction between a Novella and a Short Story?
A. Heed the words of Linda Landigran, editor-in-chief of AHMM. She says, "We need to stress that a novella is not a padded short story. A novella needs to be as tight and fast-paced as a short story or a novel. Authors need to ensure that the story they want to tell is properly sized for whatever format they choose."
Q. Do you require a submission cover letter with synopsis to enter the Black Orchid contest?
A: No, but you must include two cover sheets:
Top cover sheet should list your name, address, phone number, novella title, word count, and number of pages
The bottom cover sheet should list only the title of the manuscript, the word count, and the number of pages.
Q. I would like to know if The Wolfe Pack's Black Orchid Novella Award is an international contest.
A: Yes, international submissions are welcome -- so long as they're in English.
Q. Electronic submission?
A. No electronic submissions will be accepted, I'm afraid. Please follow the submission instructions posted on this site.
Q. In the rules, the phrase, "conforms to the tradition of the Nero Wolfe series" would be in regards to mood and general plot structure, correct? The rest of the rules seem to indicate you don't want anything that is too derivative of Mr. Stout's work, or takes place in the (for lack of a better phrase) "Nero Wolfe universe."
A. You are correct. You can't use the characters or the universe. But as long as the "feel" is such that it honors the tradition (and the meaning of that term is, of course, likely to vary by individual), you can write anything you want. Note that the detective doesn't have to be a man or a private detective; etc.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: contact Jane K. Cleland (Chair) via the contact form
For submissions: submissions must be made by snail mail to this address - Jane K. Cleland, P.O. Box 3233, New York, NY 10163-3233
Website: http://www.nerowolfe.org