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THE RAINBOW AWARDS 2014 SUBMISSION AND JUDGING GUIDELINES

THE RAINBOW AWARDS 2014 SUBMISSION AND JUDGING GUIDELINES
The 2014 Rainbow Awards is an annual contest celebrating outstanding work in LGBT fiction and nonfiction. Hosted and owned by blogger Elisa Rolle, the contest is open to all authors of work containing LGBT fictional characters and work chronicling the true stories of LGBT persons.
ELIGIBILITY

  1. The book must be published between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 inclusive.

  2. The book must contain prominent LGBT characters. In the case of romance categories, these characters must be engaged in the primary romance.

  3. The book must fit into one of the following categories:

Categories
Fiction (Non Romance):
Contemporary General Fiction
Mystery/Thriller
Young Adult
Sci-Fi/Futuristic
Fantasy
Historical
Erotica
Anthology/Collection
Fiction (Romance):
Contemporary Romance
Erotic Romance
Romantic Comedy
Historical Romance
Paranormal Romance
Fantasy Romance
Non Fiction:
General Non Fiction
Biography/Memoir
Poetry
        Visual Arts & Photography
Special Category:
Debut Fiction
Within these categories entries will be further subdivided by gender: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender

  1. The following books are eligible:

    1. Self published ebooks

    2. First time print editions of previously published ebooks

    3. Republication by a publisher providing it was previously self published by the author


  2. The following books are not eligible:

    1. Ebook editions of previously published print books

    2. Republication by a publisher if it was previously published by a different publisher


SUBMISSION PROCESS

  1. Book submissions will be accepted between 1 February and 5 September 2014 inclusive.

  2. A book can only be submitted by its author or its publisher (covers can be submitted also by cover artist)

  3. The submission must clearly state which category applies.

  4. Books must be submitted in electronic format (PDF, EPUB and/or MOBI).

  5. By submitting the ebook, authors/publishers agree for its distribution with the only purpose of being read by the commission. It's recommended, but not mandatory, that the file has some kind of protection, like a specific disclaimer or similar.

  6. Submissions will be made via email to the following address: rainbowawards.submission@gmail.com.

    1. For Book Contest, please provide the following info (mandatory if not different stated):

      1. Author Name:

      2. Contact Email:

      3. Book Title:

      4. Publisher:

      5. Release Date:

      6. Gender: Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Transgender (ONLY for Anthology / Collection AND Non Fiction also LGBT)

      7. Genre: Contemporary General Fiction / Mystery Thriller / Young Adult / Sci-Fi Futuristic / Fantasy / Historical / Erotica / Anthology Collection / Contemporary Romance / Erotic Romance / Romantic Comedy / Historical Romance / Paranormal Romance / Fantasy Romance / General Non Fiction / Biography Memoir / Poetry / Visual Arts & Photography (ONLY for Anthology / Collection specify also subgenre: i.e. Anthology Collection Fantasy, Anthology Collection Paranormal Romance)

      8. Debut Novel: Yes / No

      9. Total Word Count: ? (must be equal or higher than 41,000 words)

      10. Comments: (not mandatory) please specify Charity name and amount

      11. Attachment: please attach ebook to the email in PDF, EPUB and/or MOBI (preferably all three of them)


    2. For Cover Contest, please provide the following info (mandatory if not different stated):

      1. Artist Name:

      2. Contact Email:

      3. Author Name:

      4. Book Title:

      5. Publisher:

      6. Book Release Date:

      7. Category: Illustration / Design

      8. Comments: (not mandatory) please specify Charity name and amount

      9. Attachment: please attach to the .jpg of the cover in a size no less than 400X600 pixels



  7. A Judge can submit books as either the author or publisher providing it is for a category which they are not reading for.

  8. A Judge may also nominate one book (their own or for another author) for inclusion in the contest. If the nomination is not for their own book, I will contact the author who will have to submit the book: nomination is not submission, submission is always made by authors/publishers. The author is not told until the conclusion of the contest who nominated their book.

  9. There is no submission fee, but it’s our suggestion to donate an equivalent amount per book to a selected LGBT non-profit charitable organization: once submitting please provide in Comments field Charity name and amount you will commit to donate. Suggested amount: Book Contest, 25 USD per submission; Cover Contest, 3 USD per cover.  The selected charities for 2014 are (but you can choose even a different one):

    1. Galop gives advice and support to people who have experienced biphobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexual violence or domestic abuse.  They also support lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people who have had problems with the police or have questions about the criminal justice system.  They are a completely  independent community-led group and are not connected to the police (http://www.galop.org.uk/).

    2. Ali Forney Center in NYC which provides homeless LGBT youth with shelter, food, and counseling. The Ali Forney Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded by private foundations, government grants and the generosity of individuals, local businesses and the community at large. (http://www.aliforneycenter.org/).

    3. COLORS is a free LGBTQ Youth & Counseling Center serving the needs of Los Angeles-area Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) youth 24 and under. COLORS opened its doors in January 2012 in Downtown Los Angeles, providing free therapy and support to LGBTQ youth and their families (http://www.colorsyouth.org/)

    4. SAGE aims to help LGBTQ elders in the following ways: Employment support through training and advocacy, Advocacy for LGBTQ elders in long-term care, Policy study on aging among LGBTQ people, Support and planning for LGBTQ elders undergoing life changes and their families, Creating an archive of LGBTQ life stories written by elders, to diversify public understanding of aging, LGBTQ lives, and long term care. (https://giveto.sageusa.org/)

    5. UCAN is a Chicago organization. They serve homeless youth (emphasis on LGBTQ). Vision: Youth who suffer trauma can become our future leaders. Mission: To build strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education, and empowerment. (http://www.ucanchicago.org/)

    6. Cancer Research Institute: With thousands of scientists, clinicians, patients, donors, supporters, and industry partners in the Cancer Research Institute network, we’re able to share our stories and experiences so that together we can continue accelerating innovative scientific discoveries and cancer immunotherapy clinical trials. (http://www.cancerresearch.org/)

    7. YouthCare builds confidence and self-sufficiency for homeless youth in Seattle by providing a continuum of care that includes outreach, basic services, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education, and employment training. (http://www.youthcare.org/)

    8. Lambda Legal: Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. (http://www.lambdalegal.org/)

    9. Point Foundation: Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society. (http://www.pointfoundation.org/)


CATEGORIES

  1. A book can be submitted in only one category unless it is also being submitted in Debut Fiction.

  2. If a category receives fewer than five (5) submissions, the category will not be active in this awards cycle. The submitted books will be reassigned to parent category in the Category Tree. The Category tree is:

    1. Fiction

      1. General Fiction

        1. Contemporary

          1. Contemporary General Fiction

          2. Mystery / Thriller

          3. Young Adult


        2. Alternative Reality

          1. Sci-Fi / Futuristic

          2. Fantasy


        3. Historical


      2. Romance

        1. Contemporary

          1. Contemporary Romance

          2. Erotic Romance

          3. Romantic Comedy


        2. Historical Romance

        3. Alternative Reality

          1. Paranormal Romance

          2. Fantasy Romance



      3. Erotica

      4. Anthology / Collection

        1. Contemporary General Fiction

        2. Mystery / Thriller

        3. Young Adult

        4. Sci-Fi / Futuristic

        5. Fantasy

        6. Historical

        7. Contemporary Romance

        8. Erotic Romance

        9. Romantic Comedy

        10. Historical Romance

        11. Paranormal Romance

        12. Fantasy Romance

        13. Erotica



    2. Non Fiction

      1. Biography / Memoir

      2. General Non Fiction

      3. Poetry

      4. Visual Arts / Photography



  3. In addition to specifying which Genre Category applies (see Eligibility Section) the submission must also state which Gender Category applies. There will be not reassignment cross-gender, i.e. if there aren’t at least 5 submissions for Bisexual Contemporary Romance AND Bisexual Erotic Romance, all submissions WILL BE reassigned to Bisexual Contemporary; they WILL NOT BE reassigned to LGBT Contemporary Romance.

  4. Special Category: Debut Fiction. This is considered the first published stand-alone book in print or ebook of more than 41000 words meeting the eligibility requirements.

  5. A novel is defined as a work of more than 41000 words.

  6. A novella is a work of between 18000 and 41000 words. Novellas will only be considered when submitted as a collection of two or more in the one publication by the same author, with the total publication exceeding 41000 words. For various authors, please refer to Anthology / Collection category.

  7. A short story is a work of less than 18000 words. Short Stories will only be considered when submitted as a collection of four or more in one publication by the same author, with the total publication exceeding 41000 words. For various authors, please refer to Anthology / Collection category.

JUDGING

  1. Judges will not judge any books which they have written, published or edited.

  2. Judges will be required to read entries from 1 March to 30 November 2014 inclusive.

  3. Judges must indicate prior to the commencement of reading which categories they are not comfortable reading.

  4. Each Judge will be required to read a minimum of 3 books and will only be sent the books they are required to read.

  5. Each book will be judged using 4 different criteria: Plot Development, Setting Development, Characters Development and Writing Style. Judges will rate entries in a range of 1 to 10 points for each criteria.

  6. There will be two separate reading periods:

    1. First period: from 1 March 2014 to 30 September 2014; each book will be read and scored by 3 different judges. At the end of this period, a shortlist of no less than 3 books for each category will be announced on 15 October 2014.

    2. Second period: from 1 October 2014 to 30 November 2014; all finalists for each category will be read by 3 to 5 judges. Winners will be announced in December 2015.


In 2013 The Rainbow Awards teamed up with The Rainbow Romance Writers (a chapter of The Romance Writers Of America) to help manage and co-ordinate the competition. One advantage of this relationship was that RRW had the online facilities to collect monies and this led us to the decision to try and use the Awards as an opportunity to raise funds for LGBT non-profit charitable organizations, namely the Ali Forney Center in NYC and COLOURS in Los Angeles. Sadly in spite of raising over $6500, as a direct result of the actions of one entrant to the competition, we have decided that for 2014 we will not collect any charitable contributions from entrants and as such we will not be collecting submission fees.
That said we would not wish these two Charities to suffer as a result and we would like all of those submitting books to enter into the spirit of giving within our community and helping those who are in need through a direct donation to either of the two charities. (Details in the Submission Guidelines).
The gay and lesbian world is interconnected in many ways and this is especially true in the world of LGBT fiction with the rise of social media, internet groups and other online activities. The community prides itself in the support given to new and aspiring authors from many sources and in many ways, with the ultimate aim always being to not only give something back to the community but also to enable all of us to have the pleasure of more good quality books available. This support includes reviewing, beta-reading, running book groups and so on.
Qualified judges usually have ties throughout our community and by necessity they are well read, in fact usually voracious readers who care passionately about books and their quality. Many of them are already active volunteers within the LGBT fiction community as previously described and it is recognized that entrants may already be known to Judges. This is an issue that is not exclusive to the Rainbow Awards. Our rules have always been clear that, in order to prevent any undue bias, anyone who is the author, publisher or editor of a nominated book is not allowed to judge that book. Likewise, a Judge may nominate a book for any category providing that they are not then involved in the judging of that book. In addition not only do the Judges follow clear judging guidelines but any book reaching the finals will have been judged by 6 to 8 different judges. Candidates wishing to be judges for 2014 are welcomed, please contact Elisa Rolle at rainbowawards.submission@gmail.com. If you have not judged for this contest before, please give a short introduction explaining why you wish to participate in the jury for this contest.
As always we had a close look at the guidelines and refined them so that they reflect the process with the utmost clarity. Please make sure to read them before submitting or before volunteering to judge.