Submit your best first line(s) in our 2025 "Nail the Hook" Contest (with Cash Prizes)!
Contest Open January 13–31, 2025
Winners announced February 7, 2025
The hook is the first few sentences in any book, crafted to grab the readers, reeling them in before the remainder of the story or message whisks them off into another world or perspective.​
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Think you have the best first lines in your current work in progress? If so, it may net you some cash!​
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Entry Fee: $25
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First Prize: 40% of the total pot from entry fees
Second Prize: 10% of the total pot from entry fees
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*Three judges.
*Three weeks.
*Two winners.
*One grand prize.
*Zero excuses.
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Rules:
This is a writing contest with no guarantee of winning. Only first and second place, based on merit as determined by three judges, will receive cash prizes as outlined above. Submitted work must adhere to these guidelines:
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1. No already published manuscripts/work.
2. No use of AI.
3. No plagiarized work.
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You may include up to three sentences to be judged. Judging is final. Results will be made public on February 7, 2025. Prize money is based on the number of entries and total entry fees received (with a $75 minimum cash prize for first place, $25 minimum cash prize for second place). Minimum of 3 contestants for prize payouts.
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Judge #1: Matt Henderson-Ellis*
Judge #2: Chris Howard*
Judge #3: Cortney Donelson*
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*See bios below.
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Meet Our Judges
Matt Henderson-Ellis is a professional editor, writer, and novelist, a self-prescribed "content wrangler." The first sentence of his novel Keeping Bedlam at Bay in the Prague Cafe was featured in a San Francisco Chronicle column dedicated to great opening lines.For more information, visit his website.
Chris Howard is an operations guru with heavy experience in the publishing industry and a ghostwriter and author herself.
Cortney Donelson is the founder and principal writer for vocem, LLC. As an author, she focuses on collaborative ghostwriting and developmental editing services as she seeks to give voice to stories that matter. Her memoir and award-winning novels are available on Amazon.
