one million dollar writing contest

THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR WRITING CONTEST FOR READERS
Why let the writers get all the awards? We thought it was about time someone gave the READERS some awards. After all, without readers, there wouldn't be any awards! So here's your chance to win a prize for reading a book.


HOW TO ENTER THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR WRITING CONTEST FOR READERS

STEP ONE: Read The Conjure Man, a mythic novel set in South Carolina. (We'll send you a FREE pdf copy of the novel to read - all you need to do is REGISTER!). Fill in the form below to REGISTER. For more information about The Conjure Man go to www.conjureman.net.

STEP TWO: Write a personal reaction to the novel - this can be anything from what the novel means to you, how it speaks to you, what it reveals to you, how it changed the way you thought about something, anything, spiritual things, love, sex, death, whatever you like. You can write a personal reflection essay, compare the book to other books, movies, your experiences, art, - what you write about is wide open.

STEP THREE: SUBMIT your essay. There is a $4 fee to enter the contest. Once we receive your completed entry, we will send you an email with your Contest ID number. Your essay should be between 500 and 1,000 words. There are two divisions - Division One is for those age 21 and under; Division Two is for those age 22 and older. Submissions will be accepted beginning October 31, 2010 and ending August 31, 2011. Winners will be announced in October 2011. (You may also purchase a trade paperback signed edition of the novel, which regularly retails for $17.95, for only $12 plus $2 for shipping).

         HOW TO SUBMIT: Click on the Buy Now PayPal link below to send us your entry fee. Once your transaction is complete you will
            be provided a unique Contest ID number. That's all you need. Send us your essay with your Contest ID number at the top of each
            page and you're all set. Email your finished essay as an attachment (either as a Microsoft Word document or as a pdf file)
            to publisher@conjureman.net. Put "essay contest" in the subject line. We will send you a confirmation email indicating that your piece
           of writing is officially entered.

OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: We also believe that writers and readers have a social responsibility to the society they live in. So
       this contest is not just about winning prize money. For every person who enters this contest, $0.50 of the $4 entry fee will go to the
                                 campaign in support of the efforts to rebuild the homes in the 9th Ward in New Orleans, LA. We are also donating
      $0.50 from each $4 entry fee to                                               to support the Blues as an art form.

      We are making these donations for two reasons: 1) because we believe it is important to help people in need, for we are all in need; and
       2) we believe it is important to support that which nourishes our souls - and both great literature and the music of the blues do just that.

WINNING ESSAYS:
1) The judges are looking for emotional honesty - so write from your heart.
2) The number of winning essays will be determined by the number of entrants.
3) The minimum number* of winners for each division will be three:
        The Most Compelling Essay     - $1,000
        2nd Place                         - $500
        3rd Place                         - $200

*(Based on a number of entries ranging from 1 - 1,000)

4) The more people who enter, the more money will be awarded to the best essays, and the more winning essays will be chosen. (See below for prize progression. Final prize amounts will be determined in October 2011 based on the number of entrants.) This essay contest is sponsored by River Boat Books. For more information contact the publisher at georgedavid@riverboatbooks.com or write the publisher at P.O. Box 16161, St. Paul, MN, 55116-6161.

6) If 100,000 people enter, 210 prizes*** will be awarded as follows:

The Most Compelling Essay          - $10,000

2nd Place                 - $5,000
3rd Place                 - $2,000
4th Place                 - $1,800
5th Place                 - $1,750
6th Place                 - $1,750
7th Place                 - $1,700
8th Place                 - $1,700
9th Place                 - $1,650
10th Place                 - $1,650
11th Place                 - $1,600
12th Place                 - $1,600
13th Place                 - $1,550
14th Place                 - $1,550
15th Place                 - $1,500
16th Place                 - $1,500
17th Place                 - $1,450
18th Place                 - $1,450
19th Place                 - $1,400
20th Place                 - $1,350
21st Place                 - $1,300
22nd thru 60th Place         - $900
61st thru 140th Place         - $650
141st thru 209th Place         -$550
210th Place                         -$400

(***Prize Pool - $170,000)

7) If 1,000,000 people enter, 2,100 prizes**** will be awarded as follows:

The Most Compelling Essay          - $52,000

2nd Place                 - $26,000
3rd Place                 - $17,000
4th Place                 - $14,000
5th Place                 - $12,000
6th Place                 - $9,500
7th Place                 - $9,000
8th Place                 - $8,500
9th Place                 - $8,000
10th Place                 - $7,500
11th Place                 - $7,000
12th Place                 - $6,500
13th Place                 - $6,000
14th Place                 - $5,500
15th Place                 - $5,500
16th Place                 - $5,500
17th Place                 - $5,000
18th Place                 - $5,000
19th Place                 - $5,000
20th Place                 - $4,500
21st Place                 - $4,500
22nd thru 60th Place         - $3,500
61st thru 140th Place         - $2,000
141st thru 210th Place         - $1,500
211th thru 600th Place         -$850
601st thru 800th Place         -$650
801st thru 1,400th Place         -$550
1,401st thru 2100th Place         -$500

(****Prize Pool - $1,700,000)