report on book review competition

• Get a Free Review of Your Book
• Enter our Book Award Contest
• Helpful Articles and Writing Services
• Are you a Publisher, Agent or Publicist?
• Five Star and Award Stickers
• Find a Great Book to Read
• Win 100+ Kindle Books
• Get Free Books
• Are you a School, Library or Charity?
• Become a Reviewer
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Partner
• Award Winners
• Non-Fiction
• > Free Book Review
• > Book Award Contest
• > Hundreds of Helpful Articles
• > Discount Author Services
• Great Books by New Authors! <
• Award-Winners & Bestsellers <
• Reviews + Reader Comments <
• Win 100+ Kindle Books! <

When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers' Favorite.

Become an Award-Winning Author!

Jim Carrey sports his Readers' Favorite Gold Medal.

Free book review with lots of great features

We review published and unpublished (ARC and manuscripts) books in any of our 150+ genres. Your review will be posted on our site with a full featured Review Page as well as on other trade and social media sites. Your review will also be indexed by search engines like Google, which recognizes our reviews and formats them with their starred rating, just like Amazon and Goodreads. All 5-star reviews receive a FREE "Five Star" digital seal for your website and a high-resolution version for your book cover. Our seal can be seen on book covers from indie authors to iconic publishers like Simon & Schuster.

All book review features are FREE

• Review Page with features to get your book noticed.
• Review listed in the Readers’ Favorite app for readers.
• Review posted to popular websites and search engines.
• Review announced to 500,000 libraries, bookstores, schools.
• Donate books with our Book Donation program.
• Get more reviews with our Review Exchange program.
• Get help and share information in our Author Forum.
• Get advertising & fans with our Monthly Book Giveaway.

Hundreds of Helpful Articles

We have created hundreds of articles on topics all authors face in today’s literary landscape. Get help and advice on Writing, Marketing, Publishing, Social Networking and more. Each article has a Comments section so you can read advice from other authors and leave your own.

Proofreading, Editing, Critique

Getting help with your book from a professional editor is always recommended but often just too expensive. We have partnered with a professional editor with 30 years of experience to provide quality writing services at affordable prices.

Free book reviews for your authors

We review published and unpublished (ARC and manuscripts) books in any of our 150+ genres. Reviews will be posted on our site, KOBO, Google Books, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. You can also post our review in Amazon’s Editorial Reviews section. Reviews will be indexed by search engines like Google, who recognizes our reviews and formats them with their starred rating just like reviews from Amazon. In addition, our reviewers often post reviews to their blog, and social sites. We do not post negative reviews. If a book receives a poor rating, we provide private constructive criticism instead.

We have enjoyed working with Readers' Favorite these past years. They provide timely and honest reviews and go the extra mile by posting reviews on social media sites like Facebook and trade sites like KOBO and Google Books.

Books by indie, celebrity and iconic authors

We have a detailed review page for tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres. And because we only list premium books (4 and 5 stars), reviews and reader comments are primarily positive, which creates an enjoyable community for book enthusiasts.

Discover a new indie author and let them know what you thought about their book by adding your comments as tens of thousands of other readers have! You can even contact the author directly or visit their social media sites.

Enter to win hundreds of free books every month!

The Readers' Favorite Monthly Book Giveaway is completely FREE and available to readers, authors and anyone who loves to read! Each month our authors can provide a Kindle copy of their book to be given away.

The books are listed on our Monthly Book Giveaway page with new ones added every day. You can select as many as you are interested in, giving you the chance to win dozens or even hundreds of Kindle books each month!

Get a free book in exchange for an honest review

The Readers' Favorite Free Book program was created to help authors get more reviews and exposure for their work. Authors who participate in this program invite readers to contact them to request a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. We have tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres available for free. Just browse through your favorite genres and authors who participate in our Free Book program will be identified by our Free Book button.

Participates in Free Book Program

These authors are willing to provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for your honest review and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. When you find a book you like that displays our Free Book button, simply click the purple mail icon to contact the author with your request.

Free books with our Book Donation program

The Readers' Favorite author Book Donation program was created to help schools, libraries and charitable organizations by providing them with free books and to help authors obtain more exposure. We have tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres available for donation. Just browse through your favorite genres and authors who participate in our Book Donation program will be identified by our Book Donation button.

These authors are willing to donate free copies of their books in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their books are being read and enjoyed. When you find a book you like that displays our Book Donation button, simply click the purple mail icon to contact the author with your request.

Authors helping authors

Readers' Favorite is the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet. We have earned the respect of renowned publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors.

We are also very proud to be fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

Help authors by sharing your opinions

Readers' Favorite is growing fast, and even with over 1,000 reviewers we still need many more to keep up with the growing demand for reviews. Choose from hundreds of books each month from seasoned veterans like James Patterson to first-time indie authors. You can even earn money and win cash prizes!

BOOK REVIEW

Competition, introducing our, newest competition.

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. This brand-new competition invites students of any age, who have not yet begun a university degree, to read and review a book by one of our faculty members. The experience will help you engage actively and closely with a talented author about an important subject. If you are applying to university in the next year or so, this will be a great way to explore exciting ideas beyond the normal high school syllabus.

How does it work?

Choose a book from the list below. Read it, re-read it, reflect on it, and then write a critical review of the book of 1000 to 1500 words. The best reviews will help potential readers understand the main outline of the book's argument, why it is important, its strengths and weaknesses, and whether (in your judgment) the author was persuasive.

What happens if you win?

The best reviews will be published in News & Opinion , the online journal of the John Locke Institute. Everyone whose review is published will receive a prize of $50. The three best reviewers, overall, will win the following prizes:

Third Prize: $100

Second Prize: $250

First Prize: $500 plus a $ 1000 scholarship to one of our summer programmes . 

The deadline for submissions is Monday, 31 May, 2021 at 11:59pm (GMT). Winners will be announced the following month.  We look forward to reading your reviews!

Jason Brennan

Jason F. Brennan is the Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Jason Brennan has taught at our Washington DC gap year course in 2018 and 2019.

Against Democracy

In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results - and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government.

"The book makes compelling reading... This is theory that skips, rather than plods." - Molly Sauter, Los Angeles Times

Markets Without Limits: Moral Virtues & Commercial Interests

Jason Brennan and Peter Jaworski give markets a fair hearing. The market does not introduce wrongness where there was not any previously. Contrary to the conservative consensus, they claim there are no inherent limits to what can be bought and sold, but only restrictions on how we buy and sell.

When All Else Fails: the Ethics of Resistance to State Injustice

The economist Albert O. Hirschman famously argued that citizens of democracies have only three possible responses to injustice or wrongdoing by their governments: we may leave, complain, or comply. But in When All Else Fails, Jason Brennan argues that there is a fourth option. When governments violate our rights, we may resist. We may even have a moral duty to do so.

Bryan Caplan

Prof. Caplan is a world-renowned authority on public-choice theory and a professor of Economics at George Mason University. He has taught Economics at our summer schools in 2018 and 2021, and our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Open Borders: the Science and Ethics of Immigration

"A clear and inescapable economic, moral, and political case for reopening the borders that artfully counters the common objections." - John H. Cochrane, Hoover Institution at Stanford University

The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money

"Caplan delivers a tightly knit, compelling indictment of the vastly inflated and scandalously over-priced Ponzi scheme that is American higher education." -  Aram Bakshian Jr. Washington Times

Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies

The greatest obstacle to sound economic policy is not entrenched special interests or rampant lobbying, but the popular misconceptions, irrational beliefs, and personal biases held by ordinary voters. This is economist Bryan Caplan's sobering assessment in this provocative and eye-opening book.

STEVEN LANDSBURG

Steven Landsburg is a professor of economics at the University of Rochester and one of the foremost commentators on matters of economics, the law and politics. Steven Landsburg will teach at our summer schools in 2021.

The Armchair Economist: Economics & Everyday Life  - Economics

The Armchair Economist shows how the laws of economics reveal themselves in everyday experience and illuminate the entire range of human behavior. 

"Enormous fun ... Landsburg has done something extraordinary: he has expounded basic economic principles with with and verve."  -  Fortune

More Sex is Safer Sex: the Unconventional Wisdom of Economics  - Economics

In More Sex is Safer Sex, Professor Landsburg offers readers a series of stimulating discussions that all flow from unsettling economic facts.

"Landsburg is provocative and playful in his mission to demonstrate how an understanding of economics will change the way you live your daily life. I loved this book." - Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of "Freakonomics"

Fair Play: What Your Child Can Teach You about Economics, Values and the Meaning of Life  - Philosophy, Economics

In co-operation with his daughter, Landsburg demystifies the laws of supply and demand, interest rates and inflation, and cultivate an understanding of free trade, the value of money and investment.

David Friedman

Professor Friedman is a professor of law at Santa Clara University in California. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago. Professor Friedman has written many seminal books, including the ones below. He has taught at our summer school in 2018. 

Law's Order: What Economics has to do with Law and Why it Matters   - Law, Economics

This book undoubtedly raises the discourse on the increasingly important topic of the economics of law, giving both supporters and critics of the economic perspective a place to organise their ideas.

"A thoroughly entertaining, creative, and provocative addition to the law and economics literature." - Choice

The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism  - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, Law

This book argues for a society organized by voluntary cooperation under institutions of private property and exchange with little, and ultimately no, government.

Ilya Somin is a law professor at George Mason University, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, a blogger for the Volokh Conspiracy, and former co-editor of the Supreme Court Economic Review. Professor Somin taught at our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017 and 2018.

Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom  - Politics, Economics

In Free to Move, Ilya Somin explains how broadening opportunities for foot voting can greatly enhance political liberty for millions of people around the world.

"If Jason Brennan's  Against Democracy  met Bryan Caplan's  Open Borders , the result would be Ilya Somin's [ Free to Move]" -  Joakim Book

Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Better  - Politics, Economics

Ilya Somin mines the depths of the current state of ignorance in America and reveals it as a major problem for democracy.

"In this [work] Ilya Somin significantly strengthens his already compelling case for a more limited government."  - Christopher Robichaud, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

The Grasping Hand: "Kelo v. City of New London" and the Limits of Eminent Domain  - Law, Economics

In this detailed study of one of the most controversial Supreme Court cases in modern times, Ilya Somin argues that the Supreme Court made a grave error on both economically and morally.

STEPHEN DAVIES

Dr Davies is Head of Education at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Distinguished Fellow in History at the John Locke Institute. Dr Davies has taught on our summer schools every year since 2015, and has taught on our gap year programme in Oxford from 2015-2018, as well as in Princeton in 2018.

The Wealth Explosion: the Nature and Origins of Modernity - Economics, History

How did the modern dynamist economy of wealth and opportunity come about? This major new analytical work emphasizes the often surprising, fundamental and continuing processes of innovation and transformation which has produced the world we live in now.

RoBIN HANSON

Professor Hanson is Professor of Health Economics & Political Economy at George Mason University and Research Associate at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford. He holds a Ph.D. from Caltech. Professor Hanson taught on our summer school in 2018, and our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017 and 2018.

The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life  - Economics, Psychology

The aim of this book is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights.

"[Hanson] bring[s] together research on various topics of limited reach that, when combined, speak to the outrageous gall of the mind in recreating reality to its own liking, and then covering its tracks." - Katherine Oktober Matthews,

Professor Ryan was Warden of New College, Oxford, professor of politics at Princeton University and professor of philosophy at Stanford. He is the author of eleven books, including the authoritative On Politics. Professor Ryan taught on our summer school in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

On Aristotle: Saving Politics from Philosophy  - Philosophy, Politics

In this book, Alan Ryan examines Plato's most famous student and sharpest critic, whose writing has helped shape over two millennia of Western philosophy, science, and religion. 

"Ryan's erudite introduction is followed by substantial extracts from Aristotle's political works, making this text ideal for classroom use." - Booklist

JAmie Whyte

Jamie Whyte is a Cambridge educated philosopher, who won the  Analysis  prize for the best piece of philosophical writing by anyone under 30, and is the former leader of New Zealand's ACT party. Jamie Whyte taught on our summer school in 2020 and our gap year programme in Oxford, also in 2020.

Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders   - Philosophy

In  Crimes Against Logic , Whyte take us on a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of can, folderol, and bogus logic served up in the media, at the office, and even in your own home.

"An incisive philosopher." - Sunday Telegraph

PETER MILLICAN

Peter Millican is a Gilbert Ryle Fellow and Professor of Philosophy at Hertford College, University of Oxford. He is one of the preeminent scholars on the philosophy of David Hume. Professor Millican taught on our summer school in 2018 and our gap year programme in 2017. 

Reading Hume on Human Understanding: Essays on the First Enquiry  - Philosophy, Politics

Reading Hume on Human Understanding  is an excellent companion to the study of one of the great works of Western philosophy, especially for first time readers. 

Find out the latest indie author news. For FREE.

• Self-Pub 101

The BookLife Prize Discovering Great Books, Supporting New Authors

The grand prize in both the Fiction and Nonfiction Contests is $5,000 and an author profile in Publishers Weekly , but all entrants receive a Critic’s Report, a brief critical assessment of their novel written by a Publishers Weekly reviewer.

The BookLife Prize is an annual writing competition in two Contests (Fiction and Nonfiction) sponsored by BookLife and  Publishers Weekly . The Prize seeks to support independent authors and discover great written works in nine categories across the two Sections. The categories in the Fiction Contest are: Romance/Erotica; Mystery/Thriller; Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror; General Fiction; and Middle-Grade & YA Fiction. The categories in the Nonfiction Contest are: Memoir/Autobiography; Self-Help; Inspirational/Spiritual; and Business/Personal Finance. The Prize is judged by  PW  reviewers, editors, acclaimed authors, and publishing veterans, and awards are given to finalists in each Contest's categories, with a grand cash prize of $5,000 going to the most outstanding finalist in each Contest. To see the results of the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Prizes,  click here .

The BookLife Prize Fiction Contest is now open. Click here to enter. The Nonfiction Contest opens October 1.

The mission of the BookLife Prize is to discover, cultivate, support, and celebrate great works of unpublished or self-published writing by independent authors. The Prize also aims to provide feedback to authors about their work, provide a Critic’s Report which may assist finalists in the marketing of their fiction, and provide financial support via a cash prize to the grand-prize winner in each Contest.

The grand prize winner for both the Fiction and Nonfiction Contests of the BookLife Prize will receive a cash prize of $5,000 as well as a profile in  Publishers Weekly . Each grand prize winner will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes that may result from winning.  

Finalists, one from each respective submission category of both the Fiction and Nonfiction Contests, will receive a blurb (i.e., a promotional description, as found on the jackets of books) from a bestselling/award-winning author or professional editor serving as a guest judge for the Prize, as well as a mention in  Publishers Weekly . Each finalist will also receive $1,000 worth of BookBaby's Facebook + Instagram for Authors service: for each finalist BookBaby will waive its $99 setup fee and provide $250-per-week funds for a four-week campaign; each finalist will then have the option to extend the campaign if s/he wishes to have it run for a longer period of time; click here for more information about the service .

All entrants will receive a Critic’s Report, which includes a score as well as a brief written critical assessment of their novel by a  Publishers Weekly  reviewer.  ( Click here for an example Critic's Report. )

"You don't have to win the BookLife Prize to get the benefits. Every single entry gets a professional reviewer's critique, and you can leverage that critique to make you a better writer and more successful in your writing career."  T.J. Slee

Eligibility and Submissions

Unpublished or self-published books–works for which the author has subvented the cost of the book’s publication–in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize.

Each submission can only be entered into one of the following categories:  Romance/Erotica; Mystery/Thriller; Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror; General Fiction; Middle-Grade & YA Fiction; Memoir/Autobiography; Self-Help; Inspirational/Spiritual; and Business/Personal Finance.

Novels submitted to the Middle Grade & YA Fiction category must contain 30,000 to 100,000 words. All other submissions must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words. Novellas, novelettes, short fiction, and collections are not eligible for submission. Authors may make multiple discrete submissions.

Employees of BookLife, its parent companies and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter the Prize. Entries written by non-humans (artificial intelligence) are not eligible.

All submissions must made between the following dates:

• For the Fiction Contest: April 1, 2024, and August 30, 2024. 
• For the Nonfiction Contest: October 2, 2023, and January 31, 2024.

Prize Structure - Fiction Contest 

The Fiction Contest of the BookLife Prize runs from April 1, 2024, to December 13, 2024, with the Contest divided into four rounds:

First Round (April 1, 2024, to August 30, 2024):  All novels submitted to the BookLife Prize will be initially judged by the professional book reviewers of  Publishers Weekly . Each submission will receive an evaluation called a Critic’s Report. Each Critic’s Report consists of a brief written critical assessment of the novel, as well as a rating–on a one to 10 scale–of the book’s strengths and weaknesses in the following categories: Characterization, Plot, Prose/Style, Originality, and Overall Strength. The submissions with the 10 highest scores in each genre will move to the quarter-finals.  The quarter-finalists will be announced on BookLife on October 14, 2024.

Quarter-Finals (September 1, 2024, to October 14, 2024) : All submissions advancing to the quarter-finals will be critically assessed by the editorial staffs of  Publishers Weekly  and BookLife. Of the quarter-finalists, five from each of the five categories will be selected based on merit by  PW  and BookLife’s editors to advance to the semifinals. The semi-finalists will be announced on BookLife on October 17, 2024.

Semi-Finals (October 17, 2024, to November 14, 2024) : All semi-finalist submissions will be critically assessed by a guest judge–professional book editor or bestselling/award-winning author–in each of the five categories. The guest judges will select one submission from each category to advance to the finals round. These five submissions will be the winners in each of their respective categories. Each of the five finalists will also receive a blurb from the corresponding guest judge, as well as a mention in  Publishers Weekly . The finalists will be announced on November 14, 2024.

Finals (November 14, 2024, to December 13, 2024):  From the five finalists, the panel of guest judges will select one grand prize winner for the Fiction Contest, who will receive a cash prize of $5,000 as well as a profile in  Publishers Weekly . The grand prize winner from the Fiction Contest will be announced on December 13, 2024, and an article about the winner in the December 16, 2024, edition of the BookLife section of Publishers Weekly. The award will be paid no later than March 1, 2025. There are no cash awards being offered in the Fiction Contest of the BookLife Prize other than to the Fiction Contest grand prize winner.

Prize Structure - Nonfiction Contest

The Nonfiction Contest of the BookLife Prize runs from October 2, 2023, to May 27, 2024, with the Contest divided into four rounds:

First Round (October 2, 2023, to January 31, 2024):  All books submitted to the BookLife Prize will be initially judged by the professional book reviewers of  Publishers Weekly . Each submission will receive an evaluation called a Critic’s Report. Each Critic’s Report consists of a brief written critical assessment of the novel, as well as a rating–on a one to 10 scale–of the book’s strengths and weaknesses in the following categories: Structure, Theme, Prose/Style, Originality, and Overall Strength. The submissions with the 10 highest scores in each genre will move to the quarter-finals.  The quarter-finalists will be announced on BookLife on March 11, 2024.

Quarter-Finals (February 1, 2024, to March 11, 2024) : All submissions advancing to the quarter-finals will be critically assessed by the editorial staffs of  Publishers Weekly  and BookLife. Of the quarter-finalists, five from each of the four categories will be selected based on merit by  PW  and BookLife’s editors to advance to the semifinals. The semi-finalists will be announced on BookLife on March 13, 2024.

Semi-Finals (March 13, 2024, to April 15, 2024 (delayed to April 17, 2024) : All semi-finalist submissions will be critically assessed by a guest judge–professional book editor or bestselling/award-winning author–in each of the four categories. The guest judges will select one submission from each category to advance to the finals round. These four submissions will be the winners in each of their respective categories. Each of the four finalists will also receive a blurb from the corresponding guest judge, as well as a mention in  Publishers Weekly . The finalists will be announced on April 15, 2024 (delayed to April 17, 2024).

Finals (April 15, 2024, to May 27, 2024):  From the four finalists, the panel of guest judges will select one grand prize winner for the Nonfiction Contest, who will receive a cash prize of $5,000 as well as a profile in  Publishers Weekly . The grand prize winner for the Nonfiction Contest will be announced on May 27, 2024. The award will be paid no later than August 1, 2024. There are no cash awards being offered in the Nonfiction Contest of the BookLife Prize other than to the Nonfiction Contest grand prize winner.

Instructions and Entry Fee

The nonrefundable entry fee for all submissions to the Prize is $119. The entry period for the 2024 BookLife Prize Fiction Contest is now open. 

New users who have no BookLife account  enter on this page . BookLife members enter the BookLife Prize by logging in and going to project page for the book or manuscript they'd like to enter.   Here are detailed instructions.

Critic’s Report Reuse Guide

All participants in the BookLife Prize will receive a Critic’s Report: a score and a written evaluation of their work from a  Publishers Weekly  reviewer. While the Critic’s Report in no way constitutes a book review from  Publishers Weekly , authors are welcome to use the text of their Critic’s Reports as promotional copy or as blurbs to promote their books. Please note: When attributing quotes from Critic’s Reports, authors must credit The BookLife Prize. Additionally, Critic’s Reports are not any kind of conversation or correspondence with  PW  reviewers, who will remain anonymous. Critic’s Reports will be delivered to participants by email within eight weeks of entry in the Prize; Critics Reports will also be accessible on authors’ dashboards on BookLife, where users can chose to make them public or keep them private.

TERMS, CONDITIONS AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Participation in the BookLife Prize constitutes an entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Terms, Conditions and Limitation of Liability and all other provisions herein (the “T&Cs”), as well as the decisions of the reviewers, editors and judges of the Prize.

Upon full refund of the submission fee in any particular instance, BookLife shall have no obligation, express or implied, to judge any entry and entrants shall not be entitled to any damages or other relief by reason thereof.

If for any reason, BookLife is not capable of running the Contest, BookLife reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Prize, without prior notice at any time, including the selection of prize winners in any manner it deems fair and reasonable including the selection of the prize winners from among eligible entries received prior to such cancellation, termination, modification or suspension.

BookLife reserves the right, to cancel, terminate or modify the Prize if it determines, in its sole discretion, that fraud or technical failures compromise the integrity of the Contest.

BookLife, its parent companies, sponsors of the Prize, their respective promotional partners, affiliated companies, agencies and their employees are not responsible for any individual’s inability to enter this contest, i>ncluding but not limited to: failed software or hardware transmissions; unavailable network, server, telephone or other connections; errors of any kind, whether human, electronic, or mechanical regarding lost, misdirected, late, incomplete or damaged entries; or for any damage to any computer, network, hardware or software related to or resulting from participation and are additionally not liable for injury, losses, damages or costs of any kind resulting from participation in the Prize. By entering this contest, entrants opt into the use of their registration information in accordance with the BookLife and its parent company’s Privacy Policy and consent to receiving correspondence via telephone and/or email by BookLife and its parent companies.

Eligibility for winning any prize in the Contest is contingent on compliance with the T&Cs. BookLife reserves the right to declare any submission ineligible if it is determined not to be in accordance with the T&Cs; and

The Prize is void where prohibited by law. Federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ENTRANTS

Contestants specifically represent and warrant the following regarding each submission:

The work is original material written by the entrant. The entrant is entirely responsible for all content submitted;

The work has not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other work (as written in any language or in any medium, whether now known or hereafter devised) has not been previously published, produced, or distributed in any audio or visual form, or otherwise exploited in any medium (whether now known or hereafter devised, in whole or in part);

The work does not defame, and does not infringe or violate the right of privacy, right of publicity, copyright, trademark, service mark, trade secret, or any intellectual property, proprietary or other right(s) of, any third party;

The work does not include the name or likeness of any actual person(s), without having obtained the express prior written consent of such person(s) (or of such person’s parent or legal guardian if such person is a minor) in each instance; and

The work meets each of the content requirements found in the T&Cs.

Click here  for a list of frequently asked questions about the BookLife Prize.

Modal title

Password reset.

• Study resources
• Calendar - Graduate
• Calendar - Undergraduate
• Class schedules
• Class cancellations
• Course registration
• Important academic dates
• More academic resources
• Campus services
• IT services
• Job opportunities
• Mental health support
• Student Service Centre (Birks)
• Calendar of events
• Latest news
• Media Relations
• Faculties, Schools & Colleges
• Arts and Science
• Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
• John Molson School of Business
• School of Graduate Studies
• All Schools, Colleges & Departments
• Directories

• My Library Account (Sofia) View checkouts, fees, place requests and more
• Interlibrary Loans Request books from external libraries
• Zotero Manage your citations and create bibliographies
• E-journals via BrowZine Browse & read journals through a friendly interface
• Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver Request a PDF of an article/chapter we have in our physical collection
• Course Reserves Online course readings
• Spectrum Deposit a thesis or article
• WebPrint Upload documents to print with DPrint
• Sofia Discovery tool
• Databases by subject
• Course Reserves
• E-journals via BrowZine
• E-journals via Sofia
• Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver
• Intercampus Delivery of Bound Periodicals/Microforms
• Interlibrary Loans
• Spectrum Research Repository
• Special Collections
• Additional resources & services
• Loans & Returns (Circulation)
• Subject & course guides
• Open Educational Resources Guide
• General guides for users
• Evaluating...
• Ask a librarian
• Research Skills Tutorial
• Quick Things for Digital Knowledge
• Bibliometrics & research impact guide
• Concordia University Press
• Copyright Guide
• Copyright Guide for Thesis Preparation
• Digital Scholarship
• Digital Preservation
• Open Access
• ORCID at Concordia
• Research data management guide
• Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
• Systematic Reviews
• How to get published speaker series
• Borrow (laptops, tablets, equipment)
• Connect (netname, Wi-Fi, guest accounts)
• Desktop computers, software & availability maps
• Group study, presentation practice & classrooms
• Printers, copiers & scanners
• Technology Sandbox
• Visualization Studio
• Webster Library
• Vanier Library
• Grey Nuns Reading Room
• Book a group study room/scanner
• Study spaces
• Floor plans
• Room booking for academic events
• Exhibitions
• Librarians & staff
• University Librarian
• Memberships & collaborations
• Indigenous Student Librarian program
• Wikipedian in residence
• Researcher-in-Residence
• Feedback & improvement
• Annual reports & fast facts
• Annual Plan
• Library Services Fund
• Giving to the Library
• Webster Transformation blog
• Policies & Code of Conduct

The Campaign for Concordia

Library Research Skills Tutorial

Log into...

• My Library account (Sofia)
• Interlibrary loans
• Article/chapter scan
• Course reserves

Quick links

How to write a book review and a book report

A book review is a descriptive and critical/evaluative account of a book. It provides a summary of the content, assesses the value of the book, and recommends it (or not) to other potential readers.

A book report is an objective summary of the main ideas and arguments that the book's author has presented. The purpose of the report is to give enough information to help decide whether the book will be of use or interest to any potential readers.

Common points that both book reviews and book reports share are presented below. The last point, Critical Comments, is intended only for those writing book reviews.

Bibliographical Information

Give the author's name; full title of book including subtitle; editor, if any; place, publisher and date of publication; edition, if necessary; and the number of pages - all this in the appropriate bibliographical style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) under the title of the review or report.

Background information

Supply any information about the author which shows their credentials for writing in this field or which reveals any influences which may have affected the author's point of view. Note any interesting circumstances that led to the writing of the book.

Intended audience

The author's intention may be apparent by the way the subject of the book is treated. Is the material meant for specialists, students, or the general public? Is it focused on a specific subject or is it a general survey of a wider subject? Several areas may provide clues: appendices, bibliographies and general indexes usually accompany scholarly works; prefaces and introductions often contain an author's explicit statement of intention; the content and style of expression will be a good indication of the intended audience.

Subject and thesis statement

What is the book about? Tell your reader not only the main concern of the book in its entirety (subject) but also what the author's particular point of view is on that subject (thesis statement). If you cannot find an adequate statement in the author's own words or if you feel that the stated thesis statement is not that which the book actually develops (make sure you check for yourself), then you will have to compose a thesis statement that does cover all the material. This statement must be brief (a sentence or a paragraph), accurate and comprehensive.

Summary of content

The summary is based on your reading notes, follows the author's order, and consists solely of the main ideas which advance the author's argument. It may be presented with the analysis of structure or discussed separately.

Critical comments (book reviews)

Critical comments should form the bulk of the book review. State whether or not you feel the author's treatment of the subject matter is appropriate for the intended audience. Ask yourself:

• Has the purpose of the book been achieved?
• What contribution does the book make to the field?
• Is the treatment of the subject matter objective?
• Are there facts and evidence that have been omitted?
• What kinds of data, if any, are used to support the author's thesis statement?
• Can the same data be interpreted to alternate ends?
• Is the writing style clear and effective?
• Does the book raise issues or topics for discussion?

Support your evaluation with evidence from the text. In conclusion, you may want to state whether you liked or disliked the book.

Sources on writing book reviews

Concordia Library sources:

• Buckley, J. (2013). Fit to print: the Canadian student's guide to essay writing . (see pages 180-185).
• Drewry, J. E. (1974). Writing book reviews .

Sources on writing book reports

• Northey, M. & McKibbin, J. (2010). Making sense: A student's guide to research and writing .
• Teitelbaum, H. (1982). How to write book reports .
• Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2011). Writing a Book Report

For more information, ask a librarian

Our summer review-writing competition is back for 2023!  

If you're a primary school pupil, get reading this summer and send us your book review. You could win a zoom chat for your class with 'Dirty Bertie' author Alan M acDonald, plus 200 books from Wob to add to your school library!

Alan MacDonald is the author of the 'Dirty Bertie' series and other popular books such as The Prince of Pants  and Iggy of the Urks . He has also worked on writing for Television shows such as Horrid Henry and The Tweenies. He really enjoys paying Author visits to schools and answering questions from the children he meets there.

Thanks to the generosity of Wob, the two winning schools will also receive the fantastic prize of 200 books each to boost their School library!

Downloadable asset pack.

Have you read a book and wanted to tell everyone they should read it?  Well, now's your chance!  Send us a review of your must-read book and you could win books for you and your school. 

You can use one of these templates for your book review, one from school, or you can create your own. 

If there isn't a book that you would like to review, you can choose an e-book ( Oxford Owl have some great free ones) or alternatively write your own short story (maximum 600 words).

Summertime book review

Some things to include in your review:

Paint a quick picture – explain what the book is about, but no spoilers please!

Opinion – why do you like it? Why didn’t you like it?

Who else would like this book?

Would you recommend it to others, or not?

What could you win?

Alan MacDonald is the author of the 'Dirty Bertie' series and other popular books such as 'The Prince of Pants' and 'Iggy of the Urks'. He has also worked on writing for Television shows such as 'Horrid Henry' and 'The Tweenies'. He will host a virtual Q&A with the Winning classes in KS1 and KS2!

Thanks to the generosity of Wob , the two winning schools will also receive the fantastic prize of 200 books each to boost their School library!

The winning pupils and schools will each receive a certificate, and their book reviews will be featured on the Schoolreaders website and Social Media. The winning entrants from each Key stage will also receive a £25 book voucher.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION  

This is a competition for pupils of primary school age.

The child's name and age and an adult's contact details must be included with each entry.  

Please also include the name and town of the entrant’s primary school so we can contact them.

Send entries by e-mail to [email protected] or post them to: Schoolreaders, Bedford Heights, Brickhill Drive, Bedford, MK41 7PH.

We would be very happy for any teachers to use the competition as an English exercise (more chances for your school to win!). 

Please register if you would like your school to become a Schoolreaders partner school and receive free reading volunteers to support your pupils.

All entries need to be submitted by 5pm on Saturday 30th September 2023.

To find out more about Schoolreaders and

our volunteers, please click here  or use these links

Terms and Conditions -  Full terms and conditions can be found here

The Competition is open to any child attending a UK school, who is in Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 on 6th June 2023.

• Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Saturday 30th September 2023.

Entries will be judged by members of the Schoolreaders Judging Panel. Our decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The winners will be announced and notified within four weeks of the closing date.

If a school chooses to use this competition as a class exercise they must seek parental/ guardian consent for each entry and, if requested by Schoolreaders, must provide written evidence of such consent.

By entering the book review competition, participants and their parent(s) or guardian(s) are deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.

Schoolreaders reserves the right to cancel or amend the Competition, and these Terms and Conditions.

Any changes will be notified to participants as soon as possible by Schoolreaders.

Get a Library Card

• Virtual Events & Classes
• Digital Library
• Special Collections
• A-Z List of Databases
• Small Business Resources
• Pass the GED Test | Learn English | Become a U.S. Citizen
• LinkedIn Learning
• Locations & Hours
• All Resources
• Earn Your GED | Learn English | US Citizenship
• All Services
• Book a Meeting Room
• Find Your Next Read
• Interlibrary Loan
• Mobile Print

Book Review Writing Contest

Kids and teens: win $100 for writing the best book review.

Do you love reading and talking about books? Are you the friend (or the influencer) with all the best book recommendations? Is your bookshelf a carefully curated trophy case of all your favorite reading adventures? This could be your time to shine! 

Win $100 in cash for writing the most persuasive book review and be one of our guests of honor at a special event downtown all about celebrating reading!

• Read more about Kids and Teens: Win $100 for Writing the Best Book Review!

Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize

TagorePrize

BOOK REVIEW CONTEST

      We are proud to announce that Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize is launching a monthly book review contest.

     The most compelling review of a work in poetry, fiction and drama will be awarded  US $100 and will be posted on our Facebook and website. The works reviewed can be written in any of the Indian official languages. Review, however, has to be submitted in English and should not be longer than 2500, or shorter than 1500 words.

     By creating the book review contest, we are not only encouraging readers to share impressions and recommend works they found admirable and captivating, but are addressing the issue of rediscovering works that may have become neglected, forgotten or marginalized in the digital age. A compelling review can inspire people to pick books they may not have chosen on the basis of their usual searching preferences. An inspiring review can become a literary design in itself, a new and intimate link between the content and the reader.

     Works whose reviews were awarded will become candidates for our monthly book club, that will  commence within the next few months.

     For our monthly winner announcements follow us on Facebook @tagoreprize .

      Please click here or directly Submission Form (on a main menu) to send us your reviews.

“On rare occasions there comes along a profound original, an odd little book that appears out of nowhere,

from the pen of some obscure storyteller, and once you have read it, you will never go completely back to

where you were before. The kind of book you might hesitate to lend for fear you might miss its company. The

kind of book that echoes from the heart of some ancient knowing, and whispers from time’s forgotten cave that

life may be more than it seems, and less.”

E.J. Banfield

KES Shroff College Library

Naac re-accredited 'a' grade - an iso 9001: 2015 certified.

Theme of the Year: Inclusion, diversity and compassion

Video Tutorial

Old Library Website

Intercollegiate book review competition (ibrc - 2023-24).

5 October 2023

Intercollegiate Book Review Competition 8th September 2022

8th September 2022

14th October 2021

30th January 2021

Competition Report

26th November 2019

• Gradebook App
• Student Reports
• Training & Consulting
• Literacy Booster Offer
• Subscription Pricing
• Professional Development
• Our Mission
• Case Studies
• Privacy Policy & Terms of Service
• Review Mode

Teacher’s Guide: Assessment Criteria for Book Reports

Hey there, fellow teachers! Get ready to dive into our ultimate guide on assessment criteria for book reports. As educators, we know that nurturing critical readers and confident communicators is the name of the game.

By following these key criteria, we can empower our students to create captivating and insightful book reports. So, let’s break it down and discover how each criterion can take our students’ learning experience to the next level.

A Teacher’s Guide: Assessment Criteria for Book Reports

Criterion 1: book summary – catching the book’s essence.

Let’s start with the basics—a stellar book summary. Encourage your students to capture the heart of the book by sharing the main plot, introducing the key characters, and highlighting significant events. But here’s the deal: no spoilers, please!

We want our readers intrigued and itching to explore the book further. So, let’s help our students create summaries that leave everyone wanting more.

Criterion 2: Critical Assessment of the Text

We want our students to do more than just skim the surface. Encourage them to dig deeper and analyze the book’s themes , character development, and writing style.

Ask them to ponder over questions like: How does the author tackle complex ideas? What important social or moral issues does the book address?

By encouraging thoughtful analysis, we can guide our students to provide a richer understanding of the text in their book reports.

Criterion 3: Presentation of Ideas – Structure and Coherence for the Win

Clear communication is the key to success. Encourage your students to organize their book reports in a logical and coherent manner. Let’s guide them to craft reports with a solid structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Remind them to back up their ideas with evidence from the text to strengthen their arguments.

By helping our students present their thoughts in an organized way, we’ll make it easy for readers to follow along – and make our assessment criteria for book reports easier.

Criterion 4: Use of Language and Conventions – Polishing Like Pros

Language skills matter when it comes to expressing ideas effectively. Encourage your students to use the right words, sentence structures, and grammar in their book reports .

Remind them to polish their work through editing and revising, ensuring clarity and coherence. Oh, and let’s not forget about the standard conventions of writing—punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing.

By helping our students polish their prose, we’ll level up the quality of their book reports.

Criterion 5: Word Choice – Painting Pictures with Words

Let’s encourage our students to paint vivid pictures with their words in their book reports. They can choose descriptive language and sprinkle in some figurative expressions to bring the book’s characters, settings, and emotions to life. By engaging our readers’ senses through word choice, our students can effectively convey their experience of the book and create a lasting impact.

Conclusion: Assessment Criteria for Book Reports

With these assessment criteria for book reports in our back pockets, we can guide our students to become critical readers, analytical thinkers, and confident communicators. Remember, a book report isn’t just a summary—it’s a chance for our students to showcase their understanding of the text and their ability to express their thoughts.

So, let’s cheer our students on as they embrace the joy of reading and rock their book reports! Happy reading and reporting, everyone!

Build Your Book Report Assessment Today! 

Recent Posts

Report card writing made simple.

• Executive Functioning Rubrics are a Game Changer

The Teacher’s Guide to Mastering Orthographic Mapping

Can rubrics help with executive functioning skills.

• 5 Rubrics for Differentiated Instruction

Recent Comments

• 5 Reasons Teachers Love Analytical Rubrics - SUPERRUBRIC - SUPERRUBRIC.COM on 3 Rubrics for Elementary Reading & Writing
• A WordPress Commenter on Discussion Forum Rubric – Free Rubric Maker

Trending Now

• Book Report Rubric – Free Rubric Maker September 19, 2022
• A Teacher’s Guide to a Short Story Writing Rubric October 29, 2023
• Discussion Forum Rubric – Free Rubric Maker March 18, 2021

Recently Posted

Writing Book Reviews - Next Steps

Literary critic Mark Athitakis talks about writing book reviews and current trends in  American fiction .

Literary critic John Matthew Fox offers advice on  writing book reviews .

Creative writing contests  main page.

<< BACK from Writing Book Reviews Contest to Creative Writing Courses HOME

© 2009-2024 William Victor, S.L., All Rights Reserved.

Terms -  Returns & Cancellations - Affiliate Disclosure  -  Privacy Policy

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

This site, like many others, uses small files called cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website ( Cookie Policy ). However, if you would like to, you can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to navigation

• Back to parent navigation item
• For Subscribers
• Student Hub
• Featured stories
• Teacher Profiles
• Playing Hub
• Featured Stories
• Masterclass
• About the Playing Hub
• The Strad Shop Playing Books
• The Strad Shop Books and Posters
• Latest Magazine
• Magazine Archive
• Competitions
• Accessories
• Stringtelligence
• Editor's pick

• Magazine archive
• Whether you're a player, maker, teacher or enthusiast, you'll find ideas and inspiration from leading artists, teachers and luthiers in our archive which features every issue published since January 2010 - available exclusively to subscribers. View the archive .

The Strad Directory

• More from navigation items

Book review: Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World

By Tully Potter 2024-05-15T08:39:50.277+01:00

• No comments

Tully Potter reviews Leah Broad’s account of the lives of four pioneering women in music: Ethel Smyth, Rebecca Clarke, Dorothy Howell and Doreen Carwithen

Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World

480PP ISBN 9780571366101

FABER & FABER £20

The Quartet of Leah Broad’s title is not a female chamber ensemble but a cobbled-together group of British women composers who had relatively little in common, as far as I can see: Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979), Dorothy Howell (1898–1982) and Doreen Carwithen (1922–2003).

Normally when reviewing a book, I fill about a quarter of an A4 sheet with notes; if I tell you that on this occasion I filled almost a whole sheet, you will gather that this tome has caused me some disquiet. Two major irritations come from Broad’s clumsy interleaving of the four lives and her use of ‘Ethel’, ‘Rebecca’, ‘Dorothy’ and ‘Doreen’ for her subjects. Henry Wood even gets referred to as ‘Henry’ most of the time. Would Ms Broad expect me to call her ‘Leah’ in this review?

To be positive, I think she gets Ethel Smyth right to a great extent and the book can be recommended as a latter-day view of this great composer and battler for women’s rights. She is also very good on the last phase of Rebecca Clarke’s life, when she found happiness with the pianist and composer James Friskin.

She does not persuade me that Howell was more than very small beer as a creative artist, although no doubt an admirable human being. And about Carwithen, whom I knew as Mary Alwyn, there is a consistent undercurrent suggesting that her talent was repressed by the great love of her life, William Alwyn. In truth, the first time I met the Alwyns he was at pains to stress that Mary was also a fine composer; and she willingly gave her energies to propagating his music, before and after his death.

Book review: Pioneer Violin Virtuose in the Early Twentieth Century

Book review: The Sound of Memory: Themes from a Violinist’s Life

Book review: Maud Powell: Pioneer American Violinist

Broad seems uncertain of her target audience. Do we need to have ‘libretto’, ‘in nomine’, ‘boatswain’, Gilbert and Sullivan, The Dream of Gerontius, Tallis and Bechstein explained to us? She writes of ‘a choral Mass’. The paragraph about Elgar on page 134 is grotesque. She writes of ‘a pianist called Kathleen Long’ and ‘a conductor called Dan Godfrey’ – both were well known – and has America entering the Great War in 1918, also mixing up the V1 and V2 in World War II.

The writing is often poor. The words disinterest, wracked, lollop and becalmed are misused. We get ‘hinges around’, ‘pedestalised’, ‘ostracisation’, ‘educationalist’ and ‘workshopped’. Mills and Boon-style drivel abounds. We first meet Howell, aged seven, kneeling ‘on the cool flagstone floor of St Francis’s Catholic Church’ – I spent hours of my childhood kneeling on Roman Catholic church floors and it was dashed uncomfortable.

Instead of what she obviously thinks is ‘fine writing’, she could have told us more about the musicians who performed her subjects’ music. She even describes people without naming them. In 1920 Clarke miraculously plays her Viola Sonata on her own in New York (in reality the distinguished Scots pianist Winifred Christie partnered her). No mention is made of Clarke’s only recording – a fine Mozart ‘Kegelstatt’ Trio with Long and Frederick Thurston – or of Aubrey Brain, for whom the horn part in Smyth’s superb 1927 Double Concerto was specifically designed.

Try as I may, I cannot see Howell, Carwithen or even Clarke as world changers, despite their various virtues. Ethel Smyth is a different matter and, praise be, she has now emerged from the dip in interest that usually follows a composer’s death (Chopin is the sole exception I can think of). The book is nicely produced and illustrated, with an index and a select discography of the four women’s music.

TULLY POTTER

• Ethel-Smyth
• Magazine reviews

Advertisement

Related articles

The Strad June 2024 issue is out now!

2024-05-15T11:42:00Z

Cellist Laura van der Heijden graces the cover of this month’s issue, which features the luthier’s guide to customer relations, the Henschel Quartet’s 30th anniversary, plus our annual Accessories supplement

Cristian Grajner de Sá on works by Amy Beach, Ethel Smyth and Clara Schumann

2023-02-27T09:19:00Z

The violinist shines a light on works by three pioneering female composers, ahead of a recital at Champs Hill in March

Villiers Quartet: Smyth, Delius

2022-11-17T10:13:00Z By Tim Homfray

A Delius discovery is brought to life with compelling musicianship

No comments yet

Only registered users can comment on this article., more from reviews.

Concert review: Piatti Quartet

2024-05-15T08:41:42.893Z By Tim Homfray

Tim Homfray hears the performance of Ina Boyle and Dvořák at London’s Kings Place on 20 March 2024 

Concert review: Esther Yoo (violin) BBC Symphony Orchestra/Clemens Schuldt

2024-05-15T08:41:39.120Z By Peter Quantrill

Peter Quantrill hears the premiere of Raymond Yiu’s Violin Concerto at London’s Barbican Hall on 20 March 2024 

Concert review: Julia Fischer (violin) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Edward Gardner

2024-05-15T08:41:35.223Z By Peter Quantrill

Peter Quantrill listens to the performance of Daniel Kidane’s violin concerto Aloud at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 16 March 2024 

• Get The Print Edition
• String Courses
• Connect with us on Twitter
• Connect with us on Facebook
• Connect with us on Instagram
• Email sign up"
• Contributors
• © 2024 The Strad
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Published by Newsquest Media Group Limited, registered in England & Wales with number 01676637 at 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW - a Gannett company

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

Book review competition

• Posted by MCGS
• Categories Academics
• Date August 22, 2019

To inculcate reading habits, develop critical thinking skills and improving self-confidence among the students, an Inter-Class Book Review competition was held for classes V and VI on the 21 st of August and classes VII and VIII on the 22 nd of August. Five students from each section participated in the competition, where they reviewed a book and presented it in front of their peers and staff.

 The Judges for this competition were Ms. Smita Goyal (Director Academic Jr.), Mrs. Vatsala Prabhu (Librarian) and Mrs. Smita Chandela (Director Internationalism).

Children participated in this competition with a lot of enthusiasm and vigour. The competition was well appreciated by the staff and the students.

Co-Ordinator: Mrs. Vatsala Prabhu Student Co-ordinators: Devyani Prabhu Dia Goyal Diva Moriani

Previous post

Inter House Dance Competition

Lllewelyn memorial interschool english debates 2019, you may also like.

Young Leader’s Conclave @Modern School Vasant Vihar

Silver Jubilee Commemorative Young Thinker’s Conclave 2023

35th Founders’ Day

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Your subscription makes our work possible.

We want to bridge divides to reach everyone.

Get stories that empower and uplift daily.

Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads .

Select free newsletters:

A selection of the most viewed stories this week on the Monitor's website.

Every Saturday

Hear about special editorial projects, new product information, and upcoming events.

Select stories from the Monitor that empower and uplift.

Every Weekday

An update on major political events, candidates, and parties twice a week.

Twice a Week

Stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries & breakthroughs.

Every Tuesday

A weekly digest of Monitor views and insightful commentary on major events.

Every Thursday

Latest book reviews, author interviews, and reading trends.

Every Friday

A weekly update on music, movies, cultural trends, and education solutions.

The three most recent Christian Science articles with a spiritual perspective.

Every Monday

Lithium is key to green technology. Where will the US source it?

“The War Below” examines the global competition for metals like lithium and nickel, which are needed for electric cars, solar panels, and wind turbines.   

• By Terry W. Hartle Contributor

May 9, 2024

As America moves from fossil fuels to renewable energy, it must increase its supplies of lithium, copper, nickel, rare earths, and cobalt. These minerals are key components in electric cars, solar panels, wind turbines, and other green technologies. Because there are few domestic suppliers of these metals, the United States is forced to rely on a number of countries that are hostile or politically unstable, or that use child labor. But building new mines in the U.S. is controversial and unpopular. 

This conundrum is examined in “The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle To Power Our Lives” by Ernest Scheyder. In clear and nuanced prose, he analyzes the search for these building blocks of renewable energy and the barriers to getting them.

Scheyder, who has covered the energy beat for Reuters, begins by discussing the kinds of new metals that will be needed, why they are important, and where we might find them. Most important, he convincingly demonstrates that by offshoring these minerals, the U.S. places itself and its industries in a vulnerable position. 

For example, China is the world’s largest producer of lithium. Even when the metal is mined in other countries such as Australia, most of the processing is done in China. The country is also the world’s largest consumer of copper and buys aggressively from Chile. By contrast, copper production in the U.S. is falling. 

Indonesia has large supplies of nickel – which allows electric vehicles to drive farther on a single charge – but it blocks exports of this metal so it can build its own electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the only U.S. nickel mine will be depleted in 2025. 

The Democratic Republic of Congo holds the world’s largest supply of cobalt, but the country is riven by violence, and child labor is often used to extract the minerals.      

America has substantial known reserves of both lithium and copper. But nothing generates intense political opposition like a proposal for what the author calls a “loud, dangerous and disruptive” open-pit mine. As it happens, noise and disruption are only two factors that play into the complex web of opposition for mining projects.  

As Scheyder notes, “Despite the role such proposed U.S. projects would play in abrogating climate change and even lessening the cost of green energy products, each one faces strong, legitimate opposition from environmentalists, neighbors, Native American groups, or others, underscoring the dilemma facing the country as it tries to go green.” In short, it’s not just one problem; it’s a whole set of challenges.  

Consider lithium. A very light metal, it is “enormously good at retaining an electric charge, making it the perfect anchor for a lithium-ion battery.” There are large reserves of lithium located in Rhyolite Ridge, Nevada. But the locale is also the home of a small, extremely rare plant known as Tiehm’s buckwheat that flourishes in lithium-rich soil. One federal regulatory agency declared Tiehm’s buckwheat an endangered species – which could have killed any possible project – while another agency gave a mining company $700 million to build a mine. Scheyder calls this an example of the government’s left hand not knowing what its right hand is doing. 

This may be the most dispiriting theme of the book – the inability of the federal government to develop a clear, comprehensive approach to obtain the precious metals needed to support green  energy initiatives. Policies put in place by one administration are quickly overturned by the next. Federal agencies act in ways that simultaneously advance the efforts to acquire these metals while at the same time undermining them.  

Scheyder is fair and evenhanded. He considers each project on its own merits and gives a careful summary of all the views expressed. As he emphasizes, “Energy security used to be about crude oil and natural gas. Now it’s also about lithium, copper and other [electric vehicle] materials.”

Help fund Monitor journalism for $11/ month

Already a subscriber? Login

Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations.

Our work isn't possible without your support.

Unlimited digital access $11/month.

Digital subscription includes:

• Unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.
• CSMonitor.com archive.
• The Monitor Daily email.
• No advertising.
• Cancel anytime.

Related stories

Lithium mining boom in argentina sparks hope – and sacrifice, the monitor's view shoots of green integrity, uplifting news around the globe: eco-friendly batteries and greener cement, share this article.

Link copied.

Give us your feedback

We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? Should we come back to this topic? Or just give us a rating for this story. We want to hear from you.

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

Subscribe to insightful journalism

Subscription expired

Your subscription to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. You can renew your subscription or continue to use the site without a subscription.

Return to the free version of the site

If you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1-617-450-2300 .

This message will appear once per week unless you renew or log out.

Session expired

Your session to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. We logged you out.

No subscription

You don’t have a Christian Science Monitor subscription yet.

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Best Novel Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 50 contests that match your search.

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Additional prizes:

Optional Publication of Excerpt, Letter of Recommendation

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

Reader Views Literary Awards

Reader Views

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Reader Views Literary Awards program helps level the playing field for self-published authors, recognizing the most creative and exciting new books in the industry. Our awards program is recognized industry-wide as one of the top literary awards programs for independent authors.

Several marketing prizes (e.g. book review)

💰 Entry fee: $89

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2024

Jim Duggins, PhD Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Prize

Lambda Literary

Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ, and Novel

Dedicated to the memory of author and journalist Jim Duggins, this prize honors LGBTQ-identified authors who have published multiple novels, built a strong reputation and following, and show promise to continue publishing high quality work for years to come.

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Debut Dagger

Crime Writer's Association

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, and Thriller

The Debut Dagger is a competition for the opening of a crime novel by a writer who isn’t represented by an agent by the time the competition closes, and who has never had a traditional contract for any novel of any length, or who has never self-published any novel of any length in the last 5 years. Writers submit their opening 3,000 words and a 1,500 word synopsis. Entries from shortlisted writers are sent to UK literary agents and publishers. Every year, authors find representation this way.

💰 Entry fee: $41

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

UNO Press Publishing Lab

University of New Orleans Press

Genres: Novel

The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans seeks to bring innovative publicity and broad distribution to authors. Full length works of fiction (novels and short story collections) only. The work does not have to be regionally focused. There is no word limit. There is no limit on subjects covered. Multiple and simultaneous submissions allowed. The contest is open to all authors from any country, regardless of publishing history.

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024

Diode Editions Full Length Book Contest

Diode Editions

Open to all poets over 18 years old writing in English. Collaborations, hybrid works, and simultaneous submissions are welcome. Please notify Diode Editions if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

The Adventure Writers Competition

Adventure Writers

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Thriller, and Mystery

Any novels between 50,000 and 200,000 words that are in the realm of action/adventure/thriller/mystery - and chocked-full of adventure - are welcome. New and previously published books welcome, though you must have sold or given away less than 10,000 books of the title(s) you enter. We do not accept sci-fi, fantasy, horror or young children's books. See our website for info on rules and entering.

Two AWC Finalist Awards: $500

💰 Entry fee: $50

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

Chapter One Prize

Gutsy Great Novelist

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Young Adult, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first chapter of an unpublished novel. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers. Winners will be announced March 29, 2024.

2nd: $500 |3rd: $250

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

The Bath Novel Award

The Bath Novel Awards

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult

The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for emerging writers of adult fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one-page synopsis of your novel for adults or young adults. Shortlisted entrants will receive feedback on their full manuscript and all listees will receive editorial director feedback on their extract and synopsis.

£1800 for one longlistee

💰 Entry fee: $38

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

The Rubery Prize

Rubery Book Awards

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, and Romance

The Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses, judged by reputable judges. Through our reputation of finding quality and outstanding books we aim to bring recognition to the works that win and heighten an author's profile.

£200, a write-up

💰 Entry fee: $60

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

We are a boutique publishing company that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of contemporary writers who are nomads and explorers of language, form, and the psyche. High-quality “unpublished” manuscript submissions of memoir, fiction and non-fiction entrusted to us will be read, sorted and pondered by our esteemed author, Jacqueline Gay Walley.

Possible publication

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024

New Deal Writing Competition

New Deal Museum

Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel

GVCA is excited to announce the ninth annual New Deal Writing Competition! This competition challenges writers to use a painting chosen by the staff at GVCA as inspiration for a short story. This year’s painting is “Playtime” by Fred Ross.

Publication in newsletter

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)

Self-Publishing Literary Awards

Black Caucus

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Poetry

Through this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans.

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition

Vine Leaves Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

Small presses have potential for significant impact, and at Vine Leaves Press, we take this responsibility quite seriously. It is our responsibility to give marginalized groups the opportunity to establish literary legacies that feel rich and vast. Why? To sustain hope for the world to become a more loving, tolerable, and open space. It always begins with art. That is why we have launched this writing competition.

Book publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024

AWP Prize for the Novel

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

Genres: Fiction and Novel

AWP sponsors the Award Series, an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.

Publication by New Issues Press

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

HNS 2024 First Chapters Competition

Historical Novel Society

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Novel, Romance, Thriller, and Young Adult

The HNS UK 2024 First Chapters Competition is for the first three chapters of a full-length historical novel that has not been previously published in any form. We are looking to recognize and promote excellence in storytelling and the craft of historical fiction and its subgenres. The competition coincides with the HNS UK 2024 conference and the overall winner will be announced at the conference.

Category winners: £500 and HNS UK 2024 conference ticket

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

Novel Fair 2025

Irish Writers Centre

Now in its 13th year, the Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre. Described by The Irish Times as ‘A Dragons’ Den for writers’, each year the Fair introduces twelve up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents, giving novelists the opportunity to bypass the slush pile, pitch their ideas and place their synopsis and sample chapters directly into the hands of industry professionals.

Present your novel to leading publishers and agents at the Irish Writers Centre

💰 Entry fee: $59

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

Wilkes University

A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel. Runners-up will receive $1000. A selection from the winning work is published in Provincetown Arts.

💰 Entry fee: $33

Maggie Award for Published Writers

Georgia Romance Writers

Genres: Novel and Romance

The purpose of the Published Maggie Award for Excellence is to recognize the achievements of published authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these authors. The Maggie, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention. Books will be ranked by librarians, booksellers, and other professionals in the publishing industry.​​

💰 Entry fee: $40

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

The Book of the Year Awards

The Independent Author Network

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story

The Independent Author Network presents the 10th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 55 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes of $6,000 USD. Open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

$6,000.00 USD in total cash prizes

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2024

Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction

Dzanc Books

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). A $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books will be awarded to the winner. Finalists will be compiled in-house and passed along for evaluation to this year’s judges: Alan Michael Parker, Chika Unigwe, and Sarah Yahm, author of The Moveables, which was chosen as the winner of last year’s Prize for Fiction.

Nimrod Literary Awards

Nimrold International Journal of Prose and Poetry

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Novel

All finalists in fiction and poetry will be published and paid at our standard publication rate. Semi-finalists in poetry will also be published and paid at our standard publication rate.

$2000 + Publication

2nd: $1000 + Publication

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

Killer Nashville

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

💰 Entry fee: $79

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024

Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards

Anisfield-Wolf

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of cultural diversity. Awards are given for fiction, poetry and nonfiction. For books published this year, the submission period begins January 1, 2024 and the deadline is December 31, 2024. The winners are announced in the spring.

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Bridport Novel Award

Bridport Arts Centre

Your novel doesn't have to be finished. We initially need only 5,000 to 8,000 words plus a 300 word synopsis. If you're long listed we'll ask for a total of 15,000 words, including your original word count. Shortlisted? Then we need a total 30,000 words, again including your original entry and long listed word count. It all adds up to an incredible opportunity.

£750 for the runner up and three prizes of £150

💰 Entry fee: $29

The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest

The Masters Review

Each fall, The Masters Review hosts a call for novel excerpts! Writing a novel can be an arduous and lonely process, but we’re here to champion the great work being produced. Whether your book is not quite finished or ready to pitch, we want to read your words. For this contest, we’re looking for self-contained excerpts that display a strong voice, compelling characters, and carefully constructed narrative arcs. You may submit an excerpt from any section of your completed or in-progress novel, but choose wisely: a synopsis should not be required for understanding the excerpt. As always, we have no limitations on genre, though we are primarily interested in literary fiction.

2nd: $300, online publication | 3rd: $200, online publication

📅 Deadline: November 12, 2023 (Expired)

First Chapter + Synopsis Competition

Fiction Factory

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, and Young Adult

Have you completed the first draft of your novel? Are you ready to pass it on to a fresh pair of eyes, to see if you are on the right track? Is your all-important first chapter ready for submission to an agent? Whatever your plans, your first chapter must shine – it must grab your readers or quickly lose their interest.

£500 + an appraisal

💰 Entry fee: $22

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

💰 Entry fee: $12

First 5 Pages Prize

Stockholm Writers Festival

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

SWF is proud to launch the First 5 Pages Prize to mark our 5th anniversary. Dazzle us with your brilliance. Delight us with your wit. Deceive us with your dastardly plot-twists. There will be one Grand Prize winner chosen from all entries. The winner will receive: $1000 cash, a ticket to SWF22, a pitch meeting with an agent conducted over Zoom, two night’s accommodation at a boutique hotel, and a full developmental edit donated by Reedsy, the industry’s leading platform for writing services.

A full developmental edit donated by Reedsy & pitch meeting with an agent

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize

Red Hen Press

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel

Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.

Publication by Red Hen Press

Why not enter the Fiction Factory First Chapter Competition? Send us your first chapter + a 1 page synopsis (if your first chapter is more than 5000 words, send it with the 5000 word point clearly marked). First Prize: £500 + an appraisal and a reading by a top London Literary Agent. All short-listed entrants will receive a free appraisal. Appraisals: For an extra fee, £20, we will write a comprehensive appraisal of your chapter. Results will be published in July, 2024

A reading by a top London Literary Agent plus publication

Goldilocks Zone

Sunspot Lit is looking for the perfect combination of craft and appeal in stories, CNF, novel or novella excerpts, artwork, graphic novels, poems, scripts/screenplays. Literary and genre accepted. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $10

2025 Book Prize

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, and Short Story

Details: $1,000 advance and standard contract from Unleash Press for one winning manuscript. Novels, poetry collections, short story collections, and creative nonfiction manuscripts are accepted. We'll reopen for our 2025 competition in July.

Publication with Unleash Press

📅 Deadline: December 02, 2024

IndieReader Discovery Awards

IndieReader

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Novel

Where talented authors meet publishing professionals with the power to make a difference in the success of their books. Every author who enters a title in the IR Discovery Awards will receive a verdict, written by an IndieReader reviewer and based on their assessment after reading the complete book.

First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency

$500, publicist consultation service, Reedsy credit, custom author website

💰 Entry fee: $150

📅 Deadline: February 14, 2024 (Expired)

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

Reedsy's guide to novel writing

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Save your shortlist

Enter your email address to save your shortlist so that you don't lose it!

By continuing, you will also receive Reedsy's weekly publishing tips and access to our free webinars.

We sent over your shortlist. Thank you for using Reedsy's Writing Contest Directory, happy publishing! 🙌

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

• GV80 Reviews

2025 Genesis GV80 First Drive: It's what's inside that counts

The competitive pricing and packaging clinch it.

FORT WORTH – The 2025 Genesis GV80 represents the fifth model year for the luxury SUV , and it's getting its first major refresh . Though "major" is very much relative. This year's updates mainly boil down to styling and some feature updates. What was done to the interior in particular has made it better than ever, even class-leading. Most of the rest, however, is the same as it ever was, which is still good, but we wish the mechanical bits had been given the same sort of sprucing up as the surface-level details.

The exterior changes are mighty light. The front grille mesh now has double bars to match the lights and fender accents. Those headlights have an array of small LEDs now instead of only a couple LEDs per unit. The front bumper gets a pseudo-skid plate garnish on the lower edge, and the rear bumper loses its exhaust cutouts, leaving vestigial mesh in place at each end, still with the vague shape of the Genesis grille. But the GV80 remains an elegant-looking SUV with its long arcing lines. And if you get up close, you can really appreciate the new, all-metal hood badge with the etched guilloche-style detailing.

The 2025 GV80 interior is a much bigger deal. The dash has been significantly revamped with a new 27-inch OLED screen encompassing both the instruments and infotainment. It's silky-smooth and crisp, though the light beige graphics lack contrast and aren't quite as easy to read at a glance as your typical light text and dials on a dark background. We appreciate that Hyundai has kept the redundant infotainment control setup featuring both touchscreen and rotary controller on the center console. The controller itself is new, however, with a more tactile and responsive knob replacing the original, iPod-like disk. Both it and the shifter dial also benefit from "crystal-like" surrounds that are convincing and add both expensive-feeling heft and a bit of nice flash. The touch buttons and display for the climate controls are a bit silly, but they're livable, and the knobs for temperature setting are appreciated.

The steering wheel is new, too, with three spokes now instead of two. We'd call it more of a lateral move style-wise, but the interior designer noted that the new design allows for more ergonomic button placement. We're not sure it's that big a difference, but we have no complaints about said wheel buttons.

In addition to those crystal-like appointments, Genesis went above and beyond with interior color and materials selections. Brown or crème-colored leather seats pair with a distinctive pale forest green on the dash, doors and steering wheel (pictured above left). There’s also a blue dash/door/wheel option with white seats (pictured above right). If you're not so adventurous, there's a simple all-black and a dark gray with a dark, reddish brown. We strongly recommend the bolder two-tones, especially as there are two fascinating trim options to go with them. Our green/brown combo interior featured a hardened woven fabric made of threads sourced from recycled PET plastics and basalt. Yes, that basalt, as in a volcanic rock that’s been turned into thread and woven into a fabric. That's freaking awesome. Similarly slick is the newspaper wood. It’s literally a composite wood made from stacks and stacks of newspaper, with the occasional thin piece of actual wood for structure. It's then cut and sanded down to fit the trim pieces. Again, there are more conservative traditional materials such as gloss black plastic and natural finish wood, the latter of which is still beautiful, but our money would be on the new materials. They help make the GV80 feel like not only a true luxury machine, but a unique one, too.

The feature set has improved inside, too. At the top of the list is standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (finally), but there are other improvements throughout. The cabin's glass is now laminated, and additional sound insulation has been placed throughout the SUV. There's also available active noise canceling, and with all those features combined, the GV80 is impeccably quiet. The available Digital Key is compatible with Apple, Samsung and Google phones now, and the key can be shared via Apple's iMessage. Related, there's a fingerprint reader for additional authentication. The first owner of every GV80 gets Connected Services complimentary for as long as they own the car, which includes a WiFi hot spot, remote access, post-crash assistance and image capture from surround-view cameras. Finally, an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system boast 350 more watts of power over the previous Lexicon audio upgrade.

OK, so there’s one other feature, but it frankly falls into the gimmick category. Genesis has built upon the previous “Nature Sounds” ambient noise player by accompanying moody sounds with lighting and scents (that’s right, the GV80 is available with various perfume cartridges) to put you in a particular mood, from invigorated to relaxed. It’s not so different than the sights and scents show high-end Mercedes can put on, although Genesis does put it all together in a more curated fashion. Not that it needs to, of course – it’s gimmicky, but gimmicks can be fun. Obviously, your mileage, or mood, will vary.

We've of course spent an awful lot of time covering the 2025 GV80's the interior because that really is where the changes have been focused. It’s also where this SUV truly shines. Mechanically, the previous options of turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder and twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 remain without changes to their output. They're both paired solely with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

We were only able to sample the V6, and it remains seriously gutsy when you put your foot in it. And the steering, while rather dead-feeling, is weighty and accurate. Ours had the adaptive suspension, and it's clearly tuned for softness, lending a somewhat floaty and roly feeling. Given that it doesn’t exactly hide its roughly 5,100 pounds (or around 4,800 for the four-cylinder), the GV80 isn't the most athletic of the segment. The in-house eight-speed auto is smooth enough, but it's neither as smooth nor as quick as those found in German luxury SUVs. This is one of the areas it would've been nice to see some more attention paid.

Genesis did note that the GV80 now features monoblock front brake calipers, as well as the ability to make slight steering corrections to compensate for crosswinds (the original version did that only by subtly applying the brakes). You’re unlikely to really notice those changes, though, nor the slight tweaks Genesis made to the various driver assist systems (though it didn’t actually specify what those tweaks were).

On the upside, Genesis has hardly messed with pricing. Most starting points, including for the base four-cylinder trim, is unchanged at $59,050, while the trim with the biggest increase (2.5T Advanced) is only up by $1,400 to $66,950. That puts the Genesis at a few thousand less than a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE, two of its key rivals. The V6 models start at $75,150, with the most expensive being the 3.5T Prestige at $80,650. And both those prices are the same as before. The BMW and Mercedes options offer the same kind of power for less, but you'll be doing without many of the features Genesis includes on the base V6. Similarly equipped, and the BMW is within a few hundred of the Genesis, and the Mercedes ends up a few thousand more expensive.

While we would like to see some more refinement in the driving dynamics, the GV80 is dynamically no worse than before, which is a solid place to start. The new interior alone makes the GV80 one of the most compelling luxury options in the segment, while the price advantage seals the deal, making it one outstanding SUV that demands your attention.

Genesis GV80 Information

Compare the gv80 with similar vehicles.

Genesis GV80

• All Model Years
• Rebates & Incentives
• News & Reviews
• Photos & Videos
• More GV80 Information
• First Drives

Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own — we do not accept sponsored editorial.

• License License
• Facebook Share
• Twitter Share
• Tumblr Share
• Twitch Share
• Flipboard Share
• Instagram Share
• Newsletter Share
• Youtube Share
• Feeds Share

2025 Genesis GV80

Popular Vehicles

Popular new vehicles.

• 2023 Ford Bronco
• 2024 Lexus GX 550
• 2023 Toyota Camry
• 2024 Toyota RAV4
• 2024 Ford Bronco
• 2024 Toyota Tacoma
• 2023 Toyota Tacoma
• 2023 Ford F-150
• 2023 Jeep Wrangler
• 2024 Toyota Camry

Popular Used Vehicles

• 2022 Ford F-150
• 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2022 Honda Accord
• 2022 Toyota 4Runner
• 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
• 2014 Honda Accord
• 2014 Honda Civic
• 2020 Honda Civic
• 2021 Toyota 4Runner
• 2017 Chevrolet Camaro

Popular Electric Vehicles

• 2023 Tesla Model 3
• 2017 Tesla Model S
• 2016 Tesla Model S
• 2024 Rivian R1T
• 2024 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup
• 2022 Tesla Model 3
• 2023 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup
• 2023 Rivian R1T
• 2023 Lucid Air
• 2019 Tesla Model S

Popular Truck Vehicles

• 2024 Ford F-150
• 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
• 2023 Toyota Tundra
• 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
• 2024 Chevrolet Colorado

Popular Crossover Vehicles

• 2023 Ford Bronco Sport
• 2024 Chevrolet Trax
• 2024 Honda CR-V
• 2023 Toyota RAV4
• 2024 Subaru Outback
• 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 2024 Honda Pilot
• 2022 Toyota RAV4

Popular Luxury Vehicles

• 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300
• 2024 Porsche 911
• 2022 Lexus IS 350
• 2019 Chevrolet Corvette
• 2024 Lexus RX 350
• 2024 Land Rover Defender
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• 2023 Porsche 911
• 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Popular Hybrid Vehicles

• 2023 Ford Explorer
• 2024 Toyota Sienna
• 2024 Ford Explorer
• 2022 Ford Explorer
• 2023 Toyota Sienna
• 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid
• 2024 Toyota Venza

Popular Makes

Featured makes, product guides.

• The Best Electric Bikes
• The Best Car Covers
• The Best Portable Air Compressors
• The Best Car GPS Trackers

Choose a Display Name

Please enter a display name

Sign in to post

Please sign in to leave a comment.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

10 Big Biden Environmental Rules, and What They Mean

Asbestos, “forever” chemicals, E.V.s and endangered species. Here’s what 10 new rules cover, and why the administration has been churning them out.

By Coral Davenport

The Biden administration has been racing this spring to finalize a slew of major environmental regulations, including rules to combat climate change, a first-ever ban on asbestos and new limits on toxic chemicals in tap water.

Many of the rules had been in the works since President Biden’s first day in office, when he ordered federal agencies to reinstate or strengthen more than 100 environmental regulations that President Donald J. Trump had weakened or removed . The president has pledged to cut the emissions that are driving climate change roughly in half by 2030. That’s something that scientists say all industrialized nations must achieve to keep global warming to relatively safe levels.

Lawyers in the Biden administration have sought to use every available tool to protect the rules from being gutted by a future administration or a new Congress.

Under the 1996 Congressional Review Act, Congress can delete new federal regulations by a simple majority vote within 60 legislative days of their publication in the Federal Register. Senate Republicans used that procedure in early 2017 to wipe out 14 regulations within 16 days that had been written by the Obama administration.

To avoid that fate, the White House told federal agencies to get major rules on the books by this spring. That doesn’t mean a new occupant of the White House couldn’t undo them through the regular rule-making process, or that the Supreme Court couldn’t eventually strike them down. But it cuts off one possible line of attack.

Here are 10 major environmental rules that the Biden administration rushed out the door to meet its self-imposed spring deadline.

Electrifying Cars

The federal government’s most significant climate regulation , this rule by the Environmental Protection Agency is designed to slash tailpipe pollution. Transportation is the segment of the American economy that generates the most greenhouse gases. The rule does not ban sales of gasoline-powered cars or mandate sales of all-electric vehicles, but it increasingly limits the amount of pollution allowed from auto tailpipes over time so that, by 2032, more than half the new cars sold in the United States would most likely be zero-emissions vehicles, up from just 7.6 percent last year.

That would avoid more than seven billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 30 years, according to the E.P.A. That’s the equivalent of removing a year’s worth of all the greenhouse gases generated by the United States.

Slashing Power Plant Pollution

This E.P.A. regulation cuts pollution from power plants, the nation’s second-largest source of planet-warming emissions. It requires existing coal plants in the United States to reduce 90 percent of their greenhouse pollution by 2039. It also requires future high-capacity power plants that burn natural gas to reduce their emissions 90 percent by 2032.

The rule is widely seen as a death knell for American coal plants. It will also make it difficult for many natural gas plants to operate without using carbon capture and sequestration, a process that traps emissions from smokestacks before they reach the atmosphere and then stores them. That technology is extremely expensive and not fully deployed at any American coal plant.

The E.P.A. estimates that the rule controlling greenhouse gases from power plants would eliminate 1.38 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide between now and 2047, which is equivalent to preventing the annual emissions from 328 million gasoline-powered cars.

Plugging Methane Leaks

This E.P.A. rule requires oil and gas producers to detect and fix leaks of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that wafts into the atmosphere from pipelines, drill sites and storage facilities.

Methane lingers in the atmosphere for about a decade after it is released, but it is about 80 times more powerful in the short term at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, which remains in the air for centuries.

The regulation would prevent 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038, about the equivalent of all the carbon dioxide emitted by American coal-fired power plants in a single year.

Banning Asbestos

The E.P.A. banned chrysotile asbestos, the only type of asbestos still used in the United States, which has been linked to mesothelioma and other cancer.

Known as white asbestos, the mineral is used in roofing materials, textiles and cement as well as gaskets, clutches, brake pads and other automotive parts. It is also a component in diaphragms used to make chlorine.

The rule bans imports but allows companies up to 12 years to phase out the use of asbestos in manufacturing, depending on the facility.

Ending ‘Forever’ Chemicals in Tap Water

The E.P.A. for the first time is requiring municipal water systems to remove six synthetic chemicals linked to cancers, metabolic disorders and other health problems that are present in the tap water of hundreds of millions of Americans.

The perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, are found in everything from dental floss to firefighting foams to children’s toys. They are called forever chemicals because they degrade very slowly and can accumulate in the body and the environment.

Under the new rule, water utilities must monitor supplies for PFAS chemicals and are required to notify the public and reduce contamination if levels exceed a standard of 4 parts per trillion for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Protecting Endangered Species

The administration restored several protections under the Endangered Species Act for imperiled animals and plants that had been loosened under Mr. Trump.

The rules, issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries service, give federal officials more leeway to protect species in a changing climate, bring back protections for animals that are classified as “threatened” with extinction, which is one step short of “endangered,” and clarify that decisions about whether to list a species must be made without considering economic factors.

Protecting the Alaskan Wilderness

The Interior Department denied permission for Ambler Road, a proposed 211-mile industrial road through fragile Alaskan wilderness to a large copper deposit. It was an enormous victory for opponents who argued that it would threaten wildlife as well as Alaska Native tribes that rely on hunting and fishing.

The road was essential to reach what is estimated to be a $7.5 billion copper deposit that lies under ecologically sensitive land. There are currently no mines in the area and no requests for permits have been filed with the government; the road was a first step.

The Interior Department found that a road would disturb wildlife habitat, pollute spawning grounds for salmon and threaten the hunting and fishing traditions of more than 30 Alaska Native communities.

Chemical Plant Safety

The E.P.A. rules for the first time require that almost 12,000 chemical plants and other industrial sites nationwide that handle hazardous materials must explicitly plan for and invest in safety measures against disasters, such as storms or floods, that could trigger an accidental release. For the first time, chemical sites that have had accidents will need to undergo an independent audit. And the rules require chemical plants to share more information with neighbors and emergency responders.

Raising the Price to Drill on Public Lands

The Interior Department made it more expensive for fossil fuel companies to pull oil, gas and coal from public lands, raising royalty rates for the first time in 100 years in a bid to end bargain-basement fees enjoyed by one of the country’s most profitable industries.

The government also increased more than tenfold the amount of the bonds that companies must secure before they start drilling.

The rate increase was mandated by Congress under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which directed the Interior Department to raise the royalty fee from 12.5 percent, set in 1920, to 16.67 percent. Congress also stipulated that the minimum bid at auctions for drilling leases should be raised from $2 per acre to $10 per acre.

But the sharp jump in bond payments, the first increase since 1960, was decided by the Biden administration, not Congress. It came in response to arguments from environmental groups, watchdog groups and the U.S. Government Accountability Office that the bonds do not cover the cost of cleaning up abandoned, uncapped wells, leaving taxpayers with that burden.

Permitting for Highways, Power Lines and Pipelines

The White House released rules designed to speed up federal construction permits for clean energy projects while requiring federal agencies to more heavily weigh damaging effects on the climate and on low-income communities before approving projects like highways and oil wells.

Coral Davenport covers energy and environment policy, with a focus on climate change, for The Times. More about Coral Davenport